A pegasus named Fluttershy wanders into a barn one night, seeking shelter from the storm. In the barn, the pegasus meets another refugee.
A pegasus named Fluttershy wanders into a barn one night, seeking shelter from the storm. In the barn, the pegasus meets another refugee. The two can neither see nor smell each other, but nevertheless they huddel together, fending off the cold, and begin to talk. Eventually they have a establish friendship.
The wind howled and roared with every gust the rain, which felt more like hard, stinging pellets than any other standard storm, lashing down with a terrible force engulfed Equestria.
A pegasus named Fluttershy, galloped and manages to take shelter from the heavy rain in a small tumbledown hut; she step inside, finding only a few clean bales of hay scattered around the place, abandoned spider webs hanging from every corner with a hint of dust lingering in the air.
The gusts of gales slammed shut the exit behind her, leaving her in the confined surroundings in a total blackout. She cautiously wondered over to the driest and safest looking place inside.
Suddenly a blinding flash of lightning struck near by made Fluttershy squeal like a scared wounded animal, as she curled herself up into a ball,covering her ears and head with her hooves.
Hoping and praying for anything to come along to rescue her...
Through the darkness, the door opened again to reveal a black silhouette figure with a pair of yellow and ruby pupils. As the creature made its way over to the wall across from her, along with the sound of hoof beats against the wooden floor.
Those are hooves! She thought triumphantly as the thudding sound could be heard making its way over to the wall across from her. Oh good, it's a pony! She assured herself, calming down. But… I wonder if he's hurt? She thought again, chancing a peek into the darkness. It was no good, she couldn't see anything, only hear his pained groans and the relaxed sigh as he sat down against the wall.
"Are you alright?" She asked. The other soul sounded startled at first.
"Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone is already in here. It's so dark in here I can hardly see a thing." he explained.
"I came in here myself just a few moments ago. I'm soaked to the bone!" She said, trying to keep the conversation going but she heard the use of 'someone' not some pony.
"While trying to out run this storm I accidentally sprained my ankle!" He sighed.
"Well it is nice to have some company but I am sorry that you've hurt your leg." She withdraw feeling sympathy for the fellow.
"Oh I'll be alright but thanks for your concern." He replied. She then heard the sound of a stick hitting the wall and falling to the floor.
“Well, it’s a relief to have some pony is here with me.” She said, hoping to relate to her new roommate.
"And I can say the same. Spending a stormy night like this in a hut all alone, it’d put the shivers up anyone.” He replied.
"I agree. You don't know how relieved I am that you came in here." she replied but all she heard was the beginnings of a sneeze.
"*ACHOO!*" The male let out.
"Oh dear!" The pegasus said.
"Oh great I hope I'm not getting a cold." He grumble.
"Your not the only one but this kind of weather always blocks me up, I can hardly smell a thing *achoo.*"
The creature chuckled."We'll if we can't see or smell each other we'll just have to make do with each other's voices." Silence fell between them ...
"So... You don't mind if I ask where you live ?" She nervously asked.
"I live in the Everfree Forest." He replied. The pegasus listed too him quickly answering her question.
"What ! But isn't the Everfree Forest dangerous?" She inquired, recalling the fact that timber wolves lived in those woodlands.
"I suppose so, but it's a nice place to live all the same. There is a view that's rather stunning." He replied.
"My, you're brave. I'm from Ponyville," she said. Thunder and Lightning struck as they both in unison screamed. The final word from her mouths went unheard. "Oh, I hate thunder storms!" She cried out.
"Same here. I can't think straight when one is going on," the male replied. He could still hear the muffled feminine crying and quickly tried to change the conversion. "Sometimes I go beyond Ghastly Gorge, over to White Tail Valley to eat." He said.
"What a coincidence, so do I!" She said, rubbing the tears off her face.
"Just thinking about it's making my mouth water." He said, drooling and licking his lips.
"Me too." She replied.
" I wish there was some around right now." He said, as his belly started growling, which made the pegasus giggle.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she offered. There was a pause between them as they thought of what to say next. "Say, we have a lot in common, don't we?" She asked.
"Yes, I suppose we do. Although it's too dark in here for us to see what the other looks like, but I think it'd be rather funny if we looked alike." He replied.
"Yes it would." She said. The two of them exchanged laughs for a moment before the lightning struck.
"Oh… did you happen to see my face just now? I was looking down." The pegasus asked.
"Well, to tell you the truth; I wound up shutting my eyes. The flash blinded me." He replied. Another chuckle was exchanged between them before another flash frightened them.
"I really don't like loud noises." She whined.
"Me neither. Not only do they break my concentration, they hurt my ears." The male replied.
"We sure do think alike, don't we?" The pegasus suggested.
"I was just thinking the same thing." He chuckled.
"Why don't we get together tomorrow when the weather clears up?" She offered.
"Sounds good to me. And here I thought that tonight would be the worst night of my life to date. But who knows? It may turn out to be the best." He replied.
"Where should we meet?" She asked.
"How about just outside of this hut?" He suggested.
"Works for me. But we don' t know what we look like." She replied.
"Well, why don't we have a password, something like 'One Stormy Night'?"
"That sounds good to me. Our password is: 'One Stormy Night'." She replied.
As time went by, the two discussed their excitement about the following day and how they would carry their meals. The sun began to rise, brightening the day.
"We'd best be going. Don't want to spoil the surprise for Lunch tomorrow." The male offered.
"Yeah. Ooh, AH!" She replied.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm fine! My leg just went to sleep. Go on ahead." She said.
"If you insist. I'll see you tomorrow." He shrugged.
"Definitely!" She replied. With permission to depart, the male opened the door and stepped out.
Definitely!" She replied with permission to depart, the male opened the door and stepped out. The morning rays revealed him to be a dark grayish, reddish brown and a body made up of all sorts of things, with a thin build and large sized stature. He made track for the East, where Everfree Forest was. As he hit the tree line, where the sun couldn't yet reach him, then Fluttershy soon exited the door and went straight back home to prepare.
