Servant of Man

by Timber Wolf

Chapter 5

Twilight focused on her magic, eyes closed in concentration. Her magic was wrapped around Celestia's magic. Luna's magic was also wrapped around her sisters. All three stood perfectly still, their magic circling the violin. Then she saw it. The trail of magic left behind by the violin. As soon as they touched the trail, however, it threw them off. Luna and Twilight fell back onto their haunches, surprised. Celestia shook her head, slightly dizzy.

This was going to be harder than they thought.

---

The sun was setting, and the herd gathered closer together. Most of the foals where either nursing or settling down at their mother's hooves. River Leaf walked over to a mare who looked like him. She was the only mare who was pregnant. River Leaf lipped at her neck and she blew gently in his nostrils. That must be his mother. River Leaf walked away from his mother and walked over to Big Mac. The yearling stopped next to him and promptly fell asleep. Standing up.

Big Mac looked around. Most of the herd was standing up, heads low to the ground. Two mares were laying down next to their foals. Only Wild Slate and the lead mare were awake, both on either side of the herd, guarding them. Mac lowered himself to the ground and closed his eyes. He lay still for a moment before standing on his feet. He felt to exposed laying down. Copying River Leaf's stance, Big Mac fell asleep.

---

Macintosh awoke to gentle prodding to his back.

'Go away, Applebloom'

All he did was nicker and then snort. Opening his eyes, Mac realized where he was. He looked up to see River Leaf standing over him. Somehow, Mac had ended up asleep on the grass, not standing up. The red stallion rose to his hooves, glancing around. Most of the herd was up, except for a few foals. And Wild Slate and the lead mare. Both of them were laying down, fast asleep. Several mares stood around them, either grazing or keeping a look out. None of the foals bothered them. Mac shook his head before he turned around, heading for the bathroom.

He stopped. There was no bathroom. Big Mac pinned back his ears, looking around. Where was he supposed to go? Not here, on the grass. This grass was going to be his breakfast. Not by the river, either. He had to drink that water. There. Over by a tree on the side of the meadows. Below the tree was open dirt, and it seemed like some of the herd had gone there as well. Mac walked away from the herd, towards his abrupt bathroom spot. River Leaf looked up from where he was grazing and made to follow. Big Mac snorted at him

'Stay'

River Leaf looked confused, but did not follow him. Mac quickly went to the tree and relieved himself, kicking some dust over it when he was done. He turned to go back to the herd, only to feel a fresh wave of fear wash over him. The herd had not moved, but the gap between him and them seemed to have gotten bigger. He was too far away, and alone.

New herd instincts pushed him into a quick trot back over to River Leaf. Big Mac looked over his shoulder at the edge of the forest. He didn't know why, but he felt as if he was being watched. The red draft horse shook his mane out before he started to graze. He was being paranoid. Jumping dimensions would do that. He just needed to stay calm and wait for the rescue group to come get him.

He looked back over his shoulder. Three of the foals were wandering slightly, close to the edge of the forest. He watched them uneasily. A slight breeze rose up, blowing from the forest towards the herd. The entire herd froze, muzzles raised into the wind. Mac found himself doing the same thing. He smelt something. Something on the air. Something that made the feeling of being watched increase ten fold. The three foals who had wandered away stopped sniffing the air and broke into a gallop towards the herd. Jumping out of the forest, next to the tree Big Mac had been by not a minute ago, was a mountain lion.

Several mares screeched, rearing up. It was their foals, and one of the mares was about to watch her foal be killed. One foal, a pure black little filly, wasn't as fast as the others. The mountain lion leaped, claws extended. Mac closed his eyes, not wanting to watch the filly be killed. He heard the filly cry out, a whinny full of pain. A roar followed the sound of the filly. Mac opened his eyes to see Wild Slate standing in front of the filly. He reared up, front hooves kicking out at the large cat. The mountain lion hissed, but backed away. It tried to go around Wild Slate to get at the filly, but Wild Slate stomped his hooves and bit the air. The mountain lion growled, but turned and ran off. It was not going to fight a full grown stallion for a meal.

Mac looked around, only to realize that the entire herd was grouped together behind him. He was the second wall of protection. If the mountain lion had gotten past Wild Slate, Big Mac was expected to rush forward. Big Mac wasn't sure who he felt about that. His thoughts were broken as one mare made her way over to Wild Slate the the black filly. The filly was on the ground, but was sitting up. She struggled to her hooves with the help of her mother. Her back legs was sliced open at the hock on her left hind leg. Mac could see the dull white of bone.

It was then that it hit him. Maybe the shock of jumping worlds was wearing off. Or maybe it was seeing a filly barely older than the cake twins be attacked by a wild cat. Whatever did it, finally woke Big Mac up. This world wasn't like his. At any moment, anyone of them could be killed. This place was harsh, cruel even. Having to survive against such large predators. Faust forbid he still be here when winter hit.

Mac's legs shook as he approached the filly. Both the mother and Wild Slate watched him carefully. Mac looked down a the frightened foal. She stood on three of her legs, the hurt one raised above the ground. Her muzzle was wrinkled in a grimace and Big Mac knew she wanted to cry out, but she wouldn't.

If she did, it would only alert more predators to her.

Mac heard a short whinny, and the entire herd turned. The pregnant female, the matriarch, was calling the herd. It was to dangerous to stay here. The herd gathered and started to move on, slowly. The injured filly limped next to her mother at the back of the herd. Wild Slate walked behind them, keeping an eye on his daughter.

River Leaf and Big Mac walked on the far side of the herd, center in the line. The atmosphere was sullen. Everypony was acting like the filly had died. Mac's heart jumped and he looked back to make sure the foal was still there. She was, slowly limping along.

Big Mac felt sullen as they moved further away from where he had first appeared.

Comments

[RisingMoon336]

TIMBER WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?
We missed you!^^
Good chapter, I can't wait to see how Celestia breaches the door between these two worlds

[Thraxus908]

Very good, I am anxious to see where this will go. I am wondering if this is a wild herd, as they were historically. After all, I don't remember reading about any fences, and a farmer would have done something to the herd by now. I imagine that BM will get captured by humans, probably along with River Leaf, and will amaze the humans with his intelligence. Then will probably get rescued by the others. In any case, a good story and well written.

[Dan50]

Boy are the girls in for a surprise in this universe. Also when are the humans coming in haha.