Daring Do Returns

Waking up once more, Daring and Zönta had a breakfast of the last few apples in Daring's saddlebags, Daring changed Zönta's bandages, and they were sitting in silence, save the crackling of the fire. Zönta was the first to speak that morning. "I'm sorry for wasting your food..."

Looking over, a puzzled look crossed Daring's face. Straightening her posture and turning to the zebra, she said, "I have no idea what I wasted my food on. If it's for eating, then those apples  accomplished their purpose just fine."

Zönta looked to Daring again, a smile crept it's way onto her face. "I- You are a good pony. Thank you."

"Yeah... Say, if you said we're not even in the Everfree, Where are we exactly?"

"Um... I think you ponies call it 'Shaded Hollow'? Is that it?"

"Hollow Shades, huh? Then we're just North-West of Fillydelphia. Alright! I know where we are, now I want to ask you a question."

The younger looked up tentatively, waiting for whatever the pegasus had.

"What do you want to do?"

Zönta knit her brow, not understanding the question. She had never made any real decisions in her tribe, what was she supposed to do?

"I mean, do you want to come with me, stay here, I can find you an adoptive family in Fillyde-"

"I want to stay with you." The answer was plain and simple. Daring had saved Zönta's life, fed her, healed her wounds, and most of all accepted an outcast. "You're the first one that's talked with me in many moons, please don't leave me alone."

A tear leaked out of Zönta's eye, but she didn't care. This beautiful mare, her savior, was all Zönta had now. One out of nothing.

A smirk from Daring was all that was needed; Daring had a new friend and Zönta had a family. "Come on, let's go get some food.

~                    ~                    ~

Darkness. Hollow Shades had given no mercy as the two trudged through the forest, the sun making it's decent into the West to make way for the moon. Poking her head out of a treetop, Daring had stopped to admire the Earth's planetary sibling. Zönta was just getting up to a solid branch as she gave the pegasus a worried look. "Do you worship the moon?"

Daring sunk back under the the leaves and gave thoughtful look. "Well I... guess so, Yeah. Something wrong?"

"So you worship the Nightmare?"

An understanding smile came over Daring. "I see what this is about. No, the Nightmare is gone. Have you ever heard about the Elements of Harmony?"

Her question was met with a perplexed look.

"It's pretty much six relics had the power to banish any evil, so six ponies used them against Nightmare Moon and freed Princess Luna from the evil spirit that took her over- the Nightmare you're referring to. Nightmare's been long gone so there's no need to- Um... kid?"

Zönta was on her hooves, staring into the eternal dark of the forest, much like a dog sensing danger. There seemed to be nothing to Daring, who was reclined on a tree branch looking lazily over at Zönta. She had a right to be relaxed though, after managing to steal the Sapphire Stone from Ahuizotl it was kind of hard not to get a smug look from it.

"There's something there, I know this for fact. Be on your guard miss, or we will be attacked."

"So you can talk in rhyme. And what danger? I don't hear a thing."

Zönta turned around, seeming more uneasy than usual, "Daring Do, are you not hearing this? Those howls of the threat cannot be easily missed! Please tell me you're joking; this is some crude joke? Please can we leave before they rip out our throats!?"

Bewilderment had wrapped around Daring like a cloak. Any sign of danger would be apparent to an experienced traveler such as herself, but there were things she never could understand (Pinkie Pie's 'Pinkie Sense' drove her nuts until Twilight said just to deal with it) and Zönta might be one of them. She trotted over and with her soft, motherly voice, she quietly spoke, "Zönta, it will be alright. We can leave right now, there's trees we can hide in... Whatever it is, I promise on my life it will never touch a hair of your mane. Alright? Are you going to be okay?"

All in vain. "Please Daring, please! We need to run! They're closing in and there's a ton!!! Why are you relaxed at a time of peril? Do you wish for this forest to be your burial!? Why are we not running- is this not severe? We need to now before the pack's-" She abruptly cut off and her breathing quickened. Now Daring too sensed a presence in the murk of the woods, something malicious.

A low, barely audible growl echoed from seemingly everywhere. Daring and Zönta (whom had grown perfectly silent) backed into a tree, covering their backs. The growl sounded once more as in the deep distance, nearly invisible, a pair of ominously glowing green eyes glared with a thirst for blood.

"-right there..."