The pegasus skipped through the forest to the hut with a chipper feeling radiating throughout her mind, body and soul. She was going to have Lunch with a new friend.
"I'm going to Lunch! I'm going to Lunch!" She sang merrily. On her back, bouncing up and down, always coming close to but never really falling off, was a pink package. Inside was a large sum of cucumber sandwiches with daisies, just like the one on top of her mane made into a daisy chain.
Only that one was special made into a flower crown. She'd planned to give it to him as a friendship present.
Close by, the creature wore a green sash around his neck. The contents of his luggage rested on the back of his neck. It was a few scraps of scraps of meat from another animal, most likely a rabbit. He too was somewhat cheery about the whole thing. He even wore a smile on his face, something he rarely managed to do these days.
The pegasus was the first to arrive. Noticing her friend hadn't made it yet, she decided to have a brief look around. She came across a small bush with a tree sticking out through the middle; a good place to hide and surprise him. She hurried around, knowing he would come in from the east.
She was just in time as the creature emerged from the tree line. Having caught the last rustles of the bush, he knew his new friend was hiding. He smiled once again, creeping closer.
Now only a few feet from the bush where the pegasus was hiding, the creature cleared his throat. "We Met One Stormy Night!" He called out.
"We Met One Stormy Night!" The pegasus cried out, shooting out of the bushes. The odd creature raised his paw to wave hello to his new friend, as did the pegasus...
Upon seeing each other, the two were caught in a moment of stunned silence.
There the creature stood, looking down at his new friend, a pegasus which happened to be his favourite prey. And there stood Fluttershy, which had been taught to always run away from a dangerous and to avoid becoming that prey. Despite their instincts, they were caught in a drop dead silence.
"You have got to be kidding me!" The creature said finally.
"But… I heard hooves when you came in!" Pegasus replied.
"That was a stick. I was using it for support so I didn't have to put too much weight on my wounded leg." he explained.
"Oh!" She replied.
Awkward silence took over once again. The two were definitely unhinged by this unnatural discovery. Here they stood; two completely different species that had so much in common. The only thing they didn't have in common aside from their physiological differences was their dietary habits.
"I know it's not much, but I got you this," the pegasus said. She then presented to him the flowers she'd gotten for him. He stared at it, bewildered by something in the gesture she'd committed. "Sorry, I know it probably doesn't mean anything to you…" The pegasus paused as she heard him begin to chuckle. He then burst out into full laughter. "Is something funny?" She asked him.
The draconequus died down to a chuckle once again and presented to her an identical flower. "We really do think alike, don't we?" He asked. The Pegasus stared at the matching flower in his paw and a smile broke out onto her features. She then giggled and took the flower from his paw, replacing it with her own.
"Thank you. I love it." She said. The creature took the flower she'd placed in his paw and returned it to where he'd hidden his present to her.
"Me too. Thanks." He said.
The two odd friends decided to proceed with Lunch, making track for Rambling Rock Ridge. On the way there, they had to pass through a ridge which had been cut off. A large crack in the side of the cliff had split the path in two.
"Oh no. That's a pretty big gap." The pegasus commented. The stepped forward to the edge of the gap and looked it over.
"Three meters wide, a hundred foot drop… piece of cake!" He said. The pegasus looked at him as he took a few steps back then charged forward. She stared in awe as he leaped across the gap. He fell just short of a perfect jump. He collided with the edge; the impact caused the sash around his neck to unravel. It, along with his lunch fell down toward the ground.
"You have got to be kidding me!" He groaned.
"Sorry about your lunch. Will you be alright?" she asked. The creature, having lost his lunch as well as been outclassed in the jumping category, began to feel slightly unnerved.
"Yeah…I'll get over it." He said. As they continued their trek to Rambling Rock Ridge, the creature found himself watching his new friend very closely. With wide eyes, he observed the way her tail swished and how her flank moved with each step she took, the buttercup softness of the thighs. He could tell exactly how tasty she would be just by watching her. Such a teasing little pegasus, it would be so easy to just jump her, bite down on the soft part of her neck and feast.
He shook his head. No! I want to see where this friendship leads me. He thought, clearing his mind of the hunger. But she just looks so tasty! Needless to say it wasn't working. NO! I've decided I'm not going to eat her! I will not let instinct overcome my will.
"We're here!" She said happily.
"Here?" He asked, looking beyond her to the area ahead. Rambling Rock Ridge was beautiful to say the least. Though greatly exposed, it allowed one to see a magnificent view that rivalled anything the creature had seen before. Lush green fields flowed below the ridge all the way to the tree line beyond. Further still were the mountains, tinted blue in the distance, some of which had snow scattered across their peaks. Even beyond, there was gap into forever where the sun would set. It could be described as an animal's paradise.
"What do you think?" She asked. Though the creature had been around a lot of areas, he'd never really taken the time to stop and enjoy the view. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. On the ridge itself, was a small tree that gave enough shade to make it comfortable in the Spring weather.
"Time to eat," the pegasus said. The creature watched her unpack her lunch before noticing her stare up at him sadly. "Oh, that's right, you lost your lunch, didn't you?" She nervously turned and looked towards the creature.
"Ah, don't worry about it. Anyway, if you think about it, I'm really having Lunch with my Lunch… Oh, sorry, that was rude of me." He replied.
"Are you sure, I might not gonna have to run for my life ?" She nervously looked back at the creature.
"Ugh gag there is no way I would eat pony meat, I really do hate it !" Shoving a finger into his mouth and making a ‘blegh’ noise.
"Don't worry about it. I know you only meant to joke. Here you can have half of my lunch, if you want." She offered him the cucumber sandwiches she'd packed.
"Thanks, but I can't digest anything short of plant, and even it's a vegetable. Don't worry about it. I'll just take a nap for a bit." He said, lying down and tucking his head in over his paws. He closed his eyes and the pegasus was as good as alone.
