Rainbow Dash (III) Sylvan Trepidation
It wasn’t until high noon that she felt safe enough to venture outside. Before she left, she turned her head back to the inside of the clearing, as if in a sort of false hope. The nest lay there, empty and barren, and as hard as she looked she couldn’t find a single clue within. She stood there in the threshold for a while, but eventually the starkness of the scene got to her and she turned on it.
The forest was not like she remembered it; healthy trees were sparse, and wildlife was nowhere to be found. She looked throughout the area, but she could not locate any creatures. Rainbow Dash shook her head as she began to walk.
The previous night she had given up on the life she used to live. She had tried to run, but in the end it was to no avail. Her father fought for her, and she turned and ran. When she thought about it, her cowardice irked her. She didn’t think her father was in real trouble, but at the same time, she could scarcely believe she had run away.
She remembered those creatures—Timberwolves—that her father had been fighting for her, and how voracious and fierce they had seemed. Truthfully, she had not realized that the forest held anything that dangerous before, and the prospect frightened her. As she walked through the decrepit forest she had chosen over her family, she slowed down, and eventually stopped.
Those feelings were unacceptable to her. She would break every barrier she found, and worry about the consequences later. She had found her purpose, she thought, and nothing would stop her. Her father may have rejected her decision, but she would follow his teachings to the end regardless. She would never give up, even in the face of terror and ruin.
The forest may not be safe or hospitable, but she would take it on with everything she could muster. There were animals out there that were in trouble, and nopony else would do it. There was danger behind every corner, but she would make it by regardless. Rainbow Dash took the first resolved steps of the greatest adventure she had ever taken.
Rainbow Dash stopped abruptly, and leaned against a tree. She heard a noise, and quite a bit of commotion nearby. The scuffling continued, and she quickly looked at where it had come from. There, she saw a bunny of medium size. Its white fur was blotched with dirt and blood, and it was limping and breathing heavily.
The creature limped for a moment, and then fell over. She was about to take a step out toward it, but before she did a vile smell wafted into her nostrils, and she stepped back. There, from the trees behind the bunny, she saw a group of Timberwolves step out.
The wolves did not know she was there, and Rainbow Dash knew she could make a quick getaway. Though she felt afraid, she would not give in. Before her was a helpless animal being preyed upon by monsters, and this was just the sort of thing she had feared the animals might face. She gritted her teeth, shook her head, and stepped out from behind the tree.
In no time, the beast’s turned toward her, ready to tear her apart. As they turned their concentration away from their prey, for the briefest moment, she slid underneath their gaping jaws, and gnarled claws. The beasts turned to catch her, but she had already grabbed the bunny and begun to run away.
She rounded a tree and took a deep breath, but the wolves began to give chase. The bunny shook a bit, but she would not loosen the grip of her teeth. A Timberwolf got close enough to nearly bite her tail, but Rainbow Dash took off in a split second and it missed. Her legs were working greater than they ever had, despite how damaged they had been just a few days before.
She regulated her breath and worked her muscles just like she might have when flying, and treated the trees like an obstacle course. She waved through them, ducked under branches, and jumped over logs with ease. She did not pay attention to the wolves behind her, for all she needed was to outrun them, and keep the bunny safe.
The creature was still in her grip, but she felt its warmth and trembling. She kept it as still as possible, trying to keep it from falling or getting hurt, but she knew if they were to have a chance that she needed to give running her all.
She could not look back, but she did hear the creatures behind her. A mixture of primal roars and clattering wood filled her ears, and spurred her onward. She was running faster than she thought she could, and she was only getting faster.
The trees whizzed by her, and she stepped around them all without slowing down. Not a single log, twig, or rock in her path was a hindrance; she merely jumped over them. She saw a deep stream ahead, filled with rushing water.
She held the bunny tightly, and picked up speed. As she approached the edge she tightened all of her muscles, and took a deep breath. For a moment she slowed down, her body arching and tensing. Then, with a springing motion, she pushed against the ground with her hooves and propelled herself into the air.
She crossed over the stream, not taking a moment to look down into the rushing waters underneath her. Her wings twitched with the air as she soared through it, but she kept them by her side. Her eyes were trained on the opposite bank, and her focus was unbreakable.
After what seemed like a long while, she finally landed on the ground, just barely clearing the brook. She skidded along the ground for a short distance, but quickly regained her position and dashed across into the trees. Behind her she heard a splash, and she stopped quickly, maneuvering adeptly to turn around completely.
She saw a Timberwolf thrashing about in the water, trying to fight the current. As hard as it tried, however, it could not reach the other side, and was torn apart by the force of the rushing water. The two other wolves stopped at the edge and glared at her, but did not move. She sighed in relief and took off into the woods.
She ran at a good pace for a while, until she began to feel tired. The forest was quiet and somber, and she could see nothing but the same marred landscape in all directions. She leaned against a particularly large tree and let the bunny down. It stumbled around a bit, and then dropped down, breathing quickly and haggardly.
The bunny was covered with scratches and wounds. Upon closer inspection, Rainbow Dash noticed that one of its ears was slightly shorter than the other; it had seemingly been bitten. Rainbow Dash looked at the bunny in shock, realizing just how badly it was hurt.
It looked at her, and she saw its eyes widen. It shook, and crawled along the ground. As much as it might try, however, it didn’t get anywhere. Rainbow Dash looked down at it, and stepped slowly toward it before getting down and wrapping her hooves around it.
“Hey there, little guy, don’t be scared,” she said, as gently as she could. The bunny shook, but stopped, and glared at her. “I’m sorry, I am sure you had a hard time there. But you’re safe now.” She tried to be soothing, but the bunny didn’t seem to calm down. She stepped back, and it tried to get up, to no avail.
It chittered and cried out, and its breathing quickened. Rainbow Dash looked at the creature, so weak and helpless, and knew what she had to do. It needed care and help, and looking around at the vacant forest, she knew she was the only one who could do it.
“This time,” she said under her breath, “I will not fail.” The bunny continued to look at her, as if questioning her. It reminded her of the chick she had lost, and suddenly a thought came to her mind. “You need a name,” she said, and paused. In this forest of brown and blackened trees, this bunny was a spot of white. It had entered her, and seeing it filled her with hope. “I will call you... Angel,” she said, and she hugged the bunny tightly.
After darkness settled over the forest, Rainbow Dash crawled into a small hole beneath the roots of an old tree. She carried Angel on her back, between her wings. He slept fitfully, and she could hear its loud breaths easily amongst the silence of the forest. She set Angel down on the ground next to her.
The quietness of the woodland was disconcerting, but at the same time she knew it was a sign that they were safe. They may be the only creatures around for miles, but they were alive at least. As she settled into this hole, she noticed that in one corner there was a small pile of nuts and berries.
This place was vacant, but it must have been occupied recently. She tried not to think of what happened to the former occupant, but she could not help lamenting the loss of whatever woodland critter which may have amassed this food. She noticed Angel was awake, and as she looked down to the bunny, he crawled back a bit, keeping his distance.
Rainbow Dash smiled, and moved some of the food over to the bunny. It stared at it grudgingly, and looked away. The filly waited patiently, not moving or forcing anything. Eventually, Angel took a peek back at the food, with a single eye. His belly grumbled deeply, making Rainbow Dash grin wildly. The bunny seemed to sigh, and began to eat some berries.
Rainbow Dash made sure Angel got his fill before eating herself. The supply was meager, meant for a single creature smaller than herself, but it sated her hunger for the time being. The bunny crawled into the corner and slept there, looking away from her. She tried to make herself as comfortable as possible, but the lack of maneuvering space did her no favors.
Eventually she went to sleep, lulled into unconsciousness by Angel’s rhythmic breathing and the soft light of the moon from above. She woke many times throughout the night, but never left the hole. Come morning, she was tired, sore, and thirsty. The light of the sun entered through the entrance, and the warmth and brightness of it roused her.
She gently rubbed Angel with her hoof, attempting to wake the bunny. He stirred, slowly, and turned around, opening his eyes. He made an exaggerated yawning motion and then glared at her, crossing his front paws. Rainbow Dash merely extended a hoof, attempting to coax the bunny into coming to her.
In response, Angel merely shook his head, and took a few steps forward. Rainbow Dash frowned as she saw the bunny wince, and stumble before he fell down. He looked at her, and she could see disappointment emanating from his eyes. Rainbow Dash grabbed him and placed him on her back, just as she had the night before.
He sat there and pouted as she made her way out of the hole. The forest was still quiet, and she saw nothing around her. Rainbow Dash walked around for quite a while, until she heard the gurgle of a stream nearby.
She approached the sound, until she found the water. It was smaller than the brook she had jumped, and far less wild. She knew it wouldn’t give her any trouble because of that. She set Angel down, and took a drink. The water was nourishing and fulfilling, and she continuously lapped up the fresh bounty.
