Roar of the Manticoreby solsticebrony888ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 8Chapter 7*Chapter 1Same practice session, new day. Soarin’s favorite trick to perform gave him the same slight rush from nose diving towards the ground, just to pull back and rise towards the bright sky, which was something he had mastered. He saw the same accomplished smiles from the other Wonderbolts members after another successful day of training and practicing. Soarin’ liked continuity and predictability in his life, even as a daredevil flier on the most famous flying squad in Equestria. He liked being so sure of himself that he could do a maneuver with his eyes closed and not miss a beat; he enjoyed that family atmosphere he received from the Wonderbolts every day they met. So why, when life seemed so perfect, did he find himself so down all the time? It’s simple: love problems. That’s what. It had been a month since his relationship with Rainbow Dash ended; and it hadn’t been the only time he had broken up with right as he fell for the mare, either. A year ago he had a relationship with fellow Wonderbolt, Spitfire and just as he started to feel that he wanted to ask her to marry him, she broke up with him because they had been around each other too much, and had simply grown sick of each other. However, Spitfire has seemingly been the only one to truly move on after the breakup. His recent fallout with Rainbow Dash only unearthed feelings for his teammate and it wasn’t something he enjoyed; heart break and heart ache at the same time and it affected his daily life. Though he knows she loved him back during their 7 months of dating, back then, it wasn’t good for either of them to see each other constantly; neither wanted to admit that they’d want alone time and the relationship suffered because of that. Slowly, fights started erupting over simple things, and it led to her decision to end the relationship. They didn’t talk for months at work and it made other Wonderbolts uncomfortable due to the tension. However, they eventually started talking again and eventually considered each other best friends. Soarin’ was once again harboring feelings for her and his relationship troubles weren’t even close to over. The blue Wonderbolt swiftly flew on top of a cloud to take his regular break and to eat a pie he had left there before practice had begun. Others didn’t understand his obsession with pie, he didn’t get how they didn’t like it. However, it meant more pie for him and he definitely had no problem with that. “So, how are things going since that Sonic Rainboom chick dumped ya, Soarin’?” The distinctive voice of Lightning Streak could be heard as he flew over to Soarin’s cloud slowly and upside down. “Oh-” Soarin’ started, taking a second to swallow the rest of his bite of pie, “I guess everything is fine. I mean, it’s not like I had any choice but to get over her, you know?” “Oh alright,” The white-maned Wonderbolt said, “You’re just going to let her go off filly-foolin’ and all, not goin’ to try and convince her to take you back?” Soarin’ and Lightning Streak hadn’t spoken in a while, so Soarin’ had to fill him in on the reason why. They didn’t have much time to even hang out together since the twelve Wonderbolts usually practiced in squads of 3 or 6. Today, they had practiced in a group of six, which finally gave the two friends time to catch up. Unfortunately for the blue Wonderbolt, it meant that’d he’d have to once again tell the story of how his relationship with Rainbow Dash went wrong. “Nah. I don’t know. I kinda just chalk it up to being her choice to leave me; she would have stayed with me if she wanted to, you know? I wouldn’t want to be with a mare that expects me to fight over her after she cheated on me.” Soarin’s friend slowly lowered onto an adjacent cloud, both overlooking their practice/racing area in Canterlot. “I don’t get it; you seemed to be awfully head over hooves for that filly. You over her yet?” “Yeah, I still kind of am. I miss her, but more as a friend you know? It’s kind of impossible to stay friends after the break up we had,” The blue-maned stallion admitted, then took a massive bite out of his slice of pie, “It wasn’t like we broke up after a fight or anything. It was just sad I guess, not to sound like a pansy or anything.” “Any fillies catch your attention recently?” Lightning Streak questioned bluntly. “I find myself taking a liking to Spitfire. She’s one cool mare; almost beat her in a race today,” “You couldn’t stand a chance with Spitfire,” Soarin’ chided. “I barely even could.” “That’s saying that you’re better with fillies than I am, Soarin’ and we all know that ain’t true. Just look at your last, like, five marefriends. Roseluck? Broke up with you after a week. Apple Crisp? Broke up after a week. Octavi-” “Yeah, nice to see you again too, Lightning Streak,” Soarin’ interrupted sarcastically, but it got the point across. “Oh come on, Soarin’. You know I’m just joking. We’ve been friends since colthood... you can’t tell me you’re now becoming a pansy,” “I just think it’s funny that you think you could get with Spitfire,” the blue stallion jested. “Oh, so THAT’S why you’re being so defensive. I get it now,” Lightning Streak joked with a playful poking of Soarin’s side. “You still fancy yourself some Spitfire, huh?” “No!” Soarin’ reacted instinctively, immediately regretting how obvious it was that he was lying. “We haven’t dated in over a year; I’ve been over her for over a year, simple as that.” Lightning Streak cocked his head sideways as if to say, ‘Do you really expect me to believe that?’ “What?” The blue stallion responded, still defensive. “I’m not lying.” “Soarin’, there’s nothin’ wrong with liking Spitfire, but lying to your best friend, now there’s something wrong with that.” Soarin’ took the bait, “Alright. Okay. Maybe she’s catching my attention again. I can’t help it; she’s just…cool you know? I-I mean, some part of me always thinks of what could have been if I had been better to her. Anyways, I’d rather stay single right now... everypony knows how much trouble I have with relationships,” “So, you wouldn’t be mad if I made a move at her? I’ve been single longer than you have and it’s ‘bout time I get back into the field, you know.” “Yeah, sure. I’m sure these feelings will pass. I mean, the odds of two Wonderbolts falling in love is just ridiculous and only happens in those lame novels that all the mares like,” Soarin’ mentioned, taking the finishing bite on his cinnamon apple pie. “Don’t discourage me! I’m a Wonderbolt too, you know,” Lightning Streak said and then lifted himself into the air. “It’s about time we return to practice... maybe I’ll smooth in on Spitfire right now.” “Good luck with that,” Soarin said with a chuckle, knowing his friend was messing with him. He was soon next to the fellow Wonderbolt in mid-air. “Race you back to the start line!” “Deal!” Lightning Streak responded and soon they were racing at top speeds. <><><><><><><><><> “Spitfire! Wait up!” Ice Wind called to his friend. “Where you going?” He flew over to the Pegasus who was just exiting the arena in which they practice. “I’m going home, Icy... I still feel sick,” the orange-coated Pegasus said, as she trotted out the massive door of the arena. “I haven’t felt well all week.” “Oh, bummer,” the pie-loving stallion said, taking off his goggles. “No wonder I almost beat you today…” “I still wasn’t even trying,” Spitfire jested, poking a hoof to his chest playfully. “Actually, I was trying a little, I just couldn’t go much faster, or I probably would’ve puked.” Ice Wind smiled. “Well, just take it easy and sleep in tomorrow... you should wake up feeling fine. It’s what I usually do.” “Well, I usually just wait these sorts of things off, but I just can’t shake this sickness. We have a performance coming up, I can’t risk being sick.” “No kidding, we all know what happened the last time you performed sick.” “Don’t even remind me, Icy!” She jabbed his side a little harder. “I didn’t even mess up that badly.” After sharing a laugh with her friend, she spotted Soarin’ and Lightning Streak walking side by side after leaving from a different exit. “I would have nailed that trick if it wasn’t for LIGHTNING STREAK!” Spitfire yelled with a chuckle at the expense of the fellow Wonderbolt. From a distance, Lightning Streak laughed. “Oh, you’re still blaming it on me huh? Everypony knows you don’t perform sick!” She laughed it off as the four Wonderbolts started walking together in a group. “Oh jeez, you’re not looking too great, Spitfire,” Soarin’ said with a little chuckle, after greeting her with a hug. “Yeah, I’m still sick,” Spitfire responded, with a little cough. “Oh you’re sick too?” The four friends laughed, knowing that the former couple loved to joke around with each other. “Go eat some pie, Soarin,” The orange Wonderbolt responded with a chuckle. “When is the next performance anyway? Thursday or Friday?” “Friday now. They changed it because the weather Pegasi have a rainy day scheduled on Thursday,” Ice Wind said, then took off his goggles. The four started to walk into the middle of Canterlot where they usually split up before ponies started to harass them for autographs and such. “Oh... well, today’s Tuesday. Hopefully I’ll be okay by then,” Spitfire said. “Have you taken any medicine?” Lightning Streak asked. “No, I try to wait sicknesses out.” “Why? You could just go to the Everfree Forest and find this zebra who lives there and makes all sorts of potions; she has one for nearly everything!” Soarin’ stated. He then added, “Works better than magic! I went there when I messed up my hoof during a flight routine, you know, when it slammed right into that tree and I couldn’t put any pressure on it? She cured it in a matter of minutes.” “Well, I guess. How far is she in the Everfree forest? I only like flying over the Everfree forest, not going into it,” Spitfire added. They were now at the part of town where the ritually split up until the before fans could swarm them. Nopony seemed to be out at the time of day during a work-week, and the Wonderbolts always ended their days before most ponies in Canterlot. “Well, it’s time for me to go,” the light blue-maned Ice Wind said. “Lightning Streak and I have a party to attend to later.” Ice Wind stopped for a second. “You guys are coming right? You think you’ll be okay by then, Spitfire? That crazy zebra lady better heal you.” “No matter how sick I am, I don’t miss parties, and you know that, Icy! I don’t think it’s good karma to call her the crazy zebra lady, you better not have jinxed me right now...” the orange-maned Pegasus said with a chuckle. “I’ll be there, prepare to party your flanks off!” Spitfire mused with a grin. Ice Wind and Lightning Streak said their goodbyes and flew off, leaving Spitfire and Soarin’. “I guess I should get on the train to Ponyville huh?” the mare said looking up at Soarin’ with a defeated expression on her face. “Or, you could do something crazy, like fly there, you know. With your wings,” Soarin’ jested. “I’ve done too much flying today! I’m sick and I want to rest right now. I guess it’ll be worth having to take some pictures with fans on the way there.” “I thought you liked interacting with fans,” “Not when I’m ill, Soarin’,” the orange-maned Pegasus chided. The two then changed their direction to the train station, where Spitfire would make her way to the small town. Soarin’ didn’t even know why he was walking with her, when he could have just joined Lightning Streak and Ice Wind on their daily shenanigans throughout the town. Well, he did know why, but it wasn’t something he was ready to admit to himself. “Hey mommy! Look it’s Spitfire and the other…um…Wonderbolt!” an adolescent voice called from behind them, causing them to look back. They were met with gleaming smile of a tiny filly Pegasus. “Oh, I’m sorry to disturb you!” The apparent mother said with an embarrassed smile. “My daughter is like your biggest fan.” “Oh, you are huh? Well, does our biggest fan want a pair of goggles to call her own?” Spitfire said with a smile, Soarin’ chuckling at the little filly’s excitement. “MOMMY PLEASE!” The Pegasus filly squealed with joy, still big-eyed over her idols in front of her. Spitfire took her pair of goggles off and put them around the tiny Pegasus’ neck, causing the little pony to jump up and down in pure excitement. If there was anything they loved more than flying and partying it would be the look on a young fans face when they meet. “So what’s your name, little filly?” the blue stallion said to the starry-eyed filly, who was attempting to put on goggles that were almost as big as her. “M-my name is Tornado and you’re so cool Ican’tbelieveI’mmeetingmyheroes…!” The little filly’s excitement caused her words to lead into excited gibberish. “Thank you so much!” The grey colored mare said graciously. She was clearly the filly’s mother. “She’ll never forget such a kind act. The Wonderbolts have always been her heroes since she could speak.” “No problem, ma’am... we always try and make some time to interact with fans,” Soarin’ said politely, as they heard the train arrive at the train station not too far ahead of them. The mom convinced her young filly to move along so that Soarin’ and Spitfire could get back to their own business, and with a wave towards their young fan, they quickly trotted over to the train before Spitfire could miss it. She got in line behind a few other ponies, though she stuck out like a sore thumb considering that she was still in her Wonderbolts uniform. “Zecora’s hut isn’t far into the forest... shouldn’t take long for you to find it, just go east once you enter it. The entrance is a big huge pathway, you’d have to be a foal to miss it” Soarin’ said. “I know, I won’t get lost. I’m sick, not blind. I’ll see you at the party, Soarin’.” “Alrighty.” With a hug, the friends parted ways for the time being. Returning to his regular daily routine, Soarin’ couldn’t help but wonder whether he should have gone with her or not. Chapter 2I haven’t been to Ponyville in forever… After a short 20 minute ride where she signed loads of autographs and took pictures with adoring fans, Spitfire was ready to get cured, return to Canterlot, and sleep until the party was about to start. Her coughs were getting harder for her to shake off. They hurt her throat and the taste was awful. She sighed, knowing it was her own fault for not seeking out help before. Though she didn’t want to, she decided she would fly to the forest to avoid distractions. Her wings felt heavy and her eyes didn’t seem to comprehend everything she saw. She hadn’t been that sick since she was a filly. She squinted her eyes to see through the thick fog throughout the town, apparently the Pegasi here had several rainstorms planned, and fog always signified that it would rain soon. The sickened Wonderbolt ascended in through the air until she had a view of most of the town. Through the distant fog, she could see what she assumed to be the Everfree forest. There was a small house near it, and a pathway that led straight into the forest. She flew at a moderate speed to not overwork herself through the sickness. The fog made it hard to keep an eye on where she was going, so the yellow Wonderbolt kept herself flying in a general direction of where the forest should be. Spitfire wouldn’t admit it to anypony, being known as one of the braves mare in Equestria, but the idea of going into a forest alone caused her to be a little apprehensive and nervous. “I should’ve asked Soarin’ to come with me,” The fire-colored Pegasus chided. “Horsefeathers…” Landing on the ground near the entrance to the forest caused her to go right back into a nasty fit of coughs. When she finished, she looked towards the muddy pathway that led to the cave-like forest. What kind of Zebra chooses to live in such a place…? if Soarin’ is pranking me, I’ll have to get him back ten-fold. Slowly, she walked into the darkened wilderness. She eyed every detail around her. Everything was new to her. The large shrubbery, the massive trees that reached towards the clouds above and the noises from unseen animals around her. She kept calm, but was very attentive to the forest around. Odd noises became more apparent as she walked further into the heavily wooded forest. Her senses were heightened; she heard every tiny twig break under her hooves, the splashing noise when she walked into a small puddle, and the distant voices of animals seemingly being voiced towards her from a distance. The forest was covered by a massive black cloud and the trees seemed to be reaching high enough to pierce through it. Clearly, Ponyville had nothing to do with such a dangerous area. Once the entrance to the forest was barely visible behind her, it was almost as if she had entered a dungeon, due to the lack of light getting through the clouds above. The trees seemed to reach for towards her and the muddy ground seemed unfit for her to even be walking on. She felt like prey, ripe for the picking. Where in the hay is this hut? A sudden growling noise caused her to whip her head to the left, only to be met by what seemed like endless, tall shrubbery. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her. The Wonderbolt picked up her pace. Though her legs felt like jelly and running probably wasn’t the best thing for her to do, her conscious told her to hurry. Sudden noises to her sides caused her to look each way, as if something was running beside her. The wet sloshing of the mud presumably made her easier to notice; however, Spitfire felt she needed to get her medicine and leave, with no time to take her time. A glowing light appeared distantly in front of her, so she ran faster. Her galloping made her legs splattered in the sludgy mud. The light soon gave way to more detail, revealing that she had found the hut that Soarin’ had spoken about. She breathed a sigh of relief as she slowed down to a walk. Approaching the door, she glanced through the window to see the zebra in some sort of meditative state. Spitfire tried to shake her hooves of the mud, and looked through the tiny window on the door. “Hello?” she called, her voice muffled by the glass on the window. “I need some help.” Zecora calmly sat up and walked over to the door. “Who is this pony that is at my door? May I ask what it is you’re here for?” “I’m really sick and I need to be healed as fast as you can. I’ll pay anything,” the Wonderbolt pleaded through the window pane. “Come in, come in, and take a seat, I hope you’ll find the concoction neat. When it comes to sicknesses of all kinds, the best medicine to take, are the potions of mine.” Gratefully, Spitfire walked in slowly and examined the small area in which the zebra keeps her potions. The Wonderbolt found all of the obscure items in the hut somewhat off-putting, though she told herself not to judge the zebra before she got to know her. The room had a musky smoke scent, and other scents she couldn’t identify. In an area where she was able to, she sat down; enjoying the relief it put on her legs. “So how long have you been sick, miss Spitfire? I hope your situation isn’t dire.” “About a week or so, but the past few days have been just awful,” Spitfire explained. “First it started with some coughs, then I started…well, you know, and it’s only gotten worse since then.” “An extract of tea leaf....” The zebra said, while carefully adding the selected ingredients into the boiling pot, “...A drop of chamomile, the taste of this potion will leave you with a smile. Now don’t go drinking this entire potion too quickly, or else you may just remain plain sickly,” Zecora stated, stirring her boiling pot until the brew was nearly finished. “Um, how long should I wait before I drink it?” “Right now this potion is quite hot, drink this potion later when it definitely is not," “Thank you so much,” Spitfire said graciously. “You don’t even know how much this will help me," “You’re always welcome my pony friend, helping others is something I won’t end!” “So how many bits? I’m sure I have some somewhere...” Spitfire said, checking the pockets of her Wonderbolts uniform for any bits. “Though the potion I gave you is quite large, all my remedies are free of charge,” The Zebra mused with a smile, as she returned to her meditative state, sitting on the floor. Spitfire didn’t want to disrupt the Zebra anymore, so she left quietly, holding the hot remedy in her mouth. She quickly realized that it was sprinkling, and that she needed to step up her pace if she wanted to get back into Ponyville without being completely soaked. The mud was thicker, and was seemingly grabbing at her aching legs as she trotted back. It hurt her neck just to focus on not spilling the remedy that could save her from the sickness. She craned her neck forward to avoid spilling it. The pathway started to seem much narrower. The massive bushes on each side seemingly crept towards her as she trotted, though she kept her focus on keeping the remedy safe. It was much darker in the forest than it was earlier, and the smell was oddly putrid with some sort stench she couldn’t even identify. Everything seemed eerily quiet. She