Chapter 1
A warm summer breeze blew through Forests short brown mane as he sat alone in the playground while the other students played enjoying the sunshine filled day. The small green colt let out a small sigh as he picked at the ground with his hoof, digging into the dusty dirt ground.
He looked up at the clear blue sky as he wondered what his special talent was. What if he had no talent, what if he was going to be a blank flank forever. He closed his eyes and hung his head down at the ground. As he sat there, eyes closed he hadn't noticed a ball coming at him. With a mighty whack it slammed his head and knocked him over onto the ground. He opened his eyes to see a small peach coloured Unicorn filly with a silk smooth orange coloured mane, looking down at him with concerned filled eyes.
"Are you okay?" She asked, he sat up from the ground rubbing his throbbing red cheek.
He was a shy little guy, because of this he found it difficult to talk to the other students at school. She looked at him waiting for a reply, even a word to come from his mouth. He looked at the ground nervously, his body tense and stiff.
"I didn't hurt you too badly did I?"
"No, I.. uh... I'm fine, Autumn Song" He answered, his eyes looking away from her.
"That's good, sorry about hitting you with the ball though" Autumn said with a regretful smile.
He smiled shyly back at her, but that smile was soon replaced by a face of fear as the playground bully walked over to him. Everyday the white mane, charcoal coloured Earth pony named Boulder Roller would push young Forest around and rough him up. He was always followed around by two lackeys, an ivory coloured Pegasus with a lightning blue mane, Sparks and a dirt brown Earth pony with a dark brown spiked mane, Mud Slinger.
"Hey blank flank, I thought I told you not to sit on that patch of ground. It's mine remember!" Boulder growled.
"Yeah, you heard Boulder, beat it!" Sparks said with a menacing grin, pushing Forest with a hoof.
"Yeah, beat it" Mud Slinger repeated, also shoving Forest.
Forest cowered fearfully, backing away from them slowly. Step by step he moved away from them until his back was up against the wall. The three bullies surrounded him, slowly they advanced toward him with devious smirk on each of their faces.
"Sparks, Mud Slinger. Hold him down" Boulder ordered.
Forest laid on the ground, his hoofs covering his face as he trembled in fear. The three bullies soon stopped when the teacher came out into the playground and walked over to see what was going on.
"Hello everypony, what are you all up to over here?" the young cream coloured mare with a light brown mane asked with a curious frown.
"Nothing Miss Sugar Hearts, we were just talking to our good friend Forest here" Sparks replied smiling with a his foreleg wrapped around Forests neck.
She could see the distress on Forests face and the mischievous look in the others eyes.
"That's nice, but I need Forest to come with me for the moment I need his help with something" She said. The bullies grumbled as Forest scurried away walking beside Sugar Hearts. He glanced back to see the bullies glares directed at him.
"Are they giving you any trouble, Forest?" She asked worriedly. Forest looked away nervously, still shaken up from the last few moments.
"I can only help you, if you tell me what's wrong"
Forest looked up at Sugar Hearts, who was looking down at him hoping he would speak up and tell her. Forest went to speak but he was interrupted by the worried cry of a young filly. Sugar Hearts ran over to the rose mane, white coloured Pegasus to see what the problem was.
"What's wrong, Gentle Breeze?" Sugar Hearts asked.
"Autumn ran into the woodland. The ball bounced over the fence and she went after it" Gentle Breeze said pointing to the woodland.
"Oh dear, everypony gather round now, please" Sugar Hearts instructed calling to the class
"One of your friends has gone into the woodland and I can't leave you alone here. So we're all going to go find Autumn and bring her back safe. Stay in a group, don't wander off".
The class followed close behind her as she opened the gate and led them into the woodland. Forest always enjoyed walking through the woodland, but it was a dangerous place to go alone and his parents rarely visited the serene and calming place any more. He felt a connection to the trees, plants and flowers, something about them made him happy, made him feel safe.
