Beyond the Everfree

by Hawthorn

Out Again

“BOO!” Lyra felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Ahh!” She screamed. She turned around and saw Colgate on the forest floor laughing crazily.

Ha! You should have heard yourself!” Lyra rolled her eyes.

“Okay, two things,” Lyra said calmly. “One. Are you crazy!? You should know not to ever sneak up on a pony alone in the Everfree Forest! Two. What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with Zecora?”

“I was, but I got worried. The Everfree forest is a dangerous place you know. I couldn’t just let you wander out here on your own, so I just had to come with you.”

“Fine. But don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. I.. don’t know what awaits us.”

The two ponies walked along silently side by side. They were looking around at the trees, watching out for Poison Joke, or looking for, whatever it was that Lyra was hoping to find. It began to get a little windy.

“Lyra?” Colgate said. “Do you feel that breeze?”

“Yeah.” Lyra replied. “Its kinda weird. I don’t see how a breeze could even dream of starting, much less actually blowing through all these trees.”

“Are you tired? Should we find a place to stay the night?”

“Maybe.” Lyra stopped walking. She looked around for a place to stay.

No caves, she thought. Too high a chance of meeting an ursa. Maybe under a low tree so we’re covered. She looked around again and walked around searching the area cluttered with trees of all sizes.

Lyra finally found a suitable spot and called to Colgate, “How about over here?” Lyra pointed to a low grassy spot almost completely hidden behind a low tree. Colgate nodded and walked over there. They agreed that they would take turns sleeping and looking out for timberwolves and such.

Lyra kept watch first. Colgate didn’t even pretend it was hard to sleep. Almost as soon as she settled down, she was asleep

A few hours later, Colgate took over. Lyra watched her and silently said with her eyes, “If you dare fall asleep, you won’t wake up.” Colgate stood rigid, watching the forest until Lyra fell asleep. Colgate let her guard down just a little bit. She let her eyes wander from the stars to the trees, and back again to the black night sky.

Lyra could be here all night, perfectly awake. But not me. Colgate yawned, loud enough she feared Lyra would wake up. If I could just stay awake... Colgate could no longer keep her eyes open. She fell to the ground with a small thud.

When Colgate woke up, she realized for the first time she had fallen asleep. Trying to look like she had been awake all night, she shook her head vigorously. She glanced up at the sky.

“It’s a lovely morning,” Colgate thought out loud. Lyra stirred.

“Colgate,” Lyra mumbled.

“Yes?” Colgate asked, startled by the sudden noise.

“Did Zecora give you anything to eat?”

“No, but she did give me this book on edible plants, but I’ve never seen them anywhere.” They looked through a book filled with various berries and herbs that they’d never seen before.

Lyra shook away the last remains of sleep.

“Oh well,” she said, standing up. “I guess we can have an apple or two. I’ve got twelve left after this.” Lyra gripped two shining apples in her magic. They floated one to Lyra and one to Colgate. Colgate nodded her thanks.

They ate quietly, feeling but not aware of the gentle breeze ruffling their manes. They agreed to walk until the sun was in the middle of the sky, eat lunch, and continue walking.

Walking on and on, the endless forest floor and trees passing them by, the sun finally made it’s way to the middle of the sky. Lyra pushed on, only willing to stop when Colgate said something. Both Lyra and Colgate’s bellies rumbled.

“Perhaps we should eat now,” Lyra said reluctantly. Colgate nodded. The two sat down on the forest floor. Lyra pulled out a large apple fritter she bought. She split it in half. Colgate took her half and Lyra did the same.

After lunch, they continued walking. They did not notice the gentle breeze getting stronger as they continued.
As suns do, the Equestrian sun fell lower and lower in the sky. It became dark much later than Colgate wished.

“Lyra, I know you want to keep going, but it’s dark out, and my hooves are more sore than I ever recall them being. I am going to look for a spot to stay if you will not.”

Lyra let her look. When she found a suitable spot, both the ponies let sleep overcome them.

When Lyra awoke, she was puzzled by what she saw. A whole different world, where the sky was purple and the ground was teal. She looked down at herself, and thankfully found herself to be normal. Colgate was nowhere in sight.

“Colgate?” Lyra timidly called. When she received no reply, she walked on to explore. Suddenly, a strange creature that had two legs, four arms, and stood up on it’s two legs appeared. Lyra ran and screamed.

“Colgate! Help!” Lyra galloped at full speed away from the creature.

Her eyes opened suddenly, and she sat bolt upright. Lyra realized that she had been dreaming. Her face was coated with sweat. She set herself back down on the ground. She looked up at the sky. The sun was just about to rise. Groggily, Lyra walked over to her saddlebag to examine the remaining food.

Colgate yawned. To Lyra, it looked like she had just had the best night’s sleep she had ever had. Not even looking at her, Lyra shoved half of a second apple fritter to Colgate.

“Yeesh, what’s got you so uptight this morning?” Colgate said with her mouth half full of fritter. Ignoring her question, Lyra said, “Did you sleep well? You sure seem happy considering the sun is just barely over the... trees.. since the horizon is hidden...”

Colgate decided to keep her mouth shut and eat. They ate in silence. When Lyra got up to continue walking, Colgate shoved the rest of the fritter in her mouth and ran to catch up.

They walked far into the forest, farther than they’d known existed.

“Strange...” Lyra said. “According to this map, we either should’ve been sucked down a porta, by now, or we should be in Dodge City...”

“Woah!” Colgate slipped off her feet. “Lyra! The wind! Help!” A large gust of wind took both the ponies off their feet. Lyra scrambled to find something to hold on to, and Colgate clung to a tree branch.

“The wind is getting stronger! Lyra?” Colgate turned her head to find that Lyra was gone, and behind her was a huge vortex trying to pull her in, too. The wind got stronger every second. Colgate couldn’t hold on any longer. Her grip slipped, and Colgate plunged into the multi-colored vortex.

Comments

[StormtwistForever]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijzMnFr-8Tc

Is this what the story's based off of?

[Hawthorn]

2328636
No, but this song helped confirm that according to the fandom, Lyra likes humans.

[StormtwistForever]

2330979
I see..