Chapter 22
As the campers slept, nearly at the end of their journey, two pairs of yellow eyes watched from the nearby bushes. A pair of wooden claws pulled some of the shrubbery away and began to shuffle closer slightly.
“Stop, you know we mustn't attack. We are to watch only.” Spoke a high pitched, scratchy voice from one of the pairs of eyes.
“But I hunger, I need to feed soon.” Spoke the other voice, just as scratchy but a lower tone.
“Leader has given us orders. We are to watch prey and wait for signal, we do not attack now. The blood of the wood sustains us-”
“But it does not satisfy! You feel it as I do, you wish to feed as much as I do.” The lower voice replied. The other did not reply for a few moments, staring at the camp in slight frustration.
“You speak true, but we have orders from Leader, and I will not disobey.” The pair of eyes looked directly at the pair wanting to approach the camp. “I suggest you quell your appetite, or you will become Leader's next meal.”
The hungering creature growled slightly before retreating back to the side of its partner. It picked up a piece of bark with a few protrusions, looking akin to a claw of a timberwolf. The creature inspected it until it found what it deired, a few marks of blood originally belonging to a recently hurt human. The creature licked its grey, wood pierced lips before hungrily consuming the wooden limb.
XXX
“So this is the place?” Sam asked as the group came to a clearing. There was a large waterfall coming down from an opening in a cliff edge, which became the beginning of a long stream that flowed into the forest.
“This is it, Mithweald Grotto. A while back there was a unicorn who used this magical item to try and take over the town.”
“Sounds pretty clichè.”
“She trapped the entire town in a magically re-enforced glass bowl.” Rainbow interjected.
“Ok, now not so much. Gotta give a point for creativity.” Josh added.
“Anyway, Zecora brought me at one point to help me focus so that I could help the town, it doesn't seem like much but it's incredibly helpful.”
“Ok, so what kind of stuff we going to do while we're here?”
“Just some meditation, practical exercises, we'll only be here for a day or two. You two should be better off with controlling your magic by then, then we'll be able to practise back in Ponyville without risk of destroying anything.”
“You worry too much, you act like Ponyville gets destroyed by the tiniest little things.” Sam replied, the ponies then looked around while a few whistled innocently. “Really? You can't be serious.”
“Well not 'destroyed' destroyed, but the littlest thing does seem to spark off a town wide panic. Parasprites ended up eating half the town. We got ruled over for a day by a mad unicorn. A being of pure chaos turned the town inside out, kind of literally in some places.” Octavia replied.
“Then there was the infamous bunny stampede.” Vinyl added.
“Bunny stampede?” Josh asked.
“Yup.”
“As in a stampede.”
“Yes.”
“Of bunnies.”
“Uh-huh.”
“This threw the town into chaos?”
“I wouldn't say chaos, more like a slight organized frenzy. We only had one casualty.”
“You had a casualty?! From a stampede of rabbits?!”
“It was only Lily, she's one of the flower trio. They faint at anything and everything.”
“Wait.” Sam interjected. “These flower trio, do they all have flowers as cutie marks?”
“That's right.”
“And I don't suppose they go down the market but take forever to choose something to buy something?”
“That's right, they take so long because they're worried whatever they buy might make them sick so they look for the best one. How did you know that?”
“No reason. None what so ever. I totally don't say hello to them so they'll pass out and I can buy my groceries quicker. That'd make me a dick.” Sam answered. Josh stood behind him with a large grin.
“I've never been so proud of you, my brother.” He said with a pat on Sam's back. Twilight just let out a groan as she grabbed the two and dragged them away.
“Come on, we're going to get started right now, before you get distracted by anything else.”
“What are you talking about? I'll have you know I am a master of concentration.”
“Hey Josh.” Sam said. “I think I just saw something shiny.”
“Where?! Gimme it!”
XXX
The creatures began watching from a distance as the ponies set up their camp site, except for one who dragged the two large monkey like being towards the waterfall, where they sat down cross legged on some stone platforms on the water.
“What are they doing?” One of the two asked the other.
“Not sure. Some kind of dance.”
“Strangest dance I've ever seen.” Then creature then glanced towards the ponies by the camp site. “Setting up base again, close enough to nest. Should we get them now?”
