Hidden Secrets

Twinkle had been out gathering fruit for the past three hours, and was now on her way home. The small town she lived in was secluded away in the Everfree Forest, allowing its inhabitants to be more than just ponies. She enjoyed the company of her friends whenever she could, but they had been busy today. As she trotted towards her home, a sense of dread began to fill her, and that confused her. Soon she would know why.

"Nothing could have prepared me for this..." she stated to herself as she looked over the scene she had discovered upon her arrival. Every building was destroyed, and everyone was gone. Not even Karl, her best friend and a very strong manticore, remained. "Why did this have to happen?" she asked herself. "Who could do such a thing?" Then, Twinkle heard voices. "Hey! There's one left! Get it!" Twinkle, who had been looking at the ground as tears streamed down her face, jerked her head up. Three unicorns in armor were galloping towards her. Taking to the sky, the pegasus filly flew crying away from her home. Why had these armored ponies attacked her home? Who did they think they were, destroying her life? Someday, Twinkle vowed, she would destroy Theirs.

*  *  *

"Princess Celestia, the rebel colony in the Everfree Forest has been destroyed. We captured all but one of its inhabitants and have put them to work. They had manticores there as equals!" The guard reported.

"What of this last one, that you were unable to capture?" Celestia asked the guard in a solemn tone. She stared at him in a manner that suggested that the reason for this failure had better be a good one.

"All the pegasi had returned with the prisoners. A pegasus filly from the rebel colony arrived and took off when we attempted to capture her."

"Mmm-hmm... Very well. We must be careful not to let Twilight Sparkle hear of this. She will NOT be pleased." Celestia was looking very stern now.

"Of course, your highness."

Twilight Sparkle, meanwhile, was in Zecoras home. "Thanks for your help." The purple alicorn told her zebra friend. "Now the Princess is sure to be impressed with my findings."

"Any time, my friend, help will be yours. But as with any boat, always look for the oars." Zecora was impressed with Twilights findings, but was worried that her friends mentor would be skeptical about the possibility of pony life in the deeper parts of the Everfree Forest. She knew of the cluster of villages already, but the evidence Twilight presented, as well as the strength of belief she held without actually finding the villages was astounding. The last time Zecora herself had been to one of the villages had been to help a new mother give birth to her foal. The pegaus filly born that day had been a strong one, and Zecora hadn't seen her since the day she was born. That meant the nopony there had been ill, but it also meant she was the youngest pony in the little community. I wonder what's happening there now... The zebra thought to herself.