To her side, Angel took a few steps toward the stream. At first, he only went to take a small drink. After that though, he glared at Rainbow Dash, and took a few steps back. She noticed him moving out of the corner of her eye, and quickly turned. As she stepped forward toward him, she saw a look of defiance from him, and before she could reach him, he stepped back. He could not keep his balance, however, and soon stumbled.
Rainbow Dash gasped as he fell into the stream. It was shallow, but Angel was small, and she feared for him. Indeed, he was caught up in the current and began to drift away, barely staying afloat.
“Angel!” she shouted as she began to sprint along the stream. The bunny flailed and chittered loudly, gurgling through the water that he was submerged in. She ran faster, and called for him again. The bunny looked at her, and his eyes widened. It was a look from him she had never seen before: a pleading look.
She pulled up next to Angel. He was drifting quickly, but she matched his speed. She tensed her muscles, and reared back. Then, with a herculean effort, she lunged forward, her front hooves outstretched. Angel cried out, and then, with a smooth movement, she grabbed him, carrying her whole body with her in the motion.
She crossed over the stream, and rolled, keeping the bunny safely tucked against her chest. She felt her broken wing hit the ground for a moment, but she ignored the pain. She slowed down into a stop, and settled into a prone position on the ground. Angel coughed and sputtered, but he was breathing fine. She sighed in relief, and lay down. The bunny then settled down right next to her. He probably wasn’t able to go much further.
The forest would have been completely silent but for the sound of the stream, and the breathing of a pony and her bunny. There were neither friendly creatures nor monsters nearby. Rainbow Dash turned over and looked at Angel. He was shaken, but also strangely at peace.
She held out her hoof, and Angel looked at it. It stayed like that for a moment, and then finally the bunny reached up and grabbed it. She smiled and lifted him up onto her back. Instead of struggling or pouting, he lay down and grabbed her fur. With her friend in tow, Rainbow Dash began to search for food for the two of them, with the whole forest open to her.
The forest had little bounty for the two of them, and at the end of the day Rainbow Dash found her belly empty. While she was low on food, however, she was high in spirit. Angel was different now; he was far more calm, and seemed to enjoy being with the Pegasus.
The sun hung low, barely peeking over the tree line. Soon, she knew it would be dark, and that was the most dangerous time of the day. Angel lay on her back, still recovering, but almost in good condition. Rainbow Dash looked around, but the area she was in had no large trees, no caves, and no holes in the ground.
She felt tendrils of fear grip her heart as she realized how barren the area was. There was nowhere to hide, and nowhere to sleep. Orange light flickered through the trees, like a dying candle. There would soon be darkness, and they would be consumed.
Rainbow Dash stood still, looking around at the tall brown trees and leaved ground around her. She had never denied the fact that this place would always be dangerous, but never before had the raw wilderness been as reflected in the conditions as it was now. She had no home, and no shelter.
She had been stupid. Of course the forest wasn’t full of hiding holes and safe spots. Rainbow Dash had thought such out of the pure luck she had in finding them in the nights before. She sighed loudly, and Angel stirred. While she could not find anything right now, however, there was no reason for her to give up.
Rainbow Dash observed the area around her. She was in a clearing lined with tall, thin pines when she saw the last beam of sunlight fade. Already most of the sky had been overtaken with blackness, but to her frustration she could not see a single star. Even the moon would not reveal itself to her.
She shivered in open fear, and her wings trembled. She felt Angel rouse, and noted that he was looking at her, but she could do little other than to put on a brave face and swallow her misgivings. The forest would not defeat her; she would not let it. Throughout the entire night she would have to stay alert and ready for anything. This night she was protecting more than just herself.
She heard some nervous and stressed squeaks from her companion, and frowned. She had no idea how she would make it. In truth, she wasn’t even sure if she could. This time of the day was dangerous, dark, and inhospitable. Anypony in reasonable circumstances would just sleep through it.
“Why does Princess Celestia have to set the sun?” she pondered to herself as she peered into the abyss that was the night. She longed for the light of day, but knew it was far off. “Come on Angel,” she said to the bunny gently. “I won’t let you get hurt.” That was all the reassurance she could give.
She sat down next to a tree, and waited. She couldn’t see, so moving seemed unadvisable. She could do little other than sit idly in the woodland. Boredom was the last thing she felt, however. As the ambient noises of creatures that only came out at night increased, she felt her heart skip.
Angel hid behind Rainbow Dash, clearly perturbed by the rise of the night. Time passed, and she endured it in terror. She had never been out this long before except on the night she came back. The thought made her shudder; it was not an experience she wished to repeat.
“This time, I’ll protect you,” said Rainbow Dash. In Cloudsdale, night was a time of rest, but it could sometimes be as lively as the day. In this forest, she felt something different altogether. It was a void, and it threatened to consume her. She began to feel restless and perturbed, and she took up Angel and began to walk.
She soon stubbed her hoof on a fallen branch, and nearly walked into a tree. She heard her companion chattering as they moved. She shivered as she was touched by the cold night breeze, and breathed deeply. Even her lungs were chilled by the stark night air. A sharp fear came upon here, and she soon began to feel an unsettlement at the spot she was in that she could no longer bear. She soon threw caution to the wind, and began to move, hoping to ease her fears.
The air seemed to carry more than mere coldness, however. Even as she moved through the dark wood, she began to feel uneasy. She was plagued by a sense of foreboding and dread that she could not shake. The further she walked, and the more time that passed, the harder it grew for her to simply say everything would be okay.
She stepped over a log after bumping into it, and into a small area of barren ground. She walked forward and balked as she felt her hoof touch something sticky. She heard Angel gasp, and he was tugging at her coat, crying out to her. She thought she saw something next to her as she looked around, but it vanished before she could get a good look.
The area was surrounded by dead trees and fallen logs, and as she squinted to peer through the darkness, she could see they were all hollow. Angel continued tugging at her, and without a thought she began to move to escape the area. Before she could get to the other side, however, her path was blocked.
From the logs came what seemed like a mass of shadow, covered with sharp spikes. She would have thought it was a single object, but then she saw pairs of small, glowing, red eyes open. She nearly screamed, but tried to stay calm. She turned around to the other side, and moved. To her dismay, however, a mass of the creatures emerged from there as well.
It wasn’t long before she was completely surrounded. The small and black creatures gathered around the edges of the area and stared at her with their beady red eyes. She frowned as she stood in the center, and glared back at them. She snorted and stomped the ground, and tightened her body. She received no response.
After quite some time of this tension, she moved to an edge in an attempt to escape. As she neared the strange creatures, however, she heard a strange clicking noise, and looked down. Their eyes burned as spikes extended from their spiny backs, and she felt one pierce her right front leg. It made only a small wound, but she felt an immense amount of pain rock her entire body.
She wheeled back and stumbled into the center of the clearing with a loud scream. Her limited vision of her surroundings was dim, and even after the initial agony subsided, she felt a dull pain where she had been wounded. The creatures that surrounded her seemed to make clicking noises among each other, with the noise spreading out throughout the group, almost like a wave.
Like a moving shadow, they seemed to be heading toward her, slowly, but surely. Rainbow Dash swayed about, but stood tall, and snorted at the creatures more. Angel was making sharp, fearful noises into her ear, and she felt him trembling upon her back. The swarm grew closer to her, and she tensed her body. They continued to click, and slowly she could see their spines extend.
Angel was holding his head as if strained by thought, but Rainbow Dash hid him amongst her wings. She could do little other than wait as they approached her, and the bunny seemed to be waiting, watching and listening. She began to panic and sweat as the horde got closer, unable to do a single thing.
Then, just as they were about to reach the Pegasus, Angel jumped off from her and onto the ground. She gasped and reached for him, but he made a strange click with his tongue. To her astonishment, the circle of the creatures parted around him, and he passed through. He stood there in the middle, and waved her over, nervously.
Rainbow Dash nodded nervously as she took a step forward, quietly. Spikes nearly reached her, but Angel continued to make the clicks, and they retreated. Her body shook, and she felt an ache where the last spine had hit her, remembering the pain it had caused her upon entry. As much as she tried to be brave, she couldn’t discard that fear.
She looked away from their piercing beady eyes, and concentrated on following Angel. His mouth mimicked their sounds, and they seemed to respond to it. Angel moved forward strongly and surely, his body still and calm amongst the shadows. She saw the edge of the circle open, and felt a rush of anticipation. Just before she got out, however, she heard a strange click that was unlike the others, and a tenuous growl amongst the strange creatures.
She looked behind her to see the mass of red eyes and black spikes converging on her. The glow of their eyes was far more intense than before, and it filled her with sudden and incredible terror. She screamed and began to run, as fast as she could, grabbing Angel as she passed him.