had an unsettling feeling in her chest when all she could hear was her own trotting through the flooding pathway. Then the feeling of being followed returned again. She trotted faster. The tall blackened trees seemed much taller than she had seen from earlier, and the pathway was quickly giving away to shrubbery of all sorts. As she squinted through the fog, she noticed that she had made a terrible mistake and had gone the wrong way. No need to panic, just find your way back! She turned around with the intention of finding her way back, but was met with the demonic eyes of a large Manticore, inches from her face. Before she could scream, she was pinned down by the beast's massive claw, the potion falling onto a nearby rock and breaking instantly. <><><><><><><><> The party was going to start soon. Soarin’ was in his home in Canterlot preparing himself for an all-nighter with the Wonderbolts and company, a ritual he became all too used to. He spiked his mane, groomed his fur and was ready for some action. Soarin’ had worked up a reputation for himself as the most ruthless partier. He gained this title by partying for two days straight with no sleep, while others weren’t even close to keeping up with him. He wasn’t alone at any time, because partying by himself would have just looked plain dumb. He planned to work on breaking that record this party, just for the hay of it. The party was being hosted by DJ P0N-3, somepony he had requested since it was her party that he gained his reputation for his ability to outlast anypony on the dance-floor. He pretended that it didn’t bother him that Rainbow Dash left him for Vinyl Scratch, because her DJ-ing abilities were unmatched by anypony. In Soarin's mind, he couldn't pick another DJ just because his marefriend had left him for her, he would feel selfish since DJ P0N-3 was a favorite amongst his fellow Wonderbolts. The Apple family worked up some apple cider just for this party and sent it all the way from Ponyville to gain reputation in places other than Ponyville itself for their apples in more towns. Soarin’ was ready and definitely felt like he was going to top his old record. He’s already known across Equestria as a Wonderbolt, why not get known for being the most extreme party pony. His Canterlot home was a small one since he never really stayed in Canterlot for long. Nopony even knew that he lived there, which is good, because any break from the nagging fans is nice for such a famous stallion. The party would be at the biggest venue in Equestria, modestly named ‘The Saddle’, though it wasn’t as quaint as it sounded. Generations of Wonderbolt members have been going there since The Wonderbolts formed many decades before, and it definitely wasn’t a tradition he was ready to break. Instantly flying once he left his home, he noticed that it was a little darker outside than he had expected. He hoped he wouldn’t be late, which would just make him look ridiculous with the reputation he has. He flew swiftly and made sure he wouldn't arrive late. Upon arriving at the door of the nightclub, the neon lights and strobe lights almost blinding him, he noticed Ice Wind and Lightning Streak inside with only a few other ponies mingling about. He flew inside and greeted his co-workers as usual. “Who’s ready to PAR-TAY??” He exclaimed with a chuckle. “The apple cider is ready right?” “Hay yeah!” Lightning Streak said, bro-hoofing Soarin’. ”I’ve already had a cup or two.” “That doesn’t surprise me,” the pie loving Pegasus said with a chuckle. “The DJ here yet?” “Yeah, she’s getting her stuff set up right now, I arrived first sadly enough.” Ice Wind said, thus changing the subject, “Is every Wonderbolt going to be here? Fire Streak hasn’t been to, like, the last five parties, what a wimp!” “Spitfire told me she’d be here, but I don’t know about Rapid Fire or Fleetfoot, they’re morning ponies anyway.” “Aren’t they still in Cloudsdale? They had a show didn’t they?” Lightning Streak asked as he downed the rest of his apple cider. “I guess that would explain why they aren’t here.” More ponies starting arriving quickly, many of which the Wonderbolt’s were already familiar with from previous parties. The party area was huge, darkened by everything being black and had strobe lights nearly everywhere. There was a dance floor that took up most of the room, and adjacent was a bar where ponies could order anything they would want. There were massive speakers that were taller than most of the ponies there, There was a second deck that overlooked the lower floor for VIPs only, which of course were the Wonderbolts. Vinyl Scratch and other ponies she invited were allowed up there too, so they had much more room to party. Suddenly, the party started with the strobe lights flashing as fast as the techno music that blasted from the speakers. Instantly everypony was in a trance, and were partying like it was their last party. Soarin’ decided early that he would hold off on drinking the cider in order to party well into the next day. Flashing lights, extremely loud music and every one of his friends. This was the recipe for a good night in Soarin’s mind. He started it off with a bang, spending most of his time on the lower flow with the fans and keeping an eye on the entrance for when Spitfire arrived. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he felt more confident than usual. However, after over an hour of partying, she still hadn’t arrived, or at least Soarin’ hadn’t seen her arrive. He flew up to the VIP section where Rainbow Dash had taken over the DJ-ing. This distracted Soarin’, because he hadn’t seen her since they broke up. He had to take a long way around just to avoid the awkward confrontation that was bound to happen. However, it was clear that Rainbow had come there to make up with him, when she left the scratch board just to tap him on the shoulder. They turned to face each other, and Soarin’ gave her a blank stare in response. The silence was awkward, neither knowing what to say. The loud music seemingly stopped. “Hi,” Rainbow Dash started, with an embarrassed smile. “Hi,” He responded bluntly. He honestly didn’t know how to react, so he decided to just go with being the apathetic ex-coltfriend. “I missed you…” You have got to be bucking kidding me, what does she even mean by that? “Yeah, I’m sure that’s true,” he chided, looking over his sides to try to see if he could spot Spitfire’. He didn’t know why he was being rude. He missed her too. “Look…” The cyan Pegasus said, having to raise her voice as Vinyl Scratch returned to her scratch board. “We said we would be friends, and yet we never talk anymore…I still want to be your friend, Soarin’, instead of this ignoring each other thing we’ve been doing.” She rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof as a sign of discomfort with the conversation. His heart softened, as it always did for the Pegasus. “Maybe I have been a little distant, but I am a Wonderbolt, my life is very…active, to say the least.” Rainbow Dash smiled, “Well, I’m going to be helping Vinyl DJ this party, maybe we can meet up sometime?” “Sure, I’d like that,” Soarin’ said with a smile, and gave the Pegasus a hug. This interaction only boosted Soarin’s mood. He actually forgot what he had gone up there for until he started looking around for the yellow-coated Wonderbolt again. Edging his way through the other VIP ponies, he found Lightning Streak, who had already clearly over-drank himself. “Soarin’! Wassahp?” “You’re always the first to drink too much, huh?” Soarin’ jested his longtime friend. ”Is everypony here yet?” “Yes I am,” The yellow stallion said. “Answer my second question,” the blue-coated Pegasus said with a sigh and laughed. He continued to silently survey the area with his eyes, while waiting for a response from his friend. “W-What?” Lightning Streak asked, as the tremendously loud electronic music got even louder. “Is everypony here yet?!” The blue stallion yelled. Lightning Streak looked around obnoxiously as if Soarin’ couldn’t have done the same exact thing. “Lightning, have you seen Spitfire?” “No, she’s sick.” “She said that she’d be here. You were there when she said it. I’m guessing you haven’t seen her?” “Nope, she’s *hic* p-probably just stayin’ home or something,” The blue stallion pondered the situation. His friend was really sick and hadn’t shown up to a party that she had promised to be at. He didn't want to overreact and embarrass himself. Spitfire would remind him every practice. It isn’t like her to miss a party that she said she’d go to. “I think I’m going to go to her house and see if she’s alright,” “What? You’re going to leave this party already? LAME!” Lightning Streak said with a noisy burp that could almost be heard over the music. “You can’t just leave!” “I’ll be back once I know she’s okay,” The pie loving stallion stated. “I just need to know, she didn’t look too well earlier.” Soarin’ then started backing up so she could fly down from the VIP section and exit. “You’re still in love with her, huh?” Lightning Streak said with a chuckle as his friend left. “You love all your ex’s!” Soarin’ didn’t have time to think of a response, so he gave his friends a weird look and flew down to the bottom floor. The strobe lights didn’t make it very easy for him to see, but he managed to make it outside, into the chilling night air. The loud music was muffled by the thick walls. Nothing seems quieter than the atmosphere when you just exited a loud party. He jumped into the air and flew casually towards his friend’s home in the middle of Canterlot. He always enjoyed flying at night, because it relaxed him. The cool air lightly flowing through his mane, the comfort of the clouds he could perch himself on and the rare taste of privacy he gets from flying higher than his fans could be able to recognize him. Spitfire’s Canterlot home was very close to his own, and it didn’t take him too long to land in front of the quaint place, surrounded by roses and darkened by Luna’s night. He landed quietly and trotted up to the front door. He had front door privileges, so he walked straight into the home. The clopping of his hooves was amplified by the echo in the seemingly empty house. His silhouette was casting a big shadow on the bedroom door that was across from the front door. “Spitfire?” He whispered, towards the bedroom, “You awake?” He received no response, which just told him that she might be sleeping. The door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it slowly. The door squeaked quietly, so Soarin’ became more careful not to wake the mare up, it revealed a pitch black room. He focused his hearing, yet couldn’t hear any light breathing or anything to signify that his friend was there. He moved around the small room until he found the window, and let the drapes open to let in the moonlight. Nopony was in the bed. “Huh?” He said as he tried to get an idea on where his friend could be. He forcefully ignored negative thoughts that were appearing with this discovery. Soarin’ exited his friend’s room to inspect the rest of the home before coming to a conclusion. Spitfire was nowhere to be found in her own home. “Hmmm,” He walked outside, trying to rationalize why she wasn’t at her home. Spitfire had no home that he knew of in Ponyville. The train she would have boarded would have arrived before the party started, because none arrived late at night for a reason he didn’t know. She knew nopony in Ponyville that she could stay with. At this point, Soarin’ started to feel a little worried for the fellow Wonderbolt. I’m going to have to miss a lot of that party, but I need to go to Ponyville and make sure she’s okay. Once again, he lifted off into the dark night air and started his flight to Ponyville. Chapter 3Luna’s night had taken over by the time Soarin landed at the mouth of the Everfree forest. The only light to guide him was the moonlight, which was absolutely dismal in the forest. The wall of trees before him threatened him, with their height reaching up to the blackened clouds and deep blue sky. Facing the forest, he looked to his sides as if he would somehow see the orange Wonderbolt nearby. His heart beat anxiously as he started the slow walk into the forest. “Spitfire?!” He yelled, “Ya out here with that Zebra?!” His vooice oddly didn't echo. He followed the path that the minuscule amount of moonlight showed him. The light barely shone through tiny cracks in the black clouds above him. “Spitfire! Are you here somewhere?!” He exclaimed louder, receiving no response from the blackened wilderness. One hundred yards in, he started contemplating going back, as if Spitfire could be somewhere else. The malevolent atmosphere from the forest eerie, and distant animal voices caused his thoughts to race. It was everything he would expect from walking into a forest at night, but it didn't change the fact he didn't feel very safe. He could barely see ten feet in front of himself, the sloshing of his hooves in the mud was the only indicator that he hadn’t run into the shrubbery parallel to him. Then the moonlight shone through the clouds sometimes gave him a short opportunity to raise his speed. The stallion paced his own breathing and kept his mind on the task at hoof. He decided not to call out for the Wonderbolt anymore because it had occurred to him that he had been drawing a large amount of attention to himself, which couldn’t be good in such a Celestia-forsaken forest. It started to sprinkle as he looked behind himself to see how far he had trotted. He barely could see the entrance to the forest. That scared him enough to have him once again consider high-tailing it out of there. However, he mustered up his resolve and pushed forward. The faintest, flickering light could be seen a hundred yards ahead of him. Soarin’ assumed that it was the hut. Suddenly, the mud deepened and it caused him to exert more effort just to suction his hooves from the mud with each step. Focus, Soarin’…look for any sign of her Using the hut’s faint light to guide him, Soarin’ then concentrated his hearing to listen for any signs of his friend. Nothing could be heard but the sloshing of his hooves for a good minute. Then, he heard the quietest of noises, a peculiar noise he wouldn’t expect from a wild animal. It was high pitched and stressed, and definitely in the distance. Soarin’ stopped in his tracks, the surrounding darkness and silence penetrating his mind with menacing thoughts. He stood there, in the muddy pathway, silent as he ever had been, listened for that quiet, distant voice once again. Against his own better judgment, he closed his eyes to focus his hearing. The stallion replayed the distant voice in his mind, each time he did this, it seemed different from the previous time, until he decided to dismiss it. He opened his eyes slowly, and to his dismay, the light in front of him had been extinguished. He sighed to prevent himself from panicking. Soarin’ knew that he needed to be strong if he were to still find the hut and question Zecora about his friend. The Zebra would be the only one to be able to at least help him figure out whether Spitfire had made it to the hut or not. The Wonderbolt pressed on slowly, again having to use the infinitesimal amount of moonlight to guide him towards the Zebra’s hut. Through the peripherals of his vision he spotted black figures flying about in the massive trees, however when she shot his head towards them, they just disappeared. Soarin’ was soon convinced that the forest was causing him to be slightly paranoid. Soon, the moonlight revealed the hut, and it was clear that the Zebra had just fallen asleep. Once he trotted over to it, and was tempted to knock on the door, he surveyed the area around himself. He wiped his dampening mane off of his face as he looked back to where he had come. He couldn’t see the entrance anymore, and the black clouds were filling in the gaps from which the moonlight had shone through. Then to his dismay, he heard a petrified scream, much more prevalent than the one he had though he heard already, come from somewhere distant in the forest. The scream was labored and bloodcurdling, however, it was also unmistakably Spitfire’s, and instantly Soarin was wide-eyed and fearful, a vision of the distressed mare sending chills down his spine. Adrenaline instantly causing him to react on his first thought, he burst into that direction, narrowly avoiding the trees in his path. He galloped at full speed, hoping to hear another vocalization to pinpoint where she could be at. “Spitfire!” He shouted, his voice echoing back as he nimbly ran through the mud. He wasn’t flying because the speed would cause him to slam into a tree. Suddenly, he tripped and landed in a puddle of mud as his hoof caught on something. He landed with violent thump and 'oof', the vile liquid soaking all of his mane and tail instantly, as he recovered from the fall. He cursed his terrible luck. He quickly found what he had slipped on. Through the limited light, it looked like some sort of broken cup. The blue stallion tossed it on the ground as he once again began his decent into the unknown forest. Instantly he was aware of every single noise around him, and every single object in front of him. His senses were sharp and his heart was racing faster than it had ever before. “Spitfire!” He shouted through his own heavy breaths. A few seconds after, an extremely massive roar rattled the trees around him and wiped his confidence away with it. It came from less than fifty yards in front of him. His eyes widened in fear at the idea of following the noise. He wasn’t even sure whether Spitfire was there, and by all means it could be the last choice he’d ever make. Adrenaline fueled his decision to go forth, towards the beast that awaited him. He had no clue where he was, and knew it was his only choice now that he heard the scream of the fellow Wonderbolt. Through the patch of trees in front of him, he dashed into a sudden open clearing, the moonlight much more prevalent. He shook his head left and right until he saw the lifeless body of Spitfire being flung around violently by a massive Manticore, who had her wing in its jaws. No words could describe the terror Soarin’ felt in his heart at that very moment. In the midst of its rage, the Manticore locked eyes with Soarin’. Instantly, it had a new target, dropping Spitfire on the ground carelessly. It started a bull-like run towards Soarin’, who instantly jumped into the air, barely able to escape the paw that was swiped below him. “Spitfire!” Soarin’ screamed in midst of his panic, “Wake up!” He was met with no response, and quickly had to return his attention to the raging Manticore below him. The Wonderbolt could almost feel the beast’s breath during a horrifying roar it released. All Soarin could think about was keeping it away from the mare that he presumed was unconscious because she had just screamed a few minutes before he arrived. The time he was taking to think of a plan wasn’t enough, because the Manticore leapt into the air and swiped his sharp claws over the bottom of Soarin’s hind legs almost being able to take him out of the air. The monstrous animal landed on the ground with a thunderous ‘thud’ and pain shot through Soarin’s legs. Soarin had forgotten that Manticores had wings. He couldn’t get much higher or he could lose the beast’s attention and it could return to Spitfire. The panicked stallion considered his options as the Manticore released a thunderous roar once again. However, this time the Manticore changed direction and started running towards the motionless Spitfire. Soarin’ had to act fast. In an instant, the blue stallion was running full speed on the ground towards the beast, which was facing the same direction he was. A massive pain shot through Soarin’s leg as he ran, from where he was cut by the Manticore’s claw, however, he ran full speed and headbutted the beast in the ribs, sending them both into a tumble, only feet from the injured Wonderbolt. The rain had quickly escalated from a sprinkle into a full-fledged downpour. Spitfire was laying on her side with her mouth slightly ajar. The new danger of her drowning put a time limit to Soarin’s rescue effort. After slidding into a tree, hitting his back, the blue stallion narrowly avoided another massive swing of the Manticore’s paw. If the massive creature wasn’t enraged before, it certainly had been after being tackled. However, it was clearly in some pain. After tenderly feeling its ribcage with its paw, the beast gave Soarin’ a deathly look. “Spitfire!” He screamed one last time, a desperate attempt to get her attention through the relentless noise of the pounding rain. He checked his hind hooves to see a concoction of blood and muddy rain dripping from where the beast had hit him. Once again, the mare didn’t even move a muscle. The water around her was rising sharply. Flying in midair, soaked and scared beyond words, Soarin’ about fifty yards from the Manticore, and lowered down until he was standing on wet ground. He moved his mane out of his face with a swift move of his hoof, and eyed the curious beast down. The Manticore lowered its head and began a mad dash