It was an hour after noon, when Spike and Rainbow Dash returned to their hideout, where the rest of the She-Beasts are waiting.

"Yo, girls!" Rainbow Dash screeched. "We're back! And we've got fish!"

"Yay!" Pinkie Pie screeched happily. "Sushi Saturday!"

"How do ya know it's a Saturday, Pinkie?" Applejack asked the pink monkey-girl, curiously.

"I don't," Pinkie shrugged. "Gut feelings. Or as I like to say, Pinkie Senses!"

With a roll of their eyes, the She-Beasts all gathered around Spike and Rainbow Dash, though Fluttershy still had some difficulty, being blind and all. The poor bat-woman fumbled and tripped, falling on her chin.

"I'm okay," Fluttershy reassured, as she got up and made her way to the spot.

As soon as the She-Beasts gathered around, they got a closer look at the state Spike was in.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Applejack asked, noting the bumps, bruises, and the scratches that covered all over Spike. "And where's your shoe?" She pointed to Spike, now walking in only a boot, and a sock.

"Ask her," Spike directed towards Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, long story short," Rainbow began. "We were fishing for a fish-man. Got chased by a whole flock of piranha-gulls. But then we lost them in the bayou, with some giant octo-diles eating them off our back. After that, we arrived at the beach, and we've got fishes for lunch!"

"Yeah," Spike confirmed. "And I've got the bumps and bruises to show for it."

"Oh stop your complaining, Spike," Rainbow turned to the young man. "You're lucky to be alive. Hardly any humans, like you, would last more than a second with those things out there."

"Hey, sorry for interrupting," Sunset spoke up. "But can we start a fire already? I'm starving, and those fishes are looking really good right now..." The tiger-woman commented, practically drooling.

"Ya took the word right outta my mouth, Sunset," Applejack said in agreement, panting heavily, with her tongue hanging, in hunger.

With that, Spike and the She-Beasts all gathered around to eat their latest catches, with Applejack starting up a fire to cook some of the fishes. Afterwards, Spike was casually eating smoked fishes on his stick, with Twilight and Fluttershy eating a fruit salad, due to being herbivores, courtesy of the modified DNAs in their genetic structures. Pinkie Pie, being an omnivorous monkey, was enjoying herself some sushi rolls. The rest of the She-Beasts, who are all carnivores, are a different story. Needless to say, it was as if they were watching a horror movie.

Spike and the other She-Beasts, watched in horror, and disgust, at the beastly mannerism, displayed by Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Sunset Shimmer, as they chewed into the fishes and crustaceans, tearing away at the meats, crushing the bones and shells, like the ravenous beasts they've become. At one point, they both reached out for the same fish. However, they weren't so eager to share, and ended up fighting each other for the prize. Sunset Shimmer let out a roar, as she clawed at her fellow She-Beast, with Rainbow Dash screeching, flapping her wings, sending a flurry of feathers in the air, as she kicked her talons out, all the while Applejack barked loudly and angrily, snapping her jaws at the other two.

Only Rarity, despite being half-snow leopard, appeared to be trying to keep herself composed in a dignified manner, as she tries to eat her meal, calmly, while looking rather displeased at her friends' mannerisms.

"Oh, really, darlings," Rarity rolled her eyes. "Could you at least try to be more–" Rarity was rudely interrupted, when a lobster was thrown at her, hitting her across the cheek. "Oh! It. Is. On!" The snow leopard-woman hissed angrily, before she joined the fray, grappling with Sunset Shimmer, mostly.

"Is dinner always like this?" Spike asked the rest of the She-Beasts.

"No," Pinkie Pie shook her head. "Yesterday, we had cumquats."

"Shouldn't we...do something about this?" Spike asked, watching the other four She-Beasts, fighting each other for food. "Can't we stop them?"

"No, just let them...fight it out," Twilight suggested. "Eventually, they'll tire each other out, and then we'll have peace and quiet again."

Sometimes later, the latest food haul have been reduced to crushed fish bones, and empty shells of crustaceans. By then, Spike and the She-Beasts have had their fill, and the carnivores who were previously fighting, have calmed down.

"Wow," Rainbow Dash grunted, flexing her beak, and rotating her wing joints. "You really clocked me there, AJ."

"Sorry, Dash," Applejack apologized, while clutching her sore shoulder. "Though, yer talons really sank deep into my arm. Ya sure you've had them clipped?"

"Hey! As long as we're on this island, stuck like this, my claws are registered as lethal weapons!"