She reached the tree line and tripped, as she felt the pain in her front leg suddenly increase. She looked back, and saw the mass of shadow hanging far away. Without a thought, she got back up, and limped into the forest. Her progress was slow, but eventually she looked back and could not see them anymore. She stopped, and began to breathe heavily.
Overhead, she saw a glimmer of light. In just a few moments, the moon emerged from behind a dark cloud, and suddenly the sky was illuminated. She felt the soft white light reach down to her, assuaging the fear she felt. She felt the pain in her leg decrease as well, until it was nearly gone. She sighed.
Nearby was a thick tree, covered with green leaves. It was tall, but its branches were low and sturdy. She smiled as Angel pointed to it, and climbed up the branches steadily, but surely. In the midst of the branches she found a niche that was rather comfortable and easy to lay in, where she was away from the terrors of below.
She felt comfortable up in the tree, and lay down. She knew bunnies didn’t usually sleep in trees, but Angel seemed quite comfy atop her. Soon she felt her drowsiness overtake her. She had made it, and she had her new friend to thank for it.
She had lost all of her old friends, but she knew now that she had a new one. She had never thought she would so easily find a place or a purpose, but she knew where it was now. As she fell asleep with the bunny dozing upon her, she knew she would stick by Angel no matter what happened.
Angel was hopping alongside Rainbow Dash as they walked through the barren forest. Though he was injured just the day before, he was moving quite well. The Pegasus beside him could hardly keep up with his energetic stride; she was actually walking slower than she usually would.
It was already morning, after the sun was above the horizon. Her hooves were heavy due to her exhaustion, but she pressed on. There were so many things she had to accomplish during the day. Even as she looked at the sun, early in its trek through the sky, she felt her time running out.
She yawned heavily as she looked around her. Angel glanced in her direction briefly, but then quickly continued hopping about just as before. Rainbow Dash trudged in his direction slowly, and then leaned against a tree. She was thirsty, but there were no streams or pools in sight. Angel stopped just a short distance away.
He stood upright, and seemed to be completely still. As Rainbow Dash observed him, however, she noticed there was an errant twitch in his ears. He looked back at her for just a moment, and began to hop away through the trees to her left. She quickly steadied herself and began to follow.
It only took a minute or two before she realized where he was headed. It was apparent when she heard the gurgle and spillage of water over rock in the distance. It was faint, but she knew they were getting closer
Just a moment later, she moved some underbrush out of her way to reveal the source of the noise. There was a short cliff face in front of her, standing over a pile of loose, weathered rocks. Water poured from the cliff and over the pile. It pooled in small hollows in between scattered stones.
She quickly stepped forward, but Angel stepped in front of her abruptly, and protested with a quick squeak. She stopped with her front hoof in the air, quickly catching herself and remaining still. She looked at the bunny, curiosity in her eyes. He looked tense, and his eyes were full of worry.
It took her a moment to realize that Angel was pointing out a gathering of small plants around the spring. They were small, blue flowers, with large petals that surrounded a small crown. They were quite striking in appearance, and she was rather surprised she had not noticed them before. As intrigued as she was by them, however, Angel seemed quite insistent about staying away from them.
Rainbow Dash took a step back away from the flowers, and Angel sighed in relief. She was still thirsty, however, and she began to look around for ways to the water. Angel watched for a moment, and looked back, but eventually shrugged. He backed away from the stream, and Rainbow Dash realized he was going to leave.
She, on the other hoof, would not give up so easily. The whole spring was surrounded by the flowers, so she could not circumvent the problem. As she circled it, looking for openings, she suddenly felt stiff in her leg, and stumbled on a loose rock that had come from the pile. She barely managed to catch herself before falling into the vegetation.
As she steadied herself, she looked ahead of her, to the pile of rocks in the center of the spring. It was rather tall, and composed of various stones of many sizes. There were rocks strewn about the whole area. Even in the patch of flowers there were various stones.
She turned back, and saw Angel waiting at the edge of the clearing. She walked towards him, and he nodded his head slightly, directing her toward the forest. Just as she was beside him, however, she turned around. Then she was off, running, right towards the flowers. She heard a screech of protest from the bunny, but she didn’t respond to it. Rather, she jumped right at the edge of the flowers, easily clearing the patch, and landing on the loose rocks in the spring.
She struggled to maintain her hoofhold, and felt she might fall at any moment. Before she did, however, she turned and kicked the pile of rocks as hard as she could manage. It shook, but remained intact. She shuffled her hooves until she became steady once more, and then kicked the stack of stones a second time.
The pile collapsed, and rocks began to tumble down. Rainbow Dash didn’t flinch even as she became even more unsteady. She caught a brief glimpse of Angel’s face, which seemed to be scrunched up tightly. She braced herself, and then jumped.
She landed on the other side of the blue plants, stopping after a short walk to slow her momentum. She turned around to survey her handiwork. Just as she had hoped, the rocks had fallen to cover up a patch of the allegedly dangerous flowers that had impeded her progress.
They now had a steady path to the spring, and could bypass the plants entirely. While she may have been able to get a drink while balancing on the other side, she knew Angel couldn’t. As she walked across her makeshift path to the water, she beckoned her companion to do the same.
The water was clear, and pure. She felt renewed after drinking it; her lethargy dissipated quickly afterwards. She spent the remainder of the day with a lot of energy. Angel was active and ready as well. He found food in places she would never have looked, and detected threats she would have been unaware of completely.
As she moved alongside Angel, she felt the kind of connection she had never felt before. She was drawn to him, and he was connected to her. The forest was unforgiving, but she knew they could surmount it together.
The two companions were eating some berries Angel had found when the bunny’s ears perked up and twitched about. Rainbow Dash stopped what she was doing and took a step back, watching him. He dropped his food, and hopped forward, looking about the area, and remaining quiet and still. After only a moment, he looked at Rainbow Dash, fear in his eyes.
She had a guess what this meant, and prepared to follow him. He began to hop away, and she ran alongside him. Angel’s senses were strong, and she was willing to trust him. They ran some distance before they arrived at a steep cliff face. Rainbow Dash stopped.
In its side was an opening, which appeared to lead to a chamber of a significant size. Seeing the bunny’s panicked face, she quickly moved to enter the cave. Angel hung back a moment, looking at the cave, and then off to the woods. As he did, however, a piercing howl echoed throughout the area.
“Come on, hurry!” yelled Rainbow Dash, waving her hoof at the bunny. He rushed toward her, a grimace on his face all the while. Once he passed her, she began moving as well, and they entered the cave together.
They retreated into the bowels of the cave, which went far deeper than she expected. As the moved further in, she could no longer see the wide entrance of the cave. It was obscured by the winding stone walls that surrounded them.
It was dark, and she could scarcely see where she was going. She felt a prickling fear run through her body, but she swallowed it. She heard soft chitters from Angel nearby, their tempo quickening progressively. She took a few steps back, and felt her hoof slip on a loose rock. She nearly fell, but managed to catch herself before she did.
She felt cold, and began to shiver. Around her was a sea of darkness; although she could feel the ground beneath her, and barely see the walls around her, there was still the sense that everything that surrounded her was unknown. She shook her head, and took a slow step forward, breathing deeply.
Rainbow Dash knew she was holding her hoof out, but all of the sudden she couldn’t feel it. For a moment she didn’t breathe, and didn’t move, but then she felt a burst of pain shoot through her front leg, on the right. It quivered, and began to shake uncontrollably, knocking the Pegasus off balance, and causing her to fall forward.
She gasped with pain as she landed, right on a hard and pointy object that jabbed her side, causing her to roll suddenly onto her other side. She felt many more such articles touch her body, but none with the severity or the sharpness of the first. She began to reach around, trying to clear the debris and get back on her hooves. She heard a clang of metal as her hoof hit something, and she quickly felt around to find what it was.
It was a small cylindrical metal container of sorts, with a wiry handle and a rim around the bottom. There seemed to be a dial of sorts on it. Rainbow Dash didn’t need to see to figure out what she was holding; after just a moment, she knew it must have been a lantern. Despite the comfort of having found a potential source of light, she still felt an indescribable chill at the presence of the object.
She lit it up by turning the dial, and figured out why she felt so apprehensive soon after. As the area was illuminated, she found she was sitting in a pile of bones from a shattered pony’s skeleton. She felt her breath escape her, and nearly screamed. She quickly kicked some bones and slid back away from the pile. All the while, Angel was looking at her morosely.
For some time, she sat there and hyperventilated. The skeleton lay there, some bones from its back half broken and scattered about. Though she did not want to, she observed them. The bones were white, and the skull was intact. It had likely been an Earth Pony due to the lack of a horn or wings.