As the class walked along the dirt path Sugar Hearts looked frantically for any sign of the lost filly. Not a sight was seen, nor a sound heard. A loud boom in the distance shattered the peaceful and quiet surroundings. The birds flew panicked and confused from the branches the critters scurried and hid away. Everypony screamed and yelled except for Sugar Hearts who was more concerned with the safety of the class, turning back to check on them all.
"Everypony be careful, I don't want any of you falling down this hill" She warned glancing over to the steep hill leading down deep into the woodland.
Following the loud boom a forceful wind was felt pushing them all. The leaves rustled as the sudden wind brushed against them. Sparks wings were forced open by the gale causing him to tumble into the air. He was powerless against the wind, for he was a weak flyer. Forest grabbed his tail in his mouth and pulled with all his might to bring the Pegasus back. It was a failing cause, his hooves scraped across the ground with the forceful wind. Forest was lifted off of the ground, he swung himself around and kicked Sparks towards the class before falling down the hill and into the darker and more wild area of the woodland.
Forest opened his eyes, his body scraped and bruised. He looked around nothing but trees and plants around him, the hill he had tumbled down was nowhere in sight. Alone in an unfamiliar part of the woodland he whimpered, he looked at his surroundings frantically hoping to find somepony. The tree tops blocked out the sunlight in this part of the woodland, it almost felt like it was night. Normally the trees and plants were a calming thing for him but the wild and dark part of the woodland frightened him.
He took a step forward, swallowing nervously he began to slowly and cautiously walk through the woodland. He craned his neck looking at the tall trees, they were a lot taller than the trees along the dirt path he usually took when he used to visit the woodland.
It was eerily silent, nothing but his hoofs hitting the ground as he walked filled the air. A sudden snapping sound made him jump in surprise. He darted forwards with his eyes closed, charging aimlessly and not looking where he was going he crashed into a tree. He held his head in pain as it throbbed, he opened one eye and turned his head slowly looking behind him. Nothing was there, just wild plants and tree trunks as for as the eye could see. He sat on the ground and panted as he rested, catching his breath.
He couldn't help but admire the wildly grown plants around him, he placed his left hoof on the tree in front of him. Looking up the trunk he saw a leaf falling, gently swaying back and forth carelessly. The leaf fell softly onto his nose tickling him. The tickling on his nose made him sneeze, pushing the leaf away.
An odd but familiar sound could be heard, a gentle and calm thudding sound like a heartbeat. He spun around hastily, looking around to see where the sound was coming from. The sound stopped suddenly.
"Wh-who's there?" He called out. Not a sound followed, just dead silence. He stepped forward anxiously and shaking scared by what it could be. What if it was a monster or a beast, the fears raced through his mind. But the woodland remained still.
With nothing in sight he turned back to the tree. A small hole caught his eye, he placed his forelegs on the trunk pulling himself up. Stretching his neck he peered inside the dark hollow hole of the tree trunk. As he did the thudding sound returned. He panicked, falling on his back as he pushed away from the tree.
He rolled back onto his hoofs and stood back up. He was more confused than scared this time though. Why could he hear the sound when he touched the tree. He stepped back to the tree, looking towards the woodland as he placed a hoof on the tree. The sound returned but nothing could be seen moving about the woodland.
"If nothing is following me, what is that sound?" He said to himself thoughtfully
He placed his other hoof on the tree the thudding was clear and paced. He placed his ear on the tree trunk but it didn't make it louder, the thuds were consistent and calm. Taking his hooves off the tree he wandered over to another tree and touched it with his hoof. The thudding returned but its beats were a little faster and louder.
"What am I feeling, what am I hearing. Is it a heartbeat, is it my heartbeat?" He questioned, puzzled by what it all meant.