An hour passed in silence as the pegasus enjoyed her sandwiches. When she was done, she gave a grateful sigh of relief and a distended belly proving she didn't let it go to waste.
"That was great!" She said, then turned to the odd creature to see him still sleeping. "Think I'll take a nap too." She said, collapsing onto her back. She was asleep in seconds.
Seconds later, the creatures eyes opened, wide as they were when he was fully awake. They focused on the sleeping pegasus next to him and he rose to a sitting position, looming over her like a cat over a mouse. I can't help it. I'm just so hungry. Maybe she wouldn't mind if I just… no, that wouldn't work. An ear's an ear, there's no excusing that, not that she'd be able to hear me afterward. He went through the possibilities in his head. For every pro, there were two cons.
Eventually, he managed to come to a conclusion. One lick to identify her taste should satisfy his curiosity at least. With that in mind, he leaned over, with her on her side an ear would have been the best place to get a taste, clacking his teeth together... but she's my friend. Those four small words snapped him out of his daze and he looked down to see her looking up at him with confusion plastered on her face.
"Hey cut it out will ya, you know when you nibble on my ears it tickles," she yawned. "Sorry I was just having a dream about my pet Angel bunny he teases me by nibbling on my ears." She yawed, softly rubbing her ears and eyes.
"Huh where you nibbling on my ear, why did you do that, did I have something on them ?" She asked, starting to feel uncomfortable of his closeness.
Raising his head to escape her personal space. "Ugh you had a bug on them, a bug one yuck. I hate bugs!"
They both looked on to the horizon and saw that the sun was beginning to set.
"My, has it already been that long? I'd best be going," she said.
"Yeah, the others might be wondering where I've gotten to." He agreed.
"Well… see you around." She said, turning to leave. the view before him, of her walking away, back turned to him, the tail and that juicy meat ripe for the picking… he lost control.
He went into an attack pose and charged after her. Drool flew from the sides of his mouth. The pegasus heard something behind her and turned to look. It was a frightening scene to be sure, but the idea that he would hurt her didn't really register in her head.
"What's wrong?" She asked, turning all the way around to face him. The creature skidded to a halt, his nose just touching hers. He looked as confused as she did.
"Um… I forgot to tell you…" He began.
"Yes?" She urged, beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"Uh… that is… I wanted to ask you… could we do this again?!" He blurted out. Thank goodness for the subconscious mind. The pegasus blinked a few times before registering his request.
"Oh, yes of course. I'd planned on doing this again too, but we never really set a time or date for it, did we?" She asked.
The creature chuckled, backing up a few steps. "You're right. How's tomorrow sound? Midday?" He offered.
"Works for me. By the way, my name's Fluttershy." She replied.
The creature looked at Fluttershy and blinked a few times. "I… can't believe we didn't introduce ourselves! Here we were spending the better half of a day together and we didn't even know each other's names. It's nice to meet you Fluttershy. My name's Discord."
As Discord approached Everfree Forest, his entire demeanour dropped like a rock. His smile faded away like a shadow from the light. His eyes seemed to almost glaze over with boredom and if one watched very closely, they would see the colour of his fur turn slightly more grey.
Early memories of his youth slowly entwined with his journey. Found under a felted leaf by a kind hearted elder timber wolf named Soba, she raised the young runt as her own kin, gently nudging the infant to gobble the leftover nourishment and taught him everything she knew about becoming a timber wolf. Until he was just as swift and strong than any other timber wolves but he knew nothing of his hidden powers...
"Ah, Discord. You've returned!" A large timber wolf, bigger than Discord called out. One could mistake him for the alpha.
"Farkas." Discord said.
"Where have you been all day?" He suspiciously asked.
"I was checking the area surrounding whitetail woods. Nothing there but prey food." He lied.
"Very good. Check there again after the next Lunar cycle. Perhaps you'll get lucky this time around." He suggested.
"Yes, perhaps. Until then, I'll do the usual, shall I?"
The sun shone brightly over Ponyville. The fields were as green as green leaf clovers and a certain young pegasus was in Ponyville's town busy square.
A large group of ponies had gathered around the stage as Mayor Mare announces important news too the towns citizens.
"Everypony, as you know Autumn is just around round the corner and it's this time of year that those dreadful timber wolves are at their most desperate and dangerous," she spoke calmly and tried to assurance her unsure community.
"Please avoid moving alone at all costs, move together of add least 3 if going somewhere outside." She added, but this didn't stop the dread of their unfortunate futures.
As the mares all muttered to each other 'dangerous', Fluttershy took that time to stealthily sneak away; she was about to depart for good, but a voice reached her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Hey Fluttershy, where are you going this morning?" Applejack hollered out, she turned to see Applejack approaching her with Rarity by her side.
"Oh, uh… well you see I've made plans on meeting up with a friend at Saddle pass." Fluttershy wasn't sure what to say but had to make sure her 'Secret Friend', was unknown to other ponies even too her friends.
"'Saddle pass!' What do you think your doing going out there, don't you remember a pony was killed a few days ago in broad daylight," a thought bubble appeared over their heads as a timber wolf chases a mare up the slopping hill and only a few seconds later the wolf comes back down licking its paws and muzzle from blood.
"Do you know what it's called now? Lunch pass, It's dangerous to go alone sugar cube." She stressed for her friends safety.
"But my friend they'll be waiting though,"she calmly protested, trying best to get past Applejack.
"A new friend, who's that darling?" Rarity asked, just wanting to know the juicy details of this new 'friend'.
"Remember that stormy we met one night, in the abandoned barn and you see they live far away so..." Fluttershy slowly stopped herself of telling her friends of the Discords appearance would surely frighten them.
"Oh fluttershy so this friend you'll be seeing them a lot?" Rarity teased, making Fluttershy's cheeks turn pink.
"We'll just tag along to keep you safe sugar cube." Applejack decided, surprising Fluttershy.
"WHAT?!" Fluttershy sighed in frustration and defeat.
