Whole New World
Chapter 12
Wildlife

Dano awoke to a dark room, and after a quick moment of thinking he believed he had actually woken up before the sun began its trip across the sky. He quickly hopped out of bed and began getting dressed. Echo, who had awaken with Dano, looked on with amusement as the man hurried to put on his clothes, and Dano heard the wolf chuckle at his enthusiasm. The small laugh didn’t even phase the survivor, and he turned to the wolf.

“What’s your plans for the day?”

Echo shrugged.

“Well, I bet you could chill with Scootaloo.”

Echo shook his head vigorously, and a small look of fear danced across his eyes.

“They can’t be that bad. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Echo face-pawed before hopping off the bed.

Dano shrugged at the peculiar reaction of the K9. They are just little girls. He acts like they nearly killed someone or something.

After Dano finished tying up his boots he looked over himself. He had donned most of what he wore before coming to Ponyville. A grey cotton t-shirt covered his abdomen, and his urban grey and brown camouflage pants were tucked into his tan boots. Dano thought he looked more like a soldier than a farmer, but it didn’t bother him much.

Dano left his room with Echo in tow, and moved to the front door. The house was darker than usual, and the animals were rising later than most days. Dano figured out why when he opened the front door to see a grey and wet landscape looking back. He sighed, for his first day of work was going to be cold and wet.

Echo grew exited before he walked out of the door, and Dano closed it behind him. He went back to his room to grab his jacket. Dano was happy the synthetic material he was wearing would protect him from the wet, unless he sat in a puddle for an hour or two.

Dano left his room again after grabbing his jacket and zipping the extra clothing up. Once back in the living room he saw Fluttershy standing by the back wall wearing pink sweatpants that matched her hair, and a canary yellow t-shirt. She had started feeding the animals that lived indoors as Dano finished getting dressed.

“Good morning Fluttershy.” Dano said as he moved past her, and towards the door.

Fluttershy looked a little confused as she turned to look at Dano.

“Are you leaving?”

Dano opened the door, and looked over his shoulder.

“I just got a job working with Applejack on her farm.”

Fluttershy turned back to her chores.

“Oh… Well, aren’t you going to get some breakfast?”

Dano shrugged.

“I’ll make due, see you later Fluttershy.”

With that Dano walked out of the house, and closed the door behind him.

There was a small drizzle descending from above as Dano moved away from the house. The survivor decided to take his quad bike to Sweet Apple Acres, since it was on the other side of town, and Dano didn’t want to walk in this weather. As he moved across the small foot bridge that lead to the road Dano spotted Echo sitting under a tree with Jenna a few feet to Dano’s right. Even with the muggy weather messing with his sight a tad Dano could make out Jenna much better than the last time he saw her.

Jenna didn’t look like any other husky Dano had seen before. Instead of a black and white coat Jenna was actually red and cream colored. Her chest, face, underbelly and legs from the knee down sported the creamy white color, and the rest of her coat was a deep red. Her tail was half and half. The top portion being red, and the bottom cream.

Echo and Jenna watched Dano walk over to his quad bike, and Echo looked positively happy to be outside. Despite Jenna being a normal dog she seemed pretty intelligent, and her brown eyes watched Dano cautiously. Dano waved to the couple once he had climbed onto the quad. Echo waved a paw back, and Dano started up the engine.

The quad roared to life underneath Dano when he turned the key. He held the brake down, and revved the engine a couple of times to warm it up. After a few seconds Dano released the brake and pressed the accelerator. The four-wheeler moved forward quickly, and Dano found himself traveling at a good pace away from Fluttershy’s house to his new job.

The drizzle intensified a little as Dano drove through it, but it was a minor annoyance. The survivor’s clothing did its job and kept the him warm and dry as he cruised down the path towards Ponyville. When Dano reached the immediate outskirts of town he saw Derpy moving to a house as he passed. She waved, and Dano reciprocated. He noticed that Derpy was wearing the same clothes as the last time he saw her, and guessed she actually wore a uniform.

The rest of the trip through Ponyville was bland, and the buildings seemed to contain a shade of grey from the weather. Dano didn’t pay much attention to anything other than where he was going, since he was moving at a decent pace. He quickly navigated through the sleepy town until he exited down a road larger than the path to Fluttershy’s house. Dano guessed this was the one route to the outside world in Ponyville, and only after a few minutes on the dirt road did he see his destination.

To his right was a small wrought iron gate which was flanked by a white fence that stretched on for quite a distance both ways. Behind the gate stretched a dirt road that was bordered by hundreds of apple trees. Dano had noticed the fence and trees as he cruised down the main road, and already guessed they belonged to the farm. The gate was simplistic in design, but where the gate separated was the outline of an apple.

Dano pulled up to the gate, and hopped off his quad. He trotted up to the barrier and pushed it open, noting there was no locking mechanism whatsoever. Dano moved back to his quad, and moved the machine slowly through the gate. He then hopped off again and closed the barrier. Once the gate was secure Dano returned to his transport, and took off down the road toward the farm at a quick pace.

The first building Dano saw as he moved down the driveway was a large, two story red barn with greyish purple shingles. Hanging outside of each window was a flower box that was painted the same color as the shingles, and green vines with slightly brighter red apples attached to them were painted on the façade. A small garage, which had the same color scheme as the barn it was attached to, rested right behind the outbuilding, and was probably where the farm equipment rested.

As Dano moved closer to the barn more buildings came into view. On the other side of the driveway rested a large orange farmhouse with red shingles. The barn and the house faced each other over the end of the driveway, and Dano could see a well-worn path moving between the two buildings. The farm house’s front was dominated by a large porch that had some sparse furniture strewn about it, and that was where Dano saw Applejack resting on the orange guard rail that lined the perimeter of the veranda.

She noticed Dano and hopped off her perch. Like usual she was wearing jeans, cowboy boots and an orange plaid button up shirt. Her hair was thrown over her right shoulder instead of hanging behind her, and her Stetson hat rode a little lower over her face. Dano guessed the slight changes were due to Applejack’s want to keep her hair and face dry.

Dano pulled up to the farm girl who had walked over from the porch to the side of the driveway, and shut off his quad. Applejack looked Dano over before chuckling.

“Well now, that sure is some weird clothes to wear on a farm.”

Dano smiled.

“This stuff will shed dirt and water much better than your clothing, and I bet we will be getting wet today.”

As Dano spoke he looked up into the sky, and discovered that the cloud cover had no break or end in sight.

Applejack followed his gaze.

“Yeah, but hey. Yer here a little early. Why don’t yah come inside and meet Granny Smith.”

Dano shrugged indifferently.

“Sure, why not.”

Dano hopped off of the quad bike and followed Applejack up the porch steps. She opened a creaky outer door made out of thin wood and screens for windows then opened a heavy oak door to reveal the interior of the house.

The entrance lead to a small area where one could leave their coat and hat. Directly in front of the door was a hallway to the right of a stair case. The hallway lead, to what Dano could see, the kitchen. The right wall was dominated by an archway in which a family room rested behind, and the left had closet doors. Dano shed his wet jacket and handed it to the waiting Applejack, who had taken off her hat. She walked to the closet door, opened it and hung up the jacket on a hanger before closing the closet again.