Scraps of fabric adorned it, drained of color almost entirely. It may have been a sort of cloak before. The remnants of a saddle bag hung off of the cracked spine. Then, in the crook of what had once been a front leg, she saw a slip of paper. It seemed as if it was being clutched by this pony tightly.
She picked it up and took a closer look. Through the flickering light of the lantern she was able to identify it as a picture, of two ponies, though it was faded, and limp. One was a rather haggard looking stallion with a shrewd smile, and the other was a jubilant Earth Pony mare with a light pink coat, and a visible cutie mark that looked like an extravagant flower.
Behind them was a sort of cottage, surrounded by a small stream, with a bridge crossing it. It was of medium size, and looked as if it were covered with foliage. At the bottom of the picture, she could see words scrawled down. She squinted to read them.
‘I’m sorry,’ they read: simple, and to the point. She found herself wondering what the story was here, but as she did, her eyes were drawn to the bones beneath her hooves. Shaking her head, she looked at the picture again, and studied it, before flipping it over to look at the back. There was writing on it, and it seemed the deceased pony had left a statement of some sort. Angel tugged on her, but she ignored him to read it.
This is the testament of Deep Theory
That was the first line at the top. It was written roughly, and the text seemed as if it were scrawled down in a hurry. The paper was covered with pockmarks, likely from spots of moisture laid upon it in the past. In parts it seemed to be covered with rust colored stains, but they did little to render the text more illegible. She continued.
I find myself in this darkening cave, and I am beginning to suspect that I cannot leave, and will not be able to find a way out. I find the darkness deepening, and my lantern seems to be growing more and more dim as the seconds tick on...
There was a break in the writing, after which it seemed to become even more rough and scratchy. Rainbow Dash briefly felt a chill run down her spine. She shook her head, and looked around. The lanterns light hung on the cave walls, illuminating the whole area with ease. She could even identify where it was she came from. She continued reading.
I am here, knowing that I have failed. I abandoned the only pony I ever shared kinship with, Orchid Sage, for this forest, and I am alone. I spent a long time denying that I hurt her, but I am left with no room to do so anymore. I cannot find the exit...
There was another break there, as if the pony had stopped writing for some time. Rainbow Dash felt heavy, as if the letters were weighing her down. She grimaced under the mental burden, but nevertheless looked back the note to read its final passage.
Now I know what is in this cave. It harbors a strange horde of creatures: magical constructions made of shadow and covered with needles. I had dubbed them Umbraspines in the recent past upon observing them for the first time. I can still feel the throes of pain from that wound they had inflicted upon me.
They are getting closer, and I feel my heart quickening. I’ve tried to move, and to find the way out, but the more I looked, the more I feared that there is truly no escape. Now I cannot move. My leg is stiff, and I can hardly think straight for the pain I feel. I knew what they were, and what they did to me... I knew how to stop it. But I made a mistake. They are watching me, and I cannot fight them any longer. They won.
Rainbow Dash finished reading the last line, and stayed there, looking at the words for a while. Angel tugged on her leg, but she found herself unable to respond. She could no longer see the walls; it was as if the room had gotten darker.
Slowly, realization dawned upon her. Then, a wave of emotion overcame her, and she fell down. She remembered the toy her father had given her that she had thrown away. She recalled a striking bouquet of flowers that she had abandoned by her bed side. She remembered a voice in the hallway of the hospital she was escaping.
Rainbow Dash saw, in her mind, her father, standing in front of her, covered with wounds, and surrounded by Timberwolves. That day, she had run away, and abandoned those who loved her. She looked around the cave, but she could see nothing but darkness, all around her. She trembled, and felt tears stream down the sides of her face, uncontrollably.
“I’m alone...” she said between sobs. “I am going to die here.” She breathed heavily, but she still felt winded, as if she were going to suffocate. The lantern’s remaining glow was dim; she could scarcely see her own hooves under its light. She struggled, and tried to get up, but her front leg felt stiff, and hurt far too badly. She fell, succumbing to the pain. Then, she felt a soft, gentle sensation on her leg, caressing her.
She turned her head toward it, remaining silent, and saw Angel, who stood out against the blackness. He glared at her for a moment, and she opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, however, he raised his paw and swiftly slapped her across the face.
Her head wobbled back and forth, but she jumped up with shock and landed on her hooves. She looked back to Angel, and he stood there, shaking his head, with his front paws crossed. At the sight of him she couldn’t help but chuckle, even as she went to rub the area he had struck.
“I-I’m sorry, Angel,” she choked out, her voice still trembling. “I forgot about you. At least you are here with me.” Angel shook his head quickly, and stomped the ground dramatically. She stared at him for a moment, and then said, “You think... we can get out of here?”
He smiled and nodded, hopping around her quickly, and pointing into the darkness. She sat there, unflinchingly, for some time, but eventually she got up and picked up the dimming lantern with her teeth. She smiled as best as she could with the obstruction in her mouth, and turned to Angel.
As they began to move, she began to see shadows moving around her, and forms of small creatures covered with dark spikes emerged around her. She gritted her teeth, and picked up her pace, following Angel as he hopped through the cave, taking a path around winding cave walls she couldn’t even see.
She recognized the creatures, as she had seen them in the forest, the night before. These ones, however, seemed to be much a part of the background. They closed in around them, but she managed to avoid coming in contact with their needles. Ahead of her, Angel seemed to be making strange clicking noises: the same ones that had been made by the creatures before.
Here, however, she noticed an eerie silence, and it wasn’t long before she saw that Angel stopped moving. He looked back at her, and there was panic on his face. She looked ahead, and observed that they were standing before the entrance to the cave. It was sealed off, however, by darkness and glaring red eyes; only a few spots of light poked through.
It was covered by the creatures, and as hard as Angel tried to part them by mimicking the clicking sounds the ones from the forest had made, they would not budge. They stood there, and the creatures seemed to close in around the entrance, covering it with an increasingly thick layer of shadows.
The dark forms came together, and made a creature of frightening appearance, and terrifying proportions. It seemed to be a mass of spindly legs and claws formed around a maw of great size, in which were a considerable amount of sharp spines. Not all the creatures joined this formation; she noticed they were still entirely surrounded.
She stepped back, but nearly fell into the spines of the swarm around her. Angel and she were ushered toward the massive creature, unable to escape. She yelped as it swiped a claw toward her, and swung the lantern at it. She felt a hissing sound as the creature backed away. It struck again, but she brandished the lantern, and the creature seemed to shrink away.
Angel was nearly frozen, unable to move, and shaking ever so slightly. She tapped him lightly, and nodded her head, and he stayed there. Then, as quickly as she could, she grabbed the lantern and smashed the glass around the flame open. For a moment it gleamed with a brilliant flame, but the darkness made it just as dim as before.
It swiped at her again, and she moved out of the way, feeling a slight ache in her leg. Angel stood right beside her, however, and she managed to avoid the claw. Then, she arched her head back, gripping the lantern tightly with her teeth, before tossing it with all the force she could muster directly at the creature that blocked the door.
She heard a screech, and the sound of flames, as she shielded her eyes from the sudden burst of heat and flame that came her way. Then, she turned back to the entrance, and gasped as light shined on her face. Right in front of her, a hole had been burned right through the mouth of the large creature. It was lined with flames, but large enough for a filly to fit through.
The Umbraspines, as the lost pony had called them, began to move toward the entrance at a fast rate, and she saw the hole slowly begin to close. Losing no time, she scooped up Angel with her teeth and began to run, taking off with a sudden and incredible burst of speed. She jumped into the hole, spinning slightly as she did so, and felt her wings being singed by the flame that lined the opening.
As she moved, she felt dim light upon her face, and opened up her eyes. She could see the forest, she could see the sky, and most importantly, she could see the sun. She felt like she was hanging there in the air for a long while, as Angel flailed around in her mouth, suspended in that one moment of escape.
Then, she hit the ground with a thud, though she instinctively rolled to soften the fall. She ended up laying on her side, with Angel next to her. He breathed heavily in and out, before slowly getting up, and dusting himself off. Then, he slowly turned to glare at her. She looked back, wondering what was bothering him.
Then she saw it. His fluffy tail, which had formerly been so pristine and clean, had been burnt by the flames as they escape. Angel sat there and pouted, but as she continued looking at him, she couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter. Angel stopped glaring after a moment, and crossed his arms and seemed to frown, but she reached out and petted him.
“Hey buddy, cheer up,” she said, picking him up onto her back. “Nothing can stop us now.” She walked out into the forest nearby, feeling secure, if only because she had just escaped something so dangerous, and walked forward bravely and without a worry.
Angel soon was fully healed, and together they were able to go around the forest with little trouble. The bunny was very savvy about finding good hiding spots and food. Together, they were able to confront many of the forest’s hurdles with only moderate trouble.
