Chapter 1
The sun had just risen over the distant horizon when the yellow furred pegasus opened her eyes. She blinked sleepily and silently slipped out of bed. She stretched out her wings, moving them to get the blood circulating before stretching her forelegs and arching her back like a cat. There was a slight pop and she sighed contentedly. Pinning her light pink mane back, she made up her bed, fluffing the pillows just so. Satisfied, she unpinned her mane and began brushing both it and her tail. Each received one hundred careful strokes, smoothing out any kinks.
Smiling, despite the otherwise blank expression on her face, she rambled into the kitchen and pulled a plate of sliced apples and dandelions out of the icebox. She went over to the sink and worked the small hand pump mounted along one side. Within moments she had filled a small, copper kettle with fresh, clean, spring water and placed it over the hearth in her living room. Using some fresh wood and a small billows the yellow pegasus quickly had the banked fire crackling merrily away. Returning to the kitchen, she worked the pump once more, filling a small glass which she quickly drank. The water, naturally chilled, felt good going down and for the first time that morning her mind began to truly wake from her daily routine. It was then that she realized something was wrong.
Looking around she was abruptly aware that she was alone in the cottage. Not one of her woodland friends could be seen anywhere, not even the overly-demanding Angel bunny who by now should be thumping her back hoof, silently demanding his breakfast. Fluttershy began searching the kitchen, then the bedroom, then the rest of the cottage. Despite her efforts she could find not one creature stirring, not even a mouse. Such a thing was unheard of around here, even on Hearth’s Warming Eve.
She went out into her back yard and looked around. Nothing, not one critter. Even the chickens had abandoned their roosts. Becoming slightly more frantic, she trotted around to the front of the cottage and looked about. Still nothing, that is until she heard the faint shaking of leaves.
Searching, Fluttershy discovered that the source of the noise was the giant oak that sat about thirty feet from her front door. Looking up, she discovered every branch was covered with her critter friends, all silently shivering and clinging to the tree for dear life. Even Mr. Bear was wrapped halfway around the trunk, his eyes screwed tightly shut.
“Oh my...” muttered the yellow pegasus. “What’s wrong? Why are you all hiding up in the tree?”
As if in answer a small, white rabbit poked its head out of a knothole, its ears laid back and shaking like a leaf. He pointed out towards the small gate and pathway that led up to the front door.
Fluttershy looked, raising one eyebrow quizzically. There, just outside her gate was an old, gnarled tree that was about nine feet tall. It was bare of leaves and had only two medium thick branches, splitting out to opposite sides of the trunk. It stretched a couple of feet above the drooping limbs, then came to an abrupt, spiky stop.
The pegasus had never seen a tree like this before, nor could she recall there having been a tree in front of the gate. Cautiously, she walked up to the fence, examining it. She wasn’t much of an arborist, but she knew it wasn’t ash, or oak, or cedar, or even pine. If anything, it looked slightly... petrified.
Tilting her head slightly, she suddenly noticed a thick, stripped tail hanging over the edge of the spiky tree top. Fluttershy took a gentle breath.
“Good Morning.” she called softly.
The tail twitched slightly, flipping once then settling back down to immobility.
“Good Morning,” the pegasus repeated.
This time the tail waved back and forth in obvious irritation. There was a soft, yowling yawn and a masked face appeared at the top of the tree and looked down on Fluttershy.
The pony smiled. “Oh... Hello Mister Raccoon,” she offered in greeting. “Did you have a pleasant night’s sleep?”
The creature sneered down at the pegasus. “Listen lady, or whatever you are...” he growled, “I don’t go around calling you feather-butt... so don’t you dare call me a raccoon.”
The creature raised itself up and was now standing atop the tree. He was wearing a small, orange jumpsuit and held what looked a quadruple set of hollow tubes in one hand. It reminded Fluttershy vaguely of a crossbow.
The pony’s mouth dropped open in shock. “You... you can... talk?”
The stripped critter face palmed, though with his small paws he was only able to cover one eye. “Crap... I thought this planet was supposed to have sentient life. You’re not doing anyone proud here girlie.”
“But... but you can TALK!”
There was an unexpected sound of creaking. The not-a-raccoon looked down. “Great... you just woke my friend up. Do you know how grumpy he gets if he can’t get a full night’s sleep?”
“Your... your... your... friend?” Fluttershy mewed.
The tree suddenly twisted itself around until the yellow pegasus could see it had a face. It looked at her and raised its arms. “I AM GROOT!”
For about two seconds there was no reaction on Fluttershy’s part except that her eyes became as wide as saucers and her pupils shrank down into pencil points. Then she shrieked so loudly that both the tree and the not-a-raccoon had to put their hands over their ears. She vanished an instant later, putting on a burst of speed that would have made her friend, Rainbow Dash, envious. The door to her cottage slammed shut, causing the whole building to shake.
Rocket exchanged glances with his friend.
"I AM GROOT," the tree said, looking up accusingly at his striped friend.
“Hey, don’t blame me. It wasn’t anything I said.”
“I AM GROOT.”
“How do I know where we parked the ship? It was dark last night.” The not-a-raccoon took a moment to survey the terrain. “You wouldn’t happen to have brought the nav-tracker with you?”
In reply Groot carefully reached into a knothole just above his hip and pulled out a rectangular box. He handed it to Rocket. The furry guardian flipped a switch, then cursed briefly. “Who the hell calibrated this thing?”
“I AM GROOT.”
“Figures.” Rocket muttered. “All Drax knows is how to sharpen knives. Next time, give it to me. I’m the only one who knows how to handle delicate equipment like this.” The furry guardian banged it several times against Groot’s head. Two little lights came on and the box beeped pleasantly.
“Ah... that’s better. Okay! Three hundred paces straight ahead then turn left.”
“I AM GROOT?”
“What do you mean my left or your left? We’re both facing the same way.” With that the huge tree lumbered off, vanishing into the Everfree forest.