Dano could hear the sounds of conversation and eating coming from the kitchen, and Applejack began to walk towards it. Dano followed behind the farm girl politely down the hallway. Along the walls of the hallway rested dozens of pictures, both old and new. One caught Dano’s eye, and he had to force himself to keep walking instead of coming to a halt and examining the picture.

The snap shot was of Applejack and her five friends, all of them smiling in their own way. Dano had remembered seeing the picture hanging in Fluttershy’s house, and he wondered if all six of the group had a copy.

Applejack lead Dano into then through the kitchen to a large dining room. The table that rested in the center of the room took up most of the space, and a somewhat elegant old world chandelier hung right over the center of the long wooden table. The walls were covered in light orange wall paper with different colored apples repeating themselves at different intervals. The large windows that sat in the walls let in a lot of natural light, but with the stormy weather the chandelier was turned on so everybody could see.

Dano recognized three of the four farmers sitting at the table. Big Mac and Braeburn sat across from each other at the farthest part of the table, and Apple Bloom sat next to her big brother. Dano did not recognize the fourth member of the family sitting at the end of the table facing him.

Dano guessed the last farmer was Granny Smith. Her silver hair was bound up in a bun on the back of her head, and the occasion crazy hair stuck out. Her brilliant orange eyes weren’t dull with age, but actually full of energy and wisdom. A small smile rested on the old farmer’s face, and it seemed to blend in with the wrinkles that dominated her facial features. Granny Smith wore a simple light lime green one piece dress, and Dano couldn’t see her feet. The entire group shifted their gaze away from their food to look at Dano as Applejack introduced him to the old farmer.

“Granny Smith, this is Dano.”

Dano spoke up after Applejack

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Granny Smith, but please call me Daniel.”

Apple Bloom looked confused.

“Why do Ah have to call yah Dano when Granny Smith gets to call yah Daniel?”

Dano smiled and looked at Apple Bloom.

“Because Granny Smith is my elder, and she deserves the respect of my full name.”

The answer seemed to please everybody in the room.

“It’s rather nice to meet a youngin who shows some respect round here.”

Granny Smith’s voice was filled with much more energy than someone would think she was capable of.

“Aw Granny, we all respect ya.” Applejack said with a smile.

Granny Smith chuckled.

“Well y’all better get going. Today is only gonna get worse.”

The old farmer motioned to a window, and she proved to be right as the world seemed to get greyer by the second.

“You heard her, let’s get goin.”

Applejack turned away from the rest of her family and began to walk towards the door. Dano followed behind her as the sound of quick movement and clattering plates echoed from the dining room.

After donning his jacket Dano moved outside with Applejack. She informed him as they walked to the barn that it was still harvest season, being the fall. The problem was that there was only Applejack, Big Mac and Braeburn there to do the work, and Apple Bloom was at school most of the day so her help was minute. Applejack explained that Dano was just another pair of hands, and to do what the other farmers said. Dano didn’t really care about being the laborer, in fact he preferred to be the extra hands. Less thinking involved with the job was always a plus.

Applejack opened one of the two large barn doors and stepped inside with Dano in tow. The interior was wide open and flat. A pair of horses stood in two stalls in the back right corner of the barn. The rest of the right wall was covered with bales of hay from the two stalls to the front wall. The bales were stacked neatly, and almost looked like a single wall of hay. The left side of the barn was covered in several different pallets with different burlap sacks sitting on them, and Dano guessed they were feed bags. The left wall was covered in lawn tools of every type, and Dano could only recognize a few.

Applejack said that Dano’s first job was to help Braeburn feed the cows, and as if on cue the second barn door opened to reveal a quad pulling a wooden wagon backing in. Big Mac had opened the other barn door, and Braeburn was maneuvering the quad into place.

Once the wagon was facing the wall of hay Braeburn hopped off the quad, and with Dano’s and Big Mac’s help loaded the wagon. When the wagon was full Dano was instructed to ride in the farm cart, and to cut the strings on the bales of hay as well as shove it out the back when Braeburn told him to. Apparently the cows that resided on Sweet Apple Acres were free ranch, and lived on a rolling plain several acres wide and long. The hay would be dumped in strategic locations so as the cows wandered they could find the hay.

Dano climbed in back of the wagon, and was handed a knife by Big Mac. Dano looked over the blade, and was a little miffed at the dullness of it. He made a mental note to bring his own knife next time.

Braeburn eased the quad out of the barn and turned to the left, away from the driveway. As the wagon moved off of the flat dirt road and onto the trails that honey combed all over the farm Dano got to see the rest of the complex.

The rest of Sweet Apple Acres consisted of a large chicken coup, a pig pen with attached housing, several storage sheds, a small corral, a small field with sheep grazing, doors to underground storage cellars and a store house for cider scattered around the grounds. Dano asked if the farm produced hard cider, and Braeburn told him that they only made a few barrels of it through chuckles. Dano guessed, as the two men rolled along, that the three adult farmers got into most of it before they sold the rest.

Feeding the cows wasn’t very difficult for Dano, and took up a bit of time. Braeburn kept the quad at a slow speed so Dano or they hay stacked on the wagon wouldn’t fall off. The dull knife was a pain, but the two men got the hay where it needed to go.

After the wagon was emptied Braeburn told Dano that they were supposed to go back to the barn, grab a larger wagon and tractor then head out to the orchard and pick up whatever Big Mac and Applejack had already picked, and then help out in the orchard for the rest of the day. Dano asked about the other animals, and Braeburn told Dano that Big Mac and Applejack had already taken care of it.

As Dano and Braeburn made their way across the open pasture the weather continued to worsen. The clouds got darker and darker, and the precipitation grew from a drizzle to a heavy rain. Braeburn grumbled under his breath about the weather, and Dano decided to let him grumble.

Eventually the pair got back to the barn, and Braeburn drove around it to back of the large red building and stopped next to a larger wooden wagon with short walls and no tailgate. Braeburn told Dano to unhitch the smaller wagon attached to the quad, and then wait there. Dano complied, and once unhitched Braeburn moved the quad into the garage. Dano heard the engine quit then a louder one start. Braeburn emerged the garage atop an old John Dear tractor. Dano chuckled at the sight of the old thing, and guessed that the faded green machine was as old as Granny Smith.

Braeburn backed the tractor up to the larger wagon, and told Dano to hook it up. After Dano attached the wagon he was ordered to get in. Once sitting in the wagon Braeburn drove the tractor down the driveway. The farmer chugged down the road, passing the farm house, and into the orchard that straddled the dirt driveway. Dano noticed that the trees closest to the farm complex were still bearing most of their fruit. He guessed the family had actually started from the farthest point away, and that explained why the trees were bare by the front gate.

About halfway to the end of the driveway Dano saw the silhouettes of Big Mac and Applejack working on some trees. Braeburn waved, and the two grey figured reciprocated. The tractor chugged on for another few minutes until Braeburn turned down a row of trees. The plants were fruitless, and full wooden baskets rested underneath them, about three to a tree. Braeburn pulled of the road far enough that the wagon was out of the way then hopped off the machine.