Rainbow Dash and her companion never stopped moving. She knew that the further they went, the less familiar she would be with her surroundings, but she hoped that they could find somewhere that was more abundant and forgiving than this forest.
The first night after they escaped the cave, they were chased by Timberwolves. The beasts very nearly caught them, but Angel was able to find a place to hide. The day afterwards Rainbow Dash encountered another animal. It was a ferret, and it seemed to be almost possessed with fear. She approached it, but it soon ran away and disappeared into the underbrush.
Not even an hour later she heard a bloodcurdling roar echo throughout the forest. It was close, but not right near her, and as hard as she looked, she could not find anything around her. She looked at Angel, but he shrugged casually. Rainbow Dash slowly and cautiously walked to where the roar came from, and Angel grudgingly trailed behind her.
As she moved forward, she saw something peculiar ahead of her. She picked up her pace and ran to it, and saw a single apple on the ground, with a few bites taken out of it. She looked up, but there were no apples in the nearby trees.
The apple sat there, covered with a bit of dirt. It was fresh, as there was little browning or rot on the apple. She looked away, and into the nearby woods, but there were no animals in sight. She assumed there was an animal here before. She figured it must have run away after the loud roar just a few minutes earlier.
“I hope it got away,” said Rainbow Dash, looking back to the apple. Angel hopped up to it, and sniffed it, but he quickly recoiled. He held his nose shut and waved his front paws around in front of him. Rainbow Dash walked up to him, but he quickly began to hop away. She took one last look at the apple, and decided to leave it.
Even as she was walking away, she couldn’t help but to think about the apple, and whatever little critter had left it behind. She was embroiled in this thought when she heard a howl. Her ears perked up as she looked around, and suddenly her nostrils were filled with a fowl stench. Angel nervously looked ahead of them, and went to turn around, but he stopped.
The noise sounded close, but it was not in her vicinity. As she listened, she could tell it wasn’t heading toward her either. It was getting further away, and though she was in no danger, she couldn’t hold back fear. It wasn’t the kind of fear that makes a pony run away, however. Angel tugged on her in the opposite directions, but in just a moment, she was walking. Not away from the commotion, but towards it.
She heard resistance from Angel, but she kept moving, and began to run. It wasn’t long before she saw a Timberwolf with its back to her. It was standing in front of a fallen log, shoving its gnarled paw into a hollow within. Rainbow Dash hesitated, but she soon heard a small and soft cry from within the log.
Suddenly she felt a powerful surge of will and determination from within her, and she began to run toward the wolf with reckless abandon. It did not turn, its arcane gaze fixated on the log in front of it. She screamed as she approached it, and turned her body around, readying her back hooves. She kicked the Timberwolf’s leg with all the force she could muster and it broke off.
The wolf reeled back, and turned its gaze on her. It was fierce, predatory, and unfeeling, but she stood her ground and stared back at it. Their gazes were locked together, but she did not back down. After a moment, the wolf stepped back, with a strange grin about its mouth, and hobbled away. Rainbow Dash sighed in relief, and went to look in the hole in the log.
“Hey, little buddy, it’s okay,” she said, as she peered in. “You’re sa—” She stopped, a great chill running through her body. Her limbs trembled, and she found herself unable to continue speaking. Angel stepped up behind her, and tapped on her flank worriedly.
She slowly stepped back, and looked away from the hole. Her mouth was open, and her ears were drooping heavily. Angel looked up at her and squeaked, but she did not respond. Slowly, she trudged away, and leaned against a nearby tree. She fell into a daze, her mind reeling back and forth.
Minutes passed when she was jolted back into reality by a scream from Angel. She looked, and saw him right in front of her, pointing into the trees, and she quickly turned her head. There were many Timberwolves emerging from the trees, and the one at the head of the pack was missing a foreleg. Their wooden faces expressed little, but Rainbow Dash could see malice in them.
They stopped a short distance away for a moment. The head Timberwolf regained his missing leg; the pieces that were stuck in the log drifted to it by some unseen force. She grimaced upon looking at the foul claw, which was soiled with blood.
The beasts turned their gaze toward her and Angel, and seemed to relish in the fear they instilled. Then, without even a moment’s notice, they charged, roaring and growling fiercely. Rainbow Dash gasped, and quickly turned and grabbed Angel. She began to run as quickly as she could away from the large pack of Timberwolves.
They were right behind her, and running became harder the further they went. The roars, snarls, and snapping of wooden jaws filled her heart with trepidation, and she felt her body become heavier. Her leg soon began to ache, presumably under the strain of her running, and she could feel them getting closer to her. Rainbow Dash knew she needed something to get away from them, and fast.
Ahead of her she found precisely what she was looking for. Her ears were greeted by the rush of water, and she saw a large stream. She grunted as she braced her body for what she would have to do, and turned course directly toward the rushing water. Behind her, a claw barely missed her tail as the pack of monsters neared her.
“Hold on Angel,” she said, gritting her teeth and increasing her speed past its limit. The water was getting closer. Then, just as she began to jump, she heard Angel squeak fearfully. Suddenly, the dull ache in her right front leg flared, and her whole body was rocked with an immense tremor of pain. She winced as she tried to make the jump across the wide stream.
Then, before they could make it even halfway across the stream, she sank out of the air like a stone, the ill-preparedness of her jump taking its toll. Angel and Rainbow Dash fell into the rushing water, sinking below the surface and then back up. She felt her bones being chilled by the water as she gasped for air above the surface.
She saw the Timberwolves watching her from the bank, their eyes burning with malice, before she slammed into a rock, carried by the strong current. A writhing and distressed Angel was the last thing she saw before she slipped out of consciousness.
Rainbow Dash squinted into the darkness as she walked through the forest. She had trouble seeing, but she couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. Even though she was in the forest, she found she had no idea how she had gotten there. It was unclear.
She was alone. As she moved through the inexplicably dark forest, she found the stark lack of company was affecting her more. She grimaced as she felt a low branch tugging at her leg. Her leg seemed stuck, and it took a few pulls to loosen it. Pain shot through the limb, and she fell down, grasping her leg.
Then, as she was on the ground, she saw a fallen log just a short distance away. She couldn’t quite put a hoof on it, but it seemed familiar. Despite the pain in her leg, she quickly got up and began to walk toward it. As she approached it, a putrid odor enveloped her, and her body began to feel weak.
It seemed as if the world was shaking, but she couldn’t tell how or why. She wanted to stop, and run away, but she couldn’t. Her hooves kept moving, trudging through the weakness she felt as she neared her destination. Then she took one final step, in front of a hollow in the fallen log.
Inside was a mess of white fur, stained red. It had paws, and ears, and a soft, small mouth. All of its appendages hung limp, and in the center of its chest was a large, open wound. No blood flowed from it, however. As Rainbow Dash started at it, she found no activity, no life. There was no attitude, or pettiness. There was no love.
Rainbow Dash screamed as she woke up on the bank of a flowing stream. Her head ached heavily, and her body could scarcely move. Above her, the sky was painted orange, and the sun hung just above the horizon, beginning to rise. Though she was not moving, she found herself at a loss for breath, and clutched her chest.
She looked around, but there was no fallen log around her, nor was it dark in the forest. She also quickly found that Angel was nowhere to be seen. She was by herself, on the bank of a river, hardly able to move. As she thought about the situation, she began to remember how she had gotten there.
They had been chased, and she had tried to get away. She couldn’t, however. She fell into the river, and so had Angel. He was struggling: a small bunny caught in a current he couldn’t possibly fight. Rainbow Dash could only hope he had washed ashore somewhere downstream.
He had to be alive, she thought. She slowly pulled herself onto her hooves, looking down the river. She had to find Angel, he had to be somewhere, and she would force herself to keep on going until they were together again.
She thought of him, in the hollow of that fallen log, and stopped, clutching her head. It was as if she could not discern reality in a storm of worries. She saw tears drop off of her face, falling down to the forest floor. The drops of water were so small, but for a moment they seemed profoundly deep. She could see herself in the reflection, disheveled beyond recognition.
She stopped crying, unable to think about her own sadness. Her legs felt strong as she straightened them, and stretched her body. Rainbow Dash forced away her doubts, and her fears. Instead, she called back on her promise. She had vowed to herself, and to Angel, that she would keep him safe.
The stream was her only clue, and she thoughtlessly began to travel alongside it. The forest around the water was no less thick than anywhere else, so progress seemed slow, but Rainbow Dash would not give up. She kept on walking, for minutes, then hours.
She soon found that she was getting nowhere. The ground was cluttered, and obstructions were everywhere. She began to worry that even if she managed to come across Angel, a tree or log might obscure him from her view. The Pegasus rounded a bend in the river, and then stopped.