"I've got claws too, Dash," Sunset Shimmer spoke up. "Twenty of them," She gestured to her hands and feet.

"Honestly, girls," Rarity huffed, brushing up her mane, that was disheveled and ruffled from the fight. "Can't you at least try to exercise some control?"

"Sorry Rarity," Sunset chuckled, shrugging her shoulders, with her tail swaying to the side. "It just sorta happens."

"Yeah, can ya blame us if we enjoyed some competition, now and then?" Rainbow asked.

"Even so, that's no excuse to behave, like animals!" Rarity huffed. "Granted, we may be She-Beasts, against our will, by that villain, Grogar. But we're all friends here. And friends don't bite and claw, and somethings like that – that's just horrible!"

"Rarity's right," Twilight added. "We need to work together, and not fight each other all the time, if we're going to get off this island."

"So you've found a way for us to get off this place?" Rainbow asked.

"Well...not yet," Twilight admitted. "But still, any idea is better than competing each other, for food."

"I don't know, Twilight," Sunset shook her head. "We've been stuck on this island for months now, and the longer we stay, the more animalistic we become. Time is just not on our side."

"And even if we do manage to get off this island, where do we go?" Rarity asked. "I doubt anyone would be more than welcome to see a group of She-Beasts, in broad daylight."

"I'm thinking, and I'm still formulating an escape plan," Twilight sighed. "I don't want to get our hopes up, but...I don't want us to fall apart. We've only got each other..."

"And me," Spike spoke up. "Just saying..."

With a heavy sigh, Twilight pinched the bridge of her snout, as she slumped against the cavern walls of their hideout. Looking up from her troubled half-pony friend, Applejack ushered everyone away.

"C'mon y'all," Applejack began. "Let's all give Twilight some space to think things over."

With that, each of the She-Beasts went in separate directions of their hideout, with Spike being the last one to leave. The young man wanted to say something, but was unable to find his voice, at the moment.

"Spike?"

"AH!" Spike yelped, startled by the voice. "Oh... Applejack, it's...it's you..."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya there," The orange wolf-woman apologized, before she asked, "Would it be okay if I...sit here next to ya?"

"Uh, sure...be my guest," Spike shrugged, letting Applejack sit next to him. "Uh...what are you doing?" He asked, when the wolf-woman leaned her head forward, sniffing him, up and down.

"Oh! Sorry," Applejack apologized, snapping back to her reality. "I, uh...I don't know what came over me..." The wolf-woman puts a hand – paw – up to her head and scratched, "I mean, I do, at one point. I jus' wanna know if yer okay, I mean...no offense, but you're all bumps and bruises. But then again, I...I..."

Taking a deep breath, Applejack lets out a long sigh, "What I mean to say is...are ya alright?"

"Am I alright?" Spike asked, with a scoff. "You tell me. I'm on an island...inhabited by animals that were once humans? And some other animals that looked like...like hybrids – piranha-gulls, octo-diles – what's next? And it's all ruled by a mad scientist! I'm in a horror show! Uh, no offense," He said to the wolf-woman.

"None taken," Applejack shrugged in understanding.

"But it doesn't end there..." Spike continued. "Here, on this island, Darwinian's survival of the fittest has taken on a new meaning. I mean, I get it...you girls have been stranded on this island for months and...you have to fight and hunt some other animals to survive...even if they...were once humans..."

"Oh, yeah," Applejack grimaced, flattening her ears for emphasis of her trouble emotion. "I take it this is yer first time?"

Spike nodded, before he lied back down and shook his head, "I just don't know anymore. I like all kinds of animals. And it's one thing to watch a predator hunting down its prey, because...hey, they're just animals. It's in their biology. Their DNAs. They can't help it. But...for me to kill...even if it was once human..."

"I'm sorry ya had to go through this, Sugarcube," Applejack consoled, emitting a noticeable whimper. "Truly, I do. Honestly, I feel just as bad as you are at the idea of hunting other Beast-Folks, just to live on..."

"Then...why do you still do it anyway?" Spike asked. "Why do you still hunt other Beast-Folks, even if you feel bad about doing it? How come you and all the other girls are lucky to keep your...sanity? Dash told me that all the other men who have been subjected to Dr. Grogar's experiments are Man-Beasts forever. Is that true?"

Spike looked up at Applejack, watching the wolf-woman close her eyes, as if struggling to hide her shame and regret. He even took note of her ears flattening down. This sort of body language is a typical expression of sadness, fear, or anxiety, for every canine. Therefore, Spike is certain that Applejack is truly upset with what she has to say.