It was a short trek to Saddle pass, but to Fluttershy, it felt like only an instant. She was so excited to be seeing Discord again.
Walking in a straight line they all tried not to get worked up about Major Mare news this morning.
"Fluttershy if I remember correctly there's some fragrant bushes right next to the pass, we can hide in them, until your friend arrives." Applejack suggested, pointing to some blue berry bushes placed high on the cliff.
"Because no Timber wolves can smell us right?" Rarity asked.
"See Fluttershy, Rarity knows what I'm talking about." Applejack noticed her quietness more then usual she wondered if the announcement about the timber wolves frightened Fluttershy coming here today.
Meanwhile Discord was laying on his back, amongst the fresh grass, relaxing high up on saddle pass cliff, his ears perked at the sound of voices he looked down below to see two mares beside Fluttershy, he quickly panicked, running round in a frantic circle then quickly drove straight into the bushes.
Once they finally arrived, Fluttershy nervously glanced side too side to find Discord but he was sadly no where to be seen. However she did note how the undergrowth shock and the horns silently poking out the top. Wait 'horns' she gasped and Applejack and Rarity glanced worriedly at her direction.
"Are you alright sugar cube? You know I've seen them heap of times but when you see them up close their noses look funny and their eyes are all squinty, their mouths are filthy and the smell worse then any in the world." Applejack tried to comfort her friend by making the Timber wolves sound daft.
"They are truly all ugly beyond all hope." Rarity added.
Discord growled, biting his snake tongue and tried stopping himself from arguing with these judgmental mares.
"Heck I'll take any wolf that comes this way see I'll turn around and give them one of these!" She kicked her back, left hoof straight into bushes and felt her hooves strike with a mighty thud.
Discord's head burst from inside the bush, where he'd been hiding, snarling his teeth and willing his arms to frighten the unexpected ponies. As he watched Applejack and Rarity jumped a foot into the air and both screamed and quickly scampered back down the cliff.
Fluttershy was frozen in place, her teal eyes shut closed and was stiffened with pure fright. Discord waved his lion paw in front of her face, knocks on her head and whispered calmly into her ear.
"Hey flutterbuddy it's only me. Discord. You know your dashingly handsome and wise friend."
"You scared me!" she complained, looking hurt. Seeing this made Discord tone down the chuckling, but the mirth in his voice still remained.
"Hey dose she kick all your friends in the head, the first time she meets them?" He asked, placing his claw to his head to feel a large, round bump squarely on his noggin.
"Oh dear," Fluttershy giggled. "Sorry about that, they're friends she didn't mean to do it honest."
"Of course, they look nice enough and not in a completely inedible way but it looks like I've given them a fright." He winced, still touching the sora bump.
"Ouch!"
"Here," she flittered to his head and kissed his forehead lightly."Any better?" She asked, looking back up at the creature who had some kind of lovey dovey expression.
They both started heading towards Silver meadow with a closed space, perfectly round, filled with wildflowers, tall silver bushy cat-tails and near the edges of a lazy river. Perfect for their secret get togethers.
"Oh I hope my friends aren't to worried about me,"she felt awful leaving her friends behind. "Oh but imagine the fuss that would kick up if they found out my friend was part of the Timbers wolves pack,"
"So where pretty much in the same situation then, I couldn't tell any of my pack mates about being friends with a pony or I would be in heaps of trouble with them." He leaped over a fallen down mossy, tree trunk and helped Fluttershy get her leg over.
"Well I guess we will have to keep this relationship a secret." She suggested and lightly nudged his side.
"When you put it that way it makes me kinda nervous but I gotta ask you Fluttershy, are you okay being my friend?" He nervously asked and rubbed the back of his neck.
"As prey I would have to say yes but more importantly, are you okay me being your friend?" She answered his question but asked another in return.
"I am, it's just hard keeping this a secret." He chuckled, looking back down to amused expression.
"I know Discord but it's a great one to keep that's for sure!" She respond cheekily.
They spent the rest of their day chatting, creating multicoloured flower crowns, snacked on berries, she even helped Discord catch a fish for his lunch by playing around in the river and even started a water fight.
Fluttershy plucked a milky, white dandelion from ground and blew the seeds of the stem as they twirled away into the far distance.
"What did you wish for?" He asked, stripping the meat of the bones of the fish.
She closed her eyes and contently sighed.“Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would, I'd never leave you.”
He felt his cheeks redden under his flaming gaze. "Fluttershy. I promise."
The Sun began set and was gently falling to great it's sister moon. At the bottom of Saddle pass two mare hid behind a single tree and staring back up at the cliff.
"Applejack why did you leave Fluttershy behind!" Rarity complained.
"Are you kidding, that creature came out of no where, Rarity what else could I've done?" Applejack argued, having a face to face stare down.
Until Rarity noticed something at the corner of her eye. She stopped her quarrel and watched as Fluttershy merrily, skipping back down the cliff.
"Oh thank Princess Celestia your alive!" They cried out, rushing towards Fluttershy's side.
"Rarity, Applejack I'm okay!" She tried reassure them.
'Under the sun we are all the same,' he thought and felt the soft golden glows of the sunrise pour onto his peculiar face.
The sun itself had barely risen and the city of peaceful Ponyville which had the subdued quietness of dawn.
Discord had followed Fluttershy's sweet rosemary scent, leading all the way back to her cosy cottage, he carefully placed a few shiny pebbles outside her oak door and arranged them into a symbol of their next location for todays surprise.
Discord knocked three times, then quickly shot back into the murky Everfree Forest; he just couldn't risk the possibility of them been seen together by early morning eyes.
However it didn't take very long for Fluttershy to open the door to revel her messy uncombed pink mane and restless greyed eyes from her disturbed slumber.
"H-hello," she yawned while rubbing her eyes.
Fluttershy glanced around outside but couldn't see any pony. "Huh, that's odd. I'm sure I heard some pony knock just a moment ago."
