The Forest of Hooves and Teeth

    Let me explain. The Return was thought first to be a scandal. Then when the undead started pouring in from Zebrica, the Griffonian Empire, Appleloosa and other outlying Equestrian towns, the nobles in Canterlot still refused to get their stubborn posh noses out of the clouds. That led to them being slaughtered, brutally, and returning. Though after they came back, there really wasn't much left of them to be the walking dead.

    The Princesses disappeared soon after the fall of Canterlot. Some claimed they'd been killed and had returned, but it just didn't add up. The theory about the princesses disappearing to create a spell to make the dead stay dead again made much more sense if the legends about the princesses are true. Although right about now, I don't care if there's no evidence they ever existed, we really need some kind, benevolent plot-kicking rulers right about....oh yeah, now.

     Anyway, before, during, and especially after the fall of Canterlot, the little towns like Ponyville and some ruins like the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in the Everfree Forest were fortified and the ponies inside began to deal with returning to a slight sense of normalcy whilst dealing with the undead. Some settlements were built from scratch and shored up over the years.

     It wasn't long before every surviving town or fortified ruin had a milita or guard of some sort to protect that town's occupants. Some even got fancy names and armor. Others got respect and rags. But two of the Elements of Harmony that were left, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, took their daughters, Candy and Surprise, and my parents went with them and took me and my sisters.

   Together our parents founded an out post in the middle of nowhere called Vengeance. Years later, it was renamed Silvermoon right about the time when the Rangers and the Nightblades were established. In thirteen years I was to become the youngest Ranger General in the history of my town.

   My best lietenant is Sky. She's my age, give or take a few months, and she's the daughter of Scootaloo and Babs Seed. Mares can have children together with the 'Magic of Love'. Here's how it goes: two mares love each other more than anything, they......yeah, I'm not even going to say it, and a glowing pink heart appears. It goes in to one of their stomachs and the baby starts growing.

   My other lieutenant is Candy. She's a product of the 'Magic of Love' too. Sometimes that mare scares me, but she's downright brutal in battle. Straight for the neck and spine on the undead, straight to extremities on enemies, and she's fiercely loyal of anybody who can get under her fearsome shell and find the soft and caring heart within. I'm proud to call her my friend.

    But enough about me. You asked about my village. Yes, we used to have more ponies. I don't remember much, but there was an infected pony accidentally admitted entrance. She was apparently a blue Pegasus named Rainbow Dash. An old idol of Scootaloo. It really tore her up to see this 'Rainbow' die.The ponies who didn't make it to the walls were caught up like brush as the infected blazed across town. It got pretty bad. Scratch that. It got downright deadly.

     We spent three whole weeks on the walls as the current Rangers, under the command of Cloudchaser, my mother's sister, took them out. But my mother got an extremely rare strain of the virus, the airborne one, and she died within forty-eight hours of when she began showing symptoms. Then it was just me, a seven year old filly, and my worn father.

     What about Cloudchaser? Oh that's an easy question. She's a veteran now. She's not exactly an on-duty Ranger anymore, but she's still got her skills. Her reflexes she's still got too....more or less. She retired after my mother died, leaving the spot of Ranger General open. My dad nabbed it for me, and I started training under Cloudchaser every day. It's paid off for me.

    We have careful magical scanning spells now, and any confirmed infected get a choice: they can be euthanized or they can be turned out into the wild. Every so often a family group'll come in, pleading for a home. It hurts, having to tell them that they have to leave their son or daughter because (s)he'd gotten the virus, or telling a young foal that their mother or father was never coming back.

    And guess who's job it was to tell those distraught families, to explain to the innocent children their parents were dead? That's right, mine. Being the Ranger-General had its perks, but I couldn't get out of gate judgement and I probably never will.

    What was my mom like? Well, all I remember from what  my father would tell me at bedtime when I was a little filly is that her name was Flitter. My memories of her? Don't even go there. All I know is that her voice sounded smoother than silk, her coat was a light violet, and I'd give anything to see her again.

     Oh no, she chose to be euthanized before she died and returned. Dad said she gave him some long speech of how he needed to be strong for me and for the town, blah, blah, blah. Then she was shot with a crossbow and buried with honor and dignity.....I think. I either don't remember attending or I didn't go. Both are equally probable.

     How long has it been? Oh. Let's see.....I was seven when she died, and I'm nineteen now, so....wow. It's been twelve whole years already? Jeez. Anyway, I've got my rangers to command, and my wall shift starts in three minutes. I'll have to excuse myself and leave you now, you know.

    Good bye, outsider. I hope you find what you're looking for here, whatever it is.