Angel could have been stranded anywhere. He could be directly downstream, or he could have moved far away from the river. She looked across the stream, to the miles and miles of forest on the other side. The scale of the woodland weighed heavily on her, and she found herself unable to grasp just how puny her chances were.
The forest was too big, and she had nearly no hints as to Angel’s location. There was simply too much ground for her to cover on hoof. She looked at her small legs, and frowned. They had carried her far: across streams, over logs, and away from all kinds of threats and dangers. The more she thought about it though, the smaller and weaker she seemed.
She was a Pegasus; born pure and proud. Her whole life before this ordeal had been dedicated to being the best flyer she could be. Now, she was grounded, and helpless. Her injured wing was bound. Moreover, her life before seemed a farce and a lie considering what she had been through; flying almost doomed her best friend, and her idols had abandoned the animals of the forest without a care.
Now, however, she came to the conclusion she had nothing else. Pegasi were built light and fast; they didn’t have the strength of Earth Ponies, or the magical prowess of Unicorns. On the ground, they could do little more than run. It was the wings that set them apart.
Even as she sat on the cold, hard ground, the sky called to her. She hated it, but it was where she belonged. Her wings had failed her, but they were all she had. The Wonderbolts had scorned her simple wish, but they were the only models she could ever look up to. They had failed to save the animals, and stopped Rainbow Dash from doing it herself.
This time, however, she couldn’t. Rainbow Dash grasped the binding on her wing with her teeth, and pulled on it with as much speed and strength as she could muster. She screamed as it unwound and fell off her wing quickly, and without finesse. It had been days, she knew. Her wing must have healed by now. She needed it to be, and so did Angel.
She sternly frowned as she did her usual pre-flight exercises and stretches, the actions having been molded into her body by years of practice. She folded her wings in, and then out again, ignoring the pain. The Pegasus took a few steps back, making sure there was ample space ahead of her.
She ran for a moment, and then tensed the muscles in her hindquarters. Her legs kicked the ground beneath her, and she jumped into the air. She unfolded her wings, and began to flap them. She floated in the air, moving forward, nearly achieving flight, but only to the extreme strain of her wing. Unable to maintain her exertion, she fell from the air, and onto the ground.
She moaned as she dusted herself off, but then she was back on her hooves. She stretched out her wings, causing a harsh crackling sound, but she ignored it. Rainbow Dash took a few steps back again, and focused on the sky above her. Her concentration intensified, and she took off again.
She cried out in pain as she slammed into one of the nearby trees, after she flew a few meters. Again, she fell down to the ground. Then, again she was backing up, focusing on the sky. She steeled her nerves, and readied her mind. However, as she took off once more, she found that her body was not ready.
Her right wing seized movement, unable to keep flapping due to its injuries. She spiraled out of control, and fell down, scraping into various branches as she descended. She hit the ground on her side, and rolled a short distance before settling into a full stop. She breathed haggardly and coughed as she lay there.
“No!” she yelled, pulling herself up once more. She couldn’t give up. Flying was her last resort. Failure was not an option. Angel was always so strong, and so confident. He wouldn’t let her down. She had to fight, not for own sake, but for his. She had no right to be weak.
She snorted and glared, looking up. In the sky, she could see everything, and traverse the forest with ease. It was her only option. With a stomp, she braced her body, and then took off. Just as she made her jump to enter the sky, however, her body was paradoxically rocked with both great numbness and incredible pain.
Her jump fell off course, and even as she unfolded her wings and attempted to stabilize herself, she lost control completely. She plummeted out of the air, and could only look on with panic as she noticed she was heading directly for the rushing water of the stream.
Unable to avert her course, or control her body at all, she fell into the water with a splash. The liquid felt like nothing other than a brick wall, and she found it difficult to maintain consciousness as she was submerged.
She was under the surface of the water, assaulted by the freezing temperatures, and overcome by pain throughout her body. Her front leg seemed to be the crux of the sensation, but by no means was the rest of her body spared. Her injured wing was stiff, and moved awkwardly.
She was an athlete, but her body was weak. She had trained for years, but now it was all for nothing. Nopony could match her devotion and willpower, but she could not reach her goals regardless. Something was wrong with her. The world wasn’t cruel; she just didn’t have a place in it.
Then she was thrust above the surface of the water by her own buoyancy. Her lungs took in a gulp of fresh air as she breathed in deeply by reflex. The stream carried her along, but she soon found herself thrust against a bank as it rounded a bend. She slowly crawled onto land, coughing and sputtering.
Rainbow Dash moved until she was on solid ground, and then collapsed. She pounded the ground with a hoof a few times, but soon found she didn’t even have the strength to continue. A few tears dropped from her eyes, and she winced and tried to stay strong. She could not, however, and soon her anguish exploded from her in full force.
Angel had trusted her. He had depended on her. She was supposed to keep him safe. That one task was all she had focused on, for the longest time. However, as hard as she tried, she was simply too weak to do it. Everything that she loved was hurt by her. Everything she tried she failed at.
The world was simply too heavy for her to bear. She had collapsed under its weight. It wasn’t because life was hard, or because it was unfair. It was because she couldn’t keep up. All of her goals and aspirations had passed her by.
As determined as she was to save Angel, she had been forced to learn that focus was only one step away from fear. Now that her concentration had been shaken, her mind was flooded with doubts. Her efforts had failed, and she was forced to come to terms with the fact that her mind was just as weak as her body.
It was this very fear that so profoundly flooded her body with pain. It overcame her, as if she were stuck with needles all over. She couldn’t explain it, and truly had no idea why or how it was happening to her. Even as she thought that, however, she remembered similar experiences. This condition had plagued her for quite some time.
Since she had run into the Umbraspines, she thought. Through her pain, she experienced a small moment of clarity. However, the truth gave her no relief. Those needles had seemed deadly, but it was now clear that they were poisonous as well.
She was stuck: banned from the sky, and unable to move even a step forward. Angel was lost, somewhere far away, and there was no chance she would find him. In addition, she had been struck with some potentially fatal ailment, and she hadn’t even known it.
After she had escaped from that cave, she had thought she had truly made it. However, she had never really escaped. She had no hope. Time began to pass, and Rainbow Dash could only lie there, unresponsive. Afternoon had come when she heard a rustle in the bushes.
For a moment she felt hope fill her, and she got up suddenly. Then a severe fetor wafted into her nostrils. Her heart sank as she saw a wooden paw poke through the bushes. She backed up as a group of Timberwolves emerged from the underbrush.
In that moment, she was forced to make a decision. She could run, or she could die. Though to her, the two choices seemed very much the same. Hope seemed so far away to her that she couldn’t fathom survival. Even despite that though, she couldn’t help but think of Angel.
For him, she would do anything. Even if it was hopeless, or harmful, she would not hesitate to try whatever she could. Angel was her only friend now, and that was something she couldn’t let go. The Timberwolves snarled at her, but she only turned away from them. Her legs felt weak, and her body was in pain, but she gritted her teeth and began to run.
With a series of growls and roars, the Timberwolves were running after her. Their sharp, wooden jaws snapped at her, and their claws ripped through the ground with every step they took. There was little she could do but try her hardest to run, but as they got closer, the possibility she might escape only got smaller.
She stumbled over a fallen branch, and then looked ahead of her. Her eyes widened, as she saw nowhere to go; a cliff stood over her, far too steep for her to scale. The Timberwolves were already behind her, and she saw no escape. She had only her hooves.
Rainbow Dash knew she could have made that distance easily if she could fly. For a true Pegasus, such a leap was paltry. She had tried flying, however. Her attempts had all ended in failure. The cliff was so tall she could never jump up to it. Gauging the distance, she knew would fall just short.
Then she remembered trying to fly. The Pegasus was far from true flight, but her wings had carried her. She thought, maybe, just maybe, that they might carry her far enough to reach the cliff. She stalled for a moment, but the Timberwolves were nearly upon her, and she knew she had no choice.
Angel was out there somewhere; she knew it. If she had even a chance, she would have to try. She narrowly avoided a strong wooden claw, and began to run towards the cliff. Then, with as much power as she could muster, she jumped and unfurled her wings. The edge of the cliff was just a short distance away from her.
She groaned as she flapped her wings as hard as she could, to the extreme resistance of every part of her body. The growls and savage roars of the Timberwolves below quickened her heart, but she closed her eyes and thought of Angel. Her wings carried her closer, until she was just close enough to grasp the edge.
The weight of her body finally overcame the power of her wings, and she felt herself lose momentum, and begin to drop. She screamed as she grabbed on to the edge, unable to heave herself upon it. She hung from the ledge, kicking at the sides, attempting to pull herself up.