He told Dano to stay in the wagon and organize the baskets that the farmer handed to him. Dano stood up in the farm cart, and watched Braeburn pick up the first basket. The farmer carried the apples over to the waiting Dano, and the survivor lifted the basket over the low walls of the wagon to place the apples next to the front wall of the farm cart.

The process of loading the wagon went on for a while, and whenever the baskets got too far away from the wagon to be moved efficiently Braeburn would drive the tractor a bit down the row the two were on. Occasionally Braeburn would grab an apple and snack on it, and Dano followed suit. He was hungry, since he missed breakfast, but only ate as many apples as Braeburn did instead of how may he wanted.

When the wagon was full Braeburn would drive the apples and Dano back to a storage cellar in the farm complex, and the two of them would unload the apples and put them in the cool cellar. With the wagon empty Dano and Braeburn returned to the orchard to fill it again.

The duo caught up to the other two farmers when the wagon was about half full. Applejack’s hat was soaked, and looked droopy. Big Mac was also water logged, but somehow he kept the sprig of wheat that hung out of his mouth ridged. Dano chuckled at the two farmers when he hopped off of the half-filled wagon. Applejack heard the chortle.

“What’s so funny?”

Dano shrugged.

“You’re hat.”

Applejack’s gaze moved up to her hat, and she laughed.

“Does appear to be a little wet.”

The whole group laughed then got back to work.

Dano’s arms and lower back were sore from picking up several dozen full baskets of apples, and the picking process didn’t help. He spent most of the procedure with his arms above his head, which put a lot of strain on his shoulders. Even with the soreness growing in his muscled Dano pushed on.

The group of four managed to get in two more wagon fulls before Applejack decided to call it a day. The rain had picked up, as well as the wind, and the world had slowly darkened around them. The team loaded up the last of the picked apples as Braeburn hopped onto the tractor. Once Braeburn started moving toward the machine Applejack took a step back from the entire tractor-wagon rig, and her eyes widened a bit.

Dano had noticed this reaction from Applejack around the tractor throughout the day, and it appeared the farm girl was actually afraid of the thing. Dano was pulled from his thoughts by a cursing Braeburn.

“God damn piece of shit!”

“What’s going on?” Dano asked as he walked up to the side of the tractor.

“Stupid thing won’t start.”

Braeburn turned the key, and Dano heard the engine struggle. The survivor had no experience with engines, but apparently Big Mac was the mechanic of the bunch. He pushed his way past Dano, stepped on the exposed front wheel, opened the hood of the machine and peered inside. Big Mac shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other, and Dano picked up the faintest of sighs.

“She ain’t goin nowhere.”

Big Mac stepped off of the tractor after he closed the hood, and walked back to the group.

“Well, we need to get it home. We could push it then bring the quads back to pull the wagon.”

Dano was throwing an idea out just to get everybody’s brain working, but no one else came up with a better thing to do.

“Alright, Braeburn let Applejack drive.”

Applejack seemed to take offense to Dano’s statement.

“Yah think ah ain’t strong enough to push?”

Dano turned his gaze to the farm girl.

“No. You are the lightest out of us three, so it would be logical to put you on the tractor.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow at Dano’s answer, and a small smile creped across Braeburn’s face. They had realized the mind trick Dano had just deployed. Applejack was a female after all, and her weight was probably a concern for her. Dano had forced her to either do as she was told, or to say she was heavier than the rest of the farmers.

Applejack grunted.

“Fine.”

Dano chuckled.

As Applejack clambered aboard the tractor the rest of the group unhitched the wagon. Once the farm cart was removed the three men positioned themselves behind the tractor with Big Mac in the middle, and the other two taking up positions on his flanks. After a quick count from three the trio threw all of their strength into the tractor.

The machine began to move slowly, and the pushing men grunted under the strain. Soon the laboring farmers overcame the potential energy holding the tractor where it was, and the machine began to move smoothly at a uniform speed. The soggy ground made it impossible for any of the three pushers to take a small break, for if they tractor slowed it would sink into the mud a little.

After a lot of swearing and grunting the group got the tractor out of the orchard and onto the driveway. Luckily the dirt road was packed down enough that the entire thing wasn’t a mud pit, but a thin slippery layer of mud covered the driveway. Worried about slipping the group slowed down a bit, making sure each step was planted and secure.

The tractor was half way home when someone finally slipped, and it was Big Mac. He fell forward as his feet came out from underneath him, and he impacted on the hitch that protruded out of the rear of the machine between his shoulder and neck. Dano heard the faintest of snaps and a pained grunt from the large farmer.

“Put on the break Applejack!” Cried Dano.

The farm girl did as she was told, and the sound of the emergency brake sliding into place signaled that the tractor was safe to let go. Dano moved away from the machine and kneeled next to Big Mac, who was trying to get up out of the mud.

“Where you hurting Mac?”

Big Mac stood.

“Mah shoulder.”

The large farmer indicated his right shoulder with his left hand.

Dano took a step into Big Mac’s personal bubble, and tried to get a good look at where he had pointed. Dano felt the nervous vibe from the large farmer, but he ignored it. Mud covered Big Mac’s chest, so Dano had to ask him to remove his red plaid work shirt. Big Mac tried to do what he was told, but as he moved his right arm a pained grunt escaped his throat.

Dano recognized the reaction, and guessed the large farmer had broken his collar bone. Dano had broken his own when he was young, and his entire right side would hurt if it moved. The survivor patted Big Mac on his good shoulder and told him he should probably head back to the farm house. Big Mac complied, and began to walk back home.

Braeburn and Dano had to push the tractor the rest of the way back to the garage, and the missing strength of Bag Mac made the job that much harder. Despite the missing farmer the duo go the tractor back to farm complex and into its garage. Applejack told Braeburn and Dano to get the wagon while she checked on Big Mac.

Dano trotted to his own quad as Braeburn grabbed some rope from the barn. The survivor started up his transportation and turned the machine around so it faced the orchard. He waited for Braeburn to grab the rope and get his own bike, and it only took the farmer a few moments to do so. Braeburn pulled out of the garage atop his quad with the rope slung over his shoulder, and took off down the road. Dano followed, but kept his distance. The weather was getting even worse, and a sudden stop wouldn’t be so sudden.

The duo made it to the wagon just as the world began to become pitch black. Dano turned on his head lights to guide his way, but the heavy rain was making the beams of light shorter than they were supposed to be. The two men backed their respective quads up to the wagon, and tried their best in the dark to attach the rope to the farm cart as well as something stable on their machines.

Once Dano and Braeburn were satisfied they had secured the rope they climbed onto their quads. After a quick count down from three they both hit the gas hard. The wagon had slowly slipped into the mud, and the quads tried their best to pull it out of the ground. The farm cart finally complied after a few moments of spinning tires, and lurched forward. Dano and Braeburn didn’t let up as the wagon moved freely. The quads roared in the night as the farm cart fought them all the way.

