Backstory of Melody Song

by Melody Song

A Close Call

"Please tell me that was your stomach, Yona." Smolder said

"Yona w-wish it w-was..." Yona replied, backing up.

"Well, if it wasn't Yona, what was it?" Zamara asked, and the logical part of my mind set to work instantly.

"Definitely not a Timberwolf, they have much deeper growls and you can smell their breath from a mile off. It wouldn't have been a manticore because they roar, not growl. A cockatrice doesn't make much sound, hydras aren't native to this part of the forest, and chimeras tend to make a noise in-between a goat bleating, a snake hissing, and a tiger snarling."

"Well, that emliminates pretty much every creature in here." Gallus said.

The growl came again. Ocellus squeaked and transformed into a rock, which Smolder picked up. She fit in the orange dragoness' arms so perfectly I briefly wondered if she'd made herself into that sized rock on purpose. I didn't have time to dwell on their potential relationship now, though.

"It doesn't eliminate every creature, Gal. Professor Fluttershy has mentioned there are bears and other wild animals in here." Sandbar objected to Gallus' statement.

"Bears...what if it's an Ursa Minor?!" Silverstream asked, terrified

"They don't come out until dark, they're nocturnal." I protested

"It r-really sounded like a Timberwolf..." Shine said

"Timberwolf...wolf...it's a wolf!" I yelped, a second too late.

The snarling gray wolf leapt from the bushes as the words came out of my mouth. It's yellow eyes gleamed like specks of flint, and it snarled menacingly. I scrambled backwards as it came out, and dimly heard shrieks of alarm from the others. I saw Harper rushing to me, their wings flapping in alarm.

"Run!!" Shine and Dahlia screamed, and I silently agreed.

We all scrambled away from the wolf, ready to run. I looked to see Smolder carrying Ocellus, who had now transformed back. They were looking back at something behind them, and I followed their gaze. The wolf was not alone, and my heart dropped to my stomach upon seeing there was an entire pack of them. Gallus was making a valiant effort by lunging at them, I noticed Glen giving a few swipes of her own.

"Harper we have to do something." I whispered to them, and they nodded

"I'm with you Mel."

I gulped, hoping I wasn't leading my friend into suicide, and lunged. I punched one of the wolves in the side, though I felt it's claw nearly catch my shoulder. I winced involuntarily and backed away, Harper rushing up behind me to deliver a kick with their back legs.

"Take that! No one messes with my bestie!"

I looked over and saw Zamara, Gallus, Glen, Yona, and Smolder fighting while the others huddled in the center of them. The five creatures surrounding them like a protective circle. I backed away towards them, grabbing Harper by the tail and tugging her along with me.

"I have an idea!" I shouted, hoping it would work. "Smolder, Zamara, use your fire to break them up! Glen, Gallus, corral the wolves into that corner! Yona, Harper, Dahlia, get over to those trees and break some down to box them in! Everycreature else, get ready to run!"

Smolder and Zamara acted first. They breathed huge blazes of fire between the wolves, scorching the ground but luckily not setting any of the surrounding plants on fire. The wolves yelped and backed away from each other. Glen and Gallus took advantage of the wolves' confusion to swipe and claw at them. They managed to herd them into the area I'd indicated.

At the same time, Yona, Harper, and Dahlia raced to the trees. Dahlia transformed into a large yak and barreled into the trees. Harper rose into the air and pushed from above while Yona barged into the trees on the other side. I watched as the plan somehow fell perfectly into place.

The trees fell just as Gallus and Glen flew back to the rest of us. Harper, Yona, and Dahlia backed away as well, to avoid getting trapped with the wolves. The trees hit the ground and created a large half square around the wolves, and when they tried to scrape and claw their way over, Smolder and Zamara blew threatening flames at them.

"Let's go!" I called, and we began to run in a random direction.

Eventually we slowed down to catch our breath and regain our bearings on where in the forest we were.

"I honestly did not think that would work." I panted.

"But it did! You did it!" Harper hugged me tight and I smiled.

"They're right, you did it Melody." Ocellus said

"It wasn't much. I just thought about how we could trap them and get away at the same time while playing to our strengths."

"Still, I know how to 'see the angles' and even I didn't think of that." Gallus said

"See the angles?" Sandbar repeated, and Gallus placed a wing over him nonchalantly.

"It's what Gilda calls it."

"Um, guys, not trying to ruin the mood but...where are we?" Shine asked

"We're somewhere between Zecora's hut and the Treehouse of Friendship." Ocellus answered immediately.

"I say we head for the treehouse. We'll be safe there in case those wolves get out and none of us look injured." Smolder said

"I agree with Smolder." Ocellus said at once

"So do I." Sandbar said, Gallus quickly agreeing as well. The rest of us followed their lead, nodding our heads and giving murmured agreement.

"Alright, take us there." Glen said.

As we began walking, I pricked my ears. It could have been my imagination but I swore I could hear whimpering. Then, a very soft whine reached my ears.

"Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Zamara asked, as the whine came again, louder this time.

"That."

"What is it?" Silverstream asked

"Let's find out." Harper replied, and they headed in the direction of the noise.

After a moment's hesitation, I followed them. Together, Harper and I located the source of the noise, a dense patch of ferns. We pushed aside the plants with our wings, looking past the leaves to see what it was.

Author's Note:

Yay! Another chapter! Heh, anyone want to guess what's hiding in the plants? Eh, maybe not. Anyway, the updates will be weekly until further notice.

~Melody Song