A day in the Woods
It was a lovely Summer day in quiet town of Ponyville, the morning Sun shined bright and full as it cascaded over the town. Small flowers bloomed in the warm light, and the air hung with the sounds of cheerful birds. Citizens of the town, as they often did, ran and played about. Adults going off to their jobs, younger children playing little games, and even active teenagers frantically searched for Summer employment to have money for the year. But among the somewhat busy town, a small amber colored Prius gently drove its way through the street. Within this car was Mrs. Shy; an older yellow woman, barely reaching her middle age as evident by the lack of any gray hair among her red curls. Though he attire painted her as a stay at home mother. A lime green long shirt that hung down to her equally lime green pants. The only thing about her that showed off were her large, blue square glasses, and her golden, beaded necklace.
"Now be sure to call us every time you go to bed." Mrs. Shy told her daughter, not feeling adventurous enough to even look away from the road; as she was a cautious woman. "And of course when you wake up each day."
"Okay Mum." Fluttershy replied with a gentle smile. Despite thinking her Mum was being a little too worried over her trip, Fluttershy appreciated knowing that she cared. Looking out the car window, Fluttershy's was beyond excited for her little camping trip. Even her attire was well suited for the outdoors. A sleeveless white top with green lining, along with a light blue denim skirt with a few buttoned pockets. Though Fluttershy thought the bottom was a little small, Rarity assured her it was the latest craze. "Oh look! We're here!"
Pulling into the dirt parking lot, Fluttershy almost leaped out of her Mum's car in a rare excitement. Quickly turning, Fluttershy grabbed at the two large carrying bags for her little camping trip. Remaining in the car, Mrs. Shy only watched at how excited her daughter was. Normally, Fluttershy wouldn’t carry such heavy looking bags, but for this trip, she ignored the weight.
“Now you be careful.” Mrs. Shy said once more. Her voice confident and trusting in her daughter’s judgments but still was a concerned mother regardless. “I know you love animals, but just be careful not to get hurt.”
“Okay Mum.” Fluttershy smiled, turning to face the mass that was the Everfree Forest.
The Everfree Forest was infamous for not only its size, but the sheer depth of how the wood went. There were legends and rumors of the forest having sections so deep and dark that even sunlight couldn’t reach it. Fluttershy shook away any fear and doubt. She had planned this camping trip for months and knew enough of the forest to know to set up her camp site in the more hospitable sides; overlooking the local stream.
“And be sure to put on plenty of bug spray.” Mrs. Shy finished her motherly worries. “I will be back to pick you up in a few days.”
“Okay Mum, I love you.” Fluttershy said, beginning to take her first steps along the guided dirt path. Mrs. Shy only smiled with a nod and slowly drove out of the lot; making sure to watch as her daughter entered the forest.
Despite her normal anxieties and fears of the unknown, or even strange places, Fluttershy felt small burst of excitement in her chest. She had always loved nature and the animals that lived within it. When she was younger, she would always sneak a new animal in her house to care for it. Fluttershy all but skipped in joy as she went about the forest.
“Oh my!” Fluttershy said to herself as she skipped, her ears picking up on the sound of the chirping birds and buzzing insects. “Everyone’s having such a wonderful time today!”
Fluttershy couldn’t remember the last time she felt this excited. If only her friends could see her so happy. They wouldn’t even know how to react. They probably wouldn’t even believe it was really Fluttershy. The very thought of her friends getting such a shock made Fluttershy giggle a little more. Though the cheerful and hilarious made the girl laugh, it also made Fluttershy forget which way she was going on the path.
Turning left, Fluttershy completely overlooked the “Beware: Wild Animals” Warning sign that was leaning against a large tree at the fork in the path. As she made her way further down the wrong path, Fluttershy quieted her laughter and started looking for a place to set up her tent. Further and further, Fluttershy traveled, a soft breeze kissing at her bare arms as went went along the path.