After an agonizingly long time Braeburn and Dano finally got the wagon out of the orchard and to the farm complex. The two unloaded the wagon using the lights of their four wheelers to illuminate the cellar’s door. Once the wagon was empty Braeburn told Dano that they were going to leave it there, since the wagon sat outside by the garage anyway. Dano didn’t care either way, for he was cold and wet.

Dano and Braeburn hopped on their respective four-wheelers. Dano went to the farm house, and Braeburn went to put the quad back in its place inside of the garage. Dano pulled up to the large house to see Applejack standing on the porch ringing out her long hair. After stopping in front of the steps Dano dismounted his quad, and moved onto the porch to the cold and tired Applejack.

“How’s Big Mac?”

Applejack sighed.

“He can’t move his right arm at all. He needs to go see a doctor or somthin.”

“I could take him for you. I will be heading through town anyway, and he could probably stay the night so I could bring him back the next day.”

Applejack furrowed her brow in thought.

“That sounds alright. Wait here and Ah’ll go get him.”

With that Applejack turned and moved into the house. Braeburn soon showed up after she left, and Dano explained the whole situation to him.

“That sure is a nice thing to do Dano. We really appreciate it.”

Dano waved his hand dismissively.

“What kind of impression would I be making if I didn’t help my employers? Plus Big Mac will need to fix the tractor.”

Braeburn chuckled.

“Yeah, that piece of junk hasn’t worked right in years. We were hoping for another delivery of parts from some salesmen, but they have yet to show.”

Dano coughed loudly to cover his own guilty expression. Braeburn gave him a quizzical look, but Applejack returned with Big Mac in tow before the farmer could start asking questions.

“Ready to go?” Dano asked the obviously in pain Big Mac.

“Eeyup.”

Dano said goodbye to Braeburn and Applejack as he walked off the porch and mounted his quad. Big Mac followed Dano’s lead and sat on the back of the four-wheeler. Dano said a finial goodbye at Braeburn and Applejack as he pressed the accelerator.

The weather calmed down a bit as Dano moved down the driveway. The rain had slowed, but the wind actually picked up in huge gusts between calm breezes. Dano tried his best to miss any bumps or holes in the road, so Big Mac wouldn’t get jostled and hurt himself even more. Eventually the duo reached the gate, and Dano repeated the process of opening, driving through then closing the barrier before moving on to town.

The dirt road that lead to Ponyville was much smoother than Sweet Apple Acre’s driveway, and Dano picked up some speed. When the duo reached the outskirts of town Big Mac quietly gave Dano directions to the local clinic with simple words like ‘left’, ‘right’ and ‘straight’.

The doctor’s office was in the center of town, and actually occupied part of the town square. The small two story building didn’t really draw to much attention, and Dano believed that was why he had never remembered seeing it before.

The building had two lamps hanging on both sides of a blue wooden door. From the dim light emanating from the lamps on the building and the small street lights Dano could tell that the building was also a dark blue that matched the door. There was no light emanating from the windows, so Dano guessed the doctor was asleep.

Dano pulled the quad right up to the front door before turning it off. He slid off of the machine, and trotted up to the door. Three powerful knocks echoed through the open town square as Dano tried to wake the doctor as politely as he could. As Big Mac got off of the quad Dano noticed a light turn on in the second floor, and the sounds of movement coming from inside.

Eventually the door opened inward to reveal a dark interior and a man standing in a simple brown robe and brown moccasins. He had short disheveled brown hair, and groomed side burns that ended right at the earlobe. His light greyish blue eyes were filled with sleep, and he yawned as he addressed his visitors. Dano recognized the hint of an English accent as he spoke

“What is it?”

Dano turned to see Big Mac standing behind him.

“My friend is hurt and needs some help.”

The man leaned over a bit to see past Dano.

“Ah, Big Mac. Pleasure seeing you. How is Granny Smith doing?”

“She’s been doing alright Doctor.”

The doctor moved back from the threshold to let Dano and Big Mac inside.

The interior was dark, but Dano could make out some of his surroundings. The place, in all respects, looked like a house and not a doctor’s office, and the front door opened into a living room.

The doctor just walked through the family room, and through a threshold on the opposite wall. Dano and Big Mac followed without being told, and found themselves in a hallway. To the left appeared a small kitchen/dining room combo, and to the right was a door that the doctor had opened and entered. The duo moved through the threshold to finally find the doctor’s office. The doctor flicked on a row of bright lights in the ceiling, and Dano had to squint for a second before he could examine the room.

The office part of the house was about the same size as the hospital room Dano had awoken in. The walls, floor tiles and ceiling was painted white, and many pieces of medical equipment dotted the area. The whole scene reminded Dano of the hospital, and he felt a chill run up his spine. The right wall was lined with glass cabinets that held several different pieces of medical equipment and utensils.

The doctor had found a seat in a small chair with wheels, and he told Big Mac to take a seat on the examination bed in the middle of the room. Dano moved aside to let the large farmer through, and watched him sit. The doctor pushed his seat across the room, and positioned himself right next to Big Mac.

“Now what seems to be the problem.”

“Mah shoulder Doctor.”

The doctor leaned in to look, and applied a little pressure. Big Mac squirmed a bit, and the doctor nodded.

“I’m going to need you to remove your shirt.”

Big Mac nodded, and began to take his plaid work shirt off. As he did so Dano decided to talk with the doctor.

“So what is your name doctor?”

The doctor rotated his seat to look at Dano, who was standing by the door.

“Doctor.”

Dano raised an eyebrow.

“Doctor who?”

The doctor chuckled.

“No, just Doctor or the Doctor. Whatever you prefer.”

Dano let it slide and continued.

“What do you have your doctorate in?”

Doctor shifted his gaze upward as he thought.

“I have a doctorate in psychiatric medicine, therapy, physics, math, physical medicine and history.”

Dano was shocked.

“How could you get all of those degrees. You look so young.”

Again Doctor chuckled.

“I’m much older than I appear.”

By now Big Mac has stripped off his work shirt.

There was a massive purple bruise where Big Mac had fallen on the hitch, and Dano could see the deformation of his collar bone. The Doctor saw it to, and immediately got out of his seat. He moved over to one of the glass cabinets, opened it and pulled out a sling and a roll of elastic wrap.

Dano knew what the Doctor was going to do before he did it, for he had broken his collar bone before. Dano watched the physician put Big Mac’s right arm into the sling then used the wrap to hold the arm to the farmer’s chest. With his handy work done the Doctor began his spiel.

“Now Big Mac I want you to keep that sling on and tucked for a couple weeks. Then you can take it off, but be gentle. If you don’t then I will have to re-break the bone and start over. Understood?”

Big Mac nodded.

“Doctor,” Dano butted in, “would it be alright if Big Mac spent the night here. I have to get home, and I can pick him up in the morning to take him back to the farm.”

The Doctor shrugged.

“Fine by me… I never caught your name.”

Dano mentally cursed his rudeness.

“Daniel, but call me Dano.”

Dano extended a hand, and the Doctor took it.

“It’s nice to meet you Dano, and I will see you tomorrow.”

With that Dano said his goodbyes to both the Doctor and Big Mac then let himself out of the office.

