Scootaloo wandered quietly through the forest, head low and eyes darting around the shadows. The night air was harsh against her young coat as the leaves and trees swayed to the wind. She shivered lightly, scowling at the ground.
"This is stupid," she said, berating herself, "Why am I even doing this?" The question was rather pointless, honestly. She knew exactly why she was out here in the dark. There was no way she'd pass up a dare. It was a challenge to her, and the trade off was too good to ignore. Just being out here and now gave Scootaloo her victory, but going all the way would be all the sweeter. Sure, if the tree did exist, Scootaloo would have to admit she was wrong, but that wasn't anything new. She looked back from where she came from. Only darkness followed her, as all signs of the camp she left behind were shrouded from her sight. "I could be joking around with my friends, right now..." The young pegasus sighed as she pressed forward, keeping her eyes pealed. "But she'd probably hound me to keep my end of the bargain. Probably wouldn't be nice about it either. Whatever..."
She kicked a pine cone idly as she kept walking, eyes continually scanning the area around her. It really wasn't anything special deep in the forest. Lots of trees and shrubs, the odd rodent peeking from their hovels, dark shadows between the trees. It was a little boring. The whole woodland even seemed to become quieter as she ever slowly kept moving. But, as she continued to trek further, looking for any sign at all, she stopped suddenly upon realizing something. The forest's ambience wasn't just becoming quiet. It had become dead silent.
The young filly began to get nervous, as she swiveled her ears, trying to hear SOMETHING ordinary from the woodland. Owls hooting, rodents squealing, twigs snapping, wind howling. Nothing at all. Then, as her eyes darted to and fro, searching the trees and dark, something was most definitely wrong. Despite the light of the moon, it seemed like the whole forest was getting darker and darker. Her body began to shake. Her breathing began to get deeper and more rapid. She scanned the area once more, trying to find something, some hint, before she decided to turn around and run like the chicken she was.
It was only for a split second, but she finally caught something different in the corner of her eyes. Turning directly towards it, she locked her gaze on what seemed to be a pair of dull red eyes, surrounded by the shadows of the trees. She took a step back in panic, and held her breath for just a moment, upon realizing the eyes she saw were now looking directly at her. The sound of a twig snapping sent Scootaloo's mind reeling, as she turned around and tried to run.
Bolting from where she was, the filly sped down the path as fast as her small frame could take her. She kept moving, aiming to get as far away from whatever had those eyes as possible. After galloping for a decent distance, she dared to look back, only to notice that a shadowy figure easily three times her size was chasing her. A figure that belonged to those same dull red eyes. Scootaloo's fear reached its height. She picked up the pace, but the figure was gaining on her. Tears welled up in her eyes the worse the situation became. Then, she heard the sound of a jump. On cue, she took a hard turn left, avoiding the pounce, and disappeared into the forest. Sure enough, looking back, she saw the figure lying on the ground for a moment before it scrambled back to its hooves and continued to try to pursue her.
She weaved through the bushes and trees as best as she could, using her stubby wings to help herself over jumps. Her small frame gave her an edge in the densely packed woodland. The dark figure however wasn't so lucky, as it struggled to keep up through the trees, grunting and straining each passing moment. Scootaloo turned back and pushed herself faster, getting more and more distance between her and whatever was after here.
She then saw the signs of a clearing nearby, and gunned for it, hoping she maybe stumbled back to the campsite. I could tell Ms. Cheerilee and Apple Bloom's sister! They'll save me, she reasoned hopefully. However, as she got closer to the clearing, she noticed something odd. The grass seemed darkened. Not just darkened, but red. Did... did I just find it?
The sound of twigs behind her snapping and frustrated growls kicked her out of her shock, forcing her run for the clearing and jump into it. And there, waiting for her arrival was the tree in the story. It was a large, twisted, and darkly looking plant, as seemingly old for however old that story was. Something deep inside herself told her to run away from this thing, but the threat of the shadow chasing her caused her eyes to fixate on a hovel below the roots, just her size. She pitched herself forward and dove underneath the tree, crawling further deeper into the darkness, and adjusting herself so she could see back out into the clearing.