Just as she was about to close the door again, a glimmer from the stones caught her eye, she observed Discords handy work and knew exactly, what he was implying to tell her today.
"Looks like where meeting up at Rocinante cliffs."
Meanwhile, Discord had finally found the secret garden of Azalea, filled with bouncing bluebells, singing sunflowers and laughing lillies.
Quite literally, a garden was filled with the music of a jingle and jangles of blossoming joy .
Truly Discord wanted to give his beloved Fluttershy a gift, but not just any ordinary gift, no she deserves something extra special, to surely show how much he appreciates their friendship.
'Too ordinary, too imposing, ugh too radiant,' he gaged and continued searching through the flourishing garden.
Until he stopped and spotted a fair, small, white flower called a Galanthus or commonly known as snowdrops.
Discord remembered the fairy tales his mother told him,when he was a young whelp about the glass snowdrops and how they would protect all creatures against evil magic.Carefully plucking the single flower and twirling the snowdrop's stem between his fingers.
'Perfect.'
Slowly heading back into the territory, a few Timber wolves noticed how Discord would always stray from their dirt paths.
"Hey Discord,what are you doing? Giro is gonna make a speech soon!" Farkas yelled, he questioningly looked at the snowdrop in his paw.
"Just patrolling the border regions," he reported, placing the flower behind his back and nervously saluted.
The Timber wolves shook their heads and carried on walking, but Frakas was having none of Discords fun and games, he would just added another suspicious behaviour point: of how he was always turning up late to their group meetings, running off by himself and even gone off eating pony meat, was he sick or something?
Discord eventually caught up with his fellow pack mates and sneaked inside the huddle of Timber wolves, by sitting along the back row.
They where all fixed stated towards their king, a towering 3 Timber wolves high alpha with a load, thunderous voice announced their future plans.
"Listen up everyone of you, Winter food is scares, we must capture as much pray as a result of failure from this day forth will not be tolerated. Understood?"
"HUA!" they cheered in unison.
"We'll all begin at Rocinante cliffs, for a little pony hunting."he suggested, as other the wolves muttered to themselves.
"Excuse me Giro but we hardly see ponies even at the best of days, so why go there now?" Farkas asked, even being Giros right hand guy, this was still pushing his luck.
Giro chuckled. "I've been watching that place for a while now Farkas, even thought it's made of crumbling rocks there is a special plant that only grows there that the ponies find irresistible,"Giro explained.
"That's brilliant Sir, so how are we gonna go about this plan?"he asked, clawing at the ground.
"Farkas your tracking, for the rest of you, same as usual round them up and take them down. Right?!" he roared his last command.
"Right Sir!" they cheered loudly, all Except one, who was paralyzed in horror for Fluttershy's safety right now. Discord dropped the flower, the snowdrop to the ground and petals held loosely, ready to be parted with, without a struggle,
'I've gotta get her out of there!'
"This place is amazing but the fog is so thick, how's any pony supposed to find each other around here?" Fluttershy questioned if coming here today was a good idea, she glanced around and carefully stepped over some larger lose boulders.
"It might be just in possible,"she took a deep breath and shouted, "Discord!" her voice echoed of the cliff walls.
"Oh my, those echoes really do carry and I really don't want attract any trouble but Discord did say,'If your in any trouble, just call me Fluttershy, I'll try to reach you as fast as I can, I know I may know I don't look it but I'm a force to recon with, but when I'm angry, I look down right scary even another Timber wolf would be scared. I mean would you argue with this face.' Fluttershy's memory of Discord pulling that scary face somehow made her laugh.
"Some how I don't think that face would work," she continued giggling.
Unknown to the pegasus a pack of Timber wolves was already at full speed ahead and headed straight in her direction.
The pack stopped in the mist of confusion,"oh well this is brilliant, it's gonna be damn right impossible tracking in this weather," Farkas groaned.
"Alright change of plan, everyone split up, if you find any prey call out and alert the rest of the pack."Giro instructed to the rest of his pack.
They split into different paths, Discord immediately started searching for his one and only friend, trough the he quickly started pushing and pulling at bushes and rocks apart.
'Oh Fluttershy, where are you?'
Fluttershy had soon spotted a dark, cloudy silhouette figure, standing on a high rocky landscape, the mist slowly removed to revel the...
King of Timber wolves, how was hastily heading towards her.
'Oh no that's not Discord, what am I'm gonna do?' she quickly burrowed herself in a claustrophobic, rock cavern.
It didn't take very long, as she soon heard the heavy breathing and pounding paws settling above the surface.
"This is great I know there's something out here, a mare? Dammit it's right under our noses," Giro whispered, sniffing the thick moist air, which only helped mask Fluttershy's sweetmeat sent.
She held her breath, closed her eyes tightly, shut and prayed for any of her friends to come along to rescue her, right now.
"Hey Giro, I don't think there's any thing u-" Discord was panting from out of breath from rushing around the scene.
"Shush you stupid mutt, stop talking so load, there's a mare around here, somewhere!" Giro growled.
'Oh really, could it be?' he quickly though of a distraction to get Giro away from this area.
"Giro as I was saying before, there is whole bunch of ponies on the other side, tasty looking ones for your mate." Discord made up a smart lie, that made the alpha grin like a cheshire cat.
Fluttershy popped her head outside at the voice of Discord but she still could hardly see his nearby location.
"Well done Discord, thanks for coming to tell me, stay here and keep a look out." The alpha was already rushing to the other side.
"No problem," he waved au revoir to his naive leader, turning around to call out for Fluttershy too come out from her hiding place.
The undercover mist, dissipated from Fluttershy's exposed but yet adorable face.
"F-ff-flu" Discord stuttered, pointing at Farkas who creeping even more closer, inch by inch, moving slowly and carefully down the slope, behind her. Ready to pounce.
Turning around to face her fate too was only to see a pair of gigantic, sharp-edged, timber fangs dangerously near her face.
Fluttershy was backed into a corner, she gave a long, loud, piercing cry, causing a large, bulky, stone boulder to crack, coming lose and stated falling towards them.