Once outside of the Doctor’s house Dano mounted his quad, and made for home. He was tired from his first day of work, but it was a good tired. Dano zoned out everything around him as he moved quickly through Ponyville. The sound of the engine faded in his mind, and the cold in his body seemed to disappear. Dano always believed that meditation felt like this, but never really pursued the feeling. He just let it happen, and that was usually when he was tired.

It didn’t take long for Dano to drive out of Ponyville and down the trail to Fluttershy’s house. He shut off the machine and slid off while still in his haze. As Dano walked across the bridge he heard the door open, and saw Fluttershy standing in the threshold holding a candle. She was wearing a yellow robe with fluffy pink trim, and her expression was one of worry.

“Um… it’s very late.”

Dano smiled as he walked up to the door.

“And quite cold.”

The joke was lost at Fluttershy whose expression filled with even more worry.

“Oh… Let me make you something.”

Fluttershy turned from the doorway right as Dano arrived at the threshold, and tried to move into the kitchen.

“It’s ok Fluttershy, I just need to change out of these clothes and get to bed.”

Fluttershy stopped walking.

“O-ok.”

She turned around to see Dano closing the door behind him.

“I will see you in the morning.”

Fluttershy mumbled something like ‘good night’ then walked up the stairs.

Dano shrugged then moved through the dark living room to his bed room. He opened the door, and could see the silhouette of Echo sitting on the bed. The wolf’s head was raised, and looking at Dano. The survivor ignored his friend, and slowly got undressed, feeling the soreness in his muscles. Once out of his soaked clothing Dano hung his pants and jacket on the door handle. He was pretty sure they would dry quickly, and he would need them tomorrow.

Dano climbed into bed already half asleep. Once the tired survivor’s head hit the pillow slumber overtook Dano’s mind, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

Dano awoke and slowly opened his eyes. He was a little worried that he would wake up later than usual, but all he saw was the pre-dawn dark. The small burst of joy from not being late was just enough for Dano to sit up and throw his legs out of bed. From then on though he had to fight his own sore muscles and tired mind.

Since his only other t-shirt was still a little wet Dano had to wear the white Aeropostale top Rarity had given him. Once he pulled on his shirt Dano moved to the doorway to check the clothes that were hanging on the handle. The synthetic material had dried nicely overnight, and Dano was glad he didn’t have to wear wet clothing to work.

When Dano was dressed he kneeled by his bed, and pulled out his chest. He opened the wooden container to see all of his equipment right where he left it. After locating his combat vest Dano pulled his knife out of its scabbard then used it to cut the sheath off of the vest. He made a mental note to find a better way to equip the weapon, so he could carry it in both combat and through town. Dano put the knife back into its holder then put the weapon into his pocket. He stood, and turned to leave when he caught sight of Echo standing by the bed room door. The wolf had woken up with Dano, as usual, and was waiting for his friend to open the portal.

After a quick stretch and yawn Dano left his room with Echo in tow. The house was quiet as the first rays of light began to poured into it. Dano moved across the living room slowly. He didn’t want to wake Fluttershy, and judging by her worry from last night, he was sure that she would get up to help Dano get ready for the day if she heard him. The survivor reached the front door without a sound, slipped outside with Echo, and closed the door quietly.

The weather was seasonably cool, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The sun was just powering over the mountains as Dano made his way down the path away from Fluttershy’s house and over the bridge. A soft breeze rustled the leaves that had fallen in last night’s storm, and the sound was soothing to Dano. He decided not to take the four-wheeler this morning. Dano had no way to get any more fuel for the machine, and he didn’t want to be stranded in Ponyville without a way back to his cabin.

Dano walked down the path away from Fluttershy’s house at a decent pace. He would probably show up at work a bit later than yesterday, but he didn’t think the farmers would care much. Plus the fact that Dano had to get Big Mac from Doctor’s house also made his worries about his slightly late appearance disappear.

When Dano reached the outskirts of Ponyville he saw Derpy delivering mail again. She seemed to be the only other person in town up this early, and her cheerful demeanor made Dano perk up a bit. They waved to each other as Dano walked down the opposite side of the street toward the town center.

The town square was quiet, and a tad eerie as a small breeze drifted lazily through the courtyard. Dano quickly moved across the open area to the Doctor's house, where he saw Big Mac standing outside talking with the Doctor. The physician was wearing the same brown robe as before, and Big Mac had put his dirty work shirt back on. Dano approached the two men just as their conversation ended. Big Mac said his farewell, and moved away from the abode to join Dano, who was waiting politely a few feet away. Dano waved to the Doctor as Big Mac moved toward him, and once the farmer had reached him Dano turned so he could walk with the injured man.

Big Mac and Dano were making decent time back to Sweet Apple Acres. The whole journey was in silence, and Big Mack looked a little uncomfortable with one hand strapped to his chest. Eventually the duo made it to the front gate of the farm, and moved through it. Once on the other side of the barrier Big Mac began to look less uncomfortable. Dano guessed the large farmer wasn’t the biggest people person ever.

The farm complex slowly came into view as the two men walked down the driveway. Birds were singing and flying from tree to tree, and the good weather made no sign of changing. As Dano and Big Mac rounded the last corner in the winding driveway the front of the farm house came into view. There were two women standing in front of the large house, and Dano instantly recognized them both as Applejack and Twilight.

Applejack was wearing her usual get up, and her hat had regained its rigidness from last night. Twilight, however, was wearing something completely different than the last time Dano saw her. She was wearing a dark purple mini-skirt that ended mid-way down the thigh, and tall white socks that ended below the knee. Black flat soled shoes covered her feet, and her upper body was encased in a purple sweater vest over a white short sleeved blouse.

When Big Mac saw the girls he froze for a second, before taking off at a quick pace towards the barn saying something about fixing the tractor. Dano stopped walking, and watched him go with curiosity before it clicked in his mind. Big Mac must like Twilight. Dano smiled devilishly at the new information before he continued to move toward the girls.

When Applejack saw Dano approaching she waved, and Twilight followed suit. Dano walked up to the two women.

“Morning you two.”

“Good mornin Dano.”

Applejack seemed pleased to see the survivor.

“Thanks a bunch for helpin Big Mac out.”

Dano waved a hand dismissively in the air.

“Anytime. So what’s up for today.”

Applejack rubbed her chin.

“Well we got the usual chores to take care, and we got to open up the stall for the day seein as the weather is nice. We only need two people though, and Big Mac is in no condition to work in town.”

“He said something about fixing the tractor today while we walked,” Dano half lied, “I bet I could help him with that.”

Applejack nodded.

“Sounds good. I personally don’t want to be anywhere near that machine anyhow.”

Applejack’s statement sparked curiosity in Dano’s brain, but he saved it for later. He instead turned his attention to Twilight.

“How’s your day so far Twilight?”

The librarian shrugged.

“Alright for now, it’s a little early for my taste, but I had to talk to Applejack.”

Dano wondered why she needed to talk to the farm girl this early, but decided not to pry. It was probably something sensitive.

“Well, Braeburn is in the barn loadin up the wagon to feed the cows. You should go help him out.”

Dano nodded, said goodbye to Twilight and moved to the barn.