“Was this the right way?” Fluttershy asked herself, looking around but seeing what seemed like endless trees. But then a faint sound stuck at her ears. Holding a hand upwards, Fluttershy listened closely, trying to block out all other sounds around her. “That sound...it sounds like…” Her body almost jumped in excitement as she recognized the sound. “It’s the stream!”
Running over to where the stream noise was coming from, Fluttershy found it was not the primary stream she was looking to set up camp, but a smaller break off. This smaller stream was deep enough to swim in, narrow enough to cross with ease, and best of all, it appeared private enough for Fluttershy to even bathe in.
"This looks like a good place to set up camp." Fluttershy said to herself, dropping her bags to a loud thud. Looking over her bags, Fluttershy shook her head a little. "Oh my... there was a lot more than I thought I packed. I better get to work and set up."
Opening her bags, Fluttershy took a moment to appreciate how well her parents packed them. The tent rods were properly separated and the tent roll was bundled up so neatly it was almost a shame it was going to be pulled out. With surprisingly little effort, Fluttershy pulled out the tent roll, unrolling it over a clear spot of dirt. Then came to snap together tent rods. Using the knowledge learned from various outdoor survival documentaries and books given by Sunset, Fluttershy was able to pitch her tent in almost no time at all.
“Okay, the tent’s set up. Now I just need to get some wood for the fire.” Fluttershy said, putting the second bag in the tent as she left to gather sticks.
Walking through the woods, Fluttershy felt a further sense of relaxation. The sound of the soft breeze running through the leaves, the quiet crunching sound of dry leaves under her feet, and even the faint sounds of distant animals was as soothing as a lullaby. Fluttershy could only compare this blissful feeling to when her friend Treehugger showed her, her massive collection of “The Sounds of Nature”.
Counting along as she gathered the sticks, Fluttershy made sure to mark her way. Apologizing, and with great care, Fluttershy ripped a little bark of each nearby tree to help her remember where she was. But with the pieces of bark she ripped off, she added to her pile of sticks, this way the ripped off pieces were not torn off in vain.
“Okay, I think I just need to get some more leaves.” Fluttershy said to herself, leaning over to pick up some dead, dry leaves off the ground. “Okay, that should cover the fire for tonight.”
Returning to the campsite, Fluttershy gently placed the sticks, bark, and leaves on the ground. Then, crawling into her tent, she reached towards the second bag. As she pulled it towards her, a faint sound of clanging and shifting metal echoed in the tent space. Unzipping the bag, Fluttershy found the second bag was filled with outdoor survival gear. A few small, fold-able pots and pans, along with utensils, but it was the collapsible, mini shovel that made Fluttershy doubly thank her parents.
Taking the shovel, Fluttershy walked a little over half a dozen paces away from her tent, making sure it was not too far, but not too close. With an idea, clear spot established, Fluttershy took her shovel and began working to dig a small hole. Only a foot by foot sized hole, but big enough for a decent campfire. With a hole established, Fluttershy gently placed the thicker sticks together, making a cone shaped structure. From there, she carefully placed some of the dryer leaves and thicker bark around the base of the sticks.
“Just needs a little more foundation.” Fluttershy said to herself, looking around for anything to help. Her answer came in the form of decently sized rocks scattered around the camp site. “These can work.” Grabbing a few of the larger stones, Fluttershy began arranging them around the small fire pit. “Hmm, I’ll need to get some more.”
Walking a few meters away from the campsite, Fluttershy searched for more larger stones. As she searched, Fluttershy also made sure to memorize the layout of the land. This area was quite peaceful, and the privacy was something she more than appreciated. After this trip, she may consider returning; maybe even inviting her friends.
“Here’s one, and another, and oh! Another.” Fluttershy hummed, picking up one stone after another, her smaller frame surprisingly unaffected by the weight of the stones she was lifting. Walking back to her campsite, Fluttershy was also surprised at how easily she was holding up the stones. “I guess all those times I had to buy the extra big bunny food for Angel really paid off.”