towards Soarin’. The thundering of the Manticore’s claws was loud even in comparison to the pouring rain. Soarin’s hooves were several inches deep in muddy water. Soarin’ waited until the last second, then darted into midair, unfortunately unable to avoid another slash at his legs, causing him to cry out in agony as he flew above the bewildered beast. The Manticore had slashed the back of his legs a second time and adrenaline wasn’t helping him through the pain. Fighting through the pain in his hind legs, Soarin’ flew to the opposite end once more, glancing over at the injured Spitfire who was less than ten feet away. Her eyes were still closed, and her wing was clearly broken. If she had any cuts, the rain had wiped away any evidence. However, Soarin’ noticed the slight rising and falling of her chest. Spitfire’s alive…! He turned his head to see the Manticore charging at him again, and he safely flew in the air before he could get swiped at again. He could only hope that the Manticore didn’t decide to use its wings again in pursuit of him. The Wonderbolt returned to the other side, flying down and once again waiting for the Manticore. Soarin’ quickly noticed the sharp rise in water. Spitfire had to be extremely close to drowning. The Manticore prepared to charge once more. This time, however, Soarin’ wasn’t going to dodge the monstrosity by flying into the air. He was going to swiftly turn around, and aim his hind legs and buck, hopefully making contact, and causing damage to the Manticore. He didn’t have much time left. He once again wiped his muddy mane out from where he could see it, and tried to focus through the distracting downpour. The monstrous animal let out another roar, and started running towards Soarin’ once more. If this doesn’t work…I’m sorry Spitfire…I tried... In a moment where everything seemed to slow down, where reality met dreams, the Wonderbolt had the time to decide whether he should stay down and attempt kicking the Manticore and hopefully defeat it, or if he should fly up once again and try something else. However, to his surprise, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Spitfire struggling to get up and coughing violently. The Manticore heard this too, even over its loud running The beast skidded to a stop, and turned to face the injured mare before Soarin’ could even react. The Manticore was much closer to Spitfire and quickly started running towards her. “Spitfire!” Soarin’ screamed as he saw the look of fear in her eyes. In an instant, Soarin’ was airborne, flying as fast as he ever had. Just a few feet from the distressed Pegasus, the blue Wonderbolt crushed in the Manticore once more. The impact shattered the Manticore’s lower ribs and sent them both flailing across the flooding waters. Soarin’ slid into a tree at a high velocity, only causing himself more injuries. He stayed conscious through the hit to the head and cried out in pain once more. He didn’t have the energy to protect himself from another attack. he could only hope that last hit had worked. When he turned his head, ignoring the flooding water, he saw no sign of the Manticore. Just rain and trees in ever direction. He sat up with a groan, now stricken with a throbbing headache. Instantly, he jumped up and surveyed the area once more. Nothing but trees surrounded him. He ran over to the Pegasus who was struggling to even lift herself up. “S-Spitfire…” He said softly through an emotional voice crack, holding the shivering mare up as she sputtered through a round of violent coughs. Spitfire turned over on her side, and finally looked at Soarin’. Memory hit her like a bombshell, and she started crying immediately. “You okay?” Was all that Soarin’ could say, he was stunned, elated, and still full of adrenaline. He took a look at Spitfire's mangled wing. “D-did you…?” Spitfire started, though another round of coughing prevented her from continuing. Soarin’ looked around their vicinity to survey whether there were any threats. They were out in the open and were still prime targets, both injured. In the wake of the peril she had just gone through, Spitfire found the strength to give Soarin’ an emotional embrace, as she sputtered out how thankful she was for him. “T-thank you…s-so much…you s-saved me…I can’t-t believe you d-did this for m-me,” Soarin’ returned the hug gently, careful not to touch her badly injured wing. Spitfire slowly got up, her legs extremely weak and wobbly, and her own vision blurred. She leaned on Soarin’ through support as all the many aches and pains caused her to gasp and cringe. “Are you okay to walk?” Soarin’ said, through the relentless rain. “Y-yes…” She replied, her voice shakier than her legs, “Y-you…I’m alive because of you…” The stallion once again surveyed the area for any new threats, the moonlight shining moderately through cracks in the black clouds above them, “We’re going to need to find shelter…” Though just surviving such a dramatically horrid ordeal, neither pony could begin to comprehend how much worse it could get. The rain was still coming down, though it had calmed down for the time being. The muddy water was about 4 four inches deep in the most flooded parts of the forest. The black clouds way above them were thick and could be seen as far as they could see, which wasn’t far to begin with. Soarin’ looked around and tried to find where he had come from. Every tree looked like a replica of the other, everything just looked the same no matter where he looked. He could see tree upon tree, and no clues to where he had come from. The stallion sighed, causing Spitfire to look up at him, “I can’t tell where to go…” Spitfire grimaced, as she once again had to wipe her mane out of her eyes, “The rain isn’t going to help, i-it’s too dark,” “Horsefeathers…” Soarin’ chided, “Where in the hay can we stay out here? We’re too far to go searching for Zecora’s hut, even worse, we’d probably just end up lost,” He turned to the shivering mare beside him, “You’re still sick, this rain can’t be doing any good, we should find a safe place to rest as soon as we can. How’s your wing?” Spitfire turned to look at her right wing, which was terribly damaged, “I-I don’t know if I’m going to be able to fly again…” “Don’t say that,” The stallion responded quickly, before the thoughts could get to Spitfire, “Magic does wonders, I’m sure you’ll be able to fly when we’re back. I’m just glad you’re alive…” The two then started walking close together as they constantly surveyed their surroundings for any possible shelter, along with threats that could come their way. They were both shaken from their ordeal but where grateful for being alive, and wanted to make sure they would stay alive. “Soarin’…you didn’t have to do what you did back there. This was all my fault for going here in the first place,” The mare said empathetically, "That was s-so heroic of you...." “It was my fault for even telling you to go here. I would have done anything to save you,” “H-how did you know?” The yellow Wonderbolt asked, though interrupted by another flurry of coughs, “How d-did you know I was still out here? I thought you’d be at the party,” It was a long silence before Soarin’ responded, “I-I guess I started to worry a little when you didn’t come to the party, I went to your home and you weren’t there, and I-I guess I took a chance and came here…” “I-I owe you my life, Soarin’” They walked slowly; understanding that Spitfire was hurt so badly that she couldn’t walk faster than a slow trot without threatening to hurt herself more. “You don’t owe me anything,” He said, oddly with a grin, “You being alive is all I wanted…when I first came upon you and Manticore, I knew I wasn’t going to leave without you…” Soarin’ weaved around what he really wanted to say. In the tense silence after his statement, they glanced over at each other, as if it was the first time they had ever seen each other. They were muddy, bloody and soaked with diluted rain water, but they only saw each other’s eyes. Spitfire’s Wonderbolt uniform was ripped in places, though it was all the protection they seemed to have from predators. They each spotted a large tree that had a sort of cave-in at the bottom. It was clearly big enough for them to fit in. Without saying a word, they both walked over to it, and once again gauged their surroundings got threats. The stallion then removed the layer of moss that had formed within the little crevice in the tree. The tree had formed on an incline, and there was only a small amount of water in it. “D-do you think this will be okay?” Spitfire asked, jumping awkwardly when she heard the loud screeching of a distant bird. “It’ll have to be. We need to get rest,” Soarin’ climbed into the tree, Spitfire taking up the space in front of him. The stallion had to awkwardly lay his head on part of a tree root as a pillow, while Spitfire had his front leg has a pillow. He didn’t mind this one bit. The mare rested into him a little more, reminiscent of their past. They both could look out and see the pouring rain, which was oddly comforting. It was constant and calming. Though they had just barely survived one of the most life threatening events in their life, neither had a clue what was to come. Chapter 4There was no sun to be seen in the sky to even give them an idea of what time it was. Greyish clouds still hovered high in the sky blocking out most of the light. The rain had stopped only hours before they woke up. Soarin’ woke up first. He had watched the mare he held her in his hooves sleep as he contemplated what they would do next. The day wasn’t going to be as dark as was the day before, though the massive trees still reached out higher than the clouds and blocked out most of the sun, as usual for the Everfree forest. Though he felt considerable pain in his hind legs from the Manticore’s claws when they dug into his flesh, he wasn’t going to pity himself when he saw Spitfire’s condition, clearly more injured and still sick. If only I had gone with her… The feeling of regret and guilt filled his mind every single time he glanced at the mare’s broken wing. Every time he saw the gashes on her back from the Manticore’s claw, he regretted ever telling her to come to the forest. Thoughts soon escalated to his friends and fellow Wonderbolts. Considering his circumstances prior to leaving to find Spitfire, Soarin’ assumed they thought he and Spitfire had spent the night together. They did, just in a completely different way than they probably assumed. There was no indication on which way he needed to go to get back to Zecora’s hut. He planned on using the Zebra’s hut as a landmark to find their way back to Ponyville. Hopefully there’s other ponies or zebras living in this Celestia forsaken place Surprisingly enough, he had slept pretty decently over the night, the rain proving to be as calming as it had been threatening during the Manticore encounter. He focused on Spitfire getting good sleep, because she needed it the most. The only times he had woken up during the night was when the poor mare had gotten caught up in a coughing fit, her sickness most likely exacerbated by the rain and chilly night air, let alone her weakened body. He felt the rhythm of her breathing change slightly, as she let loose a tiny yawn. The quiet yawn had always made him smile, especially during their disastrous relationship. “Ow…” Was the first word that came from her mouth, her senses aware of the stress her body was under. “Good morning,” Soarin’ said, immediately chastising himself for the irony of the statement. “Ow…” She said once more, “H-how’s my wing?” “Move so I can see it,” Spitfire inches forward so her battered wing could been seen by him, “It looks pretty bad, but it can be fixed once we’re back,” The stallion remarked, purposefully being optimistic for her sake, “Did you see my hind legs?” The mare turned on her side she he was facing Soarin’, and looked at the many wounds on his lower legs, “Oh my Celestia…I’m so sorry…” Her voice hinted of a soon to come breakdown, so Soarin’ played it cool, “Oh, don’t be. They’re nothin’. Can’t even feel them,” “Don’t lie to make me feel better…let’s just get back to Ponyville and get some help. The entire thing is my fault, s-so I’ll pay for it,” The mare then exited the crevice in the tree, wincing when her damaged wing hit the top of the entrance, then Soarin’ followed. “You’re not paying for anything. I told you to come here, I should have gone with you, so let’s just agree this is all my fault and press on,” There wasn’t any pathway in sight from their vantage point. A plethora of trees and the clouds above them could be seen as far as they could see He surveyed their surroundings, and then decided that they should be okay if she kept an eye out for any new dangers. He hadn’t heard a single sound come from anywhere in the forest since he woke up. “Where are we going to go? Can’t you fly up through those clouds and see Ponyville f-from here?” The orange Wonderbolt asked, as she tried to style her muddied mane into a less distracting form. “If those were white clouds, maybe. You know how dumb it is to just fly into a dark grey cloud. That’s like asking to be electrocuted,” The mare thought once more, as they glanced around to decide where they should start, “M-maybe you could fly back since your wings still work, and then come get me when you get help,” “Spitfire, I can’t leave you here in the condition you’re in. I’d regret it my whole life if something else were to happen to you,” The orange Pegasus could feel herself blush, though her outfit hid it. Though it was an odd though, she couldn’t help but notice that Soarin’ was the only pony she’d ever want by her in such a situation. It made her start questioning herself again, something she hadn’t done in quite a while. “Where do you think we should go? The last thing we’d want to do is…um, go the wrong way and get more lost,” Soarin’ stated simply. A loud rumbling was then heard by both of them. It was Spitfire’s gurgling stomach, causing her to blush out of embarrassment. “You must be really hungry,” The blue stallion mused with a chuckle, “Come on, let’s find something to eat,” “W-what should I look for?” Spitfire said, gazing up into the tall trees as if there would be any sort of fruit in them. “I’m hoping there is a bush that produces this delicious berry around here…it’s everywhere in Whitetail woods…” “Oh, okay. I think I know which berry you’re talking about. Should we split up?” “Nope, you’re coming with me,” Soarin’ said bluntly, as he looked for an area that seemed like it would have a lot of bushes. “You don’t have to be so protective over me,” The mare chided, then softening her disposition, “I mean I appreciate it and all, but you’ll be close enough to know if I’m in trouble,” “You’re coming with me so I can show you the berry I’m talking about. We can’t just gather enough to eat right now, we’ll need to stock up for later when we’re walking home. You have the uniform on, with pockets, so you’ll have to come along. Besides, I need to know you’re safe…you know…you don’t even understand how I felt when I saw you yesterday…” Spitfire suddenly felt bad about her previous response, because the fact he cared about her so much made her feel loved. The fact that ‘loved’ was the first word to come to her mind bothered her. Though still having several injuries on her hooves from being tossed around by the Manticore, she was able to walk faster than the night before. When they started delving deeper into the forest, >the light getting slightly brighter in the hue of the clouds above, the mare had a question for the stallion that had saved her. “Soarin’?” “Yeah?” “Did anypony else notice that I-I was gone?” She questioned, walking next to him as they gazed through the woods for any sign of the berries they could eat. “What do you mean? Like at the party?” “Yeah,” Soarin’ stopped to think for a second, ignoring the distant animal noises that had startled the mare beside him, “Well, not really. They were partying so hard that they kinda just though you weren’t coming I guess, or just didn’t notice,” “Oh,” She responded, slightly saddened that only one of her friends had even cared to search for her, “What would have happened to me if you d-didn’t come?” Once again the stallion stopped, “Spitfire, I really don’t want to think about such a thing…I came and that’s all that matters. No more ‘what ifs’,” Walking slightly behind the stallion, Spitfire studied the wounds on his hind legs. They were covered with some mud from the damp ground that they had been walking in and it worried her that the wounds could be infected. She thought about her own injuries. Her wing was possibly damaged beyond repair, she had gashes on her back from the nail claw? of the monstrous beast that had attacked her, and miscellaneous other wounds across her whole body. As she looked around the forest that she was trapped in, she felt the sickening feeling of regret and despair, which didn’t help the fact she was already physically sick. “I bet I could have gone to the party anyway…” She said as a response to her own thoughts. “Huh?” “I didn’t need to come here, I could have gone to the party and be fine…I’m sicker now than I was then, I could have just slept it off like I usually do…” The stallion sighed, “Look, Spitfire…thinking like that isn’t going to get us anywhere. If we’re going to get out of this, I need you to focus, now come here, I think I found the right bush,” Spitfire climbed over a few logs of fallen trees to meet the stallion at his side. The area was the brightest they had seen all that day, though still no signs of a sun that they could tell the time by. “You see these red berries right here? You’ve been a Wonderbolt longer than me, and you didn’t have to go through a survival course to join, remember? These are the berries they showed us that are edible. They taste terrible, but they’re edible. They’ll give you energy too,” The stallion said, his hoof lifting a few patches of the fruit for her to see. “I’d have to eat like two hundred to even have a chance to fill myself up,” She remarked at the small size of the red berries he was holding, “How many are there?” “This bush has to have at least a hundred, I think. What I’d give for a pie right now instead…” The mare laughed heartily, “You’re so obsessed with pie, it’s actually kind of cute. Hearts and Hooves day is coming up, you should make a pie for your special somepony!” “You said the same thing last year,” Soarin said with a chuckle. Despite his conscious, the topic of Hearts and Hooves day caused him to venture a little further, “So…you have anypony that you would say was your Special Somepony…?” The mare released a little chuckle as she pondered his motivation, “Well, I guess you could say that,” She said, purposefully not giving him a definite answer. “Oh…” Soarin’ said, saddened, “Well, uh, I have one too, so we need to get back as soon as possible. She likes pie as much as me,” The stallion lied terribly, so he cleared his throat awkwardly, “We… we um should gather as much berries as we can, so we won’t be hungry later if we somehow get lost,” “We’re already kinda lost…” The mare replied, though quickly changing her tone when she realized she was being quite the negative Nancy, “Want me to help?” Soarin’ started picking the berries from the bush using both hooves to grasp a twig with berries on it and breaking that twig to get multiple berries each time, “Just hold the pockets in your uniform open. That’s where they’ll have to be,” After several minutes of picking from the bush, her pockets were full and the bush was completely devoid of any of the reddish fruit. Spitfire started digging in to some of them, until she had eaten about half of what they had just harvested. “Soarin’, are you going to have any?” The mare said, as she finished eating her final hoof-full if berries. “Nope. You need them much more than I do,” “Just have some, I need you to be healthy too,” She said, suddenly thrust into another fit of coughing. “You clearly need them, Spitfire. I’m not hungry, honest. Now, we really need to find out way back,” Still all that was in his vision were the massively tall trees and the grey clouds that seemed to have no end. The smell of rain and wood still lingered in the air, and the occasional lightning strike could be heard every once in a while. He knew it wouldn’t be long until the rain returned, which was bad for Spitfire because of her sickness. “Uhhhh…” Soarin’ squinted as if it would help him see things in the distance, to no avail, “I really don’t know where to go…” “Ponyfeathers!” The orange Wonderbolt chided, kicking her slightly injured hoof into a pile a half-dried mud, “I wish we could see the sun to know where to go…” The two ponies looked right up at the clouds and branches of the blackened trees. They looked closed by and in the distance, but no sign of the actual sun could be seen. In the distance they heard a roar reminiscent of the Manticore’s roar, sending chills down their spines. This scared them both and took their breaths. Giving each other anxious looks, they both started trotting in the opposite direction. Jumping over dead trees and leaves , through mud and water, they weaved out and in through the forested area until they found where they had slept the night before. “We need to get out of here,” Soarin’ said, grimacing from the pain in the wounds on his hind legs, “Spitfire?” “I-I’m here…” Spitfire said in an exhausted voice. Just that run had caused Spitfire to get dizzy, and she had started shaking almost violently. Soarin was at her side immediately, helping her sit down to catch her breath. “We can’t run like that anymore,” The stallion stated simply, “I’m sorry,” He felt genuinely scared for her once more. “I-I’m sorry I’m so weak,” The mare said, still breathing heavy, “My vision started g-going away, I wouldn’t have been able to go much l-longer…” Her body felt heavy and her limbs felt unable to handle it. As she caught her breath, she started feeling a little better. They sat and listened for any approaching sounds that could signify a threat. When the coast seemed clear, the stallion helped the clearly shaken Spitfire stand up. In a low whisper, he spoke close to her face, “Look, Spitfire. I am going to keep you safe. Don’t worry about that Manticore, I’ll teach him another lesson if he even comes near us, you hear me? We’ll be okay, now let’s go home…” The dazed Pegasus put on a brave smile as she got back up. Without saying a word, they chose a direction to walk in. On and on they went, without a clue to where they were going. Chapter 5“Looks like we’re two Wonderbolts short today…” Firestreak the then team captain I noted as he flew in front of the other four members. They were all lined up for a practice race as a warm-up, in their Canterlot practice arena. Firestreak was a light orange coated stallion with multi colored orange mane, though not very similar to Spitfire’s. He spoke with a raspy, aged voice, being the oldest Wonderbolt on the team. “Soarin’ was at the party last night but he left to find Spitfire and didn’t come back,” Lightning Streak said, getting the attention of the others flying at his sides, “Methinks they didn’t want to be at the party. They wanted to have their own one, if you know what I mean?” He finished with a mischievous smirk. After a few chuckles from Rapidfire and Fleetfoot, the orange maned stallion lifted his hoof up to silence them, “Everypony knows that Wonderbolts are required to send a letter if they’re going to miss a day; a day in advance, in fact. I received no letter, which means they intended to arrive today,” He said sternly. “Hey hey hey, hear me out, Soarin’ told me just yesterday that he’s interested in Spitfire again….I don’t know, but it just seems to me they’re just…you know,” Lightning Streak continued, “You know their crazy past. They’re probably fighting or something right now because Spitfire ate some of his apple pie,” “No,” Firestreak chided, before the group could laugh again, “You all know what we have to do. Did he tell anyone, last night at the party, where he was going?” “Well Spitfire went to Ponyville to get some medicine, so if they’re anywhere, it’s there,” “Why would she need to go to Ponyville just for some medicine?” The light blue maned Fleetfoot asked quizzically. “Somethin’ about some zebra in the Everfree forest. She cured Soarin’s hoof when he hit his it on a tree or whatever,” “Horsefeathers. She seriously went into the Everfree forest?” Firestreak added, face-hoofing in disappointment. “Well, yeah,” Lightning Streak responded bluntly, “I-I guess we should go look for them,” “Before we go, let’s plan this out. We can’t have everypony just go to the Everfree forest. Soarin’ and Spitfire are probably in their homes here in Canterlot. We can’t have too little of you go because it might endanger you. Let’s divide into groups now,” The captain said, still floating in midair in front of the group. “How about…um…three of us go to the forest, one will go check their houses here and could check other places in Canterlot or Ponyville,” Fleetfoot said rubbing her chin with her hoof as she thought, “I wouldn’t want to send so many of us into the forest, but we can’t send too little either. I doubt any of us have actually been in there,” “Alright!” The orange maned stallion announced, “We’ll go with Fleetfoot’s idea. Lightning Streak, Fleetfoot and I will go to the Everfree forest. <><><><><><><><><> Trees, trees, and more trees, with no pathway to be found, this was all they saw hour after excruciating hour in the seemingly forsaken forest. There were no clues to where they should go. They had a decent amount of berries left from their earlier efforts, and Soarin’ was determined to eat as little as possible, knowing that the sick mare beside him needed the nutrients more than him. They couldn’t walk too fast; considering that it could overwork Spitfire’s weakened body like their short run had done earlier when they heard a roar from a distance. They didn’t how far they had gone, nor which way they should go and it was unsettling for them both. The blackened clouds above had threatened another downpour the whole day they had been walking, but nothing but a gentle sprinkle had fallen. This however quenched their thirsts, after being in such a humid area of the wild for so long. They were able t dink the faling rain, no matter how odd tasting it could be. They didn’t have a choice whether to ponder how clean the water was, they hadn’t found a single area of water from which they could drink from and had felt signs of exhaustion about the time the rain had come. Soarin’ stopped once to look into the distance to see any sign of Zecora’s hut. He had done this periodically throughout the day, “It’s getting darker,” He said, his tone of voice deep and serious, “We better look for shelter. I might just have to build one if we can’t find another crevice…” Spitfire walked beside him, breathing heavy, “I-I’ll help,” “You’re sick, I can’t let you use more energy…we need it for our trip to home tomorrow,” He said, cautiously optimistic about their situation for her sake. The night was approaching fast, they were both drained from hours of changing direction and getting nowhere but increasingly more lost. She couldn’t argue with him. It was a struggle for her to put effort into anything. She really needed some sleep, and needed time to figure out a way to get home. She felt responsible for their dire situation and she needed the energy to help Soarin’ instead of hindering their progress in the woods. “I can’t believe we’re not going to get h-home tonight,” Spitfire confessed, “I’ll do whatever it takes for us to get back tomorrow…” “Don’t worry,” Soarin’ said calmly, “We’ll find our way back sooner or later. We need sleep. I’m going to gather branches, wait here and rest. Yell for me if you need help and I’ll come, okay?” “Okay…” She said, walking over to the side of a massive tree and sitting. She watched him leave while gathering large branches from trees. He left her alone with her thoughts once more. A year ago, she had always complained that he didn’t do enough for her when they were dating. They got in many arguments over their own inability give and take and respect each other as partners. Out of spite, she had broken his autographed picture from one of the first Wonderbolt’s, something she had always regretted. She avoided dozing off as much as she could, knowing it would be dangerous, but she couldn’t help it. The subject matter of her thoughts influenced the dream she would have next. Spitfire didn’t know where she was, but she felt as if she was supposed to be there. She was sitting in some sort of field near what she assumed was the Wonderbolt’s practice facility in Canterlot. However, everything just seemed a little different, even surreal. His voice brought a smile to her face, as he held his hooves over her eyes from behind her. Suddenly, there were flowers in front of her, and a feeling of joy spread throughout her whole body. She turned around, in this blurry world of hers to see Soarin’ smiling, with a diamond hoof-ring in his mouth. From a short distance away, she could see herself jumping up and down with joy, see herself hugging the stallion tightly, as if she was flying outside of her body and could see herself. Spitfire felt joy like she never felt before, and everything felt so perfect… Time suddenly skipped forward, though she didn’t consciously notice it. Everything felt so real, the emotions were almost tangible, the colors of her own dream world vivid enough to make her believe it were the real world. There was a massive crowd from all across Equestria, every single member of the audience with a beaming smile. She saw the stage where she and Soarin’ were standing. From her clairvoyant view of this event she saw the tears in her own eyes as she looked up at the blue stallion who was appropriately dressed in a tuxedo. She saw her deceased mom in the crowd, as alive as she ever was. She and Spitfire never had gotten along well and they had never made up with themselves, before her death. She was smiling and proud for her daughter, and Spitfire was proud to have her in the audience. Time advanced once more until she was in her home, two unknown fillies in front of her. She knew they were her own fillies and she knew Soarin’ was their father. She had memories she hadn’t had before and felt unconditional love towards the fillies in front of her. Soarin walked into the room, from a doorway that had seemingly appeared from nowhere and said words that she couldn’t even understand, like they were a blur. She was in first person view, and saw her eyes gaze lower until she saw Soarin’s hind legs. Then the dream darkened, and her feeling of love changed to deathly fear. She saw the deep wounds in his legs as if they were fresh. She felt her backside and noticed her missing wing. She felt the pain in her hooves from being slammed down. Everything felt so wrong… Spitfire panicked in the midst of this horrifying change. Everything seemed to dissipate into blackness…into coldness… “Soarin’?!” She yelled, though the voice didn’t seem like her own, “Soarin’ are you okay?” She spotted the stallion walking away from her into pitch blackness, as if he was ignoring her. “Soarin’! Please! I’m sorry for breaking that picture!” Her voice echoed almost infinitely, as Soarin’ disappeared into the blackness of her own dream. She didn’t know it was a dream, however. She started crying, a sudden despair seemingly controlling her. “Spitfire?!” Soarin’s voice called, distant. She heard the sound of trotting, and soon heard a voice close to her, though she couldn’t see it. The blackness surrounding her slowly started fading away… “Spitfire?! You okay?” Soarin’ called, dropping the branches he was holding. When he made it to the distressed mare, he could see streams of tears cutting through the mud on her mask, “Are you okay?” Her eyes opened slowly and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was back in the real word and couldn’t be more reassured. She took a few seconds to gather herself as the dark world outside reminded her of her predicament. Spitfire relived the pleasant part of her dream then looked up at Soarin’ with a peculiar smile. He couldn’t see the redness on her cheeks from blushing due to her mask. so Soarin returned the smile, and offered her a hoof to help her up. He used his hoof to gently wipe away the tears on her face, “Bad dream, I take it?” “Yeah…kinda. Not all of it. It was a good dream, actually,” She said, awkwardly avoiding the actual subject of the dream, “Have you gotten all the branches and stuff?” Soarin’ turned around, “Yes, I have a big pile of some large branches I can use to create some sort of shelter for us, well, at least for you. Oh, and I also found this type of tree that has some really large leaves, we can use that for blankets. I know you need to keep warm,” Grabbing at four or five branches, each around five feet long, he set them down and had Spitfire hold one up at an angle. He grabbed a second and let the tips of the branches they were holding interlock into a sort to where the branches both leaned into each other supported their weight. He did this with about twenty others, ten on each side, until a decently shaped mini hut was formed This took them only about ten minutes, but it wasn’t finished. He grabbed branches of shrubbery with excessive amounts of leaves on them and put them atop their hut to block out as much rain as possible if it did rain. Then he used some of the big leaves he had gathered and put them in for bedding and blankets. Though his work may have been considered sub-par to a survival expert pony, Spitfire found herself quite surprised at the stallion’s ability to make such a hut. It was about six feet in length, four feet in width, which was just barely enough for them to fit in. It was placed strategically between two trees so the structure would have additional support. When he was finally finished, he couldn’t help but smile at the finished work, “Go ahead,” He said with a nod towards his hoof-made shelter. Spitfire crawled in, avoiding hitting her injured wing on one of the stray twigs. After a fit of coughing, she spoke, “Wow, Soarin’…I have to say this is pretty impressive. Can you fit in?” “Yeah, I’ll just have to squeeze in…if that’s alright with you,” The stallion responded tentatively, understanding that the mare had personal space. The forest seemed quieter than it had been the night before, and there was no rain in sight. It was also windless, so the night seemed to be promising for a decent sleep. “Of course, I-I couldn’t let you sleep outside,” She said, with a small smile, and a voice crack that Soarin’ couldn’t but think was cute. She patted the area next to her as an invitation for him to lie beside her. He squeezed in and rested his head one of the big green leaves he had prepared. When he was settled, he put hid hooves between him and Spitfire and closed his eyes comfortably. “Are you warm enough?” He asked. Spitfire reached behind herself and grabbed Soarin’ front leg and put it over her side, “Now I am,” The stallion grinned, but was conflicted about what to do. He also found himself wide awake, though he had just felt extremely tired moments before. “Do you need anything else? Do we have any berries left?” The berries were in her side pocket that were facing up, so she hadn’t squished them when she laid on her side, “Oh, there are some left…w-want some?” “Nope, help yourself,” Soarin’ said. Silence soon came over them once again as they listened to the distant noises that the wild animals seemed to constantly make. The lack of wind and rain made it almost creepily quiet considering they could hear every little noise, but not see where the noise was coming from. Neither could let their imaginations get to them or else the night could be terrible. When she was finished eating the berries they had collected earlier in the day, Spitfire attempted to go to sleep, but to no avail. Her thoughts started to keep her awake. The injured mare had so many different thoughts going through her head, and her short sleep earlier revealed thoughts she had suppressed for quite some time. She keep could feel him breathing behind her, and assumed he was going to sleep. What I would give just to talk to him right now...without it being so awkward... She lay facing the wall of branches that made up their small shelter; though it was too dark for her to see anything more than something really close her to her eyes. Spitfire studied her dream from earlier. She remembered every second of it, the surreal emotions she felt during it. The despair she felt when she saw Soarin’s injuries in her dream. She had never had such a dream before, it felt realer than life and definitely disrupted her most inner thoughts about the stallion next to her. Spitfire owed her life to him, and then some. He saved her life and has taken extra measures to keep her alive. She was beyond grateful the selflessness he was showing, but didn’t know how she would be able to thank him. “S-Soarin’?” She asked in a quiet tone. “Yeah?” He responded, surprising her that he was still awake. “I-I can’t sleep…” “Me either,” Spitfire turned over onto her side, ignoring the pain in her wing just to face the stallion. She didn’t say anything at first, and neither did Soarin’, but they both caught each other smiling through the dim moonlight that shone through. “I-I know this is going to sound weird…but I…even though we’re out here in the middle of a forest…there’s nopony else I-I would rather have with me than you…” The yellow Wonderbolt told Soarin’, “I-I don’t know how I’m going to thank you for saving my life, but I…I will find a way somehow,” They were nose to nose, the situation as tense between them as it ever had been, “Spitfire, you don’t owe me a single thing… you’re alive, that’s all that matters to me…” Soarin’ said in a deep whisper. A single tear dripped down Spitfire’s cheek. Through the dim light they could see each other’s eyes, and through the tense silence, they could feel the feelings they once had for each come into fruition, neither knowing how to act. Soarin’ leaned in just a little closer, the injured Wonderbolt opening her mouth invitingly, leading them into passionate, life-affirming kiss, letting go of all of the tension that welled up in both of them during recent times. It was a moment they would never forget. Chapter 6“I’m extremely sorry mister Firestreak, but my sense of where Spitfire could be is quite weak,” The day was slowly fading away and Luna’s night was set to take over. Firestreak and the rest of the Wonderbolts’ had searched all of Ponyville and Canterlot for any signs of Soarin’ and Spitfire. Every answer was the same and every hour that past only stirred up more thoughts and ‘what if’s’ about the two Wonderbolts’ situation. They had avoided the Everfree forest as long as they could, but had eventually made their way in as a group to find any signs of the lost stallion and mare. “Did you see Spitfire with a stallion with her?” The fire-red coated stallion asked, as he entered the hut with the Zebra. “As far as my memory can go, I have to say no. When Spitfire was here, I could sense no one near,” “Horsefeathers…” Firestreak chided in disappointment, “We haven’t seen them the night before and they had failed to show up at work today. We’ve been searching for them darn near in every corner of Equestria. We’re thinking they’re somewhere around here, considering that Spitfire had to come here to receive medicine for her sickness,” “I can assure you she was here, but to where she is now is unclear,” The Zebra said, using a big spoon to mix a green boiling potion in her cauldron, “Tomorrow I’ll keep an eye out for anything I see, to be lost in this forest is dangerous indeed,” “Thank you, Zecora. This is very appreciated,” “Come again anytime, young Wonderbolt friend of mine,” And that was it. Firestreak was unwilling to delve deeper into a forest he had never been in. The clouds cut off what little remaining sunlight there was, which would endanger them if they went in too far. It wasn’t a risk they were willing to take, they would have to come back the next day. Firestreak called everypony over to him, all of whom were in his vicinity, and told them that they would return the next day. <><><><><><><><> Spitfire’s eyes darted open at the sound of something walking nearby. She had just been in a deep sleep, and was unsure whether the sound was just something she had heard in her dream. It was another absurdly vivid one, and the events before they went to sleep had influenced it again. When the dim light revealed the sleeping stallion in front of her, she couldn’t help but smile as a warmth filled her heart. This feeling was short lived when she heard low pitched grumble not ten yards from their shelter. She tensed up and her heart beat increased. When the unknown creature started walking, the sound of snapping twigs hinted to the idea that it was some wild animal. Each step it took was loud and it seemed that it was slowly walking closer to Spitfire and Soarin’. Spitfire bit her lip in order to prevent herself from making any noises that could give off that they were there. A combination of fear and anxiety flew through her body as she lay still, her ears perking up at any sign of movement near her and Soarin’. The cold darkening night made this encounter go by excruciatingly slowly. She had no clue what time it was, she only could guess that it was still too early in the morning for the sun to be out. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. She stared towards the stallion next to her and focused her hearing as well as she could. Each twig that snapped didn’t help her determine where the beast was at. Suddenly, whatever was standing so close to them, started running in the opposite direction, the stomping of each step quickly growing distant. She lay there silently until she could hear nothing but the distant voices of owls that inhabited the area around them. The encounter was suddenly over, though it certainly scared Spitfire and influenced her thoughts. It only took the sound of something walking near them to bring up the terrifying fear from when she was first attacked by the Manticore. It was a feeling she could never possibly forget. The mare clutched the stallion just a little tighter for comfort and warmth, letting the fear she had slowly drift away as she closed her eyes. She sighed, probably louder than she should have, but it helped her calm down. Spitfire was wide awake, and really wanted to talk to Soarin’. However, she knew she couldn’t wake him up. They both needed their sleep. Spitfire rested her head on the pile of leaves that was her pillow and closed her eyes to try and sleep through her hunger and thirst. <><><><><><><><> When the mare finally woke up again, the first thing she noticed is that she actually was able to fall asleep even through the short ordeal she had gone through in the middle of the night. The second thing she noticed was that Soarin’ wasn’t in the shelter anymore and that there were a pile of berries on a leaf next to her. Spitfire smiled warmly, grabbed a few and put them in her mouth. The delicious juices from them jump-started her stomach and quickly reminding her that she was parched and famished. The Wonderbolt quickly ate what she assumed was her half of the berries. She poked her head out from the shelter to see that the sun >was up from the light ??? shining through the thick clouds above. It was a dim light, but was lighter than the day before. Carefully crawling out from where she had slept, she immediately noticed a nauseous feeling just from the act of standing up. She had felt fine lying down, but standing up has made it clear that she had only gotten sicker through the night. She waited for her vision to come into focus, and through the trees she saw Soarin’ picking berries from a nearby bush. She walked over to him, ignoring the half dry mud that clung to her hooves she walked through it. “Good morning, handsome,” She said with a smile, “Thanks for the breakfast,” It was the morning after they had kissed and began their relationship again. Old feeling had resurfaced and caused their hearts to flutter and their cheeks to redden at the site of each other. They hadn’t felt that way since they had dated years ago as teenagers. They had shared a past of failed shots at a relationship, but something seemed different the moment they kissed, and they couldn’t quite put a hoof on it. “They’re all yours, did you enjoy em?” He asked, handily picking out more berries he could hold in the tiny crevice of his hoof. “Well, I had half, I thought that the rest were yours…we should eat together,” The fact they were in a forest trying to find a way home didn’t seem to distract Spitfire from considering this their first date. The blue stallion nodded, and filled his leaf up with berries and met the mare outside of the shelter he had built. He placed his leaf on the ground in front of hers which still had berries from earlier. She had brought it out in preparation for his return. Sitting while facing the stallion, Spitfire spoke first, “Why do we also always seem to end up together huh?” She said with a chuckle, but was clearly happy that they were. “I don’t know, but and I don’t care…I’m just glad we are,” The stallion responded simply, shoving a hoof-full of tiny red fruits into his mouth. “I heard a noise last night and it woke me up…I couldn’t really go to sleep…I kinda…” Spitfire took off her the mask she had had on for the past several days because it had annoyed her. The cool air touching her face was very relaxing for her, considering the mare still had a fever from her sickness.The fact she was blushing became much more obvious without a mask, “I kinda um….I kinda wrote a poem about you. About us…” “Whoa, I forgot about your poetic talents…” The stallion said with a grin, “Lemme hear it,” “Don’t judge it please, it’s not that good,” “I’m sure it’s great,” Soarin’ said. “I-I’m still working on it,” The mare sidetracked, “I’ll tell you when I finish it, okay?” Soarin’ chuckled, “Okay, I’ll be patient,” He craned his neck to his right to examine the mare’s wing, “How’s your wing looking?” Her heart sank being reminded of her injury, “I-it’s…it’s okay…I don’t really feel anything anymore, it’s almost numb,” “How sick are you?” “I…I feel worse than yesterday. I-I’m actually a little nervous about walking so far today. I felt woozy when I woke up,” The stallion grimaced, but had good news to share, “Well, I guess I have some good news. Did you notice that we could see the sun this morning? All we have to do is go east and we’ll be able to find Ponyville… So, depending on how good or bad we did these past few days on finding our way back, we should be able to find our way home before tonight, but I’m not sure,” “That’s amazing to hear…I really just can’t wait to lay in a nice comfy bed and sleep for days,” She said with a labored chuckle, “I can’t wait tell everypony about how you saved me,” “Do what you want, because all that matters to me is that you’re okay,” Soarin’ mused, giving the mare across from him a smile, “Maybe in a way you saved my life too?” “How so?” “If you hadn’t had gone to the forest, I may have had been the manticore’s first target and I wouldn’t have been found by anypony,” “So, I guess it was a good thing I came to the forest…kind of,” Spitfire said, releasing a small chuckle, “Well, I’m happy you’re alive too. You could have died trying to save me…” “If I had died, as long as you still lived, it would have been worth it,” The stallion said genuinely. The touching statement from the stallion across from her caused tears to well up behind Spitfire’s eyes, “We’ve been through so much together, even before all of this…maybe we were meant to be together?” She ventured, finishing up her breakfast of berries. Soarin’ had always thought that way about them, and to hear her say that, made him elated. He had to ponder his response, “Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. But I-I think we have something a lot of ponies may not have, and that’s because we’re alike in almost every way. Except your poetic talents, I’m a terrible poet,” They both smiled lovingly at each other as they spoke, “I think that instead of poetic talents you have the talent of loving pie more than anypony else,” “I still think you’re crazy for not liking it!” Soarin’ said, both enjoying a moment of laughter, “We can meet in the middle. You can write a poem about pie, and I’ll eat it,” Soarin’ joked, causing the mare across from him to burst out in more laughter. “So…” Spitfire started, though having to pause to cough, “D-D you think anypony is looking for us?” The stallion took a moment to think, while finishing the berries he had collected, “Well, we’re Wonderbolts, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. Let’s keep an eye out for anypony while we’re on our way back today,” Through their remaining hunger and thirst, and numerous wounds, they started towards the rising sun that they could see through the dull grey clouds. It had occurred to Soarin’ that he could fly through the clouds to see the direction they should head in. However, the puffy clouds above still had some deep blackened spots that still threatened to strike him with lightning if he flew through. He knew that if he injured himself, he could doom Spitfire in the middle of such a terrible area. They could feel the humid, warm air stick to their coats and the mud dried in their coats from the rain just a few nights before. Their muscles ached and Spitfire’s sickness had only gotten worse overnight. As they walked, the forest once again slowly returned to its usual darkness. The clouds were black as coal and they could only use their own sense of direction to trust that they were heading towards Ponyville. They could only trust their sense of direction to guide them. Now a couple once again, they felt more bonded. They felt closer in a sense that they trusted each other more than had ever before. They had a past of ugly streaks of dating, but they both bonded on the idea that this time would be different. They were both strong-minded ponies, but Spitfire was able to let the stallion lead knowing her own condition. They trusted each other with their lives, which is something they hadn’t done before, even as best friends. There’s always a short time of slight-awkwardness when a new relationship arises; both need to adjust to life with somepony by their side and need to adjust to the time they feel they should devote to each other. The time passed quickly for them. It felt natural for them to label themselves as a couple. It felt right. Even in such a dire situation, they found comfort and confidence in each other. Though conversations about their emergence as couple helped the time pass by steadily, the hours that went by caused a striking fear to meander at the back of their minds as they slowly started doubting their hopes to return to Ponyville. Their hunger returned quickly and their thirst only grew. They endless greenery only added to their growing nervousness as they gazed into the distance. No sign of anypony else could be found, not even a hoof print or a sign of freshly picked berry bush that Zecora may have used for her potions. Despite her efforts, ever so often the two would have to take a break so Spitfire could gather herself. Soarin’ went out to scrounge for berries to help her regain energy, but it was clear that she was fighting a losing battle. Soarin’ stayed strong and confident for the mare near him, but his thoughts increasingly became disheartening. He stood by her as she finished the berried he had gathered for her. Spitfire breathing was labored. “You alright now?” After a few more audible breaths, she groaned and stood up, “Y-Yeah…” He studied her figure struggling on deciding what he should do. He looked up towards the grey clouds. They were a lighter shade than they had been during most of their walk that day. He flew up slowly, Spitfire eying him as she guessed what he was doing. It hit her quickly as he was halfway up, “No, Soarin’! I don’t want you to hurt yourself…” The stallion looked down and flew idly, “Spitfire, I can survive a shock…I can’t bear the idea that we could be going the wrong way…” “Be c-careful!” She shouted, the act of yelling putting stress on her weakened body. Soarin’ looked straight up. Through the outreaching branches of the tall creeping trees and grey clouds, he could see no sign of electricity through them that could endanger him. Having only been a part of the weather team for a short time before becoming a Wonderbolt, he didn’t know if that meant it was safe or not. He took a few deep breaths, and then flew up as fast as he could. From the ground, Spitfire watched in horror as a blinding light sent lightning through the stallion’s body. He fell in a spiral towards the ground, a plume of smoke following his descent to the ground. Anything that could have went wrong, went wrong in his pursuit to see where Ponyville was. He was barely able to slow his descent with his wings, and landed with a loud thump, and an immediate vocalization of the pain he felt throughout his body. Spitfire immediately rushed to his aid, adrenaline preventing her body from collapsing from the effort of running. The stallion’s eyes were clenched shut as he moaned from the terrible pain he felt through his back. “Soarin’!” The mare exclaimed breathlessly, “Are you okay?” Her heart beat faster than she could ever remember as the sight of Soarin’ lying in agony sent terrifying chills down her spine. “I-I-I’m okay…” He stammered, “T-That w-was pretty s-stupid of me…and I mean really stupid…but I did see something…” “W-what’s wrong, where are you hurt?” Spitfire asked, keeping calm against her own urges to panic. His coat was singed from the shock and he was breathing heavy after such a failure. “My back…but it’s okay…I’ll be okay, just give me a minute,” The mare backed off for a second to give the stallion his space. He had fallen from high above Spitfire and was only able to stifle the fall with his wings in the last half of his fall. Spitfire looked around in despair. Everything seemed to be going wrong, everything seemed to show that they had no chance of surviving. She was striking with a deep feeling of hopelessness that only hindered her sickness and her will to survive. Spitfire could feel herself losing hope on their dire situation. She surveyed the area once more as everything came into focus. She had never been in such a situation before, and it was almost impossible for her to keep an optimistic outlook on it. The stallion rolled over onto his side, then slowly got up with a helping hoof from the yellow Wonderbolt. “I shouldn’t have let you do that…” She said, still gazing through the blackened trees around them, “Can y-you stand?” “I’ll be fine,” He persisted, “Let’s just go. I saw a glimpse of Ponyville….we’ve been going the right way….somehow,” “At least we know now…but that was a bad fall, are you sure you don’t need a break?” She asked sympathetically. “We can’t afford taking another break,” Soarin’ responded, putting on a strong front, “I need to make sure you get back safe…” Through the dim light the yellow Wonderbolt was able to see the singed feathers on Soarin’s wings. It reminded her of her own injuries, “Let’s keep going in the direction that you said we should go…I’ll be fine Soarin’,” After taking a few more moments to catch his breath, Soarin’ started walking once more, with a worried Spitfire by his side. It was their second day in the forest. They haven’t had nearly enough nourishment to sustain both of them for much longer. As they walked forward, they continued surveying the area around them for any signs of more threats, but were consistently met with nothing but trees and shrubbery. Hour after hour, they started feeling that they were walking in circles. All they saw were the plethora of trees and dark clouds as far as they could see. However, there was no rain, and they could feel the pit in their stomachs from being parched. Their bodies yearned for water and food, and perhaps most of all, rest. Soarin’ could feel the pain his hind-legs from the Manticore attack. Every step, he could feel a stinging sensation through his hind hooves. His back was injured because of his earlier fall and he had a pulsing headache. However, he pressed on. There was a hill they came across. It arched up somewhat steeply, yet had a flat surface on top. They didn’t need to say a word; they climbed up and collapsed on the top. Their breathing was heavy, and they had no clue what time it was. The blackened clouds still seemingly had no end, and revealed barely enough sunlight for them to know it was still daytime. Soarin’ looked at the exhausted mare next to him. A feeling of depression struck him. She looks so weak…I haven’t been able to lead us to safety. What have I done wrong? Is anypony even searching for us? Could I have done something better? I should have traced my steps when I first came here… there’s gotta be something I can do to save us…save her… He gazed off into the distance, quickly spotting a bunny hopping merrily between trees. He sincerely felt jealous of the bunny. Such a tiny animal could survive in such conditions and still happily hop around, while they struggle to even find their way out. He was tempted to follow that bunny, but he knew it wouldn’t help him since the animal probably wasn’t exiting the forest. “I’m sorry, Spitfire…” He said, solemnly saddened. Spitfire’s eyes remained closed while she spoke, “Sorry for what? W-we still have time to get back,” “I’m sorry…I’m saying sorry just in case….j-just in case we don’t m-“ The stallion was cut off by Spitfire’s hoof on his mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes with bags under them, and slowly tearing up. Soarin’ would never forget her face at that exact moment. They lay facing each other, their hooves interlocked. Soarin’ used his hoof to move Spitfire’s mane from her face and behind her ear . He then gently gave her a kiss on her nose, making her smile, just the slightest bit. “We’re going to need this rest…enjoy it. I-I don’t know when the next time we’ll be able to rest again will be,” Spitfire responded with a soft ‘mhmm’ and closed her eyes. She quickly drifted off into a nap, while Soarin’ just rested and surveyed their surroundings. He couldn’t sleep. His back was in pain from his earlier fall and he couldn’t have them both be sleeping in the middle of the day. They’d be prime targets for another attack, and in their conditions, they wouldn’t stand a chance. He stroked Spitfire’s mane, and listened to her labored breath. “The sickness must be really getting to you, huh?” He whispered in a saddened tone. His mouth opened to add something, but no words came out. “I-I’m fine, Soarin’…” She spoke, though her eyes were still closed. Soarin’ held her left hoof in his hooves, something he had done during their past relationships. Everything seemed much more silent as they took this short rest. Soarin’ could hear their breathing, he could hear the rumbling in distant clouds, signifying the possibility of rain. Every time he adjusted his position, he could hear the dying grass below him crumble and the dirt rub against his coat . However, as Spitfire’s chest moved out and in as she fell into sleep, Soarin’ found his vision darkening and his eyelids feelings heavier…and heavier... The stallion shook his head, trying to force himself to stay awake…it felt good just to close his eyes. Just having his thoughts to himself caused the whole current situation to materialize. Soarin’ had played cool, promised Spitfire he would be able to find their way out, and get them home. He had had no doubt they were going to make it out of the forest. He had no doubt he was going to be able to get Spitfire to the hospital and get her injuries mended. Soarin’ may have had worries and prepared himself for them, but he never had lost hope that they would escape. This short time, alone, caused his whole personal outlook on the situation to change. The idea of dying in the forest became almost tangible. The idea of not being able to save the mare beside him sent a chill down his spine. He forced the thought out of his head once again. There was a light breeze coming from behind them, and it was very comforting in such a humid environment. Soarin’ once again found himself forcing his eyes open after a short period of sleep. However, all it took was one time where he fell into a deep sleep, and soon the two Wonderbolt’s were both sleeping in the middle of the day, in the middle of the forest. Chapter 8Though Ponyville was the least advanced when it came to medicine and emergencies in Equestria, they had a specialized unit of unicorns for emergencies, which were called upon once Zecora was able to get help. Galloping into the forest were four unicorn stallions, the two on the ends wearing saddles with medicinal equipment on the sides. On their backs was a padding for carrying an unconscious pony. Behind them was a worried Zecora and the morning sun, which was finally rising and giving them minimal light. They focused on Spitfire first. Using magical spells developed for emergencies, they attempted to restart her heart. They didn’t have much of a clue for how long it had been since her heart stopped. They knew it effected blood flow to the brain, so it made it extremely important that they got it pumping again as soon as possible. After a few seconds of mustering up magic, the unicorn’s first attempt failed. Spitfire still laid lifeless and was running out of time. Muttering words of frustration, the unicorn mustered up an even stronger spell, focusing on the yellow Pegasus’ chest. “Come on, come on, come on!” He said, his deep voice wavering, caused the stress of his job. When the spell was finished, a relieved expression came across the stallion’s face. The other stallion took is as a sign that the spell worked, and they could hoist her onto the back of one of stallions, as they had already done with Soarin’. Spitfire’s heart was beating, but she remained unconscious, which wasn’t a good sign. It took a few seconds of focusing as two of the unicorn’s used their magic to lift Spitfire onto the brown stallion’s back. They then focused on lifting Soarin’ and using lesser spells to heal the wounds on his legs and back. They simply didn’t have the time to revive him his unconsciousness until they arrived at the hospital. The backs of the carrier stallions were padded to absorb the shock of their running with the injured ponies on top of them. It became increasingly clear that the yellow Wonderbolt’s heart was only beating because of the magic. It was vital that they got her to the emergency room as fast as possible. “Zecora, what else do you know about their situation?” One stallion asked while the other three left quickly, with the injured Wonderbolts. “It was unknown to me, until recently, that they were lost in the forest of Everfree. Spitfire and Soarin’ came and saw me, though I had no clue to where they could be. When I saw Spitfire she was extremely sick, I gave her a potion to help her with it.” “Thanks for your help,” The burly stallion said, quickly making his way to Ponyville hospital where the others have headed. Soarin’ was going in and out of