Timberwolves: The only chapter!
A small mouse scurried out of the clearing into the waiting claws of an owl. This was not the pony controlled part of Equestria, here only the strong survived. The owl flew off quickly, finally noticing what had disturbed the mouse from its' hiding place. The space in the clearing seemed to flex, as if some kind of lens was trying to exist where none should be. Finally, with a sharp hissing noise, the lens materialized a few hooves above the ground. With a cacophonous clatter fifteen Timberwolves cascaded unceremoniously onto the ground. As they rose, they shook their heads and began to look around. Behind them, the portal closed with a 'shwoomp' and created a small spark that set alight a small tuft of grass. One of the Timberwolves wrinkled its' nose, did it smell smoke just now?
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"Ah c'mon AJ, it'll be fun! I hear they have some wicked thermals!"
"Right, because ah can use thermals, you know, what with my wings and all." An exhausted Applejack turned to her side to show off her distinct lack of wings to the oblivious blue pegasus.
"You could always just relax with a nice book, I have a few I think you might like." Twilight suggested.
"Ah ain't much one fer readin' Twi, but thanks all the same."
"Oh but darling you look simply frazzled! What you need is a few days off, one of which I insist you spend with Fluttershy and I at a spa."
"... If that's okay with you..." a timid yellow pegasus added.
"Omigawsh you guys, this is gonna be sooooooo much fun! I finally get to throw a BEACH PARTY!"
Twilight raised her eyebrow. "Wait, I thought you already threw a beach party once, Pinkie."
"No silly, that was a Beech party, you know, for the trees!"
"Riiiiiight, my mistake." Twilight verbally and literally rolled her eyes.
"We're all going Applejack, even if I have to drag you there!" Rainbow Dash threatened. "You know you need the rest, and harvest is over. Let Big Mac watch the farm for a while.... what could possibly go wrong?"
"Well, ah guess a few days wouldn't hurt."
Everypony cheered at Applejacks' submission.
"Great! We'll all meet at the train station in one hour, don't be late!" Twilight called as she trotted away.
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One hour later, everypony had gathered at the station. Rarity had several large cases being carried by some of her helpful neighbors of the male persuasion. Everypony else had their standard saddlebags packed and ready to go.
"Allright, Big Macintosh, you sure you can handle the farm while ah'm away?"
"Eeeyyup."
"Remember, if ya' need help Carrot Top's right down the road, okay?"
"Eeeyyup."
"And don't forget to rotate the apples in the cellar!"
"Eeeyyup."
"Are you sure ya'll-"
"Oh fer cryin' out loud big sis, just go already, we can handle it!"
"Ah know Apple Bloom, I just need to learn to relax."
After a group hug, the apple farmer finally boarded the train with her friends. As it slowly pulled away, she looked back and waved her hoof for as long as she could see her siblings.
"See, that wasn't so bad." Twilight said, trying to comfort her friend.
"Ah, guess..." Applejack answered distractedly.
"Wh-what is that?" the purple unicorn asked, as she moved in for a closer look. "Is that a smart-phone?"
"No! Maybe... *sigh* yes."
"Cool!" a small purple dragon peeked over Twilights' head. "Is that a live feed of Sweet Apple Acres?"
"Applejack, I don't believe you! You're supposed to relax on this vacation, not spy on your family!"
"Ah'm not spyin' on nopony! And knowin' everything's okay back home does help me relax."
Sighing in resignation, the purple unicorn turned and started to walk out of the passenger compartment. "All right, fine, you can keep the phone. Besides, where we're going there's no signal anyway, so you'll just have to make do without."
"N-no signal? Wait, stop the train, ah'm serious... ah didn't sign up fer this!!!" Shaking her hoof in impotent rage did nothing to improve her situation, but at least it felt good.
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The fire had already grown throughout the clearing. At first, the Timberwolves had tried to stomp it out, but it had just spread too fast. Now they were running through the forest, desperate to escape the soon to be raging inferno. Their blind charge led them through all kinds of terrain, crashing through the underbrush as they startled all the woodland creatures, great and small. What started with just them soon grew out of control, as more and more animals caught wind of their impending doom. A veritable stampede of fauna flew fleetly through the forest, the Timberwolves at their head.