Laying the large stones in a circle around the pit, Fluttershy smiled at how much sturdier the campfire was going to be. Arranging a few more thinner, smaller twigs, along with some smaller dry leaves and thinner pieces of bark, Fluttershy was getting ready to make her fire. Taking a fatter, wider piece of thick bark, along with a long, smooth stick, Fluttershy positioned it to begin making her fire. But just as she readied herself, she stopped.
“Oh silly me, how could I forget?” Fluttershy gasped, then followed with a giggle. “I almost forgot an important step.” Reaching into the second bag, Fluttershy pulled out a large, empty bucket. Quickly running over to the stream, Fluttershy took the bucket and collected a decent amount of water. “There we go, that should help in case the worst happens.” But as Fluttershy stood ankle deep in the cool water, she felt a small shiver run up her spine. “Oh, this water feels great, I might swim in this tomorrow.”
With her bucket full of water, Fluttershy returned to her campsite, placing the bucket close enough to the fire in case of emergency, but far enough so it wouldn’t accidentally be knocked over. Back in a sitting position, Fluttershy took a smooth stick and started spinning it back and forth over the flat bark, drilling a small hole. Harder and faster, Fluttershy spun the stick, small bits of smoke from the friction trickled upwards.
“Okay, the drill hole is made.” Fluttershy smiled, standing up. “Now I just need the tinder.”
Walking around, Fluttershy looked for anything that could serve as tinder. While anyone else would’ve simply brought a fire starter, a lighter, or even matches, Fluttershy wanted to go as natural as possible. She was certainly not at the level of outdoor experience as Treehugger; who spent not only a Summer in the tropics, but even built her own hut out of local clay and mud. Remembering some advice Treehugger gave her before her trip, Fluttershy was able to find various amounts of dried moss, dead plant fibers, and even was able to peel off some bark from near by cedar trees.
“This should do.” Fluttershy said with a smile, gathering up as much of the tinder as she could. “Hmm, this should help keep the fire going for a while. At least for tonight. I’ll have all of tomorrow to gather more.”
With the tinder secure, a bucket of water for safety, and the fire pit all set up to go, Fluttershy sat back down and set up her stick and bark. Placing the tinder over the drill hole, Fluttershy then gently slid the stick into the covered hole and began to spin the stick between the flat palms of her hands. Faster and faster, Fluttershy picked up speed, repeating her motion to keep up the friction.
“Just a little more.” She told herself, staring, smiling a little in a small victory as she saw wisps of smoke rising up from the tinder. Exhaling, Fluttershy gently blew on the tinder, letting the smoke build and the heat increase. “Just...a little...more…”
At the very first signs of the fire being born, Fluttershy carefully shifted the bark and tinder closer to the pile, letting the heat increase. Just as Fluttershy was losing her strength, the tinder finally caught fire. Not wanting to lose this opportunity, Fluttershy pushed the small fire into the pile, letting the dry leaves take in the heat. A faint and small crackling sound echoed in the pile as the smoke began to build. Fluttershy could feel the heat of the small flame grow and grow until it was becoming a blaze.
Seeing the small flame growing, Fluttershy leaned in, gently blowing on the tiny blaze. As she blew, the flame flickered as it danced against the wind. Again and again, Fluttershy softly blew a gentle breath against the flame. With each breath of air the flame only grew and grew. Before long the flames seem strong enough to survive on its own. Showing a rare confidence in her success, Fluttershy nudged the little flame deeper into the array of kindling.
"There you go." Fluttershy whispered to the fire as if it were a small animal. "Now you get all big and strong to keep me warm tonight."
Now that the fire was becoming more and more self-sustaining, Fluttershy turn to focus on the next task at hand; what she was going to have for dinner that night. Just as she considered before, if she were to stay in the woods for a longer period of time then a week, Fluttershy would indulge herself in gathering of food and other sustenance from the nature around her. But because she wasn't staying there as long as that would take, Fluttershy reached into the second bag again and pulled out a large tightly sealed bag.