The Timber wolf whimpered, quickly dodging too the left, away from any view of the pegasus.
Once the huge bolder had passed them both, Farkas glanced down again to find a disappearing pegasus act.
Discord was running and holding Fluttershy's hoof, moving so fast she was practically flying in his grip. As he bolted around a stone wall corner and finally came to a halt pressing his and hers back to the crisp walls.
Discord's ears perked up at the echoed screams and howls that filled the mountains atmosphere, as where ponies been hunted by the Timber wolves.
Placing a claw to his lips and signaled Fluttershy to move right, into a near by cave. They both moved slowly and carefully in order to avoids being heard or noticed.
As they slipped into the abandoned cave together, Fluttershy sighed but gasped, noticing how Discord was still holding her hoof.
"You can finally, Let go of me now." she blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Sorry," he slowly released her foreleg and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck too.
"How odd, they usually never come up here," he broke the awkward silence and pushed another safeguarding, rock to block their exist. "I'm sorry, it took me so long to find you, but I didn't expect it to be so foggy up here," Discord groaned and slid down the wall too sit beside Fluttershy.
"I'm grateful that you did, I would be de-dead if it wasn't for you saving me," she never wanted to see her life flash before her eyes but was thankful of Discord's quick thinking and brave actions.
"Well, I had no chose really..."
"That's not true is it Discord?" She hid her nervous face, behind her mane. "Ponies and Timberwolves aren't supposed to be friends."
Discord shock his head, "look Fluttershy, other Timberwolves only might like you for your meat," placing his claw underneath her chin to face and eyed her sparkling eyes with rouged cheeks."But I think prefer you as a...friend." Discord was hesitant with reveling his honest answer.
'Sometimes I care too much. I think it's called love.'
"Thank you." She kneeled beside beside him and nuzzled his grizzly chest.
They enjoyed each other's warmth and company, however Fluttershy noticed Discord's uneasy expressions. "Is their something wrong Discord? You look rather disappointed," she asked.
"We'll actually, the whole reason I brought you here was have another picnic under the stars and moon light but this fog has ruined everything," Discord's head hanged low, turning away from her kind heartedness, warm and gentle gaze.
Fluttershy placed her soft hooves on his paw and whispered into his flattened ears. "Discord but you see it's not a complete loss," she give her best golden smile. "I'm happy, just being here with you."
"Fluttershy, do you really mean it?" Discord wanted to know, looking into her enchanting eyes, he had a natural instinct about telling if someone was lying or not.
"Absolutely, hey we can still stay here tonight, thats if you want too?" Fluttershy asked, she wan't need back at Ponyville or at home, she might as well make this moments last.
"I would be honored dear," he curled around like a dragon guarding his treasure. "Oopsy daisy I almost forgot to give you, your special present,"
Discord lifted his serpent tail, until the white tuff at the end was shaped into a hand like a magic act he showed nothing in his hand but with a quick whip of his tail, there reappeared a faded, tattered flower and placed the snowdrop into her pink, silky mane.
"This way I'll always know your safe," he brushed a few loose strands away from her redden face.
It's amazing,"Fluttershy smiled and flew up to kiss his blushing cheek. "Thank you!"
"Y-your welcome," after being kissed by a mare.
'I'll never wash this cheek,' he pledged, closing his eyes and placed his paw to kissed cheek.
"Soooo, how do I look?" she placed her hooves underneath her chin, trying to show off.
Discord struggled to suppress his laughter. He bit his lip and his cheeks puffed out, trying precisely not to laugh in front of his darling Flutters.
"Delightful," fighting against his own silent laughter, he managed to compliment her appearance, even when she's sickly sweet. "Pretty as a picture," he added brushing the top of her head.
"Are you ever gonna take me seriously?" she pushed his paw away, sometimes his immature behaviour, really did ruffle her feathers.
Discord heart sank but refused to go down without a fight. He caught her off guard, holding her tightly against his chest.
"Nope," he answered her question. She too fought and struggled against his grip, as he lowered his head to hers.
Fluttershy stopped struggling, confused and frustrated, then wondered, what he was gonna next?
Discord closed his ruby eyes and tilted their heads forward,"Oh no he's gonna,"she closed her eyes too.
The drawn out snake tongue, scraped against her groomed right cheek, leaving a sloppy, wet mark.
"Gotcha!" he burst out laughing.
"Ew, Discord!" she cried out and pushed his triumphant grin on his face with away.
Side by side, they stayed with each other, as night weaved it's magic the spell of enchantment and only when the one you love is near.
The flame of sunrise lifted from the mountaintops and dusk parted from the vast valley below. Through the cracked, stone walls a beam of sunlight with dust particles suspended in air.
The snoring dragon like body behind Fluttershy, with its huge lion paw hugged her torso, serving as a fuzzy wuzzy blanket through the bitterly cold nighttime. The tousled pink mane sprawled out, rested on his restful beating heart and how their loose intertwined tails.
Discord awoke too a snuggled up pegasus beside him. 'I can't believe, she stayed the night.' He lead his head, next to hers and nuzzles her soft, warm cheeks. Fluttershy faintly moaned, both of her forelegs grabbed hold of his paw and tucked the warmth into the gapes of her arms, cuddling him like a plush teddy. His eyes began to close again and relaxed back to sleep.
A load, rowdy rooster, crowed to great the early morning light. Fluttershy final awoken, she blinked a few times, each motion slowly came back to her surroundings with a startle.
"Oh. oh my," she felt a soft breath on her cheek.
She tried to squeeze her way out of his grip, carefully pushing is paw away but before she could pull herself free from his clutch, his arm secured around her frame, locking her forelegs to her sides. Frozen as his body curled around and brought his nose rubbing against hers.
Discord’s eyes leisurely opened in front of her. "Good morning," he said, grinning at her bedazzled face.
