Applejack didn't want to move. Her entire body ached, her coat and mane were encrusted with dried slime, and she was so, so tired. She just wanted to curl up where she lay and fall asleep. Yet she was an Apple, and Apples didn't waste the day sleeping even when they were tired and bruised. There was work to do, and work waited for nopony.

Applejack climbed to her hooves, hearing her joints crack and pop as her body complained about the movement while bits of dried slime cracked and fell from her coat. Applejack's head swam as she again thought how nice it would be to lay down and take a nap, just for a few days. No, she didn't have time to waste, she really didn't want to be alone in the dark with that monster again, and she still needed to find out where she was. Not to mention she was still rather hungry.

Applejack took a step and winced in pain as her sides objected painfully. Applejack turned her head and cringed at her first good look at the injury she had earned foolishly trying to stand up to a demon she couldn't even see. The three gashes were nearly a hoof deep and a couple inches wide, she would certainly have bleed out had they not been burned shut at the same time the flesh had been torn open. The wounds were coated with a thick layer of the same strange slime that had coated her when she fell the night before, but that didn't hide the fact that the flesh around the wound looked horribly bruised and charred. If it weren't for how bad Applejack's current situation was, she would never have dared move with such an injury for fear of it tearing open or getting it infected. But she didn't have the convenience of laying around waiting for the injury to get better.

Applejack took another step gritting her teeth against the pain of her protesting sides, before taking another, and another. Eventually the spikes of pain coursing through her body simply became a part of her walk cycle that could almost be ignored, almost. She still wasn't moving as fast as she should have been but didn't want to attempt moving faster than a slow trot.

Applejack yelp and leapt back in surprise as the ground in front of her suddenly opened up to reveal a large toothy maw. Applejack gazed at the maw in horror realizing that it was more than big enough to swallow a pony whole and that those teeth looked like they would hurt if the thing bit her. Yet it wasn't moving, the giant maw simply sat their breathing like it expected Applejack to just wander into its open maw. She seriously doubted anypony was that stupid though.

Applejack blushed as she realized that she'd probably done exactly that last night when she'd fallen into the dank tunnel that had coated her with slime. In fact, judging from its position, this was probably where she'd been ejected the night before. Applejack didn't know why this... thing, hadn't eaten her but she didn't feel up to taking a chance on it deciding to not eat her again. She carefully stepped around the thing and continued on her randomly chosen path through the field.

She didn't walk long before she stop. Looking about the field she saw things she would probably need before it got dark. The long grasses, little saplings with lots of easily breakable branches, bushes covered with berries. She'd need these, and probably needed something to start a fire if she didn't want to spend another night being chased by unseen terrors. Applejack shuddered, she doubted she could manage such a feat again, nor did she wish to try.

Walking over to one of the patches of long grass Applejack began tearing the long strands of grass and tried ignore their awful taste as she piled the strands on her back before moved to the next patch of long grass and repeating the process. She repeated this twice more before moving to one of the saplings and tearing off every branch she could, leaving the poor tree as a single limp trunk. Applejack apologized to the poor little tree, but knew it was a case of either her or it. She striped two more such saplings leaving them all in a state of limp bareness. Then she began to move towards the bushes before freezing as she spotted something that horrified her.

Less than a hundred hooves away half hidden behind several small patches of tall grass was the skeleton of a young pony. Applejack gazed at the sight in shock, she had been in a lot of dangerous situations, but in none of them had she ever been exposed to death in such a blatant way. She'd seen plenty of ponies injured, but everypony had always made it out alive. Applejack slowly approached the skeleton, eyes darting about looking for what had killed the poor pony, but she saw nothing. From the positioning of the bones, it looked like the poor thing had died in its sleep.

Applejack recoiled in horror as she realized that this could easily have been her, killed in her sleep and her flesh devoured by some unknown monster. She started to feel herself tearing up as she took off her Stetson to quietly mourn the poor pony before her wondering if this poor pony had been in the darkness with her the night before and had not been as lucky as she. What if this had been somepony she could have saved, or worse yet, somepony she knew.