consciousness on his way there. He was laying on the padded saddle of the Emergency Response Pony, but only could get a glimpse of the surroundings before he fell back into unconsciousness. Then the magic that was being performed on him set in. The unicorn that had been performing the healing spell on him didn’t even notice him waking up, and instead quickly ran to work on the yellow Wonderbolt as they galloped towards the hospital. They quickly were able to exit the forest. Soarin’ couldn’t budge. His body was too weak. However, he was aware of his surroundings, and somewhat aware of what was happening. It was quite literally a blur and his mind was a few steps behind what his were seeing. He looked to his left where he saw Spitfire on the back of the other running stallion. They were already in the middle of town, and were making great time. The mare’s head bobbed back and forth from how fast the stallion was running. A greenish glow of magic surrounded her, its effect keeping her alive for the time being. Soarin’ was in no state of mind to even understand anything around him. He was at the lowest level of consciousness and everything seemed like a blur. Once they entered the hospital, they were almost instantly put onto beds with wheels. Spitfire was strapped down due to her lack of consciousness, the green glow of the magic still upon her. Soarin’ watched as the yellow mare was taken into a different part of the hospital. Is that the last time I’ll ever see her? His attention was quickly brought back to the doctors and nurses above him, as they moved him towards wherever they were taking him. He hadn’t a clue as to where he would be. However, his vision was clearing up, and he was slowly starting to get a grip. One of the nurses suddenly shone a light in both of his eyes, causing him to wince. The light-coated nurse didn’t say anything; she instead nodded towards another pony that was out of Soarin’s view. They turned his cart to the left, and then stopped. This was clearly where he would be for the time being. As his brain tried to decipher what was around him, the nurse, a brown coated mare, spoke up calmly. “Mr. Soarin’, are you there? We need to see how responsive you are,” The effort to speak caused him to close his eyes,” I’m…I’m…I’m okay,” He said with a chuckle, knowing that he definitely wasn’t okay, and the stress in his voice surely showcased that. “Can you give me any information about your friend?” She said, levitating a room-temperature glass of water in front of him to drink. After quickly finishing drinking the water, Soarin gathered himself to speak. “Spitfire is sick…she was attacked by a Manticore…it hurt…it bit her wing…where is she?” “Oh,” Was the nurse’s only response, as she stood over him with a clipboard which she started writing on. “How is she? Where is she?” The stallion reiterated, a little louder. “She’s in a different part of the hospital so the other doctors can tend to her injuries. We need to focus on you right now, hun,” “Tell me as soon as you can,” The next few hours were anything but relieving for the blue stallion. He was shipped to different units where he was examined and tested, only to be carted somewhere else. Staring up at the ceiling only left him with his thoughts once more and the occasional talk with one of the nurses taking care of him. One thing he noted was that water never tasted as amazing as it had once they deemed it safe for him to drink as much as he wanted. It was as if his whole world was revived just within the liquid that he hadn’t much of the past few days. However, it only led to the almost sickening hunger he felt, and the doctors were worried that if they gave him too much food, it could be dangerous since he had so little in the past few days. He couldn’t feel relieved. Soarin’ couldn’t feel like everything was going to be okay now that he was in care. They offered him no updates on the condition of Spitfire, and every time the thought crossed his mind, his heart fluttered with anxiousness. Soarin’ only knew so much about the situation. He didn’t know how long he and Spitfire were outside of Zecora’s hut, he didn’t know where she was, how she was or how she would be. Something told him the nurses didn’t know either. His back legs were wrapped in a firm cotton bandage where he was struck multiple times by the Manticore. He took medicine for his injured back and neck, along with scrapes and bruises that had accumulated during the past few days. At a point in time, without even wanting to, the stallion fell into a deep sleep, something his body had been aching for, and in the comfort of the chilly thin hospital sheets he wasn’t able to resist falling asleep. <><><> One week later <><><> Spending so much time alone was what truly brought to his true feelings for the yellow Wonderbolt. The nurses updated him on her condition, but would never give a definite answer for if she was going to survive her injuries, and it was mentally killing him with the uncertainty. The only answer Soarin’ wanted was one they were unable to give him, and it was a source of anxiety for him during his recovery. It was on the day of his release, a full week after he was admitted, when Nurse Redheart came in, a neutral expression on her face and a chart on her right front hoof. He was beyond nervous and only had thought saddening thoughts. Being the optimistic stallion he was, that wasn’t normal for him. Having been booked up by himself day after day with only his thoughts caused him as much stress as he had ever felt. The stallion looked up at her with big eyes, though he didn’t say a word. The mare spoke in a calm voice, “Soarin’, as you know, it’s your day to be discharged from the hospital. We know you’ve wanted to hear the condition of your friend, and I’m terribly sorry that weren’t able to tell you sooner. She’s going to make a full recovery, Soarin’” The stallion gulped, feeling the familiar feeling of tears welling up behind his eyes. “She’s in a very deep sleep right now. We were able to build a cast to help her wing heal, short term and long term-“ “I want to see her,” he said adamantly, sitting up in his bed, “I won’t leave until I do,” She led him through a hallway into a different room, where the more injured ponies were held. Passing nurses and doctors, and going through hallways that seemingly never ended. Of course, his anxiousness made the whole walk seem eons longer. He had bandages on his hind legs and back, but he didn’t notice the pain. His eyes scavenged the area for any sign of the yellow mare. “Here,” The nurse said finally, opening a curtain to reveal the yellow mare laying in a bed, her injured wing outstretched over the side of the bed in a cast. He sat next to her bed and put her hoof in the middle of his, cradling it as he spoke softly towards her. He spoke about how much he wanted her to stay alive, how much he loved her and how much he missed her. He spoke from the heart, which was not something he had done often before their ordeal. The nurse left and closed the curtain with her magic to leave Soarin’ alone with the sleeping Wonderbolt. He let the silence set in as she adjusted his position next to Spitfire’s bed. Seeing her for the first time was very emotional for him. He knew he would have to let her sleep, he knew she needed it. He was very fine with waiting. He was still ecstatic over being told that she was going to make a full recovery. Soarin’ couldn’t get rid of the smile on his face, as he sat in a more comfortable position and waited willfully. Soarin’s father had told him when he was just a colt that when ponies were in a deep sleep, they could hear him. He didn’t believe him but he thought it was worth a try. He considered it better than sitting and staring. “The rest of the Wonderbolt’s are worried about you. Yesterday they said that I could start practicing again once I am discharged, since the doctors said my leg wounds were healed and my concussion is okay, which I doubt since I’m still getting these headaches. I told them no. Not until you’re back. They looked at me weird, as if I was crazy. I don’t care, I couldn’t return without you,” Soarin’ sighed, which was almost habitual for him. He wasn’t bored, but was expectant as always. More and more time kept passing, though it seemed to go by impossibly slow. He looked at his somewhat dirty coat and quickly noticed how tired he was. He had only just arrived after a nearly sleepless night before at his temporary home back in Ponyville. It’s how it had been, he had only gone back to Canterlot once to update the team with Spitfire’s condition personally. “Hello Mr. Soarin’,” A voice called from the entrance, startling the stallion. “Just going to make sure her cast is secure, and quickly check up on how she’s doing,” Nurse Redheart’s voice was as calming as ever. “Of course,” After fidgeting with a few complicated looking machines next the mare’s bed, the nurse spoke up, “It seems everything is fine. Her heartbeat has increased on its own, which we’ll need to keep an eye on. It’s nothing startling, just an observation, which I’ll note just in case,” The Pegasus nodded, light moving back and forth on the wall behind him from the dim lights in the room. “You look so tired, Soarin’. You should go home. We’ll take care of her, you need rest. This is the kind of rest she has needed, it’s doubtful that she’ll wake up soon,” The nurse pointed out in a calm voice. “I know. I-I, I just want to stay for a little longer. If that’s okay,” Soarin’ hadn’t even realized it was past eight pm. “Of course. Remember to sign out when you do leave,” Nurse Redheart mused, putting the newly edited clipboard back on the edge of the bed, then leaving the room. The blue stallion sighed once more. The dim light in the room only added to his tiredness. His muscles ached and his eyelids felt heavy. However, being by Spitfire was important to him. He studied the area around the mare’s hospital bed. Her chest raised and lowered slowly with his breath, almost on pace with every two seconds that passed. Soarin’ noticed that her mane was an absolute mess. “You wouldn’t want anypony to know, but you hate having your mane so mangled, so I’ll fix it,” Soarin’ got up and leaned over the bed, carefully forming the mare’s mane to at least resemble her usual style. “There,” Soarin’ said, grinning as if he had accomplished something. He turned around and got back into the spot he had been sitting. He didn’t want to go home. The stallion couldn’t help but hope that the nurse would let him stay longer. The ticking on the clock suddenly came to his attention, though it had been in the background since he arrived next to Spitfire. He started counting each tick, as if it would help him pass the time. He would glance over at the sleeping Spitfire almost on a minute-basis as he checked how high he could count. 135…136…137…136…1…wait? Soarin’ began again, trying to focus more. He rest his head on his front hoof. The Pegasus didn’t notice that his eyes had closed. Even while sitting down, his head had lowered at an awkward angle. Ten minutes had suddenly passed, in what felt like a minute or so. He yawned, a little louder than he should have, then almost started counting the ticks again. Then he looked up. “Hi,” a weakened voice called out. The stallion half-thought he misheard. “S-Spitfire?” He responded, his heart racing as fast as his mind. He craned his neck up to get a better view of the mare on the bed. “Ye-yeah,” Soarin’ was instantly on his hooves. He stood next to bed and gazed at the mare on the bed empathetically. “H-Hey, you’re okay,” The stallion said, not even close to knowing what to say. He had a thousand things to say at once, but couldn’t even choose one. “Yeah,” Spitfire responded, barely a whisper. Her eyes were barely open, and her breathing was really heavy, “How’s my wing?” “The doctors haven’t told me much…I was going to be discharged today. It’s in a cast, but I’m sure with magic it can be returned to how it was. I…I’m just so happy to see you alive…” Welling behind Soarin’s eyes were tears, which he held off as he spoke to the injured mare. “Wh..what time is it?” She asked. “It’s like nine pm,” “How?” Spitfire asked. “How what?” The stallion asked dumbly. “How did we survive? I-I…I don’t remember anything,” As Spitfire slowly started to wake up, she adjusted herself onto her side to face Soarin’. “Well…I don’t know where to begin…I don’t know much to begin with. I was carrying you and..” A light shone through the curtains as a nurse walked through, “Spitfire, it’s good to see that you’re awake,” The pastel green colored mare walked over to the complicated machines at the side of Spitfire’s bed and adjusted some of them with her magic. The nurse turned her head at Soarin’, “I’m sure you’re happy she’s awake. It’s always nice to see two ponies reunite like this. You know, all he would ask about is you, dear,” The nurse said to Spitfire, “Every time he saw us. We weren’t allowed to update him because we had to do so much in so little time,” Soarin’ placed his hoof on the side of bed, Spitfire smiling at him as she laid on her back again, moaning from the pain in the lower part of her wing. She placed Soarin’s in middle of her two hooves. “Oh. Oh. I had assumed you were friends, since you’re Wonderbolts and all,” The nurse said with a chuckle, “This makes your story even more….adorable! It’ll spread across Equestria like wildfire!” The nurse gushed for a moment before she settled down. She used her magic to write on a clipboard that had been placed at the foot of the yellow Wonderbolt’s bed. “Now Spitfire, I understand that you are, uh, definitely exhausted and probably want to sleep lonhger. Visiting hours are coming to a close very soo-“ “Can he…can Soarin’ take me home with him?” The Wonderbolt interrupted, trying to sit up in her bed, “I’m only tired…I don’t think I need to stay here longer,” Soarin’s response was to look up eagerly at the nurse. The nurse pondered this for a moment. She picked up the chart on the edge of Spitfire’s bed and scanned through it, “Well, here it this seems to show that there’s no particular need to stay here. You do have a lot of recovery to go through, but it isn’t anything you couldn’t do at home. However, you have just woken up. You have been sleeping so often the past week. I need to know that you can walk by yourself before I can discharge you,” Soarin’ and the Nurse waited for the mare to stand up. With an inhale preparing for the effort, Spitfire sat up, pulled the white sheet to the side, and slowly got off the bed. Soarin’ was quickly by her side just in case she wasn’t able to stay up. “I’m fine,” The mare insisted, standing next to Soarin’. She examined the many bandages on her front hoof and the cast on her wing and sighed, “I…I really got myself into trouble didn’t I?” She said with chuckle. “So? You’re tough as nails,” Soarin’ said to be positive. The white colored nurse took a few seconds to contemplate. “Mr. Soarin’, you’ll have a lot of work to do if you’re going to take care of her until she’s all well,” “I know,” The stallion replied without hesitation. Spitfire couldn’t help but smile at the fact he was so willing to continue to help her. It also made her feel quite embarrassed, knowing he had already done so much for her. “I’ll have to brief you on what you’re going to have to do, of course. That’s hospital policy. We couldn’t just send you on your way without knowing your duties when taking care of her. You just got over injuries yourself, you know!” The nurse noted, motioning her hooves to the bandage on Soarin’s back. The nurse went and had several interns clean up Spitfire’s room as they exited. The light caused both Soarin’ and Spitfire to cringe as they entered the room where other injured ponies were held behind closed curtains. When they got to the reception desk the nurse talked to Soarin’ while the yellow mare went to sit down on a chair to preserve her energy. From her position she could see the bandages on the back of Soarin’s legs, and the bandage on his back. It made her feel guilty and shameful for having ever gotten into the situation. She regretted waiting so long to retrieve medicine for her sickness. The mare regretted taking the wrong pathway that led to the Manticore attacking her. Most of all, she was thankful. She was thankful that Soarin’ has risked his own life to save hers. She was gracious that he had put so much effort despite her weakened state keeping them back constantly. When she gazed at the stallion while he spoke to the nurse at the front desk, she felt warmth in her chest and couldn’t resist smiling. When they were finally discharged, with assistance from one of the stallions that had saved them, the two found a place in Ponyville to stay the night before they could return to Canterlot, and eventually, return to being Wonderbolts. <><><><><><><><><> There was a moment for both of them only three days from returning from the hospital. They were still staying at their temporary home in Ponyville. The quietness and respectful nature of the Ponyville folks gave them the privacy they needed as Soarin’ tried his best to nurse Spitfire back to health. For the first time in those three day, Soarin’ was the one sleeping and Spitfire was the one awake. He hadn’t allowed her to walk anywhere and had insisted he do everything for her. Now that he was asleep, Spitfire had a lot of time to think. She laid next to him the bed, and finally had the time to just reflect on the past few weeks. It sent a chill down her spine as she imagined herself within the teeth of the manticore, so she quickly moved onto a happier subject. Soarin’ saving her life. No matter how many times she would remind herself, it would always warm her heart to realize that Soarin’s her hero, friend and boyfriend. The moment at night when they had kissed had most likely given her the strength she needed to get as far she had when they were in the forest. Laying on her her good wing, she rolled onto her side and faced the sleeping stallion. She rested her muzzle behind his neck, and sighed a content sigh. Surprisingly, this woke him up. “O-Oh...I’m sorry Soarin’” The yellow mare said, blushing a little. Rubbing his eyes, he turned over to face the mare, “How long was I asleep?” “A while,” Their noses almost touched as they spoke, “Do you need anything?” “No, I just want you,” Spitfire, sounding a little naughtier than she had intended. Soarin smiled, “You need sleep now, huh?” He said with a chuckle, “I’ve never seen you blush so much since I met you,” “Oh I just...” The mare responded, thought cutting herself off to think for a second, “You know...do you think we’ll....work out? Even after all of this? I mean, before we just...” “Shhhh. Don’t talk about the past. All I see is a future,” The stallion said with a smile. He gave Spitfire a peck on the nose, “I love when you blush. It’s absolutely adorable, I’ve never seen it before!” “Stop it!” The mare responded, playfully poking him the chest. “I think things are different now...things feel different,” Soarin’ said. he then ventured further, “I love you, Spitfire,” ”I love you too, Soarin’" <><><><><><><><><> They had been through a lot as friends and a lot when they had tried dating before. They were immature, cocky Wonderbolts who hadn’t a care in the world when they had dated. Though they had harbored feelings for each other even after they had broken up, their egos were too big to admit it. It didn’t take courage for Spitfire to admit that her feelings for Soarin’ were strong. They were so strong they were almost tangible. It wasn’t just because he had saved her life; it was how close they got after he did. The compassionate warmth she felt wasn’t just because she was grateful that he saved her life, it was because they had gotten closer in several days than they had ever gotten before, and it made her proud to know they had grown so much in such a short time. Despite her own objections, Soarin’ catered to Spitfire’s every need during the time after. His work went beyond helping to make sure that the yellow Wonderbolt made a full recovery, he also dealt with the many reporters that wanted a picture of the two. Their whole ordeal spread across Equestria like wildfire as predicted. The two only became closer as they recovered. Though Soarin’ would insist everything was fine, Spitfire would pester him about how she could make it up to him for saving her life. Even after the horrendous ordeal that they had gone through, Lightning Streak was the first to pester Soarin’ about his and Spitfire’s relationship. When the blue stallion saw fit, he allowed Spitfire to go with him as he returned to the practicing with the Wonderbolts. After three practices the mare couldn’t handle it anymore and joined in on a few races. It was the only time Lightning Streak had ever beaten her in a race, coincidently. It was only two months after their survival in the Everfree forest that Soarin’ returned to performing. Day in and day out, Soarin’ and Spitfire were together, and day in and day out, they got along. Maybe it did take such a horrifying event to bring them closer than they had before. They had