“Good-” she was broke off as the affairs of yesterday all came flooding back."I should of been home hours ago." Discord's loosed his grip, as she steadily stood herself back on wobbly legs.
Fluttershy started pushing at the stubborn boulder, which was sealing their only exit. She was plumb tuckered out but the giant rock that wouldn't budge, the heavy breathing let off steam. Discord ruffled her unkempt mane for all her hard efforts and at her shielding the firmly placed flower.
He gently pushed her to the side and cracked his knuckles."You find yourself with a strangely compelling masculine figure." he puffed up his chest and took on the bloated boulder but even his lanky body, struggled to move an inch from its post.
He looked back at Fluttershy's unbalanced expression and showed nothing but affection and trust toward him now. Discord gave a nervous smile and gulped, closing his eyes in concentration, he was left with no choice...
His heart thumped more heartily, steadily pressing his paw and claw on the craggy, rock's surface, the warm tingling feeling spread over his body. Fluttershy was surrounded by a flash of light and when it was cleared she spotted the itty-bitty pebble in his paw. Discord's claw flicked the pebble away, stepping outside and leaving Fluttershy without another word.
The unanswered, unspoken questions rolled in her mind of how Discord was able to move that rock having great weight or that white, blazing, chaotic light before. She followed and noticed him sitting by the edge of the rocky cliff, facing towards Ponyville, she flew up behind him and laid a hoof on his back, he flinched at her touch but didn't move to get away.
"Look down there. Tell me what you see?" He delivered his monologue in a deadpan voice, still facing forward with a vacuous smile.
She studied the typical medieval houses of timber-framed with distinct thatched roofs and overhanging upper floors."Well. I see nice homes with yards and fences."
"Exactly. Life on a leach." He put his paw around his neck to resemble a noose. "Look again dear."
Beyond Ponyville she laid her eyes on the low empty area of verdant land between hills, with a river flowing through it."These is a great huge hunk of world with no fence around it. Where two creatures could find adventure and excitement and it's all our for the taking dear."
"It's all ours." Discord pulled his head back from the landscape and back to hers with a look of optimism on his face.
She shook her head at the though and gave him a weary smile. "It sounds wonderful."
"But?"pulling her closer to his chest and searched for an answer.
He cocked an eyebrow, as she nuzzled his chest just below his beard. "Who will take care of the animals and my friends at Ponyville?"she played her only trump card. Wrapping her forelegs around his muzzle and felt hot tears, dripping onto his paw.
Discord frowned. The fact that she had chosen them over him made angry but one's mind understood she could never leave her livelihood behind."You win, Flutters."his expression softened and he moved away.
"Come on. I'll take you home." Fluttershy took one more look at the sunrise and caught up with him, they walked side by side back to the cottage.
As Discord escorted Fluttershy back home he spotted a sleeping chicken coop. "Not to change the subject, but... ever chased chickens?"drifting from the path.
"I should say not!" She refused to move from her spot or take part in the lack of regard of animals welfare.
He lifted the latch on door and entered the chickens grained path. "Oh ho! Then you've never lived!"
She trotted beside him."Oh but we shouldn't,"becoming alarmed of his new and out of order attitude.
"I know. That's what makes it fun!"he placed his hands on her shoulders and she flinched. "Oh come darling. Start building some memories."
Fluttershy let out a long surrendering sigh. "But...we won't hurt the chickens?"she asked, blocked his path to the female hens.
"Hurt 'em? No!" He everted and crept closer to the large chicken coop with a small wooden panel with a painting of eggs above the door. "We'll just stir them up a bit." He stuck his unwanted head inside the hatch and howled.
The Chickens went flapping and squawking around the pen, Discord chased a few hens, while Fluttershy watched in horror. Until the owner heard the commotion, rushing out side with his shotgun.
A single gunshot was fired into the air. "What's that?"she murmured, and shifted back onto Discords side again.
"That's the signal to get going, come on!"he yelled, they both shot out like a bat out of hell and straight into Saddle Forest.
The low trees with their branches crashing around her, she continued running but the clawing of the branches struck on the side of her head. Snagged by her mane on the shrub and pulling her backwards, she strained against the branches. The galloping closing in of furious cries behind her and now the out of sight Discord, she was soon forced to give up.
Then a group of undefined farm ponies stepped into her line of vision, along with Big Mac.
“Big Macintosh!"she was so relieved to see a familiar face.
That got every ponies attention all the atmosphere went still. "Do ya, know this mare Mac?"asked an auburn stallion, holding the loaded shotgun in her direction. Fluttershy stared in disbelief was she just have a bad dream...
Big Mac smiled and nodded, stepping forward. "Eeyup!"he said clearly, then carefully helping her untangle her mane from its sticky situation.
"Thank you," she sat up and rubbed her sore head. They all headed out of the forest, she soon heard Discord's frantic voice in the distant, calling her name repeatedly.
Fluttershy had to keep forcing herself on biting her tough and struggle not calling for Discord's own safety, from this band of farm hooves; especially that trigger happy stallion.
"What was that monster,Fluttershy?" Big Mac asked, but she didn't exchange another word and continued walking back to Ponyville.
The citizen of Ponyville had gathered once again at Town Square.
"Are you okay?"
"Tell us what happened?"
Ponies called out and wondering why a half pint of ponies had cuts and black and blue bruises on their discoloured skins.
A grey pegasus mare finally caught her breath. "The Timber wolves attacked at Rocinante cliffs," she swallowed and felt intolerable pain through her bruised throat.
"What!"
"I was with the rest of the mares," she continued, barely audible for the others."Until the wolves came out of the fog and whipped most of us out!"
Applejack stepped forward and removed her hat,"did many of y'all get away?"she asked.
The mare had a guilty expression and closed her eyes,"I don't know, I was so busy saving myself!"
Applejack slammed her rancher hat onto the ground."Those darn wolves are getting smart, they went to one place we usually drop our guard."
"Smart or desperate anyways it's bad," Rarity added.
"Once more speaking of the usual, I saw something unbelievable..." the crowd was silent.