The orange wolf opened her eyes and looked towards Spike, "I'm afraid so, Spike," She confirmed. "For most men, it's true. Once they're all Man-Beasts, they're gone for good. As for why me and every other gals are the exceptions...I don't know...Ah suppose the doc finds it...entertaining that way, ah guess..."

"So then...if I were a Man-Beast..." Spike frowned. "Would you have to put me down as well?"

Again, Applejack looked at Spike with the same body language that made her sad expression obvious and prominent.

"I'm afraid we wouldn't have a choice, Spike," Applejack replied, her voice croaking, likely on the verge of crying. "I'm sorry. But...if there was another way, then...we would gladly have spared you from that horrid fate..." Applejack held her hand out, but Spike flinched away and kept his distance, to which the orange wolf retracted. "Don't take it personal, Spike. We like you and all, but..."

"...Yeah, I get it," Spike looked away. "You've got to eat to live."

"Don't take it the wrong way, Spike," Applejack began. "We do need to eat, because we've got a lot of things back home to live for. We've all got families, waitin' fer us! Lives, businesses, and futures!"

Hearing this statement from Applejack made Spike's tension ease up, as it softens to a sympathetic expression.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash told me that she's got a little sister waiting for her, back at the hospital," Spike replied. "So...what's your story, Applejack? What have you got to live for?"

"Like I said, family," Applejack answered. "Like a wolf, I've got a whole pack of my kin, back home. I've got a grandmother, a brother, and a little sister, working day and night, tending to our acres of apple trees, back at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Sweet Apple Acres?" Spike asked.

"Yup," Applejack smiled, closing her eyes, with a smile forming on her muzzle. "Ah, Sweet Apple Acres...Ah can jus' smell that earthy fragrance of the farm, the sound of lil'Apple Bloom playin' with her friends and the animals, and the nice cool wind blowing in mah hair, washing the smell of Granny Smith's apple pies across my nose."

Spike looked closer at Applejack's closed eyes, and he could've sworn he saw a single tear falling from her cheek. She must really be homesick.

"I bet they're applebuckin' their way through the Red Delicious trees," Applejack sighed, as she got down on her hands and legs, and laid her head down on the floor. "Oh, what I wouldn't give for just one bite."

Spike looked down at Applejack. Like Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, the wolf-woman's humanity has shown through her beastly exterior. Her devotion and love for family. Of course, knowing his animals, Spike wasn't the least bit surprised, since wolves have always hunted in packs, and have cared for their own, just as much as most humans would for their own kin. And lying next to him, is a woman who is just as much of a family woman than any wolf he might've known. And she is more than determined to return to that familiar life.

Spike wondered, is every wolf like that towards their packmates? If one of them ever got separated from their packs, then would they cross over mountains, rivers, even the ocean, just to get back?

Spike's train of thoughts were interrupted, when a light growling sound was heard, to which the young man and wolf-woman looked down towards her stomach.

"Oh look at me," Applejack chuckled. "Jus' thinkin' about apples got my stomach all growl growl again."

"Well, here," Spike reached into his backpack and pulled out a plastic bag of apple slices. "I hope it's alright with you. They're a little crushed, but..." The man was stopped, when Applejack gratefully took them.

"Thank ya, Spike," Applejack smiled, as she took the apple slices and downed them into her mouth. "Mmmm. Tasty."

Spike chuckled lightly, before he lies back down, staring up at the sky, through the cavern's atrium.

"So...aside from hunting for food," Spike began. "What else do you She-Beasts like to do to pass the time?"

Getting up on her legs, adjusting her hat, Applejack bent down, holding a hand out to Spike.

"Come with me, Spike," Applejack guided the man away.

[Evening Star - One Summer's Day]

A little later, both Spike and Applejack were sitting atop of a cliff, staring out at the sea.

"Wow!" Spike exclaimed, marveling at the beautiful sun, sparkling across the sea.

"It's beautiful!" Spike gasped. "The ocean."

"Sure is," Applejack sighed. "I can't tell ya how many times the gals and I would come up here, look at out the sea, and remember why we're in this mess to begin with. Jus' wanting to get away, from the city life, for a little while, relaxing on the beach, feelin' the soft hot sands under yer feet, the cool gentle touch of the waters washin' over ya, and the cool, relaxing sea breeze, washin' over ya. If not for that varmint, Grogar, then this here island would make the perfect spot for a vacation."

Applejack suddenly became irritant, when she wriggled uneasily, and raised her right hind leg up to scratch, behind her right ear.

