Forest Fire

The sound of a roar caused Spitfire to freeze, ears perked and muscles tense. The rustle of something and a growing shadow sent her into motion.

Turning to one side, she dove into some brush. Not the bravest action, she would admit, but it seemed the wisest. The mare was already injured, sore and tired. All combined, it would give her a major disadvantage in a fight. Judging from the size and sound, the creature was larger than her and aggressive, which would give it an advantage. Being double disadvantaged made winning a direct confrontation doubtful.

The minor burn of scrapes and scratches started to make its way through her body and reaching her mind. Keeping still, she moved her eyes to look at the brush she had hidden in. That was when she noticed that it was covered with thorns. So few plants in Equestria had them, the possibility had not even crossed her mind.

The continued noise of something approaching drew Spitfire's attention away from the thorns and back to the creature beyond it. It looked mostly like a lion, a male seeing as it had a massive mane around its head. Large draconic wing sprouted from the creature's shoulders, currently tucked against its sides. A tail curled up above its back, looking segmented and barbed like an over-sized scorpion tail.

Spitfire tensed, resisting the urge to move. She had no idea how well the creature could hear so she wanted to avoid making her hiding place rustle. Her jaw clenched tight as she held her breath, watching the creature. It seemed to be sniffing around for something. Not able to do much else, the pegasus mare watched and waited. She gave a small silent prayer to be missed by the thing.

The manticore stopped in its tracks. Shifting, it lowered its head and began to sniff at the ground. The feline moved back and forth, the tail shifting behind it. Lifting its head, it took a deep breath then started to move forward. The body shifted, moving lower to the ground as it crept along, eyes, ears and nose focused ahead of it.

Spitfire continued to hold still and wait. She was forced to resume breathing sooner than she would have liked, but the creature took no notice. Slowly, she continued to breathe, focusing on it and waiting for her body to calm down. As the creature moved further and further away, her heart started to beat at a calmer and calmer pace.

Once feeling comfortable that the creature was a safe distance, she began to crawl out of her hiding spot. The mare moved to climb out more carefully than she had jumped in. She could feel the thorns as she moved, tugging at her mane, tail, and flightsuit. As she worked free, something caught her eye.

Blackberries. Without realizing it, she had hidden in a blackberry bush. Now she was looking at some of the fruit, and it appeared to be ripe.

A small growl came from her stomach. It had been a while since she had eaten anything (Lunch time? Breakfast?), and she would need to keep her energy up if she was going to keep walking. Being careful of the thorns, Spitfire began to eat the blackberries.

The berries were ripe and ready to burst at the first bite, releasing a small explosion of sweet juice with a hint of tartness to it. The taste began to fade before being replaced by another of the delicious berries.

After eating about twenty, Spitfire licked her lips and decided to stop. As much as she was enjoying it, she needed a bit more variety than just blackberries. Stepping away from the bush, she turned and continued her way toward what she hoped would be civilization. Her mind focused as she took in as much as she could, trying to notice any other foods she could eat as well as possible threats.

No dangers came into view, but she did find food. As she walked, Spitfire came across a pecan tree. There were many nuts on the ground around it, from fresh to either rotten or starting to sprout. The fresh sprouts were tender and a little more substantial than the blackberries from earlier. The shells on the ripe nuts were soft enough to bite and eat, making the meal extra crunchy. The meat inside was delicious, having a slight wooden taste to it.

Although not as tasty as the berries, they were more substantial. Between the two courses, the hunger had subsided and she felt a little re-energized. Her body still ached and her muscles were stiff, but she no longer felt the need to sleep as much as she did before.

With renewed energy, the pegasus continued on, trotting faster than she had before. Her tail gave a flick as she felt her confident returning. She may be in the Everfree Forest, but she was going to get out and be fine. After all, she was a soldier. In point, she had earned a position as leader to one of the best group of pegasi flyers in Equestria. She would still have to be careful, but she could -- and would -- make it out and back home.

Something grabbed her foot.

"Look what me's found," a voice growled out.