"I believe this will do." Fluttershy remark does she opened the bag, revealing an array of various nuts. "I guess roasted chestnuts and walnuts are on the menu tonight."
With the evening's menu now in order, Fluttershy reached for a deep dish skillet. Within the small bag Fluttershy was able to find the skillet she sought, a small giggle escaped her lips as she thought of how much thought was put into preparing her bag and how much foresight her parents must have had; it was either that or they were just cautious enough to prepare for anything. Carefully, Fluttershy plays the skillet on top of the fire. She made extra sure to not smother the flame, nor position the skillet in any way would fall over.
"Okay,now for the nuts." Fluttershy said, reaching in her bag for a nutcracker. "Here we go."
Taking one nut in her hand at a time, Fluttershy carefully swiftly cracked one nut at a time. Every time either a walnut or chestnut would break in her hand, Fluttershy gently tossed the edible bits into the heating up skillet. Fluttershy repeated this process for several minutes, though the faint aroma of partially burning nuts was not a particular favorite of hers. To compensate this, Fluttershy took a small handful of the nearby buckets water. In a shift motion, Fluttershy splashed some of the water with in the skillet. The sudden crackling sound of water evaporating into steam and the nuts becoming less burnt tickle that Fluttershy the ears get brought her a comfort she was not completely used to.
“They should be almost done.” Fluttershy told herself, dipping her hand in the bucket, then flicking droplets of water on the nuts. “There we go.”
Lifting the skillet, Fluttershy tilted it over and gently rolled the cooked nuts onto a flat, metal tray. Reaching back into her bag of nuts, Fluttershy pulled out two wrapped protein bars. She did want to be as natural as possible, but as a vegetarian, she wouldn’t hurt an animal, nor would she have enough time to grow and make her own bread.
Sitting softly in front of the fire, the flame’s warmth kissing at her body, Fluttershy grabbed a nut and popped it into her mouth. Immediately, the sweet taste, followed by the faint crunching sound of the soft nuts breaking against her teeth. Her body shivered at the delicious flavor, and the sensational sounds they made in her mouth.
“This was far better than I thought!” Fluttershy said aloud, taking another bite of the roasted nuts. “I definitely need to be Treehugger here next time!”
Taking several more bites of the roasted nuts, along with a few bites here and there of her protein bar, Fluttershy took in the splendor and sounds of the forest around her. Every bird's chirp, every click of insect wings, and especially the sound of the wind blowing between the leaves in the upper trees. It was pure bliss, a sense of peace Fluttershy could not normally feel with her action driven life at high school.
Fluttershy took in a deep breath and took in another whiff of the forest air. A faint smell of wet leaves wafted into her nostrils. Stretching her arms in a relaxed manner, Fluttershy let out a small, almost adorable yawn as she felt herself growing tired. Smiling, Fluttershy turned to her tent and reached inside, grabbing the last of her supplies. A pillow and sleeping bag. Unrolling it with ease, Fluttershy set herself to fall asleep facing away from the fire but remaining at a safe distance.
“There we go, now all that's left it to get some sleep.” Fluttershy told herself, looking in the direction of the slow setting Sun. Looking up, Fluttershy frowned a little as the leaf covered tree tops only obstructed her attempts to see the stars. Only a few small patches in the leaves allowed her to see segments of the growing darker sky. “Oh well, I have plenty of time, I can find a good viewing spot tomorrow.”
Laying on her sleeping bag, Fluttershy felt a feeling of immeasurable relaxation. It was like nothing else matter but to be one with nature. Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy stretched her body before curling up to rest. Her eyes became heavy as she drifted further and further to sleep.
As she lay sleeping, Fluttershy’s dreams filled and surrounded her. Vivid colors and bright displays of joy and peace stretched endlessly. The sounds of the forest echo all around, the shape and color of her dreams dancing to the music of nature. Sitting amidst the flurry of warmth and relaxation, Fluttershy felt almost at one with nature.
