//------------------------------// // 6. Cutting Wood // Story: By My Own Beard! // by DwarvishPony //------------------------------// Ovrik found himself enjoying a leisurely afternoon in Ponyville. His day had been eventful, but fun. Trixie was still in town, so Ovrik was able to watch another of her shows (from a safe distance on the ground this time). After that he had lunch as Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie Pie, but she had to leave for a 'unicycle emergency'. Now he found himself sitting on a bench in the park, watching the sun sink below the horizon, a sight he didn't see often back home but loved, nonetheless. Ovrik looked about, but nobody seemed to be in the park at this hour. It was lonely, but peaceful. Ovrik still wished he could spend some time with his new friends, though. Twilight was still out of town, Applejack had chores (and refused help from Ovrik), Fluttershy had some kind of work to do on the edge of the forest with someone named Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie had been dealing with the aforementioned emergency. Ovrik let out a content sigh as the last rays of sunlight disappeared beneath the horizon. Ovrik stood and stretched, ready to head back to the castle for the evening. As he turned to make his way there, he heard a faint cry from behind him. "Help! Ovrik, please help!" Ovrik spun, spotting Fluttershy flying across the park towards him faster than he had ever seen the mare fly. "Ovrik!" Ovrik ran to meet Fluttershy, recognizing the fear in her expression. Something was wrong. "What's goin' on? Ye' all right, Fluttershy?" "No! I mean, I'm fine! It's Rainbow Dash. She needs help." Tears welled up in the yellow mare's eyes. "We were attacked by timberwolves. Rainbow sent me ahead to get help while she held them off." "Say no more, lass. Which way is yer friend?" Fluttershy pointed a hoof towards the forest on the edge of town. "She's in the Everfree Forest, that way." "All right. Go get more help. I'm gonna go help yer friend." Ovrik barely waited for a nod from Fluttershy before he was sprinting off towards the Everfree Forest. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He'd heard enough stories from the merchants of Koganusan to know that wolf attacks were no joke. Ovrik was breathing heavily when he reached the edge of the forest. He stopped, craning his neck in the hopes of hearing something that would help him locate the pony in danger. After a tense moment of concentration, he could just barely make out the sounds of a feminine voice and what sounded like it may be combat. Ovrik charged forward, axe in hand. "I'm comin' lass. Just you hang on!" Ovrik barreled into a clearing, spotting a blue pegasus mare with a brilliant rainbow mane surrounded by wolves made of wood (Ovrik would laugh at the pun later). One of the mare's wings hung limply at her side, eliciting a grimace every time she made a move that affected it. A timberwolf advanced upon the mare, only to receive a powerful buck to the head and send it scampering back a few steps. Ovrik let out a cry that would have done his Gods proud, had they been watching. The dwarf's axe splintered wood on it's first strike, drawing the ire of the rest of the wolves as Ovrik cleaved the nearest one in twain. Ovrik grinned madly, glad to see combat for the first time since ending up in Ponyville. The pegasus saw an opening through the pack and retreated away from the wolves, taking the opportunity to nurse her injured wing. Ovrik, meanwhile, was a blur of motion. Flashes of dwarven steel drew cries of pain from the timberwolves as Ovrik lost himself to the melee. The only other sound that the pegasus could hear was the laughter of the strange creature that had charged in to save her. In what seemed like mere moments, most of the timberwolves lay in pieces around Ovrik. The remaining few realized that they were outmatched and fled deeper into the forest, the darkness quickly hiding their escape. Ovrik didn't bother to give chase. Instead, he turned towards the mare he had saved. "I'm takin' it by yer mane that yer Rainbow Dash?" "Who's asking?" The pegasus crouched defensively, ready to spring at the dwarf if he made any sudden moves. "Name's Ovrik. Yer friend Fluttershy sent me to come help ye'." Ovrik put his axe away, not needing to clean it (a first, he noted). "Ye' are Rainbow Dash, right? If not, I gotta go help somebody else." "Fluttershy sent you? Then she got away. Is she okay?" Dash visibly relaxed at the news. "Yeah, she's fine. Yer not lookin' to good though." Ovrik noted as he stepped closer. "Let's get ye' back to town. Ye' need a healer." "Ya think? My wing's kinda broken." "Ye want me to carry ye' back? Ye look like ye need it." Rainbow Dash hesitated as she contemplated the offer. "Just to the edge of the forest. I don't know if you've heard of me yet, but I've kinda got a reputation to keep." Ovrik let the mare keep her pride as he carried her piggyback to the edge of the forest. As the two neared the treeline, they heard the cries of their friends. He set her down gently, letting her walk from the treeline herself. "Rainbow, are ya all right?" Applejack ran over, drawing the attention of the rest of the ponies there. "Yeah. It's nothing someone as awesome as me couldn't handle. Me and my new pal Ovrik really showed those timberwolves a thing or two." Rainbow Dash replied as coolly as possible. "Oh my goodness! Is your wing all right?" Fluttershy fretted, afraid to get to close to her injured friend as if breathing near Rainbow Dash would hurt her. Pinkie Pie ran up with a unicycle tied to her back. "Wow, Dashie! Good thing Fluttershy found Ovrik in time to help you! We need to get you to a doctor!" Pinkie Pie drowned out Fluttershy's timid questioning, speaking at the only volume she really knew. Loud. "Yeah, i know. Let's get this over with." The blue pegasus grumbled. "We all know he's gonna say I can't fly for a while." Ovrik followed quietly behind as the rest of the ponies trotted towards Ponyville. ~~~~~~ Far removed from the events in Ponyville, two sets of eyes stared into a bubbling cauldron. Neither creature watching spoke for a moment as the cauldron showed images of the ponies and the unfamiliar creature walking back towards the village they lived in. "It seems we have a new pawn on the board, sister." A melodic voice spoke, finally breaking the silence. "Indeed we do, sister." The other creature replied, speaking with a rougher voice. "But it matters not. We have waited this long. One new arrival isn't going to change our plans." "Correct. This new creature is of no threat to us." The melodic voice let out a laugh. "Indeed. Shall we move forward with the plans?" The rougher voiced creature laughed as well. "Indeed, sister."