Timber

by Wafflicious

Chapter Three

The timberwolves' reactions were immediate.

As soon as the sound of clanking metal started, they all freaked out, Timber included. They started whining like an upset dog does and putting their paws over their ears, one of them even going so far as to bury it's head in dirt to block out the noise. As quickly as they came, the timberwolves began to run off. But of course, that simply wasn't going to be the end of it.

Quick as a rainboom, Zecora lept from the underbrush with multiple metal pots tied to her sides, as well as a collar in her mouth. Derpy couldn't believe her lazy eyes as Zecora tackled a fleeing timberwolf and wrestled it to the ground. In a matter of moments, she had the timberwolf pinned to the ground with one hoof, the other hoof firmly tightening the collar around the timberwolf's neck. And then there was silence. Derpy's jaw dropped to the floor and she sat down. Timber didn't know if it should wait or make a break for it while it still had the chance. And the other timberwolves were already gone. The imprisoned timberwolf was struggling under Zecora's iron grip. And Zecora was smiling, looking very pleased with herself. Reasonably so, because she just wrestled a timberwolf.

"Zecora," Derpy stated, "you're a badrump." Zecora laughed. Timber's leg had repaired itself finally and it walked over to pick Derpy up again.

"Your every need it seems to attend," Zecora said while pointing at Timber with her free hoof, "it seems that you have found a friend."

"Well..." Derpy thought on this for a moment. "You see, when I left your hut, I was attacked by a cockatrice. It injured me, and almost killed me, but I was rescued by Timber." She tapped the top of Timber's head as she finished the sentence. "I guess I kinda owe it one."

"Well Timber is quite the interesting find, for it is not part of the hive mind." Derpy looked at Timber questioningly. Zecora rolled her eyes and forcefully lifted her struggling timberwolf off the ground and began to drag it to her cottage.

"Follow me to my humble home, the answers you seek are in a tome." Derpy raised an eyebrow.

"Tome? Does that mean... um... book?" Derpy gave a large nervous grin. Zecora sighed and nodded.

"Follow me to my house in the Everfree," she said as she started to walk again. Timber followed.

"So..." Derpy began, "how did you know we were under attack?"

"A tripwire bush detected something strange, showing that timberwolves were in close range." Zecora's timberwolf gave up and stopped struggling.

Questions like, 'What's a tripwire bush,' or 'Why the hay are you kidnapping a timberwolf,' begged to be asked, but instead Derpy asked, "So what was that potion you were making?"

"The Potion of the Hidden Colt," Zecora said through a wry smile, "requires plants like Darkened Volt."

"It's really lucky that it requires that plant. I don't think that there are any other words that rhyme with colt."

Zecora chuckled. "Bolt, jolt, molt, smolt, revolt, thunderbolt. May not be many, but good enough for me."

"If you don't mind me asking," Derpy ventured, "why do you always rhyme?"

Here Zecora hesitated. Derpy wondered if it was a bad question before she was answered. "Poison Joke is a nasty weed, gave me a curse of which I'll never be freed."

"You were able to cure Twilight Sparkle and her friends, why can't you cure yourself?"

"I was infected for far to long, the effects have become far too strong."

"I'm... sorry. I really am."

"It's not your fault, what's done is done, it simply cannot be undone." Timber slowly nodded as if it were agreeing with this statement.

After no small amount of time, they reached Zecora's tree house. Zecora held open the door for Timber, and entered her cottage, tying her timberwolf to a wooden stake placed next to the cauldron. Which was empty. Derpy shrugged off that fact as Timber dropped her on a chair and immediately went to sleep on the floor. Derpy's ears perked up at the sound of Zecora clearing her throat. She looked up to see Zecora holding a number of bandages in her mouth.

"Oh!" Derpy exclaimed. "Um... thanks!" Zecora strode towards Derpy and began her work. First, she slowly removed Derpy's tattered mailmare suit, which was damaged beyond repair in it's current state. Then it was a simple matter of bandaging her injured wing and foreleg.

"So... how do I get back to Ponyville? Do I just wait for my leg to heal and walk home?"

As she finished wrapping up the wing and moved on to the leg, Zecora replied, "Apple Bloom will be here soon, word of your misfortune should be there by tomorrow afternoon." Before Derpy could respond, she heard the door open. Right on queue, Apple Bloom entered the cottage.

"Hey Zecora!" She shouted out cheerfully, raising the heads of the two timberwolves that she was completely oblivious to. She had two large sacks tied two her back, a sweet and very strong scent coming from them. They seemed to be full of flowers of some kind. "Ah got the flowers yah-Ahh!" She jumped straight to the roof and held onto a mask on the wall. She seemed to have noticed the timberwolves, and possibly Derpy to.

"Now now, dear Apple Bloom, for these guests there's more than enough room."

"Yah warned mah that yah were having guests Zecora. But yah didn't warn me that they were timberwolves!"

Zecora chuckled. "I understand your worry, little filly, but this fear is rather silly."

"Timber is perfectly safe to be around," Derpy said, patting it on the head affectionately, "besides, Zecora wouldn't willingly put you in danger. Everything is under control."

Apple Bloom looked around worriedly. "Well... if yah say so..." she let go of the mask, falling to the ground with a loud crash that woke Timber up. It looked inquisitively at Apple Bloom, then at Derpy, then back towards Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom shivered visibly as she slowly walked towards Zecora, both eyes firmly locked onto Timber the entire time. She then cautiously placed both sacks on the ground and stepped back slowly.

"You're safe, that fact is true," Zecora reassured, "but there's something Derpy needs from you."

Apple Bloom's face lit up. "Really? What can Ah do to help yah, Derpy?"

"Nothing much. You just need to go back to Ponyville and inform the local mail service that I am currently injured and will be staying with Zecora for a while. Also, inform my friends, in particular, Time Turner, that I'm alright." Derpy shook her head. "Though if I know him, that madpony will be out the door faster than you can say, 'bowties are cool'."

"Got it!" And then Apple Bloom was gone, shouting as she left, "Cutie Mark Crusaders Injury Informers!" Zecora chuckled.

"So..." Derpy started, "what about that book on timberwolves?"

Author's Note:

New chapter! Cover art and avatar courtesy of Rubbaduckwolf.
I'm sorry that this chapter took forever. Writing dialog for Zecora is so hard xD. Besides, between terrible Internet and everything else that has been happening at my house, it's been so hard to get going.
Also, is 'badrump' a reasonable substitute for (minor swear) badass? Or is it just silly?

Comments

[PegasisterTheBrony]

OMG BADRUMP XDXDXD

[Gyro Pony]

"Bowties are cool" !!
Coming from a certain pony Doctor, yes they are indeed.

And this is a sweet story so far. Just finished chapter 3.

[Wafflicious]

6133658
I honestly didn't know if anyone else would get that

[Gyro Pony]

6135209
Well considering that it was pones and the fandom which supplied a constant prodding to seek out the TARDIS, I'd say there will be plenty who get that reference!

Of course I always knew of Doctor Who, but I never got into it. No reason. Just didn't. I love my Star Trek and that's always been enough I suppose.

I blame all those "Derpy and The Doctor" fan animations and the odd cartoon on Equestria Daily....

[Fapman]

New chapter when?

[Wafflicious]

6160545

I've been trying to write it, but I've gotten almost no free time here lately, and my internet has been terrible. So I'm going to try to get it done soon. It will be out as soon as possible.

[Fapman]

6161409
Ok, dude.
I wait for it.