Once in the large red building he greeted Braeburn, and began to help the farmer load the wagon full of hay. After the farm cart was filled the two men moved to the same positions they took the day before, and commenced feeding the cows. Dano used his own knife to cut the strings holding the bales together, and the sharpened combat blade made short work of the bindings. The survivor made sure to only cut the string at the base of the blade, right where it met the guard. This allowed the rest of the knife to remained as sharp as possible.

Braeburn and Dano made their way back from the pasture after dumping the hay. The farmer drove the quad and wagon over to one of the cellar doors, and helped Dano load the farm cart up with apples. Once the cart was full Braeburn said his farewells, and took off with the loaded wagon toward the farm house. Without anything else to do Dano decided to go help Big Mac with the tractor.

Dano found Big Mac in the garage sitting atop a bucket with tools scattered around him. He looked a bit frustrated at his lack of working appendages. Dano wandered up to the farmer.

“Need some help?”

Big Mac chuckled a bit.

“More than usual.”

Dano smiled then sat down on the dirt floor next to the tractor.

“I’m not good with engines, but I know how to turn a bolt. You just tell me what need to get done so we can fix this thing.”

Big Mac nodded as the two men stood, and got to work.

Years of messing with electrical equipment gave Dano the knowledge on how to work most hand tools as well as use them effectively, so there was no learning curve as he plunged his hands into the engine. As the survivor worked Big Mac looked over his shoulder telling him what to do with short precise commands.

The two worked like this until the sound of quiet footstep brought the two would be mechanics away from the machine. Granny Smith had appeared in the door way carrying a tray with two glasses of ice water, a pair of large red apples and two peanut butter sandwiches. She was wearing a pale red dress, brown slippers and a pale green long sleeved blouse. A large smile graced her old face as she spoke.

“Thought Ah would bring you two lunch, since y’all have been workin so hard.”

Dano pulled his hands out of the tractor, and wiped his grimy fingers on his pants before he took the tray from the old farmer.

“Thanks a lot Granny Smith.”

Granny Smith gave Dano a small smile.

“Anytime youngin.”

With that the old farmer left the garage, and Dano turned to Big Mac. The injured farmer moved back to his seat on the bucket, and the survivor handed him the tray. Big Mac grabbed it with his good hand and set it on his lap as Dano sat on the ground next to the farmer. Big Mac politely handed his companion his food before eating his own, and as the duo ate Dano decided to start up a conversation.

“Hey Big Mac.”

Big Mac looked at Dano, his face its characteristic calm.

“Why is Applejack so nervous around the tractor?”

Big Mac sucked in a deep breath and sighed.

“When we were both young our father was workin on the tractor. Applejack was watching him work when the brakes slipped, and she saw the tractor rolled over Pa.”

Big Mac shifted his wheat sprig from one side of his mouth to the other.

“She never really recovered from that, and the death of Ma shortly after really put a strain on her mind.”

Dano blinked as the information settled in his mind.

“I’m sorry for bringing it up.” The survivor’s voice was soft.

Big Mac sighed again.

“It was a long time ago.”

Dano saw the anguish in Big Mac’s eyes, and he appeared to have lost his appetite as he played with his apple. Dano decided to change the subject.

“How long have you known about Applejack’s crush on Rarity?”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow, and a small smile stretched across his face.

“From the beginnin.”

The two chuckled.

“I don’t see why she doesn’t just ask her out.”

Big Mac made a half shrug.

“Probably has somethin to do with them bein such good friends.”

Dano nodded in agreement before he moved on. The survivor took a bite out of his apple right as he launched his next question.

“How long have you liked Twilight.”

Big Mac visibly twitched at the question then sighed.

“Yah could tell huh.”

Dano smiled as he nodded.

“It was easy, especially when you ran away from her this morning.”

Big Mac made another half shrug.

“You should talk to her man. I heard she might actually like you back.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow at Dano, and the survivor just returned to his apple.

The injured farmer had regained his appetite after Dano had changed the subject, and finished his food around the same time his companion did. Once lunch was gone the duo returned to the tractor, and stayed there for a couple more hours as they pulled apart the engine to try and find the problem. Big Mac eventually found it, and they replaced the malfunctioning part then put the engine back together.

When the engine was in one piece Big Mac moved to the back of the tractor, climbed on, and started the machine up. The tractor chocked a bit then roared to life. Dano felt a fuzzy feeling wash over him, the feeling one gets when the project they have slaved over reached fruition. Big Mac had a smile on his face as he turned the tractor off. He turned to Dano once he had climbed off of the machine.

“Thanks for the help Dano, yah can go home now. There isn’t anythin left to do today.”

Dano nodded as he wiped his hands on his pants again.

“Sounds good. I will see you tomorrow Big Mac.”

Big Mac nodded before he started picking up the tools. Dano thought about helping the farmer, but dismissed the thought. Big Mac was a working man, and Dano knew if he took that away and gave him nothing to do the farmer would probably go insane.

Dano left the garage and began to stroll away from the building. As the survivor walked he saw Granny Smith sitting on the front porch of the farm house in an old rocking chair, and Dano waved at her. The old farmer reciprocated, and Dano continued his walk with a smile on his face.

There was no rush to get home, so Dano decided to wander for the rest of the afternoon through town on his way back to Fluttershy’s house. After strolling into Ponyville the survivor meandered down his usual route, waving and greeting everybody he knew. As Dano walked his thoughts wandered.

The survivors mind went back to his old life. Images of friends at parties, or just sitting around playing XBOX danced across Dano’s mind’s eye. The scenes of family reunions were intermingled in the mess of images, as well as pictures of home. Dano sucked in a deep breath and let it out as emotions battled in his conscious. He ran his hands through his long shaggy hair, and decided he needed to get home sooner rather than later.

The rest of the journey home for Dano was one of glum silence. His head had dipped a bit as he walked, and his mind was occupied with the loss of his old life. Before the survivor realized it he was home. The sun was going to be up for a couple, so Dano decided to find a place outside to relax. He crossed the bridge and wandered around the house until he found a small open area. The survivor laid down in cool grass, slipped his hands under his head and let the sun warm his body. Before Dano knew it he had drifted off into a small nap.

Dano felt something shaking him gently as he regained consciousness. The survivor opened his eyes to see Fluttershy kneeling next to him, her face illuminated by the orange hues of a setting sun. She was wearing a canary yellow t-shirt with three butterflies on the front. The insect’s wings were pink just like Fluttershy’s hair, and their bodies were cyan. Covering the shy woman’s legs was tight blue jeans, and her feet were encased in pink flat soled shoes. It reminded Dano of the first time he met Fluttershy.

The survivor stretched and yawned before closing his eyes again.

“Five more minutes.”

“Um… the sun will be down soon.”

Dano smiled.

“You worry too much.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond.

“How about this, you stay out here with me until the sun sets then we can go inside.”

“O-ok.”

Dano opened his eyes, sat up and rotated his body to face the setting sun. Fluttershy moved over next to Dano and sat. Her hair covered most of her face, and her eyes were glued to the sunset. Dano found himself watching Fluttershy out of the corner of his eyes instead of the sun in front of him. He felt a small calm move through his brain as he watched the shy woman.