Applejack's eyes widened at the thought and she carefully examined the bones half expecting to see some tuft of a curly pink mane nearby or something that belong to one of her friends. She didn't see anything like that, and realized that the bones were to small to have been one of her friends, the poor thing had been a little filly. Applejack felt her heart tighten at the unfairness of it all. That she had lived while this poor child had died alone in the darkness scared and afraid, the poor little thing didn't look like it was even old enough to have its cutie mark yet.

Applejack turned away from the bones trying not to cry again when she smacked her hoof on something. Horrified that she'd tripped over some piece of the filly, Applejack's eyes snapped open and gazed down at what she'd kicked. She sighed when she saw it was just a wooden log. Applejack picked up the log thinking to would be useful for tonight's fire when she noticed that there were a couple more logs about and a crudely made weather-beaten ax of twigs and flint nearby. Applejack blinked at the odd items before she realized what she'd done. She was looting the poor fillies body.

Applejack felt physically ill with this realization and consider throwing the logs she'd looted. Yet she couldn't bring herself to toss away the useful wood so easily and she couldn't help but eye the ax where it lay. The practical side of Applejack couldn't help but think about how useful the ax and wood would be. Besides, the dead filly didn't need it anymore. Applejack's mind rebelled against the idea. Stealing from the dead went against everything she stood for and was considered a crime by every civilized species she knew of.

But this isn't exactly civilization, the practical side of Applejack argued. We need wood for the fire tonight, and that ax will be useful for collecting more and defending yourself.

But stealing from the dead is wrong, Applejack argued back. Especially stealing from a dead filly. What would I say to Twilight if I took this? Heck I wouldn't even be able to look Applebloom or Granny in the eye if I did this.

You don't have to tell them any of this. Besides think of the filly, she wouldn't want you to go and die when something of hers could have save you would she?

Applejack froze considering the point that she had to admit, was sensible, yet left an awful taste in her mouth. She needed this wood and that ax could easily save her life, and no doubt the young filly would probably not want somepony else to suffer on her account. Applejack sweated over the decision for several more minutes before heaving a defeated sigh.

"Alright, I'll take the dang ax and the wood, but I ain't gonna lie to my friends and family. The second I get home I'm going to tell them what I did and why. And soon as I'm able I will come back and bury this poor filly."

Applejack's practical side snorted but otherwise said nothing, consenting to her compromise. Applejack tossed the last logs on her back with the other and picked up the ax in her mouth grimacing at the faint taste of wet and slightly rotten wood. She carefully balanced the ax with the rest of what she carried on her back before looking down at the skeleton again feeling horribly guilty as she looked into the hollow eye sockets. Applejack gently nuzzled the skull knowing the filly was long past any hope of comfort.

"I'm sorry little filly," Applejack whispered to the skull, "I need to take your things for a while. I promise I'll make it up to ya. I'll come back and bury you somewhere nice so ya can hopefully rest in piece. I'm so sorry I can't do more for ya or have done something to have saved ya."

Applejack straightened up and lowered her Stetson's brim over her eyes despite being all alone. She'd never like showing it whenever she cried and she could feel tears welling up as her mind thought about who the poor filly behind her could have been and its family worrying over it hoping their child would come home soon. Applejack distracted herself by picking a couple of berry bushes clean and plucking a carrot from the ground and adding it to the growing pile on her back.

Applejack tried to think of nothing as she walked vaguely northwards. She tried to keep her mind from the monsters in the dark, from the thought of the unicorn with a cruel smile, who no doubt was laughing at her right now, and from the dead filly she'd just looted of all its worldly possessions. She tried to focus on keeping an eye out for any signs of civilization, or more food to eat. Yet her mind kept drifting into darker places, shaming her for having stolen from the filly, for crying so much, for not bucking that smug looking Sombra wannabe in the face when she had the chance.

Applejack jumped at the sound of hooves on stone, suddenly fearing that somehow the unicorn had heard her thoughts and appeared before her. Yet she was still very much alone, it had been her hooves she'd heard. She was standing on a cobblestone path she hadn't even noticed due to being lost in her thoughts.