respect for eachother that they didn’t have before. So maybe it is unlikely for two members of an elite team to truly be in love and last, but then again, they survived a terrifying ordeal together, which was much more unlikely than that. Chapter 7*Chapter 7* Soarin’ didn’t want to open his eyes. He knew he had fallen asleep against his own will and he knew that that rest would only make it harder for him to exert the energy to will them forward. When he did open his eyes, he was met with the almost pitch-black darkness of the night. He rubbed his eyes, then squinted to see Spitfire still sound asleep in front of him. Her breathing was dangerously uneven, and this scared him. How long did we sleep? Soarin’ sat up slowly, then surveyed the area based on what he could see. It was as silent as it was dark, no wind, rain or thunder to interrupt the blissful silence of the forest they were.trapped in. This silence is good…just in case something tries to attack us The stallion found himself conflicted on whether or not he should wake the poor mare beside him. He glanced over at her for a few seconds. She was still in her ripped up Wonderbolt uniform, though she had removed her mask the day before. “Poor girl…” He whispered solemnly. During the silence, he noticed that Spitfire made the tiniest noise with every breath she took. It was barely a vocalization, barely a voice at all, though it seemed to stick in Soarin’s mind for an odd reason. He decided to let her sleep, knowing that she needed the rest. He took the time she was asleep to contemplate how they could make it out of the forest while still in such darkness. Neither of them were unicorns, so illumination was impossible without fire. Fire was near impossible because the rain made everything damp a few days ago. Everything seemed to be going against them. The impending doom thoughts nagged at the back of his brain, the guilt of not being able to save her nagged at his soul, and everything seemed to just be going so slow. Even though he had just slept an unknowable amount of hours away, the time seemed frozen and merciless. At first he had just wanted everything to go by fast so they could get back and make it to the training, which they had missed this day. Now, his priorities changed dramatically. Even with them both having sustained injuries, he had been confident that they would escape the forest and live. His confidence now was shaken, which is never good when trapped in such a terrifying ordeal. Soarin’ laid back down on his side, facing the mare once more. He moved her mane out of her face once more, it had been obstructing her breathing. She moaned a little, a sign that she was finally awake, though her eyes didn’t open for a few seconds. “Hey,” Was all that Soarin’ could say, as she revealed her orange eyes in the dim moonlight. “W-what time is it?” Her voice was hoarse and stressed from just waking up, “Wait, nevermind,” She quickly corrected, with a little chuckle. “Guess we fell asleep…” Soarin’ commented, half-jokingly, “Which is okay, I guess, you needed your rest. How are you feeling?” Spitfire sighed, still laying on her side. She used her forehoof to lift herself up into a sitting position, taking a considerable amount of effort. “I…I feel terrible, Soarin’,” She said, slightly struggling to keep her balance as she gazed off into the distant forest. Soarin’s heart sank drastically. Just the stressed way she had said that bothered him; hearing her sound so…weak, was absolutely saddening for him. Seeing what was such a strong, able-bodied mare in front of him in such a state was frightening. He needed to do something. “Can you stand?” He asked, as he lifted himself up into a sitting position too. “I don’t…know!” Spitfire exclaimed, her voice cracking in despair. She hung her head as a few tears dripped down her cheek. “P-please don’t cry, Spitfire, I-I’m doing my best,” Soarin’ said, his heart breaking in two, at the sight of his mare crying. “Why not?!” She exclaimed in desperation, “I-I’m holding us back! I’m holding you back! Just look at me, I’m beaten to a pulp! It hurts to breathe, Soarin’!” She took a few breaths as she recovered from the effort it took just for her to lash out in such a way. She lifted her head up, a tiny gleam of moonlight spotlighting the tears pouring from her orange eyes, “I-I’m dying Soarin’… I can’t… I…” The words she said really tore at Soarin’s figurative heart. Without a word, he calmed the mare down by hugging her, his hooves wrapping around the injured mare’s body. She felt frail in his upper-legs, though she did return the hug. With each exhale, the yellow Pegasus released a desperate short cry, as the stallion whispered comforting words into her ear. “Stay strong, Spitfire…I-I need you as much as you need me. You’re not a burden, you’re not holding us back...you’re not going to die,” Soarin’ felt a chill creep down his spine, knowing how uncertain he was about the last thing he said to her. “I-I hope so… I… I’m sorry for this, I shouldn’t be crying…we…we should probably get going,” Soarin’ wiped a tear away with his hoof, “Yes, we should,” The two ponies kissed, something that calmed them both down quite dramatically. It was a quick peck, but it reminded them of how they’re in it for each other. “Can you walk?” The stallion asked, slowly getting up into a standing position with a groan. Spitfire stood up too, though with a shaky sigh. After a few seconds, she nodded her head. The forest seemed almost devoid of any animal that could be of threat. It was so eerily silent that they almost had been comfortable with not checking for any danger around them, which is something Soarin’ knew he couldn’t forget to do. The massive wilderness around them smelled of a concoction of leaves and rain. The miniscule amount of moonlight that peeked / shone through the clouds gave them a general clue as to where they had been heading before they dozed off. Upon standing up, they noticed a slight breeze going nearly the same direction they were headed. The two walked down the hill they had slept on. The ground was dryer than they had expected, though it had been raining. Then they started their walk, once again, into what seemed like an endless amount of bushes and trees. Soarin’ was certain that during those few seconds when he was above the clouds, He saw ponyville in the distance and hoped that they were heading that direction. His back still ached terribly from the fall, thankfully his wings were able to lessen the impact. They walked slower than they had the past few days. Spitfire had to pace her breathing. Though they didn’t drink or eat much the past few days, her sickness was thriving and she felt nauseous. However, she felt oddly calm having Soarin’ by her side. As they walked further and further, she couldn’t help but feel proud of Soarin’. Things felt different for Spitfire as she walked next to the stallion. She glanced over at him while walking, his coat as dirty as it could be, his eyes weakened, his injured hind legs, and yet, he was still able to keep going. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but it seemed as if he could keep going much longer than she could. Spitfire knew that she wasn’t going to be able to last much longer. The humidity caused her coat to itch uncontrollably, her wing was held in an awkward position since first being attacked, during the night she’d roll over on it and send a jolt of pain down her spine. Above all, her legs felt heavy and her body felt empty inside. She yearned for water and food, though there was none, not even berries to be seen anywhere near them. Her eyelids felt heavy, as if the mere act of putting the effort into walking made her tired all over again. Spitfire didn’t know what to do. Soarin’ had tried to convince her she would be okay, and as she looked up at him, she gave a little smile, but her conscious thought otherwise. After an hour of walking, her breathing became manual. The stallion would stop and ask her if they needed another rest, because he could hear her loud breathing, but breathlessly she would force herself forward. The yellow coated mare could feel her own heart beating, and her muscles tensing up whenever they reached a slight incline. She could feel the force through her body each step of the way up. Time went by painfully slow for the two. They pushed on, forcing their bodies to cooperate with their minds. The stallion would say empty words of encouragement consistently, though neither of them believed it. The blackened-greenness of everything that was in front of them didn’t heed any clues as to whether they were near Ponyville. The clouds, mercilessly unwilling to break apart to reveal sunlight seemed as endless as their ordeal has become. Soarin’ spoke to himself and Spitfire, “Just keep going…j-just keep going…” A stutter left almost every syllable, his words shaken by the effort of walking. Their hooves were encrusted by a thick half-dry mud. It felt like twenty pounds on each hoof to the poor sickened mare beside him. “S-Soarin’…” Spitfire said suddenly, her voice raspy. She stopped, and instantly her body was shaking almost violently. The blue stallion quickly trotted back to the mare, who was leaning on a tree. “What, w-what is it?” The stallion asked, instantly concerned. Spitfire’s stare was almost blank, seemingly staring straight through the panicked stallion above her. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. “Spitfire…p-please…are you okay? Do we need to rest?” Soarin’ asked, his voice higher pitched as her worsened condition alarmed him. He could feel his heart break, almost physically, “Please answer me…please…” Suddenly, the whole plan to even get back to Ponyville wasn’t his primary concern. His heartbeat increased, as he only received a gasping response from the mare, her eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost. Her gaze continued to pierce through Soarin’ as if he wasn’t there. The stallion lent a hoof to help her stay up. Suddenly, the sick mare’s eyes rolled to the back her head as she collapsed to the muddy earth in one quick thud. The stallion could only release a petrified yell in terror as he saw the mare collapse, his hoof not coming in any help. He quickly scanned the area as his own yell echoed back to him, he then quickly bent over and wiped the mare’s mane from her face. “S-Spitfire…I-I….please!” His voice made a crescendo as panic truly set it, “Wake up! Wake up, please!” His voice cracked through the sudden stress put on him, he was barely able to think straight as everything fell apart in front of him. He chin quivered, and his eyes felt as if a dam was about to burst, “Spitfire! Somepony, help! Wake up! I-I…Please!” Soarin’s voice cracked once more in desperation tears streaming down his cheek. He forcefully calmed himself down. After a few seconds of letting his focus on the injured mare, he could tell she was still breathing. “Please wake up…I-I…” “Soarin’, I…” The mare whispered, her voice weaker than ever, “I just need to rest… it feels so good… good to close my eyes…” “No, no, Spitfire, we need to go,” Soarin’ said, his voice wavering in relief that she was conscious, though barely. “…and forget everything…” She spoke over him, her eyes slightly opened, though she clearly wasn’t able to see anything, “Soarin’….” His mind predicted her words before she said them, “I’m not going to leave without you, Spitfire!” He said adamantly. “I can’t….” The yellow mare tried to move herself up, though through major struggle, could only get herself into a sitting position. She rested her head on her front hooves and closed her eyes again. “We need to go Spitfire…we need to survive, we need to get to Ponyville…I could never leave here without you…get on my back…” She opened her eyes to look at the stressed stallion standing above her, “Soarin’, you’re too weak…I’m…I’m only getting in the way…leave,” “Spitfire…” Soarin’ dropped down in a sitting position in front of her. His voice was deep and solemn, “I promised you I would get you out of here…” Tears continued to stream down his cheek, his throat closing between sobs, causing his voice to waver, “It’s a promise I can’t break,” Spitfire’s eyes widened once more, revealing tears of her own that glistened in the moonlight that surrounded them. “Please…I can do this…I can carry you…I’ll do anything…” The stallion continued. Without another word, the mare slowly got up. Her breathing intensified, she made groaning noises as she used what felt like the rest of her strength. Soarin’ got up and sat in front of her, facing the same way. “I can balance you, I’m big strong? enough…” Through her shaking, she was able to balance her legs at Soarin’s sides until she was above him. She then laid down on top of him, each groaning through the effort. The relief she felt was immense. “I’ll get you out of here,” Soarin’ said, as she rested her head against the side of his neck. She lifted her muzzle against his ear and whispered ‘I love you, Soarin’… never forget me” The idea that she had prepared to die filled him with adrenaline. He lifted up Spitfire on his back, with a roar, as the effort put massive strain on his already injured back. The soreness hurt Soarin’ terribly, but adrenaline pumped through his veins and he finally started walking with the sick mare balanced on his back. Each step through the maze of trees took twice the effort, and the lack of water caused his whole body to feel heavier than usual. He couldn’t allow himself to stop, though his body seemingly begged for it. He wasn’t going to quit, no matter how much his body struggled. He felt the mare swarm weak breaths against the side of his neck, as he quickly noticed he could feel her heartbeat on his back. He could feel the weakened pulse that was being sent through her body, which worried him. Her heart seemed to beat a bit slower than any healthy pony’s would, which wasn’t surprising, but still very worrying. As long as he could feel a heartbeat and hear her breath, he was motivation to put forth the effort into getting them both out safely. The stallion’s back nearly felt numb with the weight being pressed on where he was injured during his fall. He had to work a little harder to keep Spitfire balanced on him. The air felt colder. Though it probably was a bad sign, it was calming and cooled him down after being in such humid and warm air for such time. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sign that they were getting closer to safety. “Spitfire, I need to keep you talking, I can’t let you go unconscious again,” The blue Pegasus said through grunts from the effort of walking with her on his back. “O-okay,” She responded, her muzzle right under his ear. Come on…think of something to talk about “Remember…remember when we first met back in flight school? And you were becoming a Wonderbolt before me, and I was so jealous?” The mare chuckled just a little, “Yes…you wouldn’t talk to me because you wanted to join before me,” Despite the situation and the pain he was going through, Soarin’ smiled at the nostalgia, “I remember when you joined and they invited us to the ceremony thing where they introduced you to the team, and Lightning Streak forced me to go, I was such a foal back then!” Soarin’ was only met with silence, so he spoke again, “Spitfire…you okay?” “Yeah, I’m sorry…” “You have to stay awake…I can’t let you sleep more, I’m sorry,” Soarin’ said, as he started walking up a very slight incline, though it made him use much more effort. Once again he received no response. Thump He could still feel Spitfire’s heartbeat on his back. It made a faint, yet noticeable sound that he focused on. Knowing that it probably wasn’t smart to keep making her use energy by having her speak, he decided to let everything fall into silence again and focus on saving the mare on his back. The stallion gritted his teeth as the incline increased sharply before leveling out. The temperature dropped again, and he could feel Spitfire shake a little on his back. The trees somewhat seemed a little farther spaced out, though still dark. The black branches clawed at the clouds above. Thump He suddenly noticed how bright it had become. They just have slept much longer than he had thought, or they simply lost their idea of what time it had been due to it always being dark. He still couldn’t see the sun, but the clouds were a lighter shade of grey. He looked down at his hooves and the numerous cuts and dirt in his coat. Thump He stopped for a second to help the mare balance on him a little more. Soarin’ could still feel her breath against the back of his ear, but just barely. He surveyed the area around him. Only the distant chirping of birds revealed any sign of nearby life around them. The trees and dying shrubbery seemed endless. Soarin’ assumed the water had flooded pretty bad around here. Thump Suddenly, something in the ground caught his eye, but his vision was impaired enough to where he couldn’t figure out what it could be. He squinted as he walked slowly towards an object sticking out of the ground. He stood over the object and squinted again. “Hmm,” He vocalized as he noticed that it was a broken cup. He used his forehoof to knock it to the side to see if the remaining fragments had anything written on them. Oddly enough, the stallion felt like he recognized the cup. “Oh my Celes-“ He started, as he realized that the cup he was in front of, was the cup he had tripped on as he raced to find Spitfire as she was being attacked by the Manticore. His heart beat quadrupled, and he shook with adrenaline once more as he squinted through the distance. Soarin’ took a few minutes to study the area, Spitfire still on his back. He looked past the endless amount of trees to tell where the pathway could be, the one that could lead them to safety. He shouted with joy, though having to calm himself just make sure he didn’t make another mistake. Soarin’ focused his vision until he noticed a small opening that seemed signify a pathway. A small clearing where there no trees, and only some dirt where a pathway could be. His eyes widened as if it were too good to be true. “Spitfire! I-I think we..I might have just found our way out!” He said, his voice cautiously optimistic, using his newfound energy to walk through shrubbery and muddy grass to make his way towards the clearing. Spitfire didn’t respond. “Spitfire, now’s not a time to rest, I need you to be awake when I get you to that Zebra’s place,” Once again he was only met with the chirping of distant birds. Hmmm….I haven’t felt her heartbeat in a while... Oh Celestia, no! Soarin’ stood still. There was no breath on the back of his ear, no heartbeat he could feel against his back. His heart plummeted. “Sp-Sp-Spi…I” He sat down quickly, letting the mare roll limp off of his back into a small amount of mud. “Oh Celestia, Oh Celestia, Oh Celestia, Nononono…” He head frantically surveyed the area around them for any signs of help. “Spitfire! Wake up!” he nearly screamed, his whole body in absolute panic His chin quivered and his stomach was twisted into knots. No! Not now! We’re so close! We’re so bucking close! He rested his head on her chest, trying to ignore his own loud breathing to hear any heartbeat. Seconds went by so fast. Nothing It took a few seconds for him to realize it. He lifted his head slowly, tears pouring down his cheeks, his breathing erratic. He let out an agonizing yell that seemed to echo for a minute. He looked around himself once again studying for anything around them. Anyone that can save them. Anyone that could save Spitfire. Tears obstructed his vision and heartbreak weakened his whole body. The lifeless mare in front of him, the mare he had loved for what seemed like his whole life, may have just lost the battle. He looked around, shaking his head to rid of the tears. He felt light-headed, but knew what he had to do. “I’m not going to break my promise,” he said, the tears once again welling behind his eyes. He laid next to Spitfire. He gave her a kiss on her nose. He tried to say something, but the site of the yellow mare in such a lifeless condition caused his throat to close. He used his forehooves to get her on his back once more. He balanced her as much as he could, then forced himself up, through his aching and weak muscles. His vision was blurred from exhaustion as much as it was blurred from tears. He started to walk fast through the trees towards the pathway, or what it seemed to be. It was his last hope. Soarin’ walked as fast as he could, though his ability to stay balanced was deteriorating. He wasn’t going to stop until he couldn’t go any further. He walked past a few more trees until the pathway was clear, but there was no way he could feel the slightest relief. He looked right and left, his vision surrounded by creeping black. His lightheadedness was only increasing. He leaned against a tree for a few moments, his breathing heavy. A deep feeling of nausea coming over his body, right as he spotted Zecora’s hut’s silhouette of the hut in the darkness. In a last ditch effort, he started trotting as fast as he could with the mare on his back. The stallion swayed, ever so slightly, as he neared the hut. “Z-Z-Zecora!” He said, gasping for more air. His vision faded to black, as his body gave in.He and Spitfire fell onto the muddy ground only a few feet from Zecora’s hut. Get up! Soarin’ could only think, his eyes open but unable to see, his body feeling the cold air around him, unable to use his sense of sight. Spitfire…I’m so sorry Everything seemed to come to an end. After so much backbreaking effort, after putting his life in danger for the love of his life, Soarin’ again found himself realizing that he failed. He quickly started drifting in and out of consciousness, the stress too much for his body to handle. … … ”Oh my Celestia, could this be? The two famous missing ponies? For my own potions, they’re too sick! I must find help right quick!”