Upon getting safely comfortable, she waited in the dark crawlspace and listened. Upon finally starting to relax under the roots, she noticed something she didn't give any thought to before. The clearing itself was brightly lit with a silvery hue from the light of the moon. It was as if someone was shining a light down as if this were a stage play. Before she could think about it any further, the bushes rustled from whence she came, and the figure that was chasing her stepped out into the light.
It was an earth pony stallion, with a dark grey coat and a black mane. He had a charming little cap atop his head, and had the face of a pony that seemed like a winner, if he ever smiled. The scowl he had however only outlined his intense, dull red eyes, as he looked about in vain. He cursed, as he stomped the ground in frustration. Scootaloo shrunk a little deeper into her hovel, but kept her ears open.
"Damn it!" he cursed again, "I should have moved faster. I should have taken that brat BEFORE she saw me. Could have silenced her, and dumped her off in a lake. Now she'll blab to somepony and I'll be done for." He kicked a nearby rock, causing it to skip away and into the forest. "I can't believe this. I make one little mistake and the everyone in Vanhoover wants my head. Now this? Why can't things go my way for once? Can't a thief get his dues already? I can't survive on good looks, not like my great grandfather."
Scootaloo covered her muzzle, trying to quieten the heavier panicked breathing she was starting, and kept watching the stallion pace and rage. She then realized something. While not the same as the stallion described in the story Diamond told, he had some definite similarities. The little filly then began to wonder what else was real in the story.
Suddenly, there was an odd hush of wind as the tree creaked to it, causing the stallion to pause. He looked about, as if he could hear something was off. There was silence for a moment, and then, they could hear it. Scootaloo gasped lightly in fright, as the voice of a mare could be heard. One that she couldn't recognize.
"You've returned. You shouldn't have returned."
The stallion took a step back, before he began shouting. "Sh-show yourself! Show yourself or else, if I find you, I'll do WORSE than what I'll do to that filly when I get my hooves on her!"
"I can't believe I ever loved you. Even though so many years passed, you haven't changed, have you? Even your children and children's children inherited the disgusting true self that you were."
"Do you think you know me?!" he shouted, louder this time, "I've had a hard life, lady! Nothing has EVER gone right for me! It's as if I've been cursed at birth, and you're going to sit where you are, and lecture ME?"
There was silence for a moment. An almost sad and oppressive silence as the wind died down again, but the wood didn't stop creaking.
"It is time. Time to be punished for what you've done, and what you're ilk have done. It is time for my justice."
"What in tartarus are you talking about?"
Suddenly, a crescendo of creaking wood could be heard, as Scootaloo watched the stallion's eyes grow wide in fear as he took a shaky step back. Then, she saw it. Branches moved like abnormal spider legs, twisting and jerking into place as they got closer to the stallion. As he tried to run away, one of the branches shot forth, and stabbed at his leg, causing him to scream. Scootaloo covered her eyes and ears, afraid of what was going to happen, expecting the absolute worst. And she was right.
The branch that stuck the stallion's leg then began to forcefully drag him back closer to the tree, as more branches began to coil around his limbs, barrel, and head. In the branches' grip, they began to lift the shrieking stallion off the ground, stabbing and jabbing at various points in his flesh. He bled on his wooden binds, dripping down the lengths of the branches. As the binds got tighter, he screamed louder until his throat became sore, only to cry further as the sounds of breaking bones could be heard. Wet heaves of vocal agony pressed harshly out of his lungs, further punctuated by tearing muscle and skin. Then, the sound of wood splintering and collapsing in on itself could be heard. The stallion was bleeding profusely all over, soaking the ground below him, causing him to steadily loose consciousness. However, even the threat of passing out from blood loss was not enough to save him from seeing what was about to happen. Eyes widening in horror, he let out one final, horrible scream as the sound of flesh and bone being ripped apart violently echoed about, punctuated by the sound of gurgling, then silence. The creaking of wood soon ceased as well.
Scootaloo laid under the tree, eyes and ears still covered, waiting out the horrible event that had transpired, trying to gather enough courage to run. However, after feeling something touch her head, she let go of her ears, and scrambled out of her hiding spot, turning back to the tree. Aside from red stains, the tree itself looked exactly the same as she first saw it. She backed away, entirely unnerved that no other trace of the stallion could be found. In the distance, the cry of a wolf echoed through the forest, causing the little filly to snap out of her shock before turning around completely, running back through the woodland.