"Applejack?" Spike asked. "What's wrong?"

“The worst thing about being a wolf are the fleas!” Applejack groaned. "Now I know how my dog, Winona, must've felt. Oh! There it goes..." The wolf-woman twisted her arms, trying to scratch her back, but seemingly failing to reach a specific spot. "Ah! No!"

Spike watched as Applejack got up, threw her hat on top of Spike, and turned her back on the man. Spike slowly tilted Applejack's hat up, peeking underneath to see the wolf-woman, with her back still turned on Spike, unbuttoning her shirt, throwing it off to reveal she was wearing a red lacy bra, which she too took off. Spike blushed a shade of red, and covered his eyes, before Applejack could turn to look at him. With her tops off, Applejack frantically ran up to a tree, to scratch her back against it.

"Ah yeah," Applejack panted, in relief. "Oh yeah. That's the spot. Ooh," She moaned in satisfaction, before she suddenly let out a loud yelp. "YIPE!"

With his eyes covered by Applejack's hat, and his hands, Spike heard Applejack falling to the ground, with a loud thump.

"Ow!" Applejack cried.

"What's the matter, Applejack?" Spike asked, with his eyes still covered.

"Somethin' just pinched me!" Applejack whimpered, with her voice pitched-up high, and she continued to whimper in pain.

"Wh-What is it?" Spike asked, still keeping his eyes covered.

"Ah...Ah don't know," Applejack continued to whimper, like a dog that is in excruciating pain. "Ah can't see it. But it's hurt me worse than a...a...it hurts!"

"Where is it?" Spike asked, carefully making his way towards Applejack, and keeping his eyes covered, so as to not look at her half-naked. "Where does it hurt?"

"It's in ma back!" Applejack whimpered. "H-H-How does it look?"

Spike slowly, and carefully uncovered his eyes, to see Applejack crouching to the ground, with her arms over her breasts, while she looked up at Spike with tearful expressions of a wolf. The very sight of her whimpering, eyes watering, and lips trembling was enough to tug at Spike's heartstring, making him want to cry. But Spike steeled himself, before he looked to see what the problem was.

"Oh! Yikes," Spike grimaced, when he looked at her back. "Looks like you've scratched yourself up against some thorns. A whole tree of thorns. What kind of tree is this?" He asked, noting the sharp thorns protruding from the barks.

"I don't know, but I don't care," Applejack whimpered. "Can ya help getting them off my back? Please?" She winced, biting the bottom of her lips, to swallow the pain.

"Okay, okay. I'll get them out," Spike consoled, as he went to work. "Just hold still and stay calm."

Squinting his eyes, Spike carefully, and gently, picked thorns that were pierced deep into Applejack's skin. For every thorns pulled from the wolf-woman, earned Spike a loud yelp of pain. But still, Applejack remained still, as best she could. Though, the urge to kick and thrash was becoming more and more unbearable. Nevertheless, it was all worth it in the end.

"There! That's the last one," Spike confirmed, after picking the last thorn off of Applejack’s back. "Better now?"

“Ooh!” Applejack sighed in satisfaction. “That does feel good!” Though, when Applejack tried to move, she winced, "But I still feels mighty sore though..."

"I'm not surprised," Spike replied, while looking at the thorns. "These things were buried under your skin, very deep," He looked back at the tree that Applejack had scratched herself against. "What kind of tree is this? I'm no botanist. But I'm pretty sure this ain't no ordinary tree..."

"Yeah, well...after this, I'm steering clear of trees like this," Applejack winced, before she stood and turned to Spike. "Anyway, thanks for...what's wrong?" She asked, when Spike covered his eyes and looked away.

"Uh...Applejack?" Spike stammered, while hiding his blushing face. "Don't you want to...to...to put your tops back on?"

"What?" Applejack looked down, before she realized what Spike was getting at. "Oh! Uh..."

The wolf-woman quickly covered her breasts. Though her chest is entirely covered in large, thick, fluffy furs, it wasn't enough to just leave things to the imagination.

"Sorry," Applejack apologized, until she let out another irritating bark. "Dang nabbit! Damn fleas are back!"

Spike didn't have to look, to hear Applejack biting and clawing at herself, running frantically, yelping and screaming, at the bugs that have returned to bother her.

Thankfully, there was a nearby stream, with a gentle, cooling waterfall, for a relaxing shower. Applejack had stripped herself free of her jean skirt and remaining undergarment, as she bathed herself free of the irritating bugs.