Below her, the Timberwolves snarled at her, and scraped their claws against the bottom of the cliff. As she looked down, she could see anticipation in their arcane eyes. Her hold on the ledge was wearing thin; she would soon be their meal.
As her time was running out, she tried to pull herself up. No matter what kind of effort she put forth, her body was just too heavy. She began to slip, dust falling down as her hoofs scraped against the cliff’s side. She knew now that she was going to fall. Her last chance was gone.
She had nearly lost her hold when she felt a soft, but surprisingly strong, tug on her hoof. Her gaze quickly turned ahead of her, to the top of the cliff, and she saw a delicate white bunny pulling on her hoof as if his life depended on it. Her eyes widened, and she began to smile.
“Angel!” she cried out. He responded with a frantic squeak. Then she remembered she was about to fall off a cliff and into the sharp claws of fierce Timberwolves. She began to sweat. Her body was still heavy, but Angel’s efforts seemed to be keeping her from falling. He was trying his hardest; she wouldn’t let him down.
She pulled on the ledge with all the force she can muster. She kicked along the side, trying to scale it in any way she could. Even her wings were a part of the effort; she beat them rapidly, creating a small, but significant, amount of lift. The Timberwolves below howled at her, and snapped their jaws, but she looked away.
Today, she was going to survive. Not for herself, but for the bunny that saved her. Slowly, but surely, she heaved her weight up the cliff. Her legs were strained, and her wings hurt badly, but Angel was holding her tightly.
An enormous sense of relief came over her as she stepped onto the cliff. Angel fell back, panting due to the strain. Rainbow Dash stood there, watching him and breathing heavily for a moment, and then she suddenly leaped forward and hugged him tightly between her exhausted hooves. For a brief moment, Angel smiled too, but then he struggled out of her hold.
She looked at him with puzzlement, but in response he pointed to the cliff. She looked down, and saw the Timberwolves moving away, and heading in a different direction. It immediately occurred to her that they might be looking for another way up. This was a small victory, but they needed to get out of there, as fast as they could.
Angel squeaked at her, and then took off. She began to follow him, having few other options. The howls of the Timberwolves did not cease; in fact, they seemed to proliferate, echoing throughout the nearby forest from nearly all directions. Rainbow Dash looked around the nearby woodland, but she could not find anywhere to hide.
Her body was weary, and wounded. She knew that she would not be able to outrun them. As Angel lead them, she looked everywhere for someplace to hide. Just like the forest just a few nights before, however, there was nowhere. They were surrounded by tall trees that covered up the sky. There were no cliffs, holes, or thick bushes for them to retreat to.
She wanted to be secure, and to be safe, but she knew now the forest didn’t offer that. It was a place of true danger, which required strength and responsibility she could not possibly match. As much as she hated to admit it, her dream was broken. Now, she was just looking for a miracle.
A loud, blaring howl sounded near her, stopping her in her tracks. It was not an isolated noise; it was as if it came from all directions. It was the chorus of the Timberwolves’ hunt, synchronized in perfect form. She began to hear the rip and tear of the ground nearby, and the rustling of leaves. They were close: too close.
Angel was looking at her, in panic and impatience. She couldn’t see a way out, however. He waved his paw at her, but then she leaped on top of him, shielding him with her very body. She crouched low to the ground, and closed her eyes. He deserved to live, and she would do anything to give him that one last chance.
“I’ll protect you...” she said, as the noises approached. Angel squeaked loudly, and struggled. She tried her hardest to keep him still, but he managed to wriggle out of her grip. Her hair stood up, and her body began to experience the needlelike feeling that came to her with fear. Rainbow Dash took a step toward Angel, but he snarled, his eyes full of fury, and jumped on top of her.
He made a sound then, that was so loud, so full, and so commanding, she could scarcely resist. Then, he grabbed her by the ears, and kicked her in the side. As if by instinct, she began to run. Angel steered her by pulling on her head, and she complied. His grasp was gentle enough to not hurt her, but it had a sense of purpose in it she had long since lost.
As she was running, she whiffed the foul odor of Timberwolves. Then, from all around her, a pack of the beasts came within her sight range. There were too many for her to count: far more than she had seen any other day. They pursued her with blind ferocity and persistence. She could feel their intent, and knew that right now, their sole purpose was to catch her, and to kill her.
Angel, however, did not let her slow down, nor did he let her give up. He seemed to be staring ahead, his face transfixed on the direction they were heading toward. The Timberwolves were catching up quickly, and she knew she would not be able to move faster than them.
Despite the graveness of the situation, she felt no fear. Angel was guiding her, and she trusted him. It was do or die, and at that moment the concept of fear seemed so pointless, so unnecessary, that she discarded it altogether.
She felt them right behind her, just when Angel squeaked in excitement, and she peered ahead. They were heading towards a distant light, which so heavily contrasted with the dark forest. Angel gripped her head, and pointed forward.
Rainbow Dash did the only thing she could. With a possible salvation ahead, she threw away caution and restraint, and pushed her body to its limit. Without fear, she felt no pain. If Angel was right about where they were headed, then she could save him. She could even save herself, a concept that had formerly been so unlikely she hadn’t considered it.
The light was hope, and she dashed towards it with everything she had. She felt her muscles strain, and wounds open. Her bones creaked, and her tendons were on the brink of snapping altogether. As she headed forward, however, none of that mattered. Her body could fall apart, but she would deliver them no matter what.
The light was right before her, and just as a Timberwolf missed snapping at her flank by a narrow margin, she broke through. It didn’t take her long to see what the light was, and why it shone so brightly.
They had entered a green pasture, crossed with a stream of medium size. Some small trees were scattered throughout, but only sparsely. Most importantly, however, there was a tall cottage in the center of the area, which was covered with greenery and birdhouses. The forest stood tall behind them, but now she could feel powerful sunshine upon her face.
She ran a short distance further, and got to a bridge over the stream. Unable to move any further, she collapsed. She prepared for the worst, and looked back to the forest. However, the Timberwolves had not left it. Instead, they stood at the edge, watching her with furious intensity.
Though she couldn’t place it, she had a feeling that they were angry. Angry that they could not reach her, and that she had escaped from their domain. They were angry that they had lost. Still, she knew the forest was still there, and it was expansive. It was a place where monsters roamed, and where hope lie only outside its boundaries.
The Timberwolves still ruled it, and she knew she could never reside in there again; the forest was nopony’s territory. She knew that now. However, looking at her side, she saw Angel, lying beside her, breathing heavily as he stared into the depths of the forest. He was alive. The forest had given them no mercy, but she had liberated him.
“Angel...” she said, patting him on the back. “We did it.” He turned to her and smiled widely, his face glowing. It was a sensation she had never before seen, and she began to temble. Before she knew it, tears were streaming out of her eyes uncontrollably. Angel patted her softly, and his eyes were inquisitive. “No, it’s not that,” she said reassuringly. “I’m just so... happy.”
She had learned a lot in the past few days. She had learned of the aggressiveness of nature. She had learned how dangerous the dark was, and how inhospitable the forest was. She had reached her limits, and nearly died trying to overcome them. The truth was simple. That forest would never be safe, and it would never be conquered.
Rainbow Dash knew she had to give or take her blessings as they were handed to her. The Everfree forest was not her home, and she knew that now. At that moment, however, she began to feel lost. She had a goal. Now that she had lost it, she was left with nothing but her life and Angel’s. She turned around.
There was the cottage, standing there, idly. It was rather secluded, but she could tell that there must have been a settlement nearby. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it, but received no reply. Then she walked in, unhindered by any locks or barricades.
The inside was rather empty. There were some minor furnishings, and a desk area in a corner, and a sleeping area upstairs. Dust had settled on the tables and objects, and it was clear the place hadn’t been inhabited for a long time. It was stocked with quite a bit of food, however. There were also a variety of other supplies present, and types of equipment she didn’t understand.
She walked to the desk, which was covered with papers filled with jargon she couldn’t comprehend. Then, she saw a picture, unframed and facing down. She picked it up to look at it, and gasped. There were two ponies in the picture; the same ones from the picture she had found in the cave.
It was all clear to her then. The place was uninhabited because its former owner had died. He was a victim of the Everfree forest. A surge of pity hit her, and she spent a few moments in sorrow. The cottage remained uninhabited, however. Angel sat down in a corner, watching her as she explored the place.
They were both safe in here. There was ample food, and it was a large and comfortable place. She knew the previous owner had died, but this place seemed very convenient. It was a sanctuary offered to them. They had marched out of the forest, only to be greeted by a greater hope.
She had long searched for her purpose. At first, she had thought she would become the greatest flyer there ever was. Then, she had aspired to be a guardian of the forest animals. She had given up that goal to survive. Her desire, and her ambition, was still strong, however. Angel was sitting there, safe and sound.