In the distance a branch from a tree fell with a loud cracking sound as it tore apart from the tree. The sound made him jolt a little, this did not keep him away though. He ran over to the broken branch, curious as to why it fell. The branch was like the rest of the tree, it was dry, cracked and it's colour faded. The whole idea of feeling a tree's heartbeat felt like a silly idea to him, however inside he felt compelled to do it. He placed a hoof on the tree that the branch had fallen from, the thudding sound returned but it was slow and weak. His thoughts were interrupted when another branch fell beside him with a crash as it slammed into the ground. He didn't jump back in fear this time, his hoof remained on the tree's trunk. The thuds grew slower and slower, he wasn't sure how but he knew it was dying. One thing he noticed about this specific tree was it was a lot shorter than the other trees.
"You must not have gotten enough sunlight or water" He said, sighing sadly.
He moved away from the tree, he knew he had to find his class. All the time he spent trying to figure out why he could hear a heartbeat upon touching a tree he should have been looking for his classmates and teacher.
He began to walk through the woodlands once more. Climbing over fallen logs and jumping over ditches he searched for his class. He soon came to a pause when he realised that he was just walking around aimlessly, he was lost and didn't even know which way to try. But not all hope was lost.
Something was different about this area of the woodland he could hear the faint sounds of the birds tweets and chirps in the distance. He galloped as fast as his small legs would carry him trying his best to follow the source of the sound. Weaving in and out of the trees and plants he listened carefully as the birds got louder and louder. But when he reached the source it wasn't what he was expecting.
A huge tree stood tall breaking pass the other trees extending high toward the sky. Its trunk was as thick as thirty trees put together and at the base was the most beautiful flowers. A sparkling pool of water glistened as a single ray of light reflected off of its surface. He was awestruck by the serene and beautiful surroundings in front of him. Something called him forward, like the tree wanted him to approach. Looking up to the branches a large number of birds perched serenading the woodland with a melody of divine notes.
He walked toward the tree slowly, he was amazed by the breathtaking scenery. He had never seen a tree so large. He paused and sat on the ground staring high into the branches looking at the sky above through the gaps in the tree top.
"Forest... is that you?"
He looked back down towards the tree where he saw his missing classmate, the peach fillies face erupted joyfully. She was happy to see somepony she knew out in the woodland.
"Autumn Song your okay!" He gasped in surprise.
"I can't believe somepony found me" Autumn expressed tearfully hugging him. Forest blushed bashfully as she hugged him, but was happy to see her safe.
"How did you find me, where is everypony else?" Autumn asked.
Forest and Autumn sat beside the sparkling pool of water as Forest explained everything that had happened and how he came to arrive there. A light breeze blew down from the tall tree, their manes waved with the wind as it brushed pass them.
"So everypony came looking for me and you got pushed off the edge of the steep hillside and you've been wandering the woodland since?" Autumn said going over their discussion.
"Yes, then I found this place by accident" Forest explained.
"We better find Miss Sugar Hearts, she must be worried about us" Autumn stated, she got up off of the ground and began to walk toward the woodland leaving the wondrous and enchanting spot. But Forest's gaze was upon the tall tree. He could feel a deep connection to it in his heart. Autumn turned around and looked at him confused at why he was fixated with the tree.
"Forest, why do you keep looking at the tree?" Autumn questioned.
"I don't know, it's like it's calling to me. When I placed my hoof on the woodlands trees I could hear and feel thumping sound. Like a heartbeat" Forest answered, walking over to the tree slowly.
"You could feel a tree's heartbeat?" Autumn asked, puzzled by what he had said.
"I don't know, I mean it felt like it. But feeling a tree's heartbeat sounds kind of silly though" Forest said rubbing the back of his neck embarrassed by how it all sounded. Autumn walked over beside him and grabbed his hoof with magic, she placed it carefully onto the tree and looked at him.
"Do you hear or feel it now?" Autumn asked.
Forest could hear and feel the thumping, it was a strong and healthy thump. But there was something else, he began to feel how the tree was feeling. He placed his other hoof on the trunk and began to feel like smiling it was as if he could feel the happiness coming from the tree. He took both hooves off of the tree and sat down looking at it with a small smile on his face.