'Ah, that's more like it,' Applejack sighed to herself, in her thoughts. 'That's the way to get rid of those pesky bugs. Still don't know Winona would ever make a fuss about it, back home. She should be grateful that we give her a bath to get rid of them fleas. Oh well. Dogs will be dogs, I guess.'

The wolf-woman was running her hands up her muscular thighs, tracing across the muscles of her midriff, over her chest, scooping a large amount of water that cascaded across her breasts, which she then used to wash the back of her head. Tilting her head up, she runs the claws of her fingers across her hair, cleaning it free of any sweat and grimes, while ridding herself of any bugs that might've hidden themselves in her fur. The last thing she needed was more fleas, or worse, ticks.

Needless to say, the wolf-woman was just bathing herself, like an ordinary person would, but without the privacy and modesty that an indoor bathtub provide. Still, like a camper, or a survivalist, a she-beast's gotta do what a she-beasts gotta do. Just because she looks like an animal, doesn't mean she has to smell like one. Though, for Applejack, she doesn't seem to mind at times.

Applejack was in the process of washing her hair, when she looked over to see Spike, with his back turned on her, while looking after her neatly folded clothes, beside him.

'Hmmm, Spike's an interesting fella,' Applejack pondered. 'Normally, first chance they'd get, a lot of men would try and take a glance of me au naturel. But Spike... either he's just bashful, or...maybe he's jus' being polite. I wonder...'

Wanting to get a reaction from him, a mischievous thought ran wild with Applejack, as she started to howl and moan...rather sexually.

"Oh, Spike!" Applejack called, in a flirtatious tone, to which she noticed the young man flinching from being called. "Spike? Can ya...look at me for a moment?"

Spike, however, didn't comply, and kept on looking away. This got Applejack even more curious.

"No, seriously, Spike," She said in a more casual tone. "I jus' wanna talk to ya. It's hard to talk to you, from the back of yer head..."

This time, Spike finally spoke, "Okay...but," He handed the wolf-woman her clothes. "Can you at least get dry and put your clothes on first?"

"Spike," The wolf-woman persisted, but with a hint of flirtatious in her tone. "I know yer just being polite and all, and not that I don't appreciate it. But I don't mind ya taking a glance, Sugarcube. Technically speaking, I'm an animal and animals don't wear clothes."

However, Applejack quickly facepalmed herself, immediately regretting her word choice, "Okay, that sounded less awkward in mah head..." She admitted.

"You think?" Spike asked, before he held her clothes out. "Just quickly put your clothes back on, please?" He stammered.

"Okay, okay," Eventually, Applejack stepped out of the water, shook herself dry, before she proceeded to put her clothes back on.

"Alright, Spike," Applejack barked. "Ya can look now."

Spike turned his head and looked, but blushed a shade of pink and turned his head away.

"Now what?" The wolf-woman asked.

"Could you...at least, button up your...shirt?" Spike replied, with his voice pitched-up high to a squeak.

Applejack looked down to see she had left her shirt open, exposing her red bra. With a sigh, she buttons up her shirt, though she tied the button half to show off her midriff.

"Do ya really not like looking at a woman that much?" She asked, sitting next to him.

In response, Spike turned to look away, and kept his distance from her. Applejack sighed, talking in a more softer tone.

"Sorry if I was...makin' ya uncomfortable...let's start over again," With a deep breath, Applejack composed herself, clearing her head, so that she can talk in a softer tone. "Am I making ya...feeling uncomfortable?"

Spike slowly turned his head to look, before he turned away, looking as if he was hesitating.

"You can be honest with me, Spike. I don't mind."

Applejack waited anxiously for Spike to answer. He looked up, seemingly pondering on the wolf-woman's reassurance, before he turned and answered.

"You want the honest truth?" He asked, to which Applejack nodded. "Then, yeah. I'll be brutally honest, you're kinda setting off a lot of red flags, for me, Applejack."

"I figured," Applejack looked down in shame, with her ears flattening.

She wondered to herself, what was she thinking? Why did she act that way towards Spike? She quickly pushed those questions to the side, when she quickly resolved not to demean herself at the moment, when she needed to connect with Spike.

"So, what can I do to make ya feel more comfortable?" She asked.

"Well, for starters, don't go flashing your breasts, or...anything at me, again, okay?" He asked. "I'm not that kind of guy..."

"You got it," Applejack nodded in understanding, while still hurt to see the man, keeping his back turned on her. "Spike?"

"What?"

"...If it's not much to ask...can ya...turn around and look at me? I'm not going to bite or anything. And it's easier for me to talk to someone, to their face."