These walls protected them. They would give them the resources and supplies to continue living. It was a blessing with a value she could not deny. She realized that she wanted to share this gift, and spread her happiness anywhere she could.
There were still animals in the Everfree forest. It was an unnatural place, full of abominations. For their sake, she had to liberate them. She could bring them here, and keep them in the cottage. They could be safe.
She looked out the window, and noticed the Timberwolves had left. They were out to butcher more innocent creatures, no doubt. She wouldn’t let them, however. Too many had died in that forest for her to accept. Even if she had to risk her life, she couldn’t let it be. Just like Angel, they would all be safe.
“I can’t let them die anymore,” she said to Angel. He looked up at her, confused. She turned away, however, to look at the forest once more. In truth, her goal had never been discarded. She convinced herself of that. “I’ll take care of them. No matter what.” She said it with resolution, and Angel stared at her, wide eyed.
He was looking at her flank. She turned her head, and noticed it was glowing, and that upon it were three butterflies. They were delicate, but beautiful. She gazed at them in awe, and realized she had found her destiny. This was where she was supposed to be.
It was as if a huge weight had lifted off of her; like she no longer had to be afraid. The fear that she had faced in the darkness of the forest, and at the mercy of its beasts, had been lifted from her. In realization, she looked at the right leg on the front side of her body. It was looking as perfect as ever. The pain she had felt before had been banished completely.
She smiled. The world was tough, and she would never conquer it. What she had found in the cottage, however, was a sanctuary. It was one that would stand to protect all the animals she could save from that place. The world was harsh and unforgiving, and it was also very beautiful.
Angel looked at her, but she only pet him softly. She was so glad he would never be at risk again. Now, she only had to do the same for more animals like him.
Rainbow Dash looked around her cottage with something resembling pride as she finished her story. Her silence was filled with the sounds of all kinds of animals, keeping the area from ever reaching true quietness. The three crusaders stood on the couch, somewhat shocked, and nearly exhausted from the length and depth of her story.
Scootaloo saw a small blue bird flying around overhead, and out of reach. Rainbow Dash was looking at it too, and then she quickly jumped into the air, using a small stool as a step, and grabbed the bird. She put it into a cage near the corner, next to many other cages. As she shut the door, Scootaloo heard the bird cry out, and glare at the birds nearby.
Rainbow Dash turned back to the fillies, and said, “I’ve rescued all these critters from the Everfree forest, since that day.” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom nodded slowly, but Scootaloo beamed, and eyed the older Pegasus’ dwelling with admiration.
She heard Applebloom mutter something about the animals living conditions, but passed it off. She noticed that Rainbow Dash’s wing was rather crooked and deformed, even as the mare went about her activities with the kind of step that a flyer can’t maintain. She was grounded, and formidable in her movement.
“So...” started Sweetie Belle, looking confused, and touching her lip, “is running away from home the only way to get a Cutie Mark?” Rainbow Dash looked shocked, and the other crusaders eyed her inquisitively. “Well, it’s just that... Pinkamena said she ran away from home, and so did you, Rainbow Dash.”
Applebloom and Scootaloo wondered for a moment, but then nodded in consent. Rainbow Dash looked puzzled, as if she were trying to solve a difficult problem. She brushed the ground with her hoof for a few moments, before nodding slowly.
“Well, it’s not the right thing for everypony,” she said, smiling at the Crusaders. “And Pinkamena didn’t exactly have a choice... Anyway, maybe you should ask some other ponies about their cutie marks. I’m sure my friends have interesting stories to tell.” Then the Crusaders remembered Rarity, and their desire to get to the bottom of her strange Cutie Mark.
“We should find Rarity,” said Sweetie Belle. The other two nodded, but then Applebloom came forward, and looked up at Rainbow Dash.
“What about Angel, your bunny?” she asked. “Is he still here?” Rainbow Dash looked at her for a second, and then nodded with a smile. She walked behind a pile of cages, and came back with one, held in her mouth.
Inside the cage was a large bunny, his fur stained brown, though spots of white shone through. Though bunnies are usually lean and nimble, this one was covered with reserves of thick fat, and had the look of a bunched up pile of furs if one didn’t notice the face.
He seemed to be sleeping, and lay there limp, completely inactive. The three fillies stared at him, but he didn’t respond. The only real indications that he was even alive were the slow, but steady, pulsing of his body, and the faint sound of his breathing. Rainbow Dash opened the door to his cage, and pet him softly.
“Wake up Angel, some little ponies wanted to see you,” she said, smiling widely. An eye opened, quickly followed by another, and he lazily glanced at the Crusaders. Then, without a sound or even a nod, he went back to sleep. Rainbow Dash put his cage back where she got it, and then returned. When she got back, however, the Crusaders had already left.
As they walked down the path, away from the cottage, a grim look accompanied the faces of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo, meanwhile, was running down the road, and beckoned her friends to hurry up, bypassing her parked scooter.
“Hey Scootaloo,” said Applebloom, “Aren’t you going to take your scooter?” Scootaloo stopped and turned back for a moment, but then shook her head.
“A real Pegasus puts her own four hooves on the ground!” shouted Scootaloo. “That’s what being cool is really all about! Now come on, let’s find Rarity!” She began to run down the path, forcing the others to hurry in order to catch up. They exchanged glances, and shared the same unsettled feeling.
The sun still rose in the sky, and as they went to search for Rarity, they all felt the same sort of excitement. Not an upfront, bubbly enthusiasm like that donned by Scootaloo, but a more subtle feeling. Even as Rainbow Dash’s cottage stood behind them, they had a feeling that the day was just beginning.
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This is one of my favorite current stories. I like how you managed to put Dash into Fluttershy's role without making her act like Fluttershy--she's still a badass, and stuff.
So who's next?
So what did Rarity have to do to get her cutie mark? Was her school play interrupted by rabid diamond dogs, who forced her and her class to work without rest for weeks on end until she was the only one left, and barely escaped with her life, and a single ruby given to her by her dying best friend, before being set upon by a dragon who ate the gem and carried her back to its lair, intent on turning her into a carrier for his demonic brood, but she managed to escape with the help of a plucky young griffon, whose wing was crushed under a rock and had to be left behind, but not before declaring her love of Rarity, who went back to a burned Ponyville all alone, deciding that she would never love again, until a...
Wait.
Am I turning into DerpyMoreMuffins?
3505629 Nah... I would wager maybe Regidar or something like that but who knows? I could be blowing things out of proportion.
She waved through them, ducked under branches
As the moved further in
filled with a fowl stench
It was a sensation she had never before seen, and she began to temble
1. I believe you meant Weaved.
2. They.
3. Foul. Unless that was a joke, disregard this comment and read: I smell a Scootaloo nearby.
4. Tremble.
Well, from the looks of things with both Pinkamena and Rainbow they are dedicated to doing their umm, if you could say it; 'job' but they aren't doing it well unfortunately. I know this is the AU where they lived with different cutie marks and got them legitimately but... I feel sorry for Angel now.
Once upon a time a young bunny encountered a pegasus filly where they both evaded dangers and pitfalls in the forest of doom but managing to evade or overcome them at every turn. Angel, the heroic bunny that in the end mounted and rode Rainbow Dash to a happy ending has now become a plump Melvin put into a cage and is slowly getting worse day by day.
If I managed to trigger something in that last sentence of mine then I did my job well. If not oh well
3504918
If you watch the Cutie Mark Chronicles again you should be able to figure out the order.
A good conclusion to her story and it reminds me a lot of real life. You look at people doing things that you yourself may see as weird or wrong, never considering the reasons behind their actions. Doing something others would consider wrong, but for a genuine reason. That really hits home with me.
As far as the story goes, I'm glad to see angel made it and Scootaloo finding a new found respect for Rainbow. I enjoyed how real you made the Everfree as well. The show itself being for younger crowds could never really show, just how dangerous the place really is. You did an excellent point of it though. Being continuously hunted by the wolves and being poisoned by the Umbraspines. The forest is littered with danger and using only two creatures, you showed that well.
It does bring a few questions to mind though. I wonder how Fluttershy would have come across angel and the cottage in a normal scenario. Also, what happened to RD's dad. It seemed to hint he's alive but at the same time, I expected him to be her savior and get her out of the forest. The fact he didn't show up again puzzles me. I'm not a father but in that scenario I would do anything to find my daughter. Hmm. Don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud here.
Edit: Also, I personally enjoy chapters of this length and description. I can see how others would be put off by it though.
Anyway, this continues to be one my favorites on the site and I can't wait for the next chapter. Happy writing and all that.
-Reader Out-
Well that was... heavy
but incredible none the less 
WHY HAVEN'T YOU CONTINUED THIS STORY?! I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE OTHERS TOO! I want to see that no matter what fate throws at you, you can still find happiness AND friendship!!