A Quest for Home

"Mightily well handled young girl! I saw the whole thing!"

Tethershine had been walking for only ten minutes when she heard the unmistakable voice of Bravado Loud somewhere in the trees.

"How? The Zebras had eyes in the trees!"

"My hooves are quicker than their eyes, eh?" He dropped down next to her, encouraging a shriek of a surprise from the young mare. "I must say, I've never seen anypony walk out of zebra territory alive! Well done!"

"Thanks... I guess... but, if you knew there were there, why didn't you warn me about them?"

"I figured it would be useless information for you. Rhyming tribal zebras ahead? It's the most ridiculous things I've ever heard, and I've heard some silly things believe you me."

Tethershine shook her head and sighed. "Well, are there any other..." She hesitated, her mind flashing back to her trial.

"Yes, my dear?"

Tethershine turned to the strange stallion. "Bravado, what's an Arachnacide?

Bravado's signiture smile left and his eyes narrowed, the once jolly face now deep and serious.

"Arachnacide is a monsterous being. Every creature in the forest intelligent or not knows to be scared of him. He uses his paralyzing bite to stun his prey before dragging them beck to his nest and doing Celestia-knows-what to it. Should you hear the loud thundering of eight hairy legs marching towards you, you know that you're doomed. In the last concious moments of your life you'll see his big demonic red eyes and-" His ears perked up. Then, after a tense moment of silence, something very unexpected happened.

Bravado galloped away, disappearing from all view within seconds.

Behind Tethershine, a bush rustled, She turned. There was nothing. Behind her, hoofsteps. She turned. Nothing again. Something was here. It was toying with her.

"Don't be afraid, Tether." Eslaf's beautiful voice rang in her ears, and for a brief, heavenly moment Tethershine saw those sparkling eyes of his once again. "Sing Tether. If you ever feel afraid, just sing."

"I watch as the bluebird settles in her tree

I stare as she builds so very busily.

I hear how she calls for a lover desperately.

But love won't come to some that easily..."

The melancholy song was taught to her brother. She had tried singing it on the journey here, but her brother had shushed her immediately. She hadn't sung since. She began the next verse, though the noises had stopped.

"I see another bluebird flying cross the field

Observing as she fawns for the babies he will yield

I gazed upon the female, shook my head and sighed,

like me she has a lover where love doesn't reside."

Silence. Tethershine was noticing a pattern.

"I do not mean you any harm..." Tethershine looked around, trying to spot the smallest signs of life. For a brief moment she questioned whether she had heard the noises at all. Then. a young girl's voice came from her left.

"I propose the singing beast is our friend. all in agreement?" Then, from all around her, came several childish voices each saying "AYE!" Then, the creatures emerged. They were Reindeer, their legs long and an thin, their fur brown and short, their eyes small and cute. What's more, all 7 reindeer surrounding her were calves.

"Hello. I am Tethershine of Dawnvale an-"

"Can singing beast teach us to sing?" Said one of the males. "I propose singing beast teaches us. all in agreement?"

"Aye"

"Then it is confirmed. Singing beast will tell us all she knows." The foals all turned towards her again, their eyes hungry.

"Fine. I shall teach you all to sing under one condition. You each tell me your names."

"I say we comply with the condition." Said one calf.

"I say not!" said another.

"A vote it is! All who say we should comply." 4 of the 7 reindeer put their hooves up.

"Done. We'll tell singing beast our names." The calves assembled in a line as if they'd done this before. The first 6 names came like a blur, Tethershine didn't hear any of them. But the last calf came forward standing tall. She said clearly:

"I'm princess Antla, daughter of King Demantlor, our leader."

"Pleased to meet you princess. I'm pleased to meet all of you. Now tell me, what do you all know about singing..."

Bravado Loud, for all the noise he made, was also good at being quiet when he wanted too. He sat silently atop a branch, staring down at the creatures below. His trained ears heard soft thunder off in the south over the beauteous singing of Tethershine and the reindeer foals. in a short time, there would be panic. But for now, the pony would bond with the reindeer foals and find through them a way into the hearts of the adults. He looked to the north. The adults were coming, including King Demantlor. As they did, the thunder from the south became louder and louder. The king would soon reach the clearing where the ponies lay, the thundering footsteps would soon be heard. Below, the creatures sung, unaware of the the incoming peril. It was time for him to be ready.

A strong Reindeer burst through the bushes, a warm smile on his face. His large beefy antlers matches his stony yet warm face. As he made eye contact with Tethershine, his face dropped. The foals stopped singing and followed the singing beast's gaze to their parents who stood in shock. Before anyone could react to this, Everyone realized the singing had been disguising a noise coming from the south. It was the loud thunderous omen of death, The footsteps of a monster.

"ARACHNACIDE! RUN!"

Everybeast turned and fled for their life as the creature hastily followed. Depsite their efforts, it's footsteps grew ever louder as it drew nearer to the fleeing pack. Antla tripped, before Tethershine could react she had ran past her. She turned round and used her magic to levitate the calf to her. That's when she saw him. Arachnacide the giant spider. He was just as Bravado had described him and worse:  Eight long, thin, hairly legs, Red demonic unblinking eyes, hair as black as night, and a gaze as cold as winter.

Without warning, the beast jumped towards them. Tethershine leaped desperately to the side with Antla, the two getting up and running from the creature as fast as they could. They turned a corner, Tethershine bending a branch with her. as the beast was right on her, she let the branch go. It flung into the spider full force, knocking him onto his back.

"HA!" laughed Antla.

Tethershine and Antla used the distraction to climb the tree. The reindeer was surprisingly nimble for her age. The two were high enough so the spider couldn't reach them. It growled in anger at them, before ramming into the tree. Tethershine nearly slipped off, but Antla steadied her. It bashed the tree again. And again. The two still managed to stay on. On the fourth bash however, Tethershine slipped, grabbing onto the branch with her forehooves before she fell.

"SINGER BEAST!" yelled the young calf. Arachnacide howled in triumph, knowing his troublesome prey had lost. He rammed into the the tree again Tethershine knew she would fall next time. Just as she was about to give up, a familiar voice saved her life.

"Oy! You! Hairy fella! That's not how you treat a lady!" Came Bravado's mad ramblings. The spider roared in anger, his attention fully drawn on the insane stallion. "I mean honestly, I've heard of barking up the wrong tree but this is just pitiable." Arachnacide started at the pony who turned and ran. The monster disappeared after him.

For saving his daughter, Tethershine was offered food and shelter for the night. She denied it, saying she needed to find a permanent home.

"Are you sure you do not wish to stay for the night? We owe you so much for saving my daughter..."

"I just did what any decent pony would've done. I thank you for the offer, but I must find my home."

"Hey Singing beast?" Tethershine had gotten used to being called that. She don't know why, but she liked the name. It suggested she was good at something. She looked to Antla, who continued: "Where is your home anyway?"

Tethershine looked to the floor. "I don't know. My quest is to find it."

"I say that you will." she raised her voice "TETHERSHINE WILL SOON FIND HER HOME. ALL IN AGREEMENT?" the crowd of reindeers shouted back: "AYE!"

Tethershine smiled at the young calf. "Thank you" She looked then at the rest of the group. "All of you."

Up in the treetops the mad pony smiled, having shaken off that stupid spider long ago. His instinct about this mare was right.

She was the one Everfree needed.