But after what felt like a colorful eternity, Fluttershy looked on in shock as her dream slowly began to change. The warm colors burst and grew hot and burning. The soft shapes darkened and became jagged and sharpen. Standing within her dreams, Fluttershy tried to run but found no matter where her legs carried, she could never escape. The heat, the rigged shadows, the low growls echoing around her.
“Ahh!” Fluttershy shouted, her eyes bursting open and her body flailing until she sat up panting.
Taking a second to breath, Fluttershy looked around, her body shivering, a cold sweat pouring down her brow as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Looking at her fire, Fluttershy was relieved to see it was just embers, barely strong or hot enough to spread a fire. Sighing in relief, Fluttershy tried to steady her shaking as she separated her dreams from reality.
“Maybe some water could help?” Fluttershy commented, crawling out of her tent to the bucket of water.
But as she shifted in the dark, Fluttershy didn't realize the bucket was closer than she could tell until she felt her hand strike against the cold, metal bucket, followed by the sound of the water spilling out of the knocked over bucket. And to add insult to injury, the bucket didn't spill on the dirt, but it spilled over the fire’s embers. Fluttershy could only see as the soft orange colors were extinguished and replaced with the sound of steam, leaving the girl in near darkness.
“Oh my, what now?” Fluttershy asked herself, looking into the darkened woods towards the nearby river. “I can get more water by the river.”
Reluctantly, Fluttershy fully emerged from the tent, grabbing almost blindly at the empty bucket and began the walk to the river. The night air was different than the day. Not really the sheer darkness all around her, Fluttershy was no stranger to this. It wasn’t even the faint rustling and sounds of distant animals and insects. Fluttershy knew all too well about the noises of nature from both her own experiences and with Treehugger. The only thing that made her shiver nervously was that she was almost, completely helpless. Even if an unfriendly animal were to show, the only defense she would have would be the bucket.
“L-let’s just reach the river and get this over with.” Fluttershy told herself, stuttering a little as a sense of fear creeped up her spine.
Once she reached the river, Fluttershy scooped up the water and quickly made her way back to her tent. She was barely a few dozen feet away from her tent when a sudden loud crashing sound startled her. Her surprise was so great, she almost dropped her bucket. Sneaking back to her tent, Fluttershy looked from behind a tree and was shocked to see several raccoons and even a large bear destroying her tent. Fluttershy could only watch in an almost horror as her tent was demolished, torn to pieces and trampled upon under the animal's paws. Backing away slowly, Fluttershy tried to escape from the animals. Is she could sneak past them, she could make a break for it and run back home. Taking step after step, slowly backing away, Fluttershy steadied her breath as she tried to sneak through the trees. The sudden snapping if a twig under her foot made her heart skip a beat. Her body was frozen terror as the sound of heavy breathing soon crept up from behind. Slowly turning, Fluttershy came face to chest with the tall standing bear.
“H-h-hello M-mr. Bear.” Fluttershy stuttered in fear, her shaking hands dropping the bucket, spilling the water on the dirt. “H-h-how are you d-d-doing tonight?”
The bear raised its massive paw and swung. Fluttershy let out a yelp and cry as she felt the bear’s sharp claws grab at her chest. Fortunately, the only damage made was to Fluttershy’s top. Before her sizable, braless breasts could be exposed and bounce free, Fluttershy quickly wrapped her arms across her chest.
“T-t-that's a bit much...M-mr. Bear…” Fluttershy said, her voice clearly panicking.