“Not yet. We wait till dark when prey is tired. They will be weak.” The creature then placed it's brown and grey claw to its stomach.
“Keep quiet! Not long since last feeding, we can't attack.”
“I know! Fed on failed wolves but the hunger doesn't leave.” The creature then licked it's wooden lips. “Will soon feed on pony and monkey flesh.”
“Soon we will, but only when father moves on. Must find new father.” A loud howl echoed through the woods, even catching the attention of the group they were stalking.
“Father calls for us, you stay with prey, I return to nest.” The other creature nodded. Paws were lowered onto the ground before the creature leapt into the forest. The beast ran through the foliage, its yellow eyes shimmering in the occasional rays of light. The creature dodged around the trees before it eventually reached a large, sturdy oak. The creature leapt through an opening at the tree's base, sliding down a long pit until reaching the bottom, landing on its hind paws with a thud. After rising up on its hind legs, it faced the tunnel system in front of it. There were long vines stretching further into the caves, leading back up the pit that the creature just traversed. The creature then began to move forward, the caves seemingly getting darker and darker until it reached a blockage into the tunnel made of large, thick vines.
The creature rested on its knees then brought it's whole body to the ground. “Father, I come as you requested. I offer myself to you.”
A deep, echoing voice then announced itself, a dim yellow light shone through the cracks of the vines, growing brighter then dimmer as the voice spoke. “Where are the prey?”
“Not too far father. They set up base to the east. Plan to wait till nightfall but some of the ponies have left because of attack.”
“I see.” The voice wheezed. “I need to pass on soon, no more prey must escape from us.” It growled. “The time is coming when I shall be able to venture to the outside. What are the remaining prey?”
“The small ponies have left, as well as the pink earth pony, the sparkly white unicorn and the striped pony. The monkeys remain were talking with the purple unicorn, while the base was being set up by the loud white unicorn, the grey earth pony, the loud blue pegasus and the quiet yellow pegasus.”
The voice then let out a deep growl. “Good. Bring them to me, make sure none are killed.”
The creature nodded. “Yes father, of course father.” The light brightened as the vines opened, the creature staying perfectly still, not daring to look up. It heard creaking and cracking of wood until there was a large thump echoed through the caves. The creature looked up to see the body of one of its own laying dead on the ground in front of it.
“It lost itself to hunger, I do not need such weakness. You will feed on it for strength for tonight, do not let me down.”
With drool hanging from its jaws, the creature nodded. “Many thanks father, we will make sure to get the prey.” The creature grabbed its dead kin in its arms and slumped the body over its back before turning and heading back to its counterpart.
The voice then whispered, to itself more than anyone else.
“We are awake. We will reclaim our world.”
XXX
The two humans were concentrating hard. Josh had his hands held out together with his palms facing upwards, blue mist projecting from his palms and holding a stone in the air. Sam was in a similar position however his palms were placed against each other, a small stone being held between them, his hands and arms were currently encased in the same material. Twilight was smiling at the progress.
“You two are doing well. You've got a steady pace going and you've been keeping it going for a good amount of time. Now Josh, try and lift the stone a-”
“Hey!”
“little higher and Sam, I think you'd be better off if-”
“Heeeey!”
“you try and use a few different materials, see if different materials-”
“Magical buck boy says what!”
“have different effects or last different times.”
“I said magical buck boy says what!”
“Vinyl! That's enough.” Octavia yelled at her.
“What? I'm trying to help. If they can keep going while somepony is yelling at them then they got good concentration.”
“And if ponies yelled at you while you were working?”
“Octi, I'm a DJ. If ponies aren't yelling at me while I'm working then I'm not doing a good job.”
“Miss Sparkle?” Josh asked.
“Yes?”
“Permission to try out some target practice?”
“Permission denied-”
“So what does a magical buck boy say?”
“for now.”
Vinyl had one last chuckle before turning back to Octavia, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Octavia was giving the unicorn a scowl whereas Rainbow Dash was giggling to herself.
“See? Dashie can understand a good joke when she knows one.”
“Nothing wrong with a little teasing.” The mare responded. “Ain't that right Flutters?”
“Umm, I don't really know...”