"What is it?" Autumn asked, walking closer to him and the tree she looked up with him.
"It's happy, the tree is happy and healthy" Forest answered.
"So you can feel something. That's amazing" Autumn remarked joyfully.
"Maybe it's my special talent!" Forest said excitedly. He sprung up from the ground looking back to see if there was a cutie mark, but nothing. His smile faded to a look of disappointment.
"But it has to be your talent, I can't feel a trees heartbeat. You can, that special" Autumn reinforced, she was convinced that this was his talent but Forest wasn't as sure as she was any more. He hung his head sadly and walked away from the tree.
"Come on, we better find the class" Forest sighed.
Autumn followed behind him feeling saddened. The two of them ventured back into the woodland and back to the search for the class. The birds song became silence, the warm breeze and beautiful surroundings became the wild and untamed woodland. Forest became quiet and reserved once more, his confidence was broken again.
"I still think it's your special talent, maybe you should try a few more trees" Autumn suggested, Forest remained silent, looking toward the ground. Autumn wasn't sure what to do, she knew she was right about it but Forest wasn't going to listen. A noise grew in the air, the sound was like fast wing beats that grew louder and louder until a small ivory Pegasus flew through a bush and crashed into the ground in front of them. Sparks brushed himself off and then looked at them with a smirk on his face.
"I knew I could find you!" Sparks exclaimed, Autumn and Forest looked at each other confused as to why he was here.
"Sparks, how did you find us?" Autumn asked
"Miss Sugar Hearts said I shouldn't fly out here it'd be dangerous. I told her I'd find you guys" Sparks stated proudly.
"Sparks!" Autumn snapped, his wings snapped shut at her voice and he stopped talking.
"How did you find us?" Autumn questioned
"I flew from in a straight line from the dirt path so if I found nothing I could just turn around and fly back along that line and end up on the path again. I can't believe I found you both" Sparks explained, a smile on his face from finding them.
"But... why would you try to find us?" Forest asked stumped at the reason. Sparks was never known for his generosity and usually just followed Boulder and listened to his orders blindly.
"Because... I wanted to... thank you for saving me from falling. Boulder and Mud Slinger both just stood and watched when I was tumbling in the air but you helped me. So you know, thank you and stuff" Sparks said embarrassed to say it.
"What did Boulder say when you flew out here though, won't he be mad?" Forest said nervously
"Let him be mad, I'm not listening to him any more" Sparks affirmed stomping a hoof on the ground.
"So you know the way out?" Autumn asked.
"Yeah, follow me!" Sparks told them, he flapped his wings like a hummingbird trying to get off the ground and then began to move forward leading the two of them back to the path and back to the class. Bush by busy, tree after tree they charged forward. The woodland began to change before them, its wild look calmed. It was lighter, birds were seen flying overhead and the distant chatter of the other students could be heard.
"Everypony, please calm down" Sugar Hearts pleaded. She tried to calm the class down who were becoming increasingly excited by the trip to the woodland, talking of adventure and games but for Sugar Hearts it was a nightmare. The bushes next to her rustled, she moved toward them cautiously and as she did three ponies crashed out of the bushes and landed in front of her.
"Forest, Autumn, Sparks your okay!" Sugar Hearts yelled joyfully. She wrapped her hooves around the three of them giving them all a hug. She was overjoyed that they were all fine, the three were left breathless as she squeezed them tightly.
"We. Need. To. Breathe" Autumn wheezed. Sugar Hearts smiled and put them down on the ground, the class swarmed around them. Boulder and Mud Slinger pushed their way through the class to the front. Boulder looked at Sparks furiously, Sparks looked back at him frowning angrily.
"Forest, look what I found in your mane" Autumn gasped levitating a large seed in front of him. The seed had an odd green sparkle about it, it was almost like looking at an emerald encased a brown coat. She placed it in Forest's hoof as he looked down at it almost mesmerised by it.
