Chapter One
Chapter One
I still remember it clearly.
My last day of freedom.
I woke up to the sound of rain hammering against the thick canvas of my tent. I stayed for a little while, laying on my back under my blankets just listening to the rain outside. It was calming, and it almost sent me back to sleep. With a sigh I rolled around and found that the cot next to me was empty.
Sunset was already awake, then. A good thing too; she had an awful morning mood and I didn't want to be the one to wake her.
I threw off the blankets and got dressed in silence. Before I went out into the rain, I draped my green woolen cloak over my shoulders and pulled the hood over my head. Just to be sure, didn't want to get soaked during the hunt. The moment I stepped outside, a barrage of rain hit me straight on, and I wrapped my cloak closer around my body.
Sunset sat by the fireplace, trying her hardest to get a fire going, which proved pretty much impossible in the rain. I sat down on a log next to her.
"How long have you been at this?" I asked her.
"Too long", Sunset replied. "This damn rain.. Whatever, I give up."
She stopped what she was doing, wrapped her cloak around herself and pouted a little.
"Gonna be so much fun hunting in this weather", she said.
"You know what, I've got an idea." I said to her. "You head back into the tent to warm up, while I do the hunting. Sound good?"
Sunset seemed to think for a little while, then she nodded. "Sure. Thanks, Talia."
"No problem", I answered.
We both stood up, and while Sunset headed into the tent I took the time to string my bow, strapped my quiver on my back and just to be safe, buckled up with sword on my hip. I checked everything once again, then headed out into the woods. For a long while I walked, getting further and further away from the camp. The rain never ceased, but my cloak protected me from the worst and still kept me warm despite the deluge.
About an hour later, I found my first tracks; an animal path, clearly used often. Off to the side was a cliff, overlooking the path. I went over to it, climbed up and hunkered down. It was a perfect spot to lay in ambush, if any animal was out in the rain.
I huddled up tight, pulled my cloak closer, and waited.
My thoughts wandered to Sunset, my only friend in these dark times. I hadn't always been on good terms with ponies. When I first came to this land, they called my a filthy ape, treated me like garbage. I lived on the streets, and many times I cursed myself for ever believing this place would be different.
Then Sunset came along, and showed me compassion in my most dire moment. She took me in, gave me shelter, food, a warm bed. She quickly became a very close friend, and we were almost inseparable. I felt glad to have found someone like her, someone who didn't shun me. But the good times didn't last forever.
I wasn't the only human who had sought out this new land. Many others joined in, and a few months ago, everything took a turn for the worst. The town crier called out in the streets, proclaiming that any and all humans would be taken away, far away. They went through every house in the city, took away every human they found, shackled in iron.
Sunset hid me. When the guards came, I snuck out back and hid in the woods. Once darkness fell, Sunset came outside, geared up with supplies and tent. She said that she wouldn't let them take me away, and the only way she thought we'd ne safe was to constantly be on the move, hidden in the wilderness. She was ready to do anything to save me.
Suddenly, a dear came into my field of view, walking down the path from the right. Carefully I raised my bow, pulled an arrow from my quiver, knocked it to the string. A moment of peace came over me as I aimed. A soothing sensation that coursed through my entire body, making me feel numb and relaxed.
The arrow flew through the air. It hit it's mark dead on, but the deer didn't fall. Instead, it set off running, still with the arrow lodged in it's body. I cursed, hurried up and climbed down from my hiding spot on the cliff, then ran after the deer. It wasn't hard to follow, as a trail of blood dotted the path. Quickly I ran, following the dots of blood towards my wounded target. I could only hope that it would eventually stop.
I found it some time later, laying on it's side, splayed out across a shallow stream running through the moss-covered forest floor. For a moment I pitied the poor animal, but this had to be done for us to survive. As I came closer to it, I could see that it was still breathing, though just barely. It was suffering. I put the bow down on the ground, and with slightly trembling hands, pulled my sword from its sheath. I knelt down, looking at the deer's eyes.
"I'm sorry." I whispered, and carefully stroked the animal across its neck. Then I ran my sword through its throat.
Blood pumped into the water below, staining the stream in a deep crimson. I wiped the blade on the hem of my cloak, then slid it back into its sheath. With a grunt I lifted the deer and hoisted it over my shoulder.
On my way back, the rain finally stopped, and the forest became quiet and peaceful yet again.
When I got closer to our camp, I could hear several raised voices, so I quickened my pace to find out what was going on. Barely had I time to enter the camp before someone shouted at me.
"There it is! Hurry, grab it!"
Merely a moment later I was hit in the back with something hard. It knocked the breath out of me and I fell to my knees. The deer fell to the ground next to me. Then, someone held down my arms, hard hooves pressing into my hands.
I looked up just in time to see the ponies drag Sunset out of the tent, bound and gagged with tears running down her face. The biggest stallion of the bunch, who I suspected was the leader and highest authority figure, slapped Sunset across the face.
"Harboring a human, are we?"He said. "A nice little family here in the woods?"
Sunset mumbled something through her gag.
"Silence!" The stallion hit her again. I yelled at him to stop, but he took no notice of me.
"This is a serious crime, you traitor", he said to Sunset. "An offence punishable by death."
Both me and Sunset screamed in unison, begging them to stop. The big stallion then turned to me.
"Oh, look, how fitting." He walked over to me and before I could do anything, he grabbed hold of my sword in between his teeth and pulled it out.
"Yes, this'll do nicely. Hold her still!"
The others listened, and held Sunset in a kneeling position, exposing her neck to the shining blade.
"No!" I yelled. "Stop it, please! Let her go, it's me you want!"
My pleas fell upon deaf ears. The leader of the pack stood by Sunset, and raised the sword high. I turned my head and squinted my eyes close, I couldn't possibly bare to watch.
I heard Sunset cry and beg for her life.
Then a sickening crunch, followed by silence. I threw up in disgust as what had just happened slowly sunk in.
Another hit to me head sent me into complete blackness, and I had time to think that this was my last moment.
How wrong I was.