In their panic, they failed to notice the trees beginning to thin out, and a few buildings in the distance. What they did notice was that it was easier to run, so they picked up speed, unknowingly headed full tilt into a small town called Ponyville.
Big Macintosh stepped out of the barn and wrinkled his nose. Was that smoke he smelled? Yeah, he decided, it probably was, this was the eighth camera he had 'disabled', it was bound to create a little smoke. He dropped his latest electronic kill onto the pile, his sister was going to relax whether she wanted to or not!
Right before he turned, Mac noticed some movement in the corner of his eye. Aha, another surveillance camera? No, it was getting closer... He squinted to get a better look... Suddenly his jaw dropped to the ground, along with his favorite wheat stalk. There was a stampede coming from the Everfree forest, silhouetted by a soft orange glow! Fires were known to happen from time to time, but the sheer scale of this one outclassed anything in Big Mac's memory.
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The train whistle blew as it pulled into a station marked 'Cantercun'. Soon the doors opened and ponies began to pour out, eager to get settled and start having fun. A group of six ponies (and one baby dragon) broke away from the crowd and started off toward the beach.
The alabaster unicorn spoke first. "I still can't believe Celestia let us use her own personal Cabana while we're here, that was so generous!"
"Yes, and it's right by the place where the baby sea turtles are going to hatch. Oooh, I can't wait, they are going to be so cute."
"Oh man, feel that breeze! I'm going to pull some serious g's here!"
"So nice and quiet, it's perfect to catch up on my recreational reading."
"Ooh, I can set up the volleyball net here, and the juice bar there and then the pinata can hang over there and then-"
Letting out a sigh, the orange mare hung her head, "Sure, y'all get to do the things y'all like, but what can I do?"
"What do you mean?" Asked Twilight.
"Well, you get to read, somethin' you derive unnatural enjoyment from. All ah really know is buckin'."
"Ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me!" The excitable pink mare raised her hoof.
"Yes, Pinkie, what is it?"
"I need some coconuts for my pina coladas! She could go buck some palm trees!"
"Hmm, ah guess that could be fun. Sumthin' different from apples, anyway."
Applejack walked with Pinkie toward a grove of palm trees. Smiling, Twilight turned to set up an umbrella and towel. 'Finally', she thought, 'time to catch up on the latest Discworld novel.' She lay down and began to read as Rainbow Dash pulled stunts in the air for a growing crowd below. Rarity accompanied Fluttershy to the nearby sea turtle sanctuary to stake out a spot for the hatching that night.
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Big Macintosh braced himself. Before him was a horde of animals charging in a frenzied panic. They threatened to overrun the apple orchard, and he wasn't about to let that happen, not on his watch, not with his sisters' sanity at stake. These creatures would have to get through him first, and he wouldn't be pushed aside by some Everfree forest rejects, would he?
"Eeennnope!"
One of the Timberwolves lowered his shoulder and body-checked Big Mac right in the chest. To his surprise he felt himself lifted off the ground and (despite his protestations otherwise) pushed aside. As the mass of animals poured around and past, the large red stallion shook his head in bewilderment. What just happened?
Finally coming to his senses, Mac stood and turned to see what kind of damage these cretins had done. Aside from the damaged fence, however, the creatures seemed more interested in getting away than damaging apple trees. Seeing that the orchard was left relatively unharmed, Big Mac finally let out a sigh of relief.
Above him, pegasai had begun to gather clouds. It would seem the weather team had noticed the large black column of smoke, and had finally taken action. Soon a rainstorm would be created and stop the fire in the outer limits of the Everfree. Although nopony seemed to have notified the panicking stampede of this development. And so, onward to Ponyville the rambunctious rapscallions raged.
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"But Twwwiiiillliiigggghhhht! I haven't thrown my BEACH PARTY yet!"
"I'm sorry Pinkie, but the letter from princess Celestia said it was extremely urgent."
"Ah knew it! Ah knew ah shouldnt'a run off willy nilly, I coulda relaxed just as easy at home! Now lookit, the farms probably burned to the ground!"