"What is that you have there" Sugar Hearts questioned looking down at Forest.
"A seed Autumn found in my mane, can I plant it?" Forest asked.
"Of course you can, but lets wait until we get back to the playground. I have a special spot for you to plant it" Sugar Hearts stated. Forest smiled back at her, even though he didn't discover his talent in the woodland he could at least end the day with planting the mysterious looking seed. She led her students along the path, the seed was levitated through the air by Autumn who walked along side Forest and Sparks.
The students rushed into the playground excited to go back to having fun. Sugar Hearts closed the gate and motioned with her hoof for the three of them to follow her to the spot she mentioned. Crossing the playground of playful ponies they walked to a patch at the edge. Peeking around the corner Boulder and Mud Slinger watched the group with Sugar Hearts as they prepared to plant the seed.
"Okay Forest, go ahead" Sugar Hearts instructed cheerfully.
Autumn placed the seed on the ground next to Forest as he dug at the ground with his hoof. He created a small hole and pushed the seed inside. He looked to make sure it was deep enough before pushing the he had dug up back across it. With the seed planted Sugar Hearts went back to the playground to gather the class up for the afternoon lesson.
Forest patted the soil gently and as he did he head a small and weak thump. He paused and pulled his hoof away, he was still unsure as to why he could feel the tree's heartbeats. He frowned and placed his hoof back on top of it gently. The thumps became stronger and more rapid, underneath his hoof an emerald light began to glow and pierce the soil. He was confused and withdrew his hoof close to him. The emerald glow died down to reveal a sapling. Autumn and Sparks looked on in shock, they had learned about seeds and knew that they didn't grow that fast. A sudden flash sparked behind Forest making him jump up fearfully. He looked behind him but nopony, nor anything strange was behind him.
"Forest, look!" Autumn gasped, her face a beacon of happiness.
Forest turned his head to see on his flank a cutie mark, a trio of tree's in a triangle form. He erupted from the spot jumping around ecstatically. He had found his talent, to nurture and feel the life within tree's and plant's of all kinds. His celebration was cut short by Boulder and Mud Slinger as they pushed him over.
"Hey don't hurt Forest!" Autumn yelled.
"Leave him alone, Boulder" Sparks snapped, he stood inbetween them both blocking Boulder from doing anything else without going through him first. The feisty Pegasus stood ready to defend.
"Get out of the way" Mud Slinger said with an angry frown.
"No, he's my friend, back off!" Sparks exclaimed.
"Your going to defend these dweebs. Fine be one of them, I'll crush you too" Boulder growled, he charged forward but Sugar Hearts intervened and grabbed him by the tail. Mud Slinger scurried away to the classroom, leaving Boulder alone.
"Looks like I'm going to have to have a word with you parents. You do not hurt others, is that understood" Sugar Hearts scolded. She nudged him along with her hoof, leaving him to walk away defeated to class.
"Forest, you got your cutie mark, congratulations" Sugar Hearts said, surprised by it's sudden appearance.
"Don't take to long out here, I need to begin the afternoon lesson" She added before walking back to the classroom.
Sparks circled his hoof on the ground nervously as he looked to Forest.
"We are friends, right?" Sparks asked.
"Well... um... I've never had anypony as a friend before" Forest said shyly.
"Well you have two now" Autumn stated. She wrapped a hoof around each of them giving them a hug.
"Hey you both want to hang out after school?" Sparks questioned as he walked with them back to class.
"Sure, sounds like fun" Autumn answered with a cheerful squeak
"Uh... okay" Forest added.
Gaining his cutie mark, making two new friends it was his best day ever. Forest had finally discovered his talent, to nurture and feel the life of plant's and tree's. But along with this he had discovered the beginning friendship. With Sparks and Autumn Song by his side, he would slowly learn friendship is magic.