"But in the mist of terror I saw a pegasus and demon hiding together, like they where friend or something," she cried, covering her head, wishing she could forget the whole incident.
The blue pegasus with a radiant rainbow mane, hovered overhead and raised her voice. "No that's just wrong not to mention creepy!"
"There's just one more thing the pegasus I recognise her..."she swallowed but pushed on,"I swear it's Fluttershy!"
"Fluttershy!" they all shouted simultaneously.
Rainbow rubbed her head in confusion and landed beside Applejack and Rarity."Hey Applejack have you seen Fluttershy this morning?" she asked.
"No I haven't, seen her in days." the groups where torn into two, they didn't want to believe Fluttershy had been secretly seeing with a monster but why would they have made something up like that?
"Speak of the devil." Rarity's eyes widened and her voice came out low.
Fluttershy looked around in shock at the crowd of ponies, particularly at her friends. Every pony spoke in grumbled hushed tones too each other along with glaring glances. As she was pushed trough the crowd by Big Mac and trembled in front of the stage, stood Princess Celestia on the elevated, ligneous stage.
"Fluttershy, I hear you have decided to fraternize with a mysterious creature. Is this the truth?"she asked, standing just a few feet from her.
Frozen, starting at the ground and fumbling for an answer."Is it true Fluttershy? The only way I'll believe it, if you tell me yourself!" Applejack called out from the crowd.
She looked at the Applejack and then back at the ground. I can't lie too another' she contemplated. "I'm sorry... but it's true."her voice trembling.
"Oh no-" Rarity fainted onto her scarlet daybed couch.
"Oh I get it!"Applejack slammed her hoof onto her forehead. "Me and Rarity where so relieved, when we thought yer got away from that monster, but are yer, saying that was the friend yer where meeting?"
The pegasus whirled around to see her friends displeased looks. "I know he's a creature made up of different animals but he really is a nice, kind and gentle guy."Fluttershy with a longing to just pour out her emotions.
"Are you kidding me!" some pony called from the crowd.
"Fluttershy what are you thinking?"
"They are nothing but liars and murders Fluttershy!" cried another voice.
Celestia, approached her and using a hoof to lift the timid pony's face upwards."Now Fluttershy I don't know how all of this started but it ends right now."a tear rolled down her damp cheek. "No questions or arguments monsters have survived on killing ponies." Fluttershy jerked her gaze away from hers again.
"I'm sorry."Celestia spoke like a mother to a young filly but never felt degrading.
A small memory of Discord's smile of encouragement that filled Fluttershy's heart."But he's different from the others. He's special."
"Yeah Fluttershy,"Pinkiepie pulled out a rosy cupcake. "See this cupcake, it's our food and no matter how are hard we try to be friends. All we'll ever see it as food."she disclosed her peculiar theory, by swallowing the bake good whole in one.
"That's true, do you understand: that your a convenient meal to be called upon or even worse," the Princess tried to stress the importance of Fluttershy's daily picnics could be worse then she intended. "The information he could extract from you could endanger the lives of others?"
"Think about what your doing?" Ponies continued to call out for her but Fluttershy eyes streaming new wave of tears.
"Fluttershy Wait!" her friends shouted after her, but she ignored them. As she continued flying past the river with a bridge and taken a noiseless area to rest, underneath an aged willow tree with her woodland critters.
Not far from Ponyville, Fluttershy wasn't the only one put on trail by their fellow community.The whole pack sitting on the right side acted the jury part, their leader Giro as the judge, while Farkas circled around Discord blocking any means of escape.
"Discord have you realised, what you have done?!" Farkas yelled, jabbing his paw right onto Discord's chest.
"No. Have I?"he raised an eyebrow and stroked his goatee beard.
His sarcastic tone, drove Farkas insane with his silly mind games. "Oh give it up Discord, you know exactly why your here. You Betrayed us all, not only did you stop me grabbing that mare but you helped it escape."
"Discord is that right?" Giro asked, as he shuffled his gross knifelike claws on the floor.
Discord was silent for a moment, and when he finally spoke his voice was considerate."Well Giro It's funny that mare I save is actually my dear friend."
The Timber wolves on the right howled in laughter, but was quickly ceased to an end by their leaders snarls."You idiot, how could you forget a simple thing like.Ponies.Are. For.Eating!"Farkas growled, towering over Discord's shaky posture.
"Darn right: rabbits, cows, pigs and ponies their are only food Discord." A timber wolves contend on his paws."If you go round making friends with all the prey animals your gonna starve too death."he suggest, the other Timber wolves nodded their heads in agreement.
Discord straighten his posture and pulled a fresh leaf from the tree above to symbolize Fluttershy."You see it's only one pony. It's not like I'm friends with all of them."he awkwardly smiled at the comeback, Farkas slapped himself on the forehead.
"That's one mare too many!"he firmly knocked the leaf out of his paw."You could spoil us, milk ya for information about everything we do!"placing his oak paw onto the leaf twisting and crushing it into the drab dirt."Shes gonna know: where and when we aren't and tell the other prey the same information and because of you well all stave too death."he pointed to his step brothers sad, empty stomachs.
Discord grabbed his serpent tail,scared that Giro would cut off his back end for punishment."That will never happen we've never talked about it."
Farkas smokey emerald eyes narrowed."You still don't get it do you? Your being used by her, she only pretending to like you to save her own backside and friends!" He turned his back, sitting beside the brothers and smirked in triumph.
Discord shook his head,"your wrong."his words came out voicelessness, he closed his eyes remembering clearly of Fluttershy's golden, innocent, perfect smile had already done it's work.
Giro's pale eyes gazed at the generals, as they pounced on Discords sides."Enough! Through Discord at the bottom of Howling peek. I'll decide his punishment tomorrow morning." the rubbing of compressed shoulders caused the restriction of any more movement. His so called natural tendency told him to defy his callous leader, but knew he would be up to his ears in raw bites with claw marks and did best to obey.