Applejack brightened in excitement, she was on a cobblestone path, a clear sign of civilization, all she had to do now was follow the path and she'd reach a town where she could find out where she was. If she was lucky she could be home in Ponyville within a week. Excited, Applejack began follow the trail to the west hoping that it wasn't far to the town the road led to.

Applejack began to skip as she trotted down the road ignoring the pain in her side as her thoughts finally turned happy and hopeful. She'd be among other ponies soon, she'd finally know where she was and probably be able to get a ride home shortly after. When she got home she was going to give her friends and family the biggest hug she could. After she told them about how she'd looted the body of a dead filly. And she should probably write to Celestia to let her know about the unicorn who was obviously corrupted by dark magic. That was if that unicorn and his monster didn't do something to stop her from returning home. Or kill her.

Applejack was interrupted from her rapidly darkening thoughts by the a pungent smell coming from up ahead. Applejack sniffed it wearily and was reminded of the smell of the pig pen on her farm after Applebloom forgot to clean it for a week. She took that as a good sign, it meant she must nearly be to the village the road lead to. It must be just around this copse of trees, she was just a few steps from...

Applejack stopped as she looked at the village of perhaps a few dozen wooden cottages. She looked from the tiny gardens full of berry bushes and carrots to the six poles with the severed heads of strange fish creatures mounted on them. But what made the smile run away from Applejack's face was the inhabitants of the village. They weren't ponies, or anything she had ever believed to have been possible.

The village was full of strange pig creature walking around on their hind legs. Every one of the creatures looked exactly like the next and the one before it down to the very grass skirts they all wore. Occasionally one of the pigs would turn and look at Applejack suspiciously before returning to its business, which seemed mostly to be walking aimlessly around the field their village was built in.

Applejack opened and closed her mouth several times trying to comprehend what she was seeing as she tried to pick up the shattered piece of hope around her. This meant she certainly wasn't in Equestria anymore, or at least no part of it she'd ever heard of. She was fairly certain she'd remember if she heard of a place with strange pig creatures living in it. But that didn't mean they couldn't help her, maybe they could point her to a pony town or maybe knew a way back to Equestria. Hopefully they were friendly, maybe they just didn't like fish. Applejack hoped that was the case, she really didn't want to be attacked by a village of pigs.

Applejack nervously walked into the town feeling all the more nervous as several pigs turned to watch her. Despite watching her none of the pigs moved to welcome or attack her, so Applejack walked up to the nearest pig and hoping he (she?) was friendlier than they looked.

"What you want?" the pig snorted looking down its snout at Applejack.

"Uh well, I was hoping you might know where Equestria is... sir," Applejack said nervously noticing that most of the pigs were watching her now.

"What that?"

Applejack tried to ignore the despair that now filled her guts and tried to maintain a cheerful face as she asked, "Then perhaps would you know where I could find a pony town or anypony else for that matter."

"No horse town," the pig grunted, "Horsies bad."

Applejack tried to ignore the insult and focus on the fact that these pigs seemed at least know of ponies, even if they had a rather negative view of them, "Please sir if ya could tell me where I could find some other, um, horsies, I'd be much obliged fer yer help."

"NO." the pig snorted, "Horsies bad."

"Look here now partner-," Applejack growled her temper stating to get the better of her.

The pig suddenly retreated several steps squealing, "You stay away!"

Applejack froze noticing the angry glares that surrounded her. It seemed she was starting to overstay her welcome among these pigs. Applejack back away from the pig she'd been speaking to and said loudly to the village, "I guess I'll just be going then. Thanks fer yer help."

Applejack hurried out of the town feeling like she'd narrowly avoid being torn apart. She sighed as she walked along the cobblestone path wondering what she would do if it turned out she was the only pony left in this place. Sure there was always the dark unicorn, but he wasn't likely to be good company and Applejack wanted nothing to do with him anyhow. She'd much rather hang out with a skeleton than that arrogant mass of hate.

