Song of the Foals

by dshadow14

Chapter 6

Less than a minute after Twilight and Mystic were summoned by Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash started making her way toward the front doors.

“And where are you going?” asked Rarity.

Rainbow Dash turned around and looked at her friends with a determined expression.

“I’m not gonna just sit here shuffling my hooves!” the pegasus proclaimed, “I’m going to go look for something helpful in finding those foals as fast as possible! And I’m betting I’ll find it in that Deserter Forest”

“Um… actually it’s called the Destrier Forest.” Fluttershy corrected.

“Whatever…”

“I think ya got the right idea there, RD,” said Applejack, “I’m comin’ with ya.”

“Me too.” said Spike climbing onto Applejack’s back.

The trio nodded back to the remaining mares before exiting the hospital.

Very few ponies were out and about anymore. Applejack figured seeing Daisy returned and hospitalized gave many ponies incentive to keep close to the foals in their lives.

Once the trio of impromptu investigators arrived at the forest, they immediately got to work. Spike hopped off Applejack’s back and the two of them examined the area in which Daisy Glow was found. The edge of the forest did look like something (or more accurately, somepony) had gone through, but there wasn’t much of a trail to follow. This much they reported to Rainbow Dash after she’d finished doing a quick sweep along the forest’s edge.

“Well, it’s something to go on.” said the rainbow-maned athlete as she made her way closer to the disturbed plant-life, “Maybe there are other places like this nearby that we can use as a path or something.”

“Well, I s’pose that’s as good an idea as any right now.” said Applejack

The three friends entered the forest, walking straight forward from their only clue and keeping their eyes peeled for any others.

“Wow, this place seems so much nicer than the Everfree forest,” said Spike as he looked around, “The light actually makes it through the trees and I don’t constantly feel like something’s about to jump out at me.”

“Yep, seems like a nice place for a relaxin’ trot.” agreed Applejack, “Darn shame that’s not what we’re here for.”

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, though judging by the look on her face, she was growing frustrated.

“Did either of you see anything?” asked the colorful pegasus.

“’Fraid not, Rainbow.” replied Applejack. “Fer all we know we could have gone the wrong way entirely.”

“Ugh! Does this mean we have to go back with nothing to show for it?”

“Sorry to say it, but yeah. Wanna hop back on, Spike?”

No answer came from the young dragon. The farmer looked over to where she last saw him to be met with nothing but the forest floor.

“What the hay? Spike, where’d ya run off to?” AJ called out.

“He was right there!” Rainbow exclaimed, “How’d we lose him?”

“SPIKE! C’mon we’re headed back!”

Once again, only silence came as an answer.

The two ponies immediately took off, darting between the trees calling out and looking for Spike. It seemed that the little guy had just vanished into thin air. They looked and looked, trying to cover as much ground as they could with just the two of them. Eventually, they had to concede that they couldn’t find him on their own. Reluctantly, they made their way back to the hospital.

---

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST SPIKE?!”

Twilight was livid. She tried to take calming breaths, but she only accomplished hyperventilation.

“Okay okay okay okay!” the purple alicorn started pacing around the waiting room trying to gather her thoughts. “I can’t panic! Panicking won’t find Spike! WHAT HAPPENED?!”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were unable to look Twilight in the eye as they explained their attempt at investigating the forest. As Twilight listened, she slowly but surely managed to calm down enough to start thinking rationally.

“Okay, I can’t blame you, there’s no way you could have expected Spike to just disappear. And you know what? We’re not entirely helpless. Mystic managed to get some information from Daisy Glow! Speaking of which: Mystic would you be so kind as to share that information with us? In fact, let me see that notebook.”

Mystic was unable to respond right away as Twilight grabbed his notebook in her magic and immediately cracked it open. As she flipped through the pages, Twilight’s expression became one of frantic confusion.

Looking over her friend’s shoulder, Rarity was taken aback by the sight of barely legible scribbles and crude drawings on the pages.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat this, Darling:” she said looking at the silver stallion, “You’re hornwriting is atrocious.”

“I know.” sighed Mystic, folding his ears back, “I was in a hurry to get it all down.”

“But you can still read it, right?” asked Twilight giving the notebook back.

“Of course.”

“Then there’s no time to lose, we need to move out. Whatever lured away the foals must have done the same with Spike, and it’s time we get them all back!”

Everypony gave cheers of agreement as they prepared to depart.

“Good luck, my friends.” said Princess Luna, “I would accompany you, but I’m afraid I must continue to aid the town.”

“That’s okay!” piped up Pinkie Pie, “We’ve been doing this kind of thing on our own for seven seasons. Oops, I forgot, this story takes place right after season six ended. Silly me.”

Mystic Night looked at the pink mare with his eyebrow raised. Story? Seasons? What in Equestria was this cotton candy looking mare talking about? Applejack put a hoof on his shoulder before he could think about it too much.

“If ya value yer sanity, don’t question it.” She said, “It’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.”

"Um, before we go rushing in to the rescue, I have to ask:" said Fluttershy, "Do we know what we're going up against?"

All eyes turned to Mystic Night, the red-maned unicorn looked down at his notes.

"Something twisted and unnatural."

Author's Note:

I'm so bad at getting stuff done.
As always, constructive criticism welcome and appreciated. I can't learn from my mistakes if I don't know what they are.