"Applejack, the letter specifically stated that the fire was stopped at the edge of the Everfree forest. No buildings or property were damaged by the fire."
"By the fire? What does that mean? Was mah property damaged some other way?"
"Well... Celestia did mention something about Timberwolves... but..."
"Timberwolves?! Oh no, Big Mac, Apple Bloom! Twi, we gotta get home now!"
"We have to wait for the others, Applejack. I understand your concern, but I'm sure your family is fine." Twilight tried to smile.
"Found 'em!" A blue pegasus called as she flew near, a white unicorn and yellow pegasus not far behind.
"We... came... as... quickly as... we could!" Panted an out of breath Rarity. "We're... terribly sorry... to be late!"
"Oh, this is just terrible, I hope none of my little friends got hurt..." The look in the yellow pegasus eyes said she knew differently.
"Okay girls, Celestia sent me a special amulet with the letter. Everypony gather around, I'm going to teleport us back to Ponyville in one go. Ready, Spike?"
"Ready!" Spike saluted with one hand, in the other was a jeweled amulet.
"Ready, girls?" Twilight asked.
"Ready!" The ponies all answered as one, eager to get home and help.
"Okay, Spike, you know what to do!"
"Sure thing, Twilight!"
At this, the baby dragon quickly ate the amulet, chain and all. For a few seconds, nothing happened; then, slowly at first, a faint rumbling could be heard. The rumbling quickly grew to a roar as Spike let out the loudest, longest and largest belch of his life. Giant green flames enveloped the six mares. As they quickly dissolved into magical dust, a faint "Ewww, gross!" could be heard from a particular white unicorn. Spike watched and waved as the cloud quickly made its' way to Ponyville.
"Well," the little dragon said to himself, "no reason not to check out that donut shop before I head back the slow way!"
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The ground began to shake as the stampede of animals drew near, at their head a group of wild eyed Timberwolves, urged forward by the madness behind them. Their ragged breathing belied their desperate state, despite the impressive pace. Soon they would grow weary and stop running, and woe be unto those who were near when that occurred! A pony with a lily in her mane looked up at the disturbance. Her eyes widened as she opened her mouth!
"Meh." she said nonchalantly as she turned and walked down a side alley, out of the path of danger.
The rabid horde made it's way closer and closer to the center of town. It was as if there were some magical force drawing them there. Inexorably pulling, demanding that this be the path they follow, as it is the only one to result in a satisfactory ending. The lead Timberwolves caught sight of the tallest building in Ponyville and doubled their pace, so close now.
Meanwhile, the Mare of Ponyville paced nervously back and forth, she knew the animals were close, the reckoning was at hoof. Her face finally brightened with hope as a large cloud of magical dust began to materialize into six ponies.
"Oh, it's just you," she said, disappointed," I was hoping Celestia was going to fix this mess."
"Well, excuuuuuse us, Mare," an indignant Rainbow Dash folded her hooves across her chest, " it can't be that bad, sheesh!"
"I assure you it is, but you'll see for yourselves in a moment."
True to her word, the crowd of animals rounded the bend at just that moment. Creatures of all shape and size poured into the town square with madness in their eyes. At their head, as always, were the Timberwolves.
"Wha- what are those things?" Asked Applejack, "ah've never seen those before!"
"Me neither," Rarity agreed, "why they're simply dreadful!"
"I've never read anything about them in any of my books!"
"Bah, I could take 'em." boasted Rainbow Dash.
"I think they're kind of cute..." all the ponies turned to stare at Fluttershy, "I mean, look at them, they're obviously confused, and probably scared!"
"Ooh, I know, I know! They're probably hungry!" Pinkie Pie yelled as she stuffed a cupcake into the nearest Timberwolves' mouth.
Everypony turned to watch what the violated Timberwolf did. At first it just froze in shock, then, slowly it started to chew. The rest of the animals, seeing that there was nothing for them in the town square, began to wander around mostly aimlessly, as long as that aim was away from the Timberwolves.