Applejack realized she was once again walking down the cobblestone road away from the village and wondered what the point of it was. All she was likely to find at the other end of the road was another village full of pigs that regarded her with scorn and barely restrained hostility. Yet what option did she have? This was the only sign she had of any kind of civilization and these pigs at least seemed to know of ponies, even if they considered them "bad". Perhaps in the next village she might find a pig that could point her to where Applejack could find more ponies who might actually know where Equestria was and how to get to it.

She clung to this hope as she walked never daring to let it go for fear that it would be ripped away from her and leave her to flounder in this cruel land without any real hope. For if the things that lived here had never heard of Equestria, how could Applejack hope to find it by wandering blindly without somepony who knew the way? The thought of never seen her friends again, the thought of her family's farm failing in her absence, that she might never see her home again was to much for Applejack to even consider while she still had hope to cling to.

Yet she knew hope alone would not be enough as she continued down the path through the sparse pine forest, she was getting hungry again and there was no conveniently located berry bushes around for her to feast upon. She still had her berries and carrot from earlier, but they amounted to little more than a single meal, much less something to satisfy a day's hunger. Not only that, she would have to stop soon, for Applejack could see the sun already beginning to head for the distant horizon. She had maybe two and a half hours left before it got dark and Applejack wanted to be sure she had a fire ready and burning before the sun set.

She also desperately hoped that it was light that the night terror feared and not simply fireflies. Applejack's wounded side still burned and ached to remind her how little chance she stood against the beast. Applejack shivered before stopping as she noticed something near the path.

Running up to the cobblestone road she'd been following was a beaten trail leading into the forest. Applejack pondered this as the pigs did not seem to leave their village often as she had encountered none of them on her long trek along the road. So if not the pigs, then who had beaten this trail into the woods? The trail would have to be frequently used for it to be so obvious and the plants along it so well worn. Applejack leaned close to the trail and examined it curiously hoping she might divine some clue as to who had made this path.

Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed an old hoof print in the dirt. The print was old and could well have been made by a pig for all she knew, but Applejack couldn't help but feel that the hoof print had come from a fellow pony that might well still be alive. Hope bursting anew Applejack hurried down the trail.

She wondered what kind of pony she would be meeting at the end of the trail, another mare such as herself? A strong handsome stallion with a chin to die for? Or perhaps even a whole village that would happily point her in the direction of Equestria. She was slightly worried that whoever she met might not be the kindest of ponies as the pigs seemed to dislike them, but she was sure that they would be more than welcoming to a lost hard working mare trying to find her way home. Any decent pony would.

It never occurred to Applejack that she might find an empty camp when she finally reached the end of the trail. Yet when she stumbled upon a simple camp, she found it completely deserted and the fire pit as cold as the stones making it. There was little at the camp aside from two large slightly moldy wooden chest and a couple of patches of worked earth that could hardly be called a garden. Peeking into the first chest Applejack found it loaded with logs, grass, twigs, and rocks. She considered taking some of the wood, but decided against it. She'd already stolen from a dead filly today, she didn't want to steal from anypony else if she could help it. The second chest contained a large collection of silk, some strange purple stuff that reminded Applejack uncomfortably of guts, and a small collection of seeds all buried in several inches of ash.

Applejack was interrupted from her search of the camp by a pair of popping sounds. She whirled to see that the patches of worked earth had suddenly sprouted out a delicious looking pumpkin and eggplant. Applejack hurried over and quickly harvested both of the plants her mouth already watering at the thought of the feast the two would provide when mixed with the food she already had. Applejack set her load down by the fire pit and began to set about preparing a fire.

She was quiet surprised however when as soon as she tossed a log into the pit, it caught fire and began to burn merrily. Applejack blinked in surprised having been sure the ashes and coals in the pit were cold, certainly nowhere near hot enough to set a log instantly ablaze. Applejack tossed on another log and watched as it to instantly caught fire and began to crackle merrily away. Applejack sighed massaging her forehead with her hooves, either this fire pit was enchanted or it was yet another oddity in this place. What was next? Giant cycloptian birds?