She had a talent for handling animals both domestic and wild. Maybe it was this skill that allowed her to escape the bear's paw with only torn clothing. Backing away slowly and cautiously, Fluttershy did her best to appear timid and nonthreatening. Her knowledge of animals may save her from the bear, but as she stepped a few more feet back, a sudden furry feeling on the back of her heel nearly made her jump. Turning, Fluttershy saw that the raccoons from earlier were now curious, staring up at Fluttershy’s nearly exposed body. Unsure what to say, Fluttershy attempted to walk around the critters. But the moment eye contact was broken, the raccoons hissed and pounced. Screaming, Fluttershy was helpless as the animals pawed, clawed, and ripped her skirt and underwear. Pieces of fabric and cloth flew around in the flurry of animal claws. Before Fluttershy could finish shaking her body in an attempt to knock the intruders off, she found she was now completely naked.
“Oh no!” Fluttershy screamed in a panic, her body was frozen in terror as she screamed.
Her scream seemed to echo throughout the forest, reverberating against each tree until it returned with the force of a beast. The noise was strong enough to startle and scare the animals away. Now alone and naked, Fluttershy could only try to cover herself. Sliding one hand down, Fluttershy did her best to conceal her most private of parts. Though not the most well endowed of girls, Fluttershy still had an attractive frame and curvaceous rear. She would simply die of humiliation of anyone saw her like this.
“Oh dear! What can I do?!” Fluttershy was nearly hyperventilating from her fears and shock. One moment she was enjoying herself out in the forest and nature, now she was shivering in the cool of the night, naked and exposed to anyone who happened across her. “I have to call Mom...I...I…”
Fluttershy quickly turned and ran back to her tent, her thoughts hoping that maybe her cellphone survived the animals. If it did, she could call her mother and simply stay where she was. But if it was gone, she’d have to suffer a fate worse than just an animal attack on her clothing. Upon returning to the campsite, Fluttershy sighed a breath of relief that her tent, though completely destroyed was absent of the animals.
“Okay, I just have to…” Fluttershy said to herself, looking through the pile of rubbish with one hand while still trying to cover up her chest with the other. “Where is it? Where is it? Where...is...i- here it is!”
Finding her phone, Fluttershy flipped it open to try and call her mother. But to her next shock, her phone, though only a few cracks on the screen, was completely outside any cellular reception; and to add insult to injury, the phone was already low in power. Sighing in defeat and sorrow, Fluttershy turned off her phone and closed it, clutching it tightly in her hand as she considered her options.
Turning towards the town, Fluttershy accepted the truth. If she wanted to get home, she would have to run home...in the nude. The very thought sent another shiver of terror up her spine. She knew the way back home even if she made it back to the town without dying of embarrassment, the thought of going through a well lit night street was a nightmare. But she had no choice. Swallowing her courage, Fluttershy began to walk.
Step after step, the cold dirt under her feet, her senses were heightened by the fear. As she moved, every rustle in the shrubbery, every noise she heard in the trees, before Fluttershy would see it as the music of Nature. But now, with her fear to the point of panic, each noise was a reminder that an animal was looking at her, watching her naked form desperately try to cover itself up and leave as fast as her terrified feet could carry her.
“W-was the town always so far away?” Fluttershy asked herself, shivering as she continued on.
She could feel as if every creature in the forest was watching her. Their countless eyes watching, piercing her with their nocturnal gaze. Fluttershy felt even more exposed than she did before. It was one thing to be just naked and alone. But now, knowing that she was being watched, looking into the darkness and seeing countless little eyes upon her, the noise of the insects as if they were mocking her, and how she knew she was not the only person who could be camping out in this forest nearly made her heart break into a spasm.
“Got to hurry. Got to hurry!” Fluttershy said as she continued moving, the goal of her home, her shower, and her soft, safe bed was her only focus; the only thing that kept her from breaking down and crying. “I don’t live that far from the forest, I can simply hide behind everything and then I can-”
“Anyone out there?” Called a loud, masculine voice through the woods in Fluttershy’s direction.
Nearly screaming and fainting, Fluttershy quickly hid behind a large tree, covering her mouth with one hand. Looking ever so carefully, Fluttershy could see a light, possibly from a flashlight in the distance. Without even realizing it, Fluttershy had already reached one of the major camping sites. The noise she made as she was speed walking, if not, running through the woods must’ve created enough noise to attract attention.