Before long the sun disappeared behind the mountains. The couple stood and made their way around the house, and found Echo waiting by the front door. The wolf looked happy to see the duo, and Dano patted the K9 on the head as Fluttershy lead the two survivors into the house.

For the rest of the day Dano sat in his usual spot in the kitchen watching Fluttershy make dinner. They didn’t talk as the shy woman cooked, and the conversation was light as they ate dinner. Dano had sausage and peppers while Fluttershy had a leafy salad with an assortment of nuts and berries mixed in. Once the two finished Dano cleaned up despite Fluttershy’s protests, which had gotten even weaker than before.

Fluttershy went to bed as Dano cleaned up. After putting all of the now clean dishes in the drying rack the survivor went to his room to grab his tooth brush. Dano went through his nightly routine of brushing his teeth and organizing his clothes for the next day.

Dano climbed into bed that night not as tired as before. The work today had been light, and Dano found it a little hard to get to sleep. Not just from his unexpended energy, but also from his thoughts during his walk home. Sleep did come eventually, but it was filled with images of a life long gone.

The rest of the week went on like it did the first two days. Dano became Big Mac’s right arm as the farmer healed, and a mutual friendship grew between the two. Big Mac took Dano’s advice and began to talk with Twilight whenever she showed up on the farm. Braeburn also grew close to Dano as the survivor worked with the farmer. Eventually Dano felt like a part of the family, and Granny Smith would affectionately call the survivor ‘Daniel Apple’ whenever he was around.

Through working with Applejack and living with Fluttershy Dano got a lot of exposure to their circle of friends. Rarity would constantly give Dano new clothing and fashion tips, and Dano would try his best to remember the lessons. Twilight and the survivor would have conversations about history and literature, and Rainbow Dash would constantly try to get Dano to compete in one thing or another. Pinkie Pie would just randomly appear and talk with Dano about anything, and through the pink haired party girl the survivor was invited to a picnic the girls were having that weekend. Dano said he would attend without hesitation, for anytime spent with his new friends was time well spent.

The picnic was set up by the forest at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. A small red and white checkered blanket was spread out on a flat portion of the small stretch of grassy field between the feral forest and the organized orchard. It was noon, and the sun was warming the area nicely. Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, Echo and Dano all sat in a large circle as the food that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had prepared was passed around. The girls wore the same get up they usually did, and Dano decided not to wear his work clothes. He wore a t-shirt, jeans and his boots to the picnic, and the girls made their opinions clear that they liked it when Dano wore something other than grey.

Dano had brought his knife with him, against Fluttershy’s wishes, to show Rainbow Dash. She had showed some interest in the old weapon when Dano brought it up in conversation one day, and the survivor handed the sheathed blade to the runner as the food was finished being handed out. Rainbow Dash looked over the blade with excitement, and played with it throughout the meal.

The group, except for Echo, talked and laughed as they sipped on lemonade and nibbled on small cucumber sandwiches. Dano was surprised to see Spike so friendly after their first encounter, and it made the whole picnic perfect for the survivor. All of his friends, excluding the rest of the Apple Family, were sitting around Dano having a good time. The survivor felt at home for the first time in a long time, and all of the thoughts of his old life that had plagued him this week faded into nothing.

Even with the food finished the group continued with the joyful conversation until Pinkie Pie suddenly leapt to her feet, smacked Dano on the top of the head and yelled.

“TAG!”

The rest of the group was confused as the party girl took off at a full sprint into the woods, but quickly recovered. Dano let the six girls and one teen get a head start before he stood, and grabbed his knife from where Rainbow had left it. The survivor pocketed the blade then looked at Echo, who had stayed behind, and the wolf gave Dano a competitive smile. Dano returned the grin and the two took off after their quarry.

The forest Dano and Echo ran through was a lot thicker than the one they had previously called home, and not a square inch lacked foliage of some sort. The survivor followed behind his wolf friend, and the both of them were sprinting. Dano could hear the laughs and cries of the girls ahead of him, and he eventually caught up with them in a small clearing.

The group had reached a stream, and they were trying to cross it without getting wet. Pinkie led the way by hopping on some exposed stones, but once she reached the other side she froze in fear. The rest of the group followed suit, and Dano heard why.

A low powerful growl emanated from the tree line on the other side of the stream, and Dano recognized the pitch. The growl was feral, and hungry. The sound made Dano’s heart stop, stomach drop and scenes of the wild dogs in the city flash through his brain. He reflexively pulled his blade out and unsheathed it, placing the sheath back into his pocket.

“Get over here now!”

Dano’s words were powerful enough to break the girls from their fear, and make them run over to the survivor. Pinkie tried to cross the stream the same way as before, but slipped and fell in the water. The party girl was un-phased, and climbed out of the stream quickly.

A grey wolf emerged from the tree line once Pinkie had rejoined the group. Its yellow eyes bored into Dano’s, and its yellow teeth were bared. The wolf was large, and Dano guessed it was at least three inches taller than Echo at the shoulder. The animals grey coat had splotches of black and brown, as well as bare areas where scars took the place of fur.

The survivor gripped his blade in preparation of the fight to come, and felt confident he could take on the wolf. Dano’s confidence slipped away when more growls emanated from the forest behind the first one, and five more of the animals moved into view. Each of the beasts was just as big as the first one, and the wolves began to cross the stream and fan out.

Dano recognized the maneuver from his last encounter with feral K9s, and his mind raced with one thing. I need to protect the girls. The survivor rose his voice over the collective growls of the approaching wolves.

“Listen up. Echo and I will distract the wolves so the rest of you can get away.”

Dano voice was hard.

“We ain’t gonna leave yah here surgarcube.”

Applejacks voice was filled with fear, but Dano knew she wasn’t about to leave.

“Yeah.”

Rainbow’s usual confidence was severely lacking as she agreed with her friend.

“You have to. I need someone to make sure the whole group makes it.”

Applejack huffed.

“Fine.”

Dano wasn’t satisfied.

“Pinkie Promise that you will get out and not come back in.”

Applejack swore under her breath.

“Cross mah heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in mah eye.”

Dano heard Pinkie make a small whine, and it made him smile a bit. The survivor had just bound two of his friends to his orders, and they would follow them come hell or high water.

“Alright. When I count to three start running home.”

The wolves continued to fan out, and Dano had to get the girls to safety soon before the animals closed the gap behind them.

“One…”

Dano gripped his weapon even tighter.

“Two…”

Echo lowered himself into a fighting position, and Dano felt the adrenaline begin to pump into his veins.

“Three!”

Dano and Echo charged the two wolves in front of them as the girls sprinted back the way they came. The two animals in front of the survivors were caught slightly off guard, and made a weak attempt to counter attack by leaping at Dano and Echo. Dano was prepared, and he unleashed a wicked right hook. The brass knuckles impacted on the side of the wolf’s head, and Dano heard the animal’s skull break under the weight of the blow. The wolf whined in pain and retreated a bit, but it was still alive.

Echo had hesitated before he leapt at his enemy, and caught the feral wolf in the throat with his teeth mid leap. The two animals tumbled through the air, and the wild animal was dead by the time the two hit the ground.