The laughing pair just shrugged. “So how are the animals doing Fluttershy?” Octavia asked.
“Oh, they're ok. They do keep mentioning about the appearance of timberwolves but I assured them we took care of it. What about your music? You came here for inspiration, right?”
“Well yes.” Octavia said as she stared at the blank music sheet in her lap. “I haven't had anything so far. I usually like to go somewhere and see if I can think of music that fits the moment, I was once able to write some fast paced music by going to Manehatten and walking around during rush hour, another time I wrote a slow, calm piece by coming out to a place similar to this. I find that the best music I write is what I feel in the moment.”
“Wow, that sounds beautiful.” Fluttershy replied, causing Octavia to blush slightly.
“It's not much, sounds like gibberish to most ponies.”
“Well most ponies can go shove it Octi.” Vinyl said. “You keep doing what you do, because you do it best. Any pony that says otherwise will get a nice white hoof where the sun doesn't shine.”
“A bit much Vinyl.” Octavia answered, but she quickly gave the unicorn a hug. “But thank you.”
“Awww come on Octi, you know I'm not that sappy emotional type.”
“So you're hard as stone inside? I always suspected.” A voice spoke up behind them. The four of the recognised the voice as Josh's.
“Awww, don't be like that baby, you only say that because you know I make you hard on the outside.” Vinyl said. The group turned to face the human only to see Josh, Sam and Twilight soaking wet. “Well I don't know about the other two but apparently I make you pretty wet too.”
“Oh dear me!” Fluttershy responded before looking through their bags.
“You know, I wonder if we'll ever have a normal conversation one day. Like, an innuendo free conversation.”
“Doesn't sound like much fun to me.” Vinyl said.
“Which you guys seem to have had without us.” Rainbow added.
“What happened to you guys?” Octavia asked.
“Well the good news is we're getting better.” Sam answered. “But Josh pushed me into the water by accident.”
“Then he grabbed me as he went down, then I grabbed Twilight as I went down.” Josh finished.
“So you went down with Twilight?” Rainbow asked with a smirk.
“Why do I always get it?” Josh asked. “Why not Sam? Why not Twilight? Why must I be the verbal punching bag?”
“Because you're fun to tease. You just got one of those faces, you know?”
Josh scoffed at the thought before turning to Sam, expecting him to come to his defence. “I'm with her on this one. I mean, yeah, sometimes it's a face that you wanna slap but I can see the face that others would tease.” Josh just gave him a dead pan look. “You see that? That's the slapping face.”
“Yeah well you got a face I wanna push.” Josh replied before putting his hand to Sam's chest and pushing him, a small wave of blue mist emitting from his hand at the same time. Sam, who was surprised by the act, stumbled back until he teetered on the edge of the stream before falling in with a splash. Josh just looked down at Sam, the water only coming up to his waist as he sat in it and a fish flopping around on his head.
“Told you we're getting better.” He said with a large grin. Sam only responded by spitting water from his mouth like a fountain and removing the fish.
After helping Sam out of the water, the three of them were finally given their towels by Fluttershy and sat down around a freshly lit fire. The sun was just setting and the group had decided to cook some of the food they had bought with them. A stew had been made from some vegetables and a few herbs that had been picked from nearby, a few fish from the stream had also been cooked and added to it.
“There's fish in here right? I thought you didn't eat meat?” Josh asked as he ate his share of the stew. “Lyra even seemed to freak out a little when she saw I was a meat eater.”
“Well most ponies outside of Ponyville don't. Not long after Ponyville had been founded, ponies had a few issues with getting protein, seeing as the crops needed time to grow but more ponies were showing up. As such, ponies resorted to eating fish based dishes to keep up their protein intake.” Twilight explained.
“Plus it's only fish.” Fluttershy added. “Your teeth show you have actual carnivorous properties. Your not the only species that does but most ponies round here are rather skittish so seeing a species up close that does eat meat would irk some of them.”
“Oh how can this place be that bad?” Sam asked.
“Remember Zecora?” Vinyl replied. “Few years back, the whole town would hide in their homes whenever she came.”
“It wasn't our proudest moment.” Octavia added. “But we try to learn from it.” Sam shook his head with a small chuckle.