“I could’ve sworn I heard something.” Fluttershy’s ears picked up on the man’s voice. Thankfully, the voice was far enough where Fluttershy had to focus just to hear it. There were other noises, more people, but they were too far for Fluttershy to make out any words. All she knew was, what she could faintly hear from the man. “It’s nothing, probably some animal.”
“I have to hurry!” Fluttershy panted to herself, her breath was on verge, if not about to break into, hyper ventilating. “I’m never doing this alone again. NEVER!”
Hesitantly, Fluttershy moved from the tree, being ever so careful to make as little noise as possible. Fluttershy could feel every dead leaf under her feet as she moved. The crunching sound, earlier only an ignored sound, seemed to only echo and make Fluttershy’s blood stop and her body tense up. But despite the immense fear, Fluttershy continued on, the thought of home served as her only source of courage.
Struggling to steady her breath, Fluttershy’s head constantly shifted from side to side, her eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness. She could see farther than before, the faint light of the distant town seemed to sit just so far away. The warmth and hope the town silently offered seemed to only mock Fluttershy as she continued on.
“So close, so close.” Fluttershy said, her quiet, breathy voice almost gasped as she spoke.
As the town closed in, Fluttershy stayed closer to the trees, she could see one of the paved roads in the distance. She was so close, but she had to remain vigilant. One error, one mistake, just one moment of overconfidence would mean the end of Fluttershy’s social life; or worse, someone who only meant harm to her might catch her alone and naked. Once Fluttershy reached the outskirts of the town, only a thick road separated the town from the forest, she looked both ways, wanting to make triply sure that no one was within miles of her.
“Okay...almost there...you can do this…” Fluttershy told herself, keeping her spirit up as she looked both way again. Listening, Fluttershy heard no coming cars, or even the sounds of shoes against pavement; only the buzzing of the bright street lamps. “The house should be barely a few...blocks away…” The reality of the new, intensified risk started to erode Fluttershy’s hopes of getting out of this unseen. “...You can do this…”
With the speed of a bird, Fluttershy ran across the street, quickly hiding behind a nearby dumpster. Peeking her head out, Fluttershy looked and let put a sigh of relief when she saw no one around. Without speaking, Fluttershy looked for the next point to run to. After a few moments, a rather thick telephone pole came into view. Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy ran over to the post, halting for only a moment to flee from the pole and behind what looked like bench.
For the next several minutes, which felt only like an eternity, Fluttershy repeated her motions of running, hiding, and checking for the next hiding place; all while shaking her head back and forth to check for anyone or anything on the street. After another eternity of running and hiding, Fluttershy saw her goal in sight, her house.
“So close...I’m gonna make it!” Fluttershy told herself, her voice still shaking with fear, but a glimmer of hope lay in her eyes.
Readying herself, Fluttershy adjusted herself as if she were an Olympic sprinter. Mentally counting down, Fluttershy planned out what would happen. The front door lights would leave her exposed, but her parents were light sleepers, so the door banging would wake them up. Taking her last breath, Fluttershy took off, running to the door; almost crashing into it as she stopped. Desperately, she slammed at the door, even kicking it a little. Doing her best, Fluttershy ignored what fear clawing the back of her mind, every action she gave was focused on banging against the front door. Even as she knew how exposed she was with the front lights on her, Fluttershy continued.
“W-who’s there?” Fluttershy heard her mother's voice from the other side of the door. Fluttershy body was so full of hope and joy that the only words that came out was an eep. “Fluttershy?!” The mother said, realizing who it was, she opened the door. “What on Earth happ-”
Fluttershy stopped her mother, leaping into her arms, tears streaming down her face as she held her mother. Fluttershy’s mother had so many questions, but the would have to wait until the morning. Fluttershy, though naked and crying, did not appear hurt. All the mother did in response was hug her daughter back, letting her know she was home...and she was safe.