Dano and Echo took off into the woods in the same direction as the girls, and the five wolves followed the survivors into the dense forest. Dano could feel them right behind him, and his mind screamed at his body to run faster. Dano was sucking wind when he suddenly saw a pink and yellow blob on the ground in front of him, and he recognized the blob as Fluttershy. She must have tripped in the confusion, and just laid there frozen with fear.

Dano made the split second decision to stay, and he turned to see the pack of wolves literally right behind him. The survivor had milliseconds to square his shoulders before the first of the pack leapt at his throat, yellow teeth bared. Dano hacked downwards, and caught the wolf right between the shoulder and neck. The blade cut deep, and the wolf managed a small whine before it crashed to the ground and died.

Echo had engaged the wolf Dano had punched, and was squared off after the two collided in the air when they first engaged each other. Echo circled to the right of the wounded animal, trying to exploit its fractured skull. When the feral wolf tried to shift its body so it could see Echo, the survivor struck. The animal could barely see the attack, and reacted too late. Echo wrapped his jaw around the feral wolf’s neck, and bit down hard enough to puncture its windpipe. The animal wheezed as blood filled its lungs and throat before it collapsed.

The rest of the pack slowed, and began to surround the two survivors. Dano couldn’t let this happen again.

“Echo, stay here with Fluttershy. I will lead the wolves away.”

Dano saw Echo nod in his peripheral vision.

Dano sucked in a large breath and let it out before he charge the wolf in front of him. This time, however, the wolf was ready, and pounced almost immediately. Dano reacted by catching the wolf around its neck with his left hand, and stabbing it in the chest with his blade. The survivor threw the now limp animal at one of its pack mates then took off away from Fluttershy and Echo. Like Dano hoped the pack followed him.

Dano ran for as long as he could. His muscles screamed at him to stop and breath, but Dano’s mind kept screaming back that the wolves were right behind him. Eventually Dano stopped, and turned. He could see the anger in the wolves yellow eyes, they were out for blood. Dano squared himself as best as he could as another wolf leapt at him. The survivor hacked at the wolf, and caught the animal right between the muzzle and right eye. The blade pushed its way through the skin, and smashed the bone of the wolf. The feral animal died before it hit the ground, and Dano readied himself for the next one, but he was too tired and slow.

The next wolf jumped into the air and clamped down on Dano’s exposed bicep. Dano inhaled through gritted teeth as he spun on his feet with the wolf’s momentum so the beast wouldn’t rip his bicep off. Completely turned around the other wolf took advantage of Dano, and bit down on his ankle. Luckily Dano was wearing his boots, and the bite wasn’t affective.

The survivor was more concerned with the wolf hanging off of his arm that the one attacking his leg. Dano moved his left hand into the mouth of the wolf attached to him and lifted upward and away. The animal’s top teeth came out easily, but its bottom ones dug deep trenches in Dano’s flesh as the survivor pulled. Once the wolf was detached from Dano’s arm it bit down on the survivor’s hand. Dano ignored the pain and stabbed the wolf in the rib cage perpendicularly to its spine. The blade pierced both of its lungs and heart, and the wolf died quickly.

Dano used the dead wolf in his left hand as a club to get rid of the last wolf. The survivor released the body after the initial blow, and the wolf tumbled across the ground with the corpse on top of it. Dano moved quickly to the pile to finish the last wolf. He kneeled, brought the knife above his head with both hands and brought the blade down in a crushing blow, but the wolf dodged. Dano’s eyes followed the beast as it rolled away from the blade, stood and launched its attack. The survivor brought his left hand up to protect his neck, and the weight of the animal pushed him on his back.

Dano’s arm was pushing up on the wolf throat, and the beast’s mouth was snapping at his face. The wolf snarled, and pushed as hard as it could. Dano could feel the feral K9’s front claws dig into his chest to try and gain any grip to finish the human. The survivor tried to bring his right arm into the fight, but the appendage refused to comply. The wolf bite had really worked over his bicep.

Time seemed to slow down around the struggle as Dano tried his best to push the animal off of him, but to no avail. The fatigue in his left arm was growing, and the wolf was gaining ground. Dano felt its hot breath on his face, and his mind raced. His arm was about to give out when Dano heard a crash from the forest to his left. Echo had returned, and he leapt through the air at the wolf on top of his friend. The feral K9 didn’t react fast enough, and Echo was upon it before it even moved to defend itself.

While midair Echo clamped his jaw on the back of the wolf’s neck, rolled into a ball and used his momentum to pull the feral K9 off of Dano. The survivor could hear the struggle continue for a short while before a small whine escaped one of the wolves. Dano rolled over to see Echo standing over the last wolf’s body, its blood dripping around his mouth.

Echo looked more like the six wolves the two of them had just killed. His coat was stained with dirt and blood, and his eyes were filled with adrenaline and rage. Dano saw the anger seep away from his friends eyes, and was replaced by worry.

Dano was a mess, and blood ran freely from his chest and arm. The survivor felt the last dregs of adrenaline leave his system, and the fatigue and pain replaced it. Dano struggled to stand up, his survival instincts telling him to get out of the forest and find help. Echo whined as Dano pulled himself from the ground, and nuzzled his leg as the survivor struggled to stand.

Once upright Dano felt light headed and tired. Part of him wanted to sleep, and Dano realized that he had lost a lot of blood. He looked at Echo.

“Get me out of here.”

Dano’s voice was raspy and quiet.

Echo nodded, the worry still in his face, and began to trot toward the way home.

The walk to safety was long, and time seemed to slow down around Dano. He felt his body begin to shut down as blood continued to leave his system. The only thing keeping him awake, keeping him alive was his will. Echo would occasionally stop and look back at his friend, and the worry would increase as Dano continued to show more and more signs of extreme blood loss.

After what felt like hours Dano finally broke through the last of the brush marking the tree line. He was right back where he started, at the picnic. Through his hazy vision he could see the girls and Spike sitting on the blanket, all of them looking solemn. The group looked over at the disturbance, and their expressions changed to joy then to worry as they took in Dano.

Unable to go on Dano collapsed to his knees, his head hanging low. He could hear the girls run over to him, but Dano couldn’t hold on anymore. He closed his eyes and let the rest his body want so deeply take him over, and the last thing he heard was the sound of six girls and one teenage boy all talk at once.

So what do you think Twilight?
chapters a little long, you took forever to get it out and you are really lucky you have spell check
What is that supposed to mean?
your spelling is atrocious
you know she is right
shut up logic
are you talking to yourself again?
yes, yes i am. Pinkie can usually hear him.... where is Pinkie?
she said something about going to Mac Hall and baking something
oh boy
this is not good
i know this
*door bursts open*
hey everypony!
Pinkie, i told you to stay in the room
i know, but i got so bored.... and hungry. So i made cupcakes
*hands Author cupcakes as Author face palms
i told you this would happen
shut up logic

there she be
the new chapter
for your eyes only reader
sorry for the late update
but just look how long the chapter is, and the action
anyway
enjoy, and dont forget to comment.
that is all
kthnxbai