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A Trip To Grimsdell Forest1,196 words
A Trip Through Everfree1,344 words
A Trip To Ponyville1,125 words

A Trip Through Everfree

------------------------------------------Next Morning----------------------------------------------

Will awoke that morning feeling rested being used to sleeping outdoors. The sun was barely visible as its soft light enveloped the woods. After eating some of the dried meat and packing his blankets he was ready to set out. Before leaving, he made sure to hide evidence of the campsite, he didn't want anything following him. He set out east in the direction of a village, if he were Grimsdale Woods that would be the nearest village.

As Will rode he checked and rechecked his surroundings keeping an arrow notched. He didn't know what this forest could throw at him after the wolves. He rode non-stop taking a breaks only to snack on his dwindling supply of meat. Making a note to keep an eye out for any deer or small animals to hunt.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and Will set up camp next to a creek. Exploring the surrounding forest Will set up a trap in the hope of catching some meat as he'd eaten the last of his current supply for supper that night. Using the rope he set up a crude but effective trap. All he had to bait the trap where the oats so he put those over the hidden noose and set the trap. Returning to the camp he sat down next to the fire.

'This place is like any other forest I've been in but the creatures are completely different. I know all the trees and plants from back in Araluen but everything else is different. The days seem warmer the nights more beautiful. I wonder if any people live in this place or is it just me and the wildlife.'

He felt sad at that but he had to hope he'd find his way back to Araluen and to his friends there. Thinking about them loosened a tear from his eye slowing tracing his way down Wills face.

'I will find my way home again no matter what, that is my chief priority.' That night he slept fitfully plagued by thoughts of being lost forever in this place.

Will awoke feeling as if he hadn't slept at all. The fire had burned down to cinders during the night. The first order of business was to check the trap for any animals. As he approached the trap he could here scrabbling of an animal. Slowing down and creeping up he found that his efforts the previous night had been rewarded. A fox had been snared in the loop and was now dangling from the nearby tree.

As Will crept up he slowed and stopped as another creature appeared from out of a bush opposite Will. At first it looked like a chicken and Will notched his bow hoping to take back even more food. However that notion was blown away as the creature revealed the rest of its body. It was one of the oddest things Will had ever seen. It had the head of a chicken and the body of a serpent. It slid towards the struggling fox oblivious to the ranger past it. Will watched as the chicken-serpant rose up and looked the fox in the eyes.

Will almost yelled out in surprise as the body of the fox slowly turned grey and still. Once the fox was completely encased the chicken-serpent opened its mouth revealing rows of glistening teeth. It bit into the stone encasing the fox easily piercing the stone. A noisy sucking filled the morning air as the creature greedily sucked in nutrients through its hollow teeth.

'Interesting this creature first encases its meal in stone before sucking them dry. It reminded Will of a spider that would encase its victim in a cocoon before eating them or storing them for later.'

As interesting as it was to watch the growling in Will's midsection needed to be satiated. Will eased the bow back to full draw, something many grown men would struggle to do, holding his breathe he sighted and fired. The creature didn't even have time to squawk as its lifeless boy hit the forest floor.

Will released his breathe in a quite exhalation. Will slowly crept up to the prone figure. He wouldn't have been to surprised if it'd get up and attack. Will shook his head at his own paranoia. Still, after what this forest had shown him he thought it wise to be cautious. Reaching the downed creature he pulled the arrow from its limp form. He then took apart the rope trap leaving the fox on the ground.Throwing the slain beast over his shoulder and taking the rope he returned to camp.

Deciding to risk cooking the strange creature he gathered some dead limbs and twigs. Creating a small tepee he smashed the flint and steal together creating a small spark he caught in a small nest of moss he'd made. He slowly blew on the moss until it smoked and caught fire. Placing it in the center of the tepee he kept blowing until he got nice flame eating away at the wood.

He took the creature over to the creek and started gutting it. He had gutted both chicken and snake before. The creature had the same components just in different places. He couldn't find how the eyes would caused petrification. They seemed just like any other animals. With the creature cleaned and gutted he raised it on a stick above the fire and slowing turned it, watching as it cooked. When the meat was ready he took it down. He decided to leave off eating the meat unless it was unavoidable as he didn't know what it might do to him. Packing the roasted meat he got up on Tug and set off east again.

During the ride Will came across a few nuts and berries. Stop each time he found some to collect as many as he could. He stopped for lunch and snacked on a fare number of them for his meal. By nightfall he had a good number of nuts and berries in his packs. Setting up camp near some berry bushes he also made the same trap as before but used a few berries and nuts to bait the trap.

While riding he had come to the conclusion the meat was most likely good to eat as it was made up of two edible creatures. Taking the meat out he bit off a chunk and chewed. Overall it tasted like he'd expect any chicken to taste like. That night he went to sleep feeling well-fed and satisfied with the days proceedings.

The morning light flooded the campsite waking Will from his slumbers. After stretching he grabbed his bow set off to see if he'd caught anything during the night. This time he approaching even more slowly then the last. He really didn't have a clue as what to expect but wanted to be as prepared as possible. He'd placed the trap on the opposite side of a small clearing so he could see anything caught in the trap from the other side. As he gazed across the clearing the first thing he noticed was the rabbit caught in the trap struggling to get out.

Seeing movement in the bushes near the tree Will stopped and sighted wondering what predator might appear this time. A small winged equine was the last thing he was prepared for. He almost loosed the arrow in surprise. Watching the yellow-coated pegasus, for that's what it had to be, fly up to the branch the bunny was dangling from and tug on the rope. He noticed it seemed to be in a state of distress as it tugged on the rope trying to free the bunny. Pegasus or no pegasus he wasn't going to let it take his breakfast. He aimed and sighted carefully he released the string and the arrow flew through the morning air.

Authors Note: My first major cliff-hanger . It really is kind of fun. Don't worry I won't make a habit of it.

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Tenkmaku

Tenkmaku #1 · Sep 6th, 2012 · · ·

let me guess he is going to shoot rope or near by ;p no one has so cold hearth to hurt fluttershy she is just to cute and the bunny is depending if it is a Angel then he will survive if not then it will be a problem Nice cliffhanger hope for more

AegisoftheDawn

AegisoftheDawn #2 · Sep 6th, 2012 · · ·

He didn't know what this forest could throw at him after the wolfs.

The plural of wolf is wolves.

Sorry, I couldn't get out of the second paragraph without pointing that out. Now back to your previously scheduled fanfic. . .

Midnight Blues

Midnight Blues #3 · Sep 6th, 2012 · · ·

1231170 Corrected. Thanks.

AegisoftheDawn

AegisoftheDawn #4 · Sep 6th, 2012 · · ·

You're going to catch some flak for killing Fluttershy off this early in the story but I think Will made the right choice. Fluttershy effectively has mind control abilities so you want to take her down early and from a distance.