The Legend of Everfree Creek

by ShadowWalking18

Applejack (1)

"I ain't one ta call somepony a liar. But I'm a hard ta earth Earth Pony and like my mama, ain't one fer nonsense. Applebloom's stories of monsters as tall as trees, and walkin' on two legs. Pfft, sounded rather like a tall tale ta me at first. No creature walks on two legs except ponies, dragons sometimes, minotaurs, griffons...well ya know what I mean. Their all civilized beings, though that might be stretchin' fer griffons, but what I'm gettin' at is that they all live either in Equestria or their own countries. But Applebloom said this thing was in the Everfree, and there ain't no creature livin' there that walks on two legs. Three maybe. At most eight, but nothin' that walks on two legs.

I lived near the Everfree my whole life, and while I ain't some bio science person like Twilight, I know enough 'bout what calls those woods home ta 'ave a good idea of what does and doesn't live there. Besides, Applebloom is a little filly and fillies are always prone ta over exaggerate what they said they saw.

And ta be honest, I've caught Applebloom in a lie more than once. So ya could understood my skepticism.

For while I just thought we had some apple thieving varmint on our property....."

-Applejack

---

Applejack carefully fitted the last piece of bait and the line of the cage trap in place, before nodding approvingly as she crossed her hooves over her chest in a proud stance.

"There. That oughta catch whatever's eatin' our apples."
ed
"Eeeyup." Big Mac said, as he stood up from his own finished trap.

AJ and Big Mac had spent nearly the whole day setting up cage traps around the ripe apple trees in the orchard. Normally they would have been out bucking, but the two of them had some help now from three fillies who were doing some work now fer their fibbing.

Honestly, Applejack did not know where her little sister got such crazy, fanciful ideas about monsters. She was sure it was all them comic books she read.

Applejack took a moment to inspect the area, frowning at the applecore still on the ground. Those would be gathered up for the pig slop, but it was still disheartening to see perfectly good apples for market just eaten like that. It was a loss of product and profit.

"Big Mac, can ya'll take care o' these, I'll go check on Applebloom and her friends." AJ called to her brother as she turned and headed toward the patch of the orchard where the fillies were working.

"Eeeeyup." Mac responded with a nod as he took up a bucket and proceeded to get the applecores.

---

AJ made her way to the south field, there the CMC fillies were hard at work. Applebloom was bucking apples, though her skill was still in the works and it took her two or three bucks to clear one tree. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn't do much better. She smiled and watched the three of them work for a bit.

She didn't like to have fillies do such hard work, but as an Apple she couldn't tolerate nonsense, especially ones from three fillies that woke her up in the middle of the night with tall tales.

Content to see that they weren't slacking off, AJ turned and went to attend to her own chores now.

For the remainder of the day, she worked content with the knowledge that, whatever it was that was eating the apples would be locked up soon enough. Then she would give it to Fluttershy to deal with.

As supper time came around, Applejack was glad to see that they were almost done with the area of the orchard; perhaps they could get it all done tomorrow ahead of schedule. The thought made her smile, and while the work on a farm never really ended, being able to get something done ahead of normal was always a boon.

As Applejack headed back to the farm house, she was almost barreled over by Winona who ran around her with excitement; her leash in her mouth.

AJ chuckled, "Oh alright Winona. We can go for a short walk."

Winona barked and panted, her tail wagging excitedly as AJ attached the leash and turned from her path to the house to a small path she often walked Winona through.

As they walked, AJ was so focused on determining the work load for tomorrow that she nearly tripped when suddenly Winona stopped in her tracks and stared off toward the woods.

"Wha? What is it girl?" Applejack asked, looking at her dog curiously.

Winona stared quietly, before kneeling down and growling before letting out a rapid stream of loud barks and snarls. AJ had to brace herself as she yanked back on the leash, just as Winona tried to barrel towards the woods.

"Whoa there girl. What's got you all riled up?" The cowmare asked, confused.

Winona kept barking and AJ squinted, looking in the same direction. She didn't see anything, but Winona seemed intent on a rock near some bushes and trees at the edge of the woods. She snarled and barked further, trying to run towards that spot.

Applejack started to feel curious of what could get Winona, usually a rather playful dog, so aggressive. Eventually her answers were given when from the bushes....

...jumped out a squirrel that sat on the rock and started to eat an acorn in its paws.

AJ's ears flattened and she raised a brow at her dog, who kept barking.

"Oh, you silly pooch, it's just a squirrel." Applejack said with sigh, and started on the path again, having to yank on Winona few times before the dog finally, with a small whine, gave up on the squirrel.

---

When AJ and Winona finally returned home, she noticed that Winona was acting strange. When not eating, she would look out the window toward the woods, her tail wagging slowly all the time. AJ could only sigh and assume that she was smelling some litter critter to chase. Probably foxes or more squirrels. She use to do that when she was a pup.

Appejack shrugged it off, even when as she turned in for the night and got snug up in her bed, Winona moved toward the window and stared out with intent; when normally she would curl up on the bed with her.

"Come on girl. Climb inta bed." AJ called, patting the covers.

Winona turned, looking at her. Barked once, then looked out the window again. Applejack sighed and planted her head on her pillow.

She figured Winona would climb into bed eventually, once she got bored. She went to sleep, assured of that thought.

Yet when she woke up the next morning, she saw that Winona still stood be the window, as if she had never left her spot and she had her teeth bared in a low growl.

When Applejack went outside to check the traps, she saw that they were empty and that more applecores lay on the ground once more.

Comments

[HellBreaker]

dis ding is shmert
FIRST!!!!!

[Staccet]

After reading the 4 chapters and taking closer look at the picture I realised the ponies were antrhos

[Direwolf]

This is a decent story, but I don't like how applejack doesn't even at least ponder about the creature that not only apple bloom saw, but the rest of the cmc as well. I also don't like how she completely brushes off her sister and her friends fear, at least make her comfort them in a non patronizing way. This is the everfree forest we are talking about and applejack have seen some weird stuff in the series, so it wouldn't be far fetched for a two legged creature with hair covering their body to be trekking the forest.