The other Timberwolves watched their companion, their curiosity piqued. The one with the cupcake smiled and the others began to finally settle down. Pinkie took this as her cue, and a platter of cupcakes appeared in the midst of the beasts. The others were soon munching on their own tasty treats, for the moment, contented.
"Wow," Twilight commended, "good job Pinkie. How did you know they liked cupcakes?"
"Thanks! And that's easy, Twi, everybody loves cupcakes!"
"Special deliverrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" A voice called, followed by a crash.
"Ah, just in time."
"What's just in time, sugarcube?"
"Princess Celestia mentioned she would send a followup letter when she found out more. I'm guessing it was just our luck that Derpy happened to be on call- OVER HERE DERPY!"
Poking her head up out of the barrel she had used as a landing pad, Derpy finally noticed Twilight. Smiling, she climbed out and trotted over. Ceremoniously she mouthed the letter to its' intended recipient. Her mission accomplished, she snapped what would have been a smart salute had she not hit her snout with her hoof, and took off for her next target.
"I see, interesting," Twilight mumbled to herself as she read, "according to this, we just need to cast a modified lens spell to send these back from where they came. Easy peasy!"
"Where are they from, then?" Rainbow Dash queried.
"I don't know, Celestia doesn't say. She just tells me I should send them back as soon as is practical."
One of the Timberwolves chose that moment to approach the group of ponies. They were all quite involved in the discussion, so they failed to notice as it drew near. Closer and closer it inched, uncertain whether to make its' move or how. Finally, determination set on its' face and it advanced. Now within striking distance, the creature opened its' mouth...
"I don't suppose you girls have any more of those cupca-"
His sentence cut short as the group of ponies screamed as one and began to run in every direction. Twilight, being the least fit, was the first to stop. Looking around in a panic for her imagined pursuer, she finally started to calm down when none presented itself. Realization followed and she walked back toward the strange, and apparently talking, creature.
"Um," Twilight elegantly stated, "sorry about that. You kind of scared us."
"Yes, I noticed" the creature agreed, "I shouldn't have crept up on you like that."
"Well, no harm done. I'm sure Pinkie has plenty more cupcakes, if that's what you wanted."
"Ah, that would be good! The boys and I haven't had a chance to rest since we got to this crazy place. We're starving!"
"Did somepony say cupcakes?" Pinkie appeared from nowhere with another platter full of the delectable delicacies.
"Most excellent! Thank you... Pinkie was it?" The creature inquired.
"Yeppers, that's my name!" The pink pony paused, tapping her chin, "Say, what's your name?"
"My name? I am Darko Milicic."
"That's a funny name, I like it!"
"It is only name I've got."
Now that they had time to rest and a little food, the mood of the Timberwolves was improving.
"Oh, man, did you see the look on that red horses' face when Brad checked him? Priceless!"
"Hey, I didn't mean to, I just reacted, you know?"
"That was insane, where did all those animals go, anyway?"
"Beats me, at least it looks like that rain storm is putting the fire out."
"Speaking of animals, what's up with all these crazy horses? Did you see the grey one? Just flew off like a bird!"
Darko stood up as he saw the purple mare approach. He hastily tried to finish the rest of his cupcake.
"Okay, Ive set up the spell, it's ready to go when you are!" Twilight announced.
"Okay, guys, time to go home, it would seem." the leader of the group called through a mouthful of cupcake.
Eventually, all the Timberwolves had been rounded up. A soft glow emanated from Twilights' horn as she focused on the spell, it really was an easy one. The space around the strange creatures began to distort until finally, with a sound like 'pmoowhs', they were gone.
"Whew, glad that's over!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Aww, they weren't so bad!" Pinkie vociferated.
"I still say they were a bit smelly." Rarity proclaimed.
"I dunno, I thought they were kind of cool." Rainbow Dash opined.
"I thought they were... nice." Fluttershy suggested.
"Well if ya ask me... wait, they said one of 'em 'checked' a red horse... what in tarnation does 'check' mean? Oh no, not Big Macintosh! Hold on Big Mac I'ma commin'!" Applejack announced to the world as she galloped off to save her brother.