Spike was just about to comply, though he hesitated for a moment.

"I'm fully clothed, if that's what yer worrying," Applejack reassured.

With that reassurance, Spike turned around to look at Applejack, and they locked eyes. Another awkward silence followed, until Applejack finally broke the ice.

"You look cute, by the way," She complimented.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Spike replied, while still looking rather weary.

"I mean it, I..." With another deep sigh, Applejack looked back at Spike and began, "I'm not going to bite, Spike. No need to be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid."

"Then, what seems to be the problem? Is it something I can help ya with?"

"I...I..." Spike looked down, looking rather unsure.

"Spike, ya can tell me anything. Ya can trust me, can't you?"

Again, Spike was hesitant to talk. Another long awkward silence follows, to which Applejack took the hint.

"Fine. If ya don't want to talk about it, then...ya don't have to," She said, as she got up and turned around. "I won't force it out of you. But, just so you know, I'm always here for ya, if you need to talk your problems out. The same goes for the rest of the gals."

With that, Applejack was about to walk away, when Spike finally spoke up.

"I just can't look at a woman!" He finally confessed. "It's like I said. I'm scared of women, and the idea of talking, let alone, look at a woman, just scares me, almost half-to-death! Maybe it's safer, for me, to look at women on the TV, or on the covers of a magazine, but still...just actually looking at a woman, in real-life, in front of me, breathing...scares the crap out of me...I, I get so tensed. Like my heart is just beating rapidly. My skin grows cold. I get all so sweaty, and I...I..."

"No need to get too detailed there, Sugarcube," Applejack interrupted. "Sounds to me, ya must be really scared of women. Do ya want to talk about it?"

Spike took a quick glance to the side, before he replied, "I'd rather not talk about it..."

Applejack nodded in understanding, "Alright then," She looked back at Spike and gave him a small sad smile of reassurance. "But jus' so ya know, not all women are bad. Some of us can be real good to the right kinda guy. And...And I promise Spike, that me and the girls would never do anything to hurt you."

"Sure, okay," Spike nodded, with a shrug, which seemed to be a conflict between understanding and agreement. "I'm sorry."

This made Applejack look at Spike curiously. What could he possibly be apologizing for?

"For what?" Applejack asked.

"For...For not...looking at you," Spike replied. "I mean, ya looked like you were trying to, but then...I...I..."

Applejack simply walked up to Spike and pinched his lips shut.

"It's okay," She reassured him with a smile. "So long as we're connecting, then that's good enough for me. Besides," Playing her last card, teasingly, Applejack leaned forward and stroked herself across Spike, caressing her tail beneath his chin. "You and I are gonna get along just fine."

She stared into Spike's piercing emerald green eyes. The boy was breathless, as if Applejack had literally took his breath away. He stared back at her, not out of fear, but out of fascination it seems. Applejack doesn't know what's up with that, but to her, it doesn't seem to matter. He's not afraid of her. And she's very much happy about it. Her heart was beating rapidly, her tail was wagging, and she could practically feel her knees buckling, threatening her legs to give away, beneath her weight.

"Wow," Spike said breathlessly. "You're actually glowing!"

"Oh?" Applejack asked, to which she blushed and smiled, "Thank ya."

"Uh, let's get back to camp!" Spike said, as he frantically turned and ran away. However, Applejack is certain she heard him chastising himself, "Why did I say that? Why did I say that?"

"Oh, Spike," Applejack smiled. "If only ya knew what ya did to me."

The Mandalorian Soundtrack - Boba Fett Theme

Deep in the darkest depths of his mansion, past his laboratories, where the cries and screams of animals could be heard. Though some sounded more human than others. The doors opened as the nefarious Dr. Grogar entered a daintily lit room where a shadowy figure with glowing blue eyes was sharpening the tip of a spear-like weapon. Grogar and approached the figure.

"Newt has set one of our guests free, on our island," Dr. Grogar began, eerily. "My boar-men are busy making preparations. Your brother is currently in time-out. And by now, that young man called Spike maybe dead. But to make double sure, I have a new game for you to hunt, my Hunter."

The evil doctor then presented the figure, a photographer's camera – Spike's camera. The figure's icy cold eyes fell on the camera, and snarled, like a predator on the hunt. The figure then grabbed the camera and sniffed it a couple times.

"You have his scent?" Grogar asked.

The figure nodded.

"Good, I want you to find that man and if he’s still breathing, bring him to me, alive."

Author's Note