“You know, you ponies have abilities that people from our world would dream of, it amazes me that you can be so skittish.” Which earned him a quick slug in the arm from Vinyl.
“Hey, we're not all that bad anymore. I didn't panic in the slightest when the changelings attacked Canterlot.” She said proudly.
“Vinyl, you slept through the whole thing. I thought you'd been attacked until I saw the bottles around your bed.” Octavia outed, though the unicorn's look didn't falter.
“That's right. Even in my vulnerable state, I was able to keep calm and relax.” She said leaning back. As she did, the mare then let out a yawn. “Speaking of, I think I'm gonna turn in for the night.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” Twilight replied. Most of the group agreed until the only one's left were Josh and Rainbow.
“So what you still doing up?” Rainbow asked.
“I'm actually a bit of a night owl.” Josh answered. “I prefer staying up a bit later when every thing's all calm and quiet. Chills me out a bit, you?”
“To be honest, I'm not too good with sleeping in a tent, feels a bit cramped. I'm used to sleeping in a more open area like my cloud home so usually I'd sleep on a tree branch or something but with what happened with those timberwolves? Buck that noise.”
“Awwww, you scared of a few little twigs with legs?”
Rainbow just scoffed. “Please, I'm not scared, but those are timberwolves and I'd be asleep. I may be awesome but I'm not an idiot.”
“You know that actually is a fair argument and quite humble for you.”
“If I knew they were there before though? Oh I'd be able to beat them while snoozing for sure.”
“Ahhh, that's more like the you I've gotten to know.” Josh replied with a chuckle. The two of them began to go between idle conversation and enjoying the night air until a subject came to Josh's mind.
“Hey Rainbow?”
“Sup?”
“Are cross species relationships a big thing here?”
Rainbow cocked her head. “Sort of? Not in Ponyville but that's probably because it's a mainly pony populated town but in other places, you'd find a fair few I'd bet. Why'd you ask?”
“It's because of Vinyl.”
Rainbow's eyes widened a little. “Wait, are you interested in Vinyl?”
“No, no, no, that's not what I meant.” Josh began. “I was asking because she keeps teasing me and I'm not sure if that means something here or if it's just a thing she does.”
“Oh I see.” Rainbow replied as she leant back. “Well I think it's because she's taken an interest in you.”
“So it is a romantic thing?”
Rainbow shook her head. “No, I don't think so. Vinyl's been to many different places, what with her career and all, so she's into doing and seeing new things. It's kind of caused her to become a xenophile, but she loves it.”
“So she's interested in me because she likes new and exotic things, and you can't get much more new and exotic than an alien.”
“Exaclty! Give her some time and she'll calm down.”
“Ok, but that doesn't explain why she's treated me differently from Sam?”
“Oh, the answer to that is pretty obvious.” Rainbow said as she got up and walked over to him.
“It is?” Josh asked as he shuffled over, allowing Rainbow to sit next to him. The mare sat in the offered space before wrapping an arm round his shoulder and pulling him close, then throwing one of her legs over his. Josh's face started to flush lightly as Rainbow leaned close, she move her lips next to his ear then grinned as she whispered.
“You are far too much fun to tease.” She immediately pulled back with a large smile and observed his reaction.
“Did you have to do it like that? Seriously.” Josh huffed, still sporting the slight blush.
“Of course, best way to get my point across. You make yourself a bit of an easy target you know~” Rainbow teased with a poke to his cheek. Josh batted her hand away playfully before standing up.
“Well I'll have to try and find a way to get the bullseye off my back soon then. In the mean time,” Josh stretched his arms with a yawn. “I need must pee, then I must sleep.”
“Need me to watch out for you?” Rainbow asked as Josh walked into the woods.
“Oh yes, by all means watch me pee, that won't be awkward at all.” He made his way through until his came up to a tree and allowed himself to do his business. Rainbow decided to wait by the tents to made sure he got back.
“You know, you could get lost in there.” She called.
“I'm not going to get lost! I'm not that far in.”
“Yeah well I can't see you from where I am.”
“Yeah, that's kind of intentional.”
“Aww, what's the matter? It's not like yours would be the first I've seen.”
“Ok, that's not a story I want to hear, and can you stop talking while I try to do my business?”