She galloped through the shadowy nature, eyes tearing up while she tried in absolute vain to forget about the trauma. All she wanted was to be back with her friends, safe and sound. She missed everyone, even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Even if Cheerilee would have punished her for being out like this, she didn't care, as long as she could get away from this nightmare. Despite succeeding, following through the dare had no longer been worth it.
As she moved through the trees, she could hear familiar voices call out her name. Her heart filled with joy and relief as she ran harder through the bushes, determined to meet them. And there, out on the path, was none other than Cheerilee, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and a begrudging Diamond Tiara. Finally reaching the woodland boarder and jumping out of the bushes, she raced up to them, calling out to her worried sick class.
"MS. CHEERILEE!!!" She cried, suddenly hugging her teacher's leg.
Cheerilee was shocked, but relieved, as she wrapped a hoof around the sobbing filly. Her warm look of concern melted to worry and disappointment, as she gently pulled the filly away, and leaned down to Scootaloo's height. "You scared me half to death," she said, "Why did you think this was a good idea. This forest STILL can be dangerous, even without the timberwolves, especially at night."
All the little Scootaloo could say between sobs was, "I'm sorry," repeating herself over and over again. Cheerilee decided it was too soon to scorn the young filly for her action, and thought it would be best to take her back to camp. Upon hearing the thought of returning to camp, the young filly pegasus could only nod in appreciation.
The group swiftly made their way back, following the trail leading to the site. While traveling, Apple Bloom approached her upset friend gently. "Hey, are ya alright, Scoots?"
Scootaloo sniffled, before responding, "I dunno... I think so..."
Sweetie Belle then joined her other two friends in comfort. "Diamond Tiara called the dare off after we told Cheerilee you left. Nothing was worth you taking off like that."
"I know... I just... I guess I just don't like being called a chicken. I felt like I had to prove something..."
The two crusaders hugged their distraught friend for a moment, whom gave no complaints where she normally would. After releasing her, Sweetie Belle then pointed out something odd that was bugging her ever since they found Scootaloo.
"Scootaloo?" she started.
"Yeah?"
"What's with the cap you're wearing?"
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Authorities conducted an investigation upon the woodlands near Unicorn Range after the given testimony by a young pegasus filly. After searching the area, they had come to a suspicious clearing. Red stains were found all over the ground, but the witness' details about a quote unquote "creepy looking tree" were never founded. The only other object in the area worth noting was a small sapling in place of the alleged tree. Investigators had conducted tests on the hat the filly handed over, claiming it had belonged to the culprit that chased her. Samples of the red stains had also been collected. Research had concluded that the red stains were indeed blood stains, and that both the blood and hair samples found in the hat belonged to a notorious criminal that had fled Vanhoover city the day prior. Charged for theft, burglary, assault, second and first degree murders, the criminal is supposedly still at large, but due to the evidence found in the clearing, with the amount of blood left behind, suggests something may have happened. Citizens still have been told to keep an eye out for the criminal, and to report any and all sightings that may lead to his capture.
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In the end of it all, a generations long grudge was finally satisfied by a former lover's scorn, and a sweet little filly learned to not take things to heart, and leave them be when needed. After all, some tales always carry a hint of truth, and no matter how brave you think you are, it may be best to heed them as warnings. Perhaps now she'll stay by the sides of her friends, and even if her passion drives her to do something selfish and reckless, maybe they'll be able to reel her back in. One thing is for certain, she will never, EVER go out in the woods again alone in the dead of night. After all, that's where the worst terrors like to hide.
I certainly hoped you enjoyed tonight's story, dear audience, and I do hope you come back another day to the Apparition Amphitheater, when you want a spooky fix. Maybe I, or my colleagues, will be able to satisfy your macabre hunger. Until next time, my dear sweet children of the night. Beware.
The strange figure then bowed down, satisfied with his work, as the lights flickered off, one at a time, until darkness remained and nothing more. A wolf howled in the distance as clouds shrouded the moon's silvery light, and painted the open aired structure in pitch black. As the wolf's cry died in the air, the ambient sound became silent and still.