Foxfire's Tail II: A Fleeting Dreamscape

by Dragonborne Fox

Chapter VI- Darkness

Foxfire and her drone trudged wearily through the Everfree Forest. The moon didn't rise; it no longer did. The sky was black as ink and the stars refused to twinkle.

"Your Highness," Spoke the drone via telepathy, "I should think something's wrong."

Foxfire nodded, bags under her eyes. Her tail was cropped short and her midsection was wrapped in bloodied bandages. On her head was not even a horn fragment, as it was sawed clean off from the skull. Heck, her mane was nothing short of a scarlet-brown rag on her head. Her cutie marks were no longer on her flanks, almost as if sliced away from her form.

More bloodied bandages were on her neck and aforementioned flanks. Her body was skin and bones, and the fur on her legs was nonexistent. All there was were grey appendages with old afflictions still present.

Foxfire...

The withering alicorn stopped in her tracks, darting her head around frantically. Who'd said that?

Foxfire....

She fell onto her rump, tears welling up in her abused, bloodshot eyes.

Turn your head to the right, Foxfire...

The mare did as told and found an apparition of some kind. It's form was unrecognizable from the mist that was producing it.

She blinked a few times, then rubbed her eyes with a hoof. The mist cloud was gone.

"What was that?" The drone asked, again via telepathy.

"I....I don't know..." The mare answered, her voice cracked so much it sounded like she was on the brink of losing it.

Just like her mentor.

More tears began welling up at the thought. Pangs of guilt, pain, and self-hate assaulted her nerves, but she did her best to shrug them off.

No avail. She couldn't stop the tears now even as they crept to the corners of her eyes and slid down her furry cheeks.

At least, they won't execute you here...the commoners won't traverse in these dense woodlands....You're a lucky mare, Foxfire...

"How....am I....lucky? The....things I've seen...felt...known...you don't understand..." Foxfire retorted bitterly as more tears poured from her eyes.

You're my child, Foxfire. I've watched you all these years...

"...."

And so have we...

Big sister, why are you sad?

"...." Foxfire blinked in disbelief. "Mother? Father? Sister?"