Applejack sighed as she sat down and tossed her last log on the fire before pulling out the food she'd collected and speared the eggplant with one of the twigs she'd plucked off the saplings. She held it over the fire in an attempt to cook it, not that she really knew how to cook an egg plant, but it would be nice to eat something that had been prepared somewhat. After a couple of minutes Applejack withdrew the eggplant and took a nibble before she quickly gobbled down the rest of the plant. It was delicious! Applejack quickly speared the pumpkin with several of the thicker twigs and gave it a quick cook as well, its soft tender flesh was like a blessing as it hit Applejack's gut. Finishing up with the berries from the bush, Applejack gave a content sigh. For the first time in days she felt truly full and it was doing wonders for her mood, even her recently injured side was feeling much better now that her body had energy to start healing.

Applejack curled up next to the warm fire and attempted to make herself comfortable as the last vestiges of light fade with the setting sun. Applejack found herself in her own little sphere of light cast by the fire. Applejack's ears twitched listening for the tell tale sound of the monster that had hunted her the night before, but was greeted by nothing more ominous than the sound of trees rustling in the breeze. Applejack smiled finally feeling a great deal of relief knowing that she was safe from that horror.

She attempted to fall asleep in the warmth of the fire, but her mind refused to sleep as thoughts began to chase each other about her head. She still needed to get home, but had no idea which way to go. If anything, this day had made her feel even more lost than she had felt the day before. The locals had never heard of Equestria, and the locals themselves! Applejack had never heard of such creatures despite having read several books and listened to Twilight rant for hours on the subject of odd and mythological creatures. She'd developed a bit of a curiosity for them considering how often she seemed to run across such "myths". Yet no mention of anything even vaguely like those pig creatures she'd encountered today.

But there were ponies about, supposedly. The pigs knew of them and there had been that one poor filly, yet Applejack had yet to encounter them. She even starting to wonder if she really wanted to considering how much the pigs seemed to dislike them. Not to mention just how hostile this place seemed to be, her mind began to craft images of ponies twisted by this place into savage monsters that did insane things like eat meat and kill without discretion or mercy. Or ponies that wielded dark magic like a unicorns did normal magic becoming twisted hate filled creatures like that one stallion she'd already seen when she first woke up.

The snap of a twig made Applejack abandon her attempts at slumber. Her ears turned and whirled trying to find out where the sound had come from as her eyes tried to pierce the darkness. She didn't have to search long for the source, a pair of white eyes shone in the gloom beyond the light of her fire. Applejack leapt to her hooves, terror seizing her heart and almost making her stumble back into the still crackling fire. She watched the eye they watched her, never moving, always just beyond the light of the fire.

Applejack chuckled nervous, then gave a good honest laugh, "What's the matter you dang varmint? You afraid of coming out into the light where I can see you?"

She was answered by a low throaty chuckle. Applejack blinked, her confidence shattered in an instant, she scooped up her ax and gripped it so tightly she half feared that her teeth would bite through the makeshift tool. Her heart stopped as she began to hear a music box start playing.

Slowly, so terribly slowly, two massive shadows began to separate themselves from the dark beyond and slither forward across the ground in clear defiance of the fire's light. The shadows quickly resolved themselves as two massive clawed hands, each big enough to hold Applejack comfortably in their palms. Applejack became paralyzed with terror as the claws slowly slithered across the ground towards her, the sound of a ghostly music box chiming their advance like a marching drum, the white eyes shining in confidence. They were so close now, only a few hoof lengths away.

Once more the sun saved Applejack.

The music box was silenced with a distorted twang, the eyes disappeared in the dark and the two reaching talons dissolved without a sound as the first rays of morning pierced the night. Applejack released a breath she'd forgotten she was even holding and greedily began sucking in air to answer her body's demand for the resource. Once more she cast her eyes about, trying to find where her night time tormentor had disappeared to. Once again she was left alone in a cold sweat.

Author's Note

After a long wait and several false starts, I've finally decided to go back and basically tear this story down and start building it from the ground up again. I've come to realize the original version simply had too many characters in it, and trying to fit them all together was weakening the story. So hopefully this time I'll have a much tighter, more focused story that doesn't have me treating Applejack like a lost foal so much as the tough ol' farm pony we all love.