Gone Mustang

by BurningBright

Chapter Five: Alone

When Dawn awoke the sun had just risen, she looked around and found a spot in her temporary home where the water leaked through and took a quick drink, eagerly lapping up the water after a few moments finally realising how thirsty she really was. Then her thirst finally slaked she realised her stomach had other demands too. She was absolutely famished. Finally hunger forced her from her hiding place, she didn't want to go she was so tired, but she needed food so reluctantly she faced the exit to her sanctuary once more.

First though she followed what was rapidly becoming her usual morning routine with the stick, making sure to make its presence obvious. Then she emerged and tapped cautiously on the trunk, gradually picking up volume until she was certain that there was nothing lurking within earshot.

Once she was absolutely certain all was clear she slipped out in search of food, unfortunately for her what most ponies would call food doesn't exactly grow freely in the depths of a swamp, she managed a few mouthfuls of swamp grass, it was bitter, and stringy but better than nothing. at least her tummy was starting to hurt a little bit less now that she was filling it. The grass was far from the ideal option but it would tide her over until she finally got herself home. She missed the wagons, she missed her friends, and most of all she missed her mom and dad.

That empty spot in her heart ached terribly , but at least now she had plenty of time to make it back to the main camp, she brushed away the tears that stung her eyes and left them red and puffy and started on the long trail towards the main camp. The journey was no less terrifying the second time around , in fact after her encounter with one eye yesterday it was probably even more so. Every shadow she was convinced was him approaching. Every snapped twig his paw steps. Even the breeze could be his rancid breath down the back of her neck.

Still scared or not she felt her spirits lift as she approached the clearing. Soon she would be home , safe and warm with Momma and Poppa. Then she could get out of the scary swamp for awhile. She stepped clear of the trees and suddenly all her hopes were gone. Her legs buckled under her and tears stung her eyes. It took almost a minute before she even realised she was screaming, and yet she still couldn't stop. She knew she should, but should didn't matter anymore. Nothing really mattered compared to this.

It wasn't fair bit just wasn't fair , she'd finally got all the way home, and home wasn't there anymore. The bitterness and taste of bile lingered in her throat as she looked out over the empty clearing she had once so foolishly chosen to call her home. They were all gone, everypony had left. The little filly felt her entire world cave in around her as she realised that she was now completely alone.

Eventually she had to get to her hooves, the little voice inside her screaming at her not to, to just wait here. But her legs bunched under her anyway, she was scared, she was alone, but she wanted one thing above all else, even after all this she wanted to live. So she crushed down the little voice telling her, just lie here, just give in because the herd weren't coming for her. She buried it deep, deep down inside her mind.

Her movements were slow almost mechanical as wearily she started, unsteadily her legs shaking under her, to explore the remains of the site in case there was anything she could use. Anything that would help her get by had to be better than nothing. She had just about given up the search when she saw something glinting. Curiously she trotted over and began to scrape the heavily crusted dirt free of the item. What she eventually uncovered was a battered, heavily worn old pouch knife, heavily pitted from what must have been years of use . The thing far too big and bulky for her to put to effective use with her tiny hooves, but it was something from home, and right now she was willing to treasure that. The pouch, being far too big to fasten comfortably to the canon bone as it was designed to without slipping off and being lost was eventually settled snugly mid way up her uninjured hind leg . It rubbed a little but that was a small price to pay. Other than that all she managed to find was an extremely tatty thread worn old blanket. Still she was grateful for it, last night had been cold as well as scary. A tattered old blanket was better than no blanket at all.

With that, both of her newly acquired treasures held tight to her she set off, home was quite a ways off after all, and she didn't have long before things got dark and horrible again. Right now running hurt too much to even consider unless she was desperate, and to be frank she wasn’t even sure she had the energy, or the will to run anyway.

That night she couldn't even find it in herself to care when one eye approached her tree. She just curled up tight , her new blanket hiding her body completely, and tried her very hardest to ignore the scary noises from outside as she slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.

Tonight the dream was different. She was back at the camp site once again, but it seemed bigger somehow, all the wagons were there, but no matter how much she screamed no pony came for her. She searched desperately for somepony, any pony but no matter how much she screamed nopony came.

Suddenly the scene changed once more , melting around her and reforming into a far too familiar scene, the cave is before her once more. The stench of the monsters was cloying, a sulphurous stench. Yet again she was rooted to the ground with no chance to escape. Except this time even the monsters did not come for her. There was no release, she was trapped, no herd, no family no help.

Waking with an ear piercing scream she sat up, quickly biting down on her hoof so her screams were muffled. Gradually the screams faded replaced by sobs. Why did they have to leave her all alone?

Tonight even the sound of one eye and the other monsters prowling round outside her little den was starting to sound like a comfort.