“What's the matter? Can't do two things at once?”
“Look, I'm trying to concentrate and do my thing here so would you-” Josh's voice cut off as there was a soft thump sound. Rainbow raised an eyebrow as she looked into the woods.
“Josh? You alright?” She didn't get a response. “Very funny Josh, come on now.” When she didn't hear anything, the mare started to make her way through the wooded area. “Come on, come out now. I don't care if you're taking a leak, answer me or I'm might have to pound you.” At that point, Rainbow looked round a tree and could see Josh.
However she could barely make out what was carrying him. Some sort of creature, the same size as her, had Josh slung over it's shoulder. Rainbow couldn't see whatever it actually looked like, the darkness was covering too much of it however it's eyes met hers, a sickly yellow colour to them. It was only there for a moment before it started running.
Rainbow gave chase with no hesitation, she ran after the creature while calling out to it, yelling futile threats to try and make it stop. The creature seemed to be able to pick up speed, getting away from the mare.
“Oh no, I'm not letting you get away from me that easily.” She spread her wings and tried to fly through the woods, the trees and lack of light stopping her from being able to reach a needed speed. Branches and slight contact with tree trunks kept slowing her down but she made sure not to lose sight of the target.
“Get back here right now and I'll only beat you half to death!” She yelled at the creature, though it didn't heed her. She just lost sight of it as the creature turned round a tree, she followed the corner but then came to a sudden halt. There was a large tree directly in front of her but no sign of the creature or the human it took. With a growl, Rainbow flew up the trunk of the tree, trying to find any evidence of if it had climbed to avoid her.
“No, no! Come on! Show yourself you coward! Get out here and bring my friend with you!” There was no reply as she yelled at the tree. The mare was about to issue more threats until she heard a scream. She quickly spun and noticed the scream came from the camp. What if it was another one? What if it was attacking the camp? Her other friends could be in trouble. Rainbow bit her lip as she turned to look at the tree then back to where the camp site was. She had probably made enough of a mess flying through the woods that she could find her way back if she needed to, but she knew Josh could be in deep trouble right now.
She had lost them, and she hated to admit it. As much as she wanted to search around the tree, she'd have an easier time if everypony else was there to help. She turned towards the tree, drew back her fist then punched it.
“I'm sorry Josh, I really am. I promise I will come get you, I just need everypony else here first. Just... hang on and wait, we'll help you, I swear.” With that, Rainbow span around and flew back to the campsite.
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Not even reading the story
I'm just here to say hi
When the hell did I put this in my favorites? .........*sigh* now I need to re-read it to know.....goddammit.
6291709 I have that same problem with a lot of stories.
I'm so happy to see this story again. Hope the next chapter comes soon.
finally, another chapter from a human in anthro equestria story who's human character i actually dont find boring
Obligatory "It's alive!" post.
Jeeze, so much for the humans being able to take care of themselves...
Finally !! Now I can go outside and live. (Been waiting a loooong time for update)
Worth the wait
I have no idea what happened in this story or what this story is about.
6298610 The logic behind those theories fall apart after putting some extra thought into it; the simplest reason with the evidence we have now is that years are different for ponies.
I see some action stuff is about to happen and also I have no choice but to agree with you that what had happened to you is going to happen to me pretty soon.... *sigh* job hunting. I hope I'll get a good job and not a dead-end one.
FinellY. Glad u didnt dropped it.
Cliffhanger.... WHY!?!?!
When's the next UPDATE?
dude just read your blog, just hoping this would still continue its really good!
im no writer so cant give you any ideas just throw more funny shit around the guys i guess.
This is really a great story to crack up in laughing sometimes, I wish there's more chapters here to know if the guys will either go home or be living with anthro ponies.
I love this story mate hope you come back to it but if you got stuff to do then your good no rush
When's the next update?
Come back
Come back!
*snerk*
I'll leave this here
all i have to say is this
Please update soon.
please don't stop writing.
Not on Hiatus my ass!
9127907
*ded not big suprise*
Pls be bak,,,pls
this story's dead.
I wished that the story would’ve continued
Over a year since the author has been online..... yeah I'm callin it dead. Shame too, I would've liked to read this.