The Marked Dead

by Chemtest

Knock

Apple Bloom’s eyes slowly open, and she stifles a yawn. She looks around, seeing Scootaloo pacing around the shelter, while Sweetie seems to be lost in thought.

She stretches, “How long was I out, girls?”

Sweetie looks over, “Four hours.”

Apple Bloom blinks, “Really?”

Scootaloo paces some more, “Applejack should be back by now, but she isn’t. What if there’s something bad happening outside?”

Sweetie looks over, “There obviously isn’t. It’s not a storm, or we’d be hearing rain.”

Scootaloo looks over, “Then where’s Applejack? There must be some villain out there, and they might need us!”

Apple Bloom smiles, “I’m sure they’re fine, Scoots. They’ve faced worse without us.”

Sweetie Belle nods, “Like Discord.”

Apple Bloom nods, “Like Discord. I’m sure they’ll be back by tomorrow. But, just in case, let’s stay down here.”

Scootaloo sighs, and sits down, “It’s so annoying just having to sit here and do nothing.”

Apple Bloom smiles, “But it’ll keep us safe.”

Scootaloo looks over at her, “But I don’t want to be safe! I want to go on adventures!”

Apple Bloom shakes her head, only to pause as she hears a knock on the shelter doors.

Their heads all look towards it, and Scootaloo stands up, “Applejack must be back.”

Apple Bloom stands up, and puts out her hoof to stop Scootaloo, “Hold up there, we gotta hear the password first.”

A series of evenly spaced knocks comes from the doors, some with a short pause, and some longer. Scootaloo’s eyes widen, “Hey, that’s Horse Code!”

Apple Bloom raises an eyebrow, “Horse Code? Ain’t that something only Guards learn?”

Scootaloo nods, “Yeah, but Rainbow taught me.” Her ears perk up as she listens closely, “It says ‘Something has gone wrong. Have to get to Canterlot. Come with if you want to live.’ Sounds creepy.”

Sweetie Belle stands up, “I say we go.”

Apple Bloom looks over, “What? No, no way are we leaving without Applejack saying the password.”

Sweetie looks at her, “If what they’re saying is true, then we need to stay safe. If there’s a guard on the other side of that door, then something must be wrong.”

Apple Bloom shakes her head, “We are staying here and waiting for Applejack, and that’s the end of this discussion.”

Scootaloo looks between them, “I think Sweetie’s right. We’d be safer with a guard than hiding here.”

Apple Bloom looks over at her, “You too?”

Scootaloo nods, “Yeah. Rainbow Dash told me to always trust the guard. They’re trained for this.”

Apple Bloom pauses, and looks towards the door, as silence fills the shelter.