Chapter 1Same practice session, new day. Soarin’s favorite trick to perform gave him the same slight rush from nose diving towards the ground, just to pull back and rise towards the bright sky, which was something he had mastered. He saw the same accomplished smiles from the other Wonderbolts members after another successful day of training and practicing. Soarin’ liked continuity and predictability in his life, even as a daredevil flier on the most famous flying squad in Equestria. He liked being so sure of himself that he could do a maneuver with his eyes closed and not miss a beat; he enjoyed that family atmosphere he received from the Wonderbolts every day they met. So why, when life seemed so perfect, did he find himself so down all the time? It’s simple: love problems. That’s what. It had been a month since his relationship with Rainbow Dash ended; and it hadn’t been the only time he had broken up with right as he fell for the mare, either. A year ago he had a relationship with fellow Wonderbolt, Spitfire and just as he started to feel that he wanted to ask her to marry him, she broke up with him because they had been around each other too much, and had simply grown sick of each other. However, Spitfire has seemingly been the only one to truly move on after the breakup. His recent fallout with Rainbow Dash only unearthed feelings for his teammate and it wasn’t something he enjoyed; heart break and heart ache at the same time and it affected his daily life. Though he knows she loved him back during their 7 months of dating, back then, it wasn’t good for either of them to see each other constantly; neither wanted to admit that they’d want alone time and the relationship suffered because of that. Slowly, fights started erupting over simple things, and it led to her decision to end the relationship. They didn’t talk for months at work and it made other Wonderbolts uncomfortable due to the tension. However, they eventually started talking again and eventually considered each other best friends. Soarin’ was once again harboring feelings for her and his relationship troubles weren’t even close to over. The blue Wonderbolt swiftly flew on top of a cloud to take his regular break and to eat a pie he had left there before practice had begun. Others didn’t understand his obsession with pie, he didn’t get how they didn’t like it. However, it meant more pie for him and he definitely had no problem with that. “So, how are things going since that Sonic Rainboom chick dumped ya, Soarin’?” The distinctive voice of Lightning Streak could be heard as he flew over to Soarin’s cloud slowly and upside down. “Oh-” Soarin’ started, taking a second to swallow the rest of his bite of pie, “I guess everything is fine. I mean, it’s not like I had any choice but to get over her, you know?” “Oh alright,” The white-maned Wonderbolt said, “You’re just going to let her go off filly-foolin’ and all, not goin’ to try and convince her to take you back?” Soarin’ and Lightning Streak hadn’t spoken in a while, so Soarin’ had to fill him in on the reason why. They didn’t have much time to even hang out together since the twelve Wonderbolts usually practiced in squads of 3 or 6. Today, they had practiced in a group of six, which finally gave the two friends time to catch up. Unfortunately for the blue Wonderbolt, it meant that’d he’d have to once again tell the story of how his relationship with Rainbow Dash went wrong. “Nah. I don’t know. I kinda just chalk it up to being her choice to leave me; she would have stayed with me if she wanted to, you know? I wouldn’t want to be with a mare that expects me to fight over her after she cheated on me.” Soarin’s friend slowly lowered onto an adjacent cloud, both overlooking their practice/racing area in Canterlot. “I don’t get it; you seemed to be awfully head over hooves for that filly. You over her yet?” “Yeah, I still kind of am. I miss her, but more as a friend you know? It’s kind of impossible to stay friends after the break up we had,” The blue-maned stallion admitted, then took a massive bite out of his slice of pie, “It wasn’t like we broke up after a fight or anything. It was just sad I guess, not to sound like a pansy or anything.” “Any fillies catch your attention recently?” Lightning Streak questioned bluntly. “I find myself taking a liking to Spitfire. She’s one cool mare; almost beat her in a race today,” “You couldn’t stand a chance with Spitfire,” Soarin’ chided. “I barely even could.” “That’s saying that you’re better with fillies than I am, Soarin’ and we all know that ain’t true. Just look at your last, like, five marefriends. Roseluck? Broke up with you after a week. Apple Crisp? Broke up after a week. Octavi-” “Yeah, nice to see you again too, Lightning Streak,” Soarin’ interrupted sarcastically, but it got the point across. “Oh come on, Soarin’. You know I’m just joking. We’ve been friends since colthood... you can’t tell me you’re now becoming a pansy,” “I just think it’s funny that you think you could get with Spitfire,” the blue stallion jested. “Oh, so THAT’S why you’re being so defensive. I get it now,” Lightning Streak joked with a playful poking of Soarin’s side. “You still fancy yourself some Spitfire, huh?” “No!” Soarin’ reacted instinctively, immediately regretting how obvious it was that he was lying. “We haven’t dated in over a year; I’ve been over her for over a year, simple as that.” Lightning Streak cocked his head sideways as if to say, ‘Do you really expect me to believe that?’ “What?” The blue stallion responded, still defensive. “I’m not lying.” “Soarin’, there’s nothin’ wrong with liking Spitfire, but lying to your best friend, now there’s something wrong with that.” Soarin’ took the bait, “Alright. Okay. Maybe she’s catching my attention again. I can’t help it; she’s just…cool you know? I-I mean, some part of me always thinks of what could have been if I had been better to her. Anyways, I’d rather stay single right now... everypony knows how much trouble I have with relationships,” “So, you wouldn’t be mad if I made a move at her? I’ve been single longer than you have and it’s ‘bout time I get back into the field, you know.” “Yeah, sure. I’m sure these feelings will pass. I mean, the odds of two Wonderbolts falling in love is just ridiculous and only happens in those lame novels that all the mares like,” Soarin’ mentioned, taking the finishing bite on his cinnamon apple pie. “Don’t discourage me! I’m a Wonderbolt too, you know,” Lightning Streak said and then lifted himself into the air. “It’s about time we return to practice... maybe I’ll smooth in on Spitfire right now.” “Good luck with that,” Soarin said with a chuckle, knowing his friend was messing with him. He was soon next to the fellow Wonderbolt in mid-air. “Race you back to the start line!” “Deal!” Lightning Streak responded and soon they were racing at top speeds. <><><><><><><><><> “Spitfire! Wait up!” Ice Wind called to his friend. “Where you going?” He flew over to the Pegasus who was just exiting the arena in which they practice. “I’m going home, Icy... I still feel sick,” the orange-coated Pegasus said, as she trotted out the massive door of the arena. “I haven’t felt well all week.” “Oh, bummer,” the pie-loving stallion said, taking off his goggles. “No wonder I almost beat you today…” “I still wasn’t even trying,” Spitfire jested, poking a hoof to his chest playfully. “Actually, I was trying a little, I just couldn’t go much faster, or I probably would’ve puked.” Ice Wind smiled. “Well, just take it easy and sleep in tomorrow... you should wake up feeling fine. It’s what I usually do.” “Well, I usually just wait these sorts of things off, but I just can’t shake this sickness. We have a performance coming up, I can’t risk being sick.” “No kidding, we all know what happened the last time you performed sick.” “Don’t even remind me, Icy!” She jabbed his side a little harder. “I didn’t even mess up that badly.” After sharing a laugh with her friend, she spotted Soarin’ and Lightning Streak walking side by side after leaving from a different exit. “I would have nailed that trick if it wasn’t for LIGHTNING STREAK!” Spitfire yelled with a chuckle at the expense of the fellow Wonderbolt. From a distance, Lightning Streak laughed. “Oh, you’re still blaming it on me huh? Everypony knows you don’t perform sick!” She laughed it off as the four Wonderbolts started walking together in a group. “Oh jeez, you’re not looking too great, Spitfire,” Soarin’ said with a little chuckle, after greeting her with a hug. “Yeah, I’m still sick,” Spitfire responded, with a little cough. “Oh you’re sick too?” The four friends laughed, knowing that the former couple loved to joke around with each other. “Go eat some pie, Soarin,” The orange Wonderbolt responded with a chuckle. “When is the next performance anyway? Thursday or Friday?” “Friday now. They changed it because the weather Pegasi have a rainy day scheduled on Thursday,” Ice Wind said, then took off his goggles. The four started to walk into the middle of Canterlot where they usually split up before ponies started to harass them for autographs and such. “Oh... well, today’s Tuesday. Hopefully I’ll be okay by then,” Spitfire said. “Have you taken any medicine?” Lightning Streak asked. “No, I try to wait sicknesses out.” “Why? You could just go to the Everfree Forest and find this zebra who lives there and makes all sorts of potions; she has one for nearly everything!” Soarin’ stated. He then added, “Works better than magic! I went there when I messed up my hoof during a flight routine, you know, when it slammed right into that tree and I couldn’t put any pressure on it? She cured it in a matter of minutes.” “Well, I guess. How far is she in the Everfree forest? I only like flying over the Everfree forest, not going into it,” Spitfire added. They were now at the part of town where the ritually split up until the before fans could swarm them. Nopony seemed to be out at the time of day during a work-week, and the Wonderbolts always ended their days before most ponies in Canterlot. “Well, it’s time for me to go,” the light blue-maned Ice Wind said. “Lightning Streak and I have a party to attend to later.” Ice Wind stopped for a second. “You guys are coming right? You think you’ll be okay by then, Spitfire? That crazy zebra lady better heal you.” “No matter how sick I am, I don’t miss parties, and you know that, Icy! I don’t think it’s good karma to call her the crazy zebra lady, you better not have jinxed me right now...” the orange-maned Pegasus said with a chuckle. “I’ll be there, prepare to party your flanks off!” Spitfire mused with a grin. Ice Wind and Lightning Streak said their goodbyes and flew off, leaving Spitfire and Soarin’. “I guess I should get on the train to Ponyville huh?” the mare said looking up at Soarin’ with a defeated expression on her face. “Or, you could do something crazy, like fly there, you know. With your wings,” Soarin’ jested. “I’ve done too much flying today! I’m sick and I want to rest right now. I guess it’ll be worth having to take some pictures with fans on the way there.” “I thought you liked interacting with fans,” “Not when I’m ill, Soarin’,” the orange-maned Pegasus chided. The two then changed their direction to the train station, where Spitfire would make her way to the small town. Soarin’ didn’t even know why he was walking with her, when he could have just joined Lightning Streak and Ice Wind on their daily shenanigans throughout the town. Well, he did know why, but it wasn’t something he was ready to admit to himself. “Hey mommy! Look it’s Spitfire and the other…um…Wonderbolt!” an adolescent voice called from behind them, causing them to look back. They were met with gleaming smile of a tiny filly Pegasus. “Oh, I’m sorry to disturb you!” The apparent mother said with an embarrassed smile. “My daughter is like your biggest fan.” “Oh, you are huh? Well, does our biggest fan want a pair of goggles to call her own?” Spitfire said with a smile, Soarin’ chuckling at the little filly’s excitement. “MOMMY PLEASE!” The Pegasus filly squealed with joy, still big-eyed over her idols in front of her. Spitfire took her pair of goggles off and put them around the tiny Pegasus’ neck, causing the little pony to jump up and down in pure excitement. If there was anything they loved more than flying and partying it would be the look on a young fans face when they meet. “So what’s your name, little filly?” the blue stallion said to the starry-eyed filly, who was attempting to put on goggles that were almost as big as her. “M-my name is Tornado and you’re so cool Ican’tbelieveI’mmeetingmyheroes…!” The little filly’s excitement caused her words to lead into excited gibberish. “Thank you so much!” The grey colored mare said graciously. She was clearly the filly’s mother. “She’ll never forget such a kind act. The Wonderbolts have always been her heroes since she could speak.” “No problem, ma’am... we always try and make some time to interact with fans,” Soarin’ said politely, as they heard the train arrive at the train station not too far ahead of them. The mom convinced her young filly to move along so that Soarin’ and Spitfire could get back to their own business, and with a wave towards their young fan, they quickly trotted over to the train before Spitfire could miss it. She got in line behind a few other ponies, though she stuck out like a sore thumb considering that she was still in her Wonderbolts uniform. “Zecora’s hut isn’t far into the forest... shouldn’t take long for you to find it, just go east once you enter it. The entrance is a big huge pathway, you’d have to be a foal to miss it” Soarin’ said. “I know, I won’t get lost. I’m sick, not blind. I’ll see you at the party, Soarin’.” “Alrighty.” With a hug, the friends parted ways for the time being. Returning to his regular daily routine, Soarin’ couldn’t help but wonder whether he should have gone with her or not.
Chapter 2I haven’t been to Ponyville in forever… After a short 20 minute ride where she signed loads of autographs and took pictures with adoring fans, Spitfire was ready to get cured, return to Canterlot, and sleep until the party was about to start. Her coughs were getting harder for her to shake off. They hurt her throat and the taste was awful. She sighed, knowing it was her own fault for not seeking out help before. Though she didn’t want to, she decided she would fly to the forest to avoid distractions. Her wings felt heavy and her eyes didn’t seem to comprehend everything she saw. She hadn’t been that sick since she was a filly. She squinted her eyes to see through the thick fog throughout the town, apparently the Pegasi here had several rainstorms planned, and fog always signified that it would rain soon. The sickened Wonderbolt ascended in through the air until she had a view of most of the town. Through the distant fog, she could see what she assumed to be the Everfree forest. There was a small house near it, and a pathway that led straight into the forest. She flew at a moderate speed to not overwork herself through the sickness. The fog made it hard to keep an eye on where she was going, so the yellow Wonderbolt kept herself flying in a general direction of where the forest should be. Spitfire wouldn’t admit it to anypony, being known as one of the braves mare in Equestria, but the idea of going into a forest alone caused her to be a little apprehensive and nervous. “I should’ve asked Soarin’ to come with me,” The fire-colored Pegasus chided. “Horsefeathers…” Landing on the ground near the entrance to the forest caused her to go right back into a nasty fit of coughs. When she finished, she looked towards the muddy pathway that led to the cave-like forest. What kind of Zebra chooses to live in such a place…? if Soarin’ is pranking me, I’ll have to get him back ten-fold. Slowly, she walked into the darkened wilderness. She eyed every detail around her. Everything was new to her. The large shrubbery, the massive trees that reached towards the clouds above and the noises from unseen animals around her. She kept calm, but was very attentive to the forest around. Odd noises became more apparent as she walked further into the heavily wooded forest. Her senses were heightened; she heard every tiny twig break under her hooves, the splashing noise when she walked into a small puddle, and the distant voices of animals seemingly being voiced towards her from a distance. The forest was covered by a massive black cloud and the trees seemed to be reaching high enough to pierce through it. Clearly, Ponyville had nothing to do with such a dangerous area. Once the entrance to the forest was barely visible behind her, it was almost as if she had entered a dungeon, due to the lack of light getting through the clouds above. The trees seemed to reach for towards her and the muddy ground seemed unfit for her to even be walking on. She felt like prey, ripe for the picking. Where in the hay is this hut? A sudden growling noise caused her to whip her head to the left, only to be met by what seemed like endless, tall shrubbery. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her. The Wonderbolt picked up her pace. Though her legs felt like jelly and running probably wasn’t the best thing for her to do, her conscious told her to hurry. Sudden noises to her sides caused her to look each way, as if something was running beside her. The wet sloshing of the mud presumably made her easier to notice; however, Spitfire felt she needed to get her medicine and leave, with no time to take her time. A glowing light appeared distantly in front of her, so she ran faster. Her galloping made her legs splattered in the sludgy mud. The light soon gave way to more detail, revealing that she had found the hut that Soarin’ had spoken about. She breathed a sigh of relief as she slowed down to a walk. Approaching the door, she glanced through the window to see the zebra in some sort of meditative state. Spitfire tried to shake her hooves of the mud, and looked through the tiny window on the door. “Hello?” she called, her voice muffled by the glass on the window. “I need some help.” Zecora calmly sat up and walked over to the door. “Who is this pony that is at my door? May I ask what it is you’re here for?” “I’m really sick and I need to be healed as fast as you can. I’ll pay anything,” the Wonderbolt pleaded through the window pane. “Come in, come in, and take a seat, I hope you’ll find the concoction neat. When it comes to sicknesses of all kinds, the best medicine to take, are the potions of mine.” Gratefully, Spitfire walked in slowly and examined the small area in which the zebra keeps her potions. The Wonderbolt found all of the obscure items in the hut somewhat off-putting, though she told herself not to judge the zebra before she got to know her. The room had a musky smoke scent, and other scents she couldn’t identify. In an area where she was able to, she sat down; enjoying the relief it put on her legs. “So how long have you been sick, miss Spitfire? I hope your situation isn’t dire.” “About a week or so, but the past few days have been just awful,” Spitfire explained. “First it started with some coughs, then I started…well, you know, and it’s only gotten worse since then.” “An extract of tea leaf....” The zebra said, while carefully adding the selected ingredients into the boiling pot, “...A drop of chamomile, the taste of this potion will leave you with a smile. Now don’t go drinking this entire potion too quickly, or else you may just remain plain sickly,” Zecora stated, stirring her boiling pot until the brew was nearly finished. “Um, how long should I wait before I drink it?” “Right now this potion is quite hot, drink this potion later when it definitely is not," “Thank you so much,” Spitfire said graciously. “You don’t even know how much this will help me," “You’re always welcome my pony friend, helping others is something I won’t end!” “So how many bits? I’m sure I have some somewhere...” Spitfire said, checking the pockets of her Wonderbolts uniform for any bits. “Though the potion I gave you is quite large, all my remedies are free of charge,” The Zebra mused with a smile, as she returned to her meditative state, sitting on the floor. Spitfire didn’t want to disrupt the Zebra anymore, so she left quietly, holding the hot remedy in her mouth. She quickly realized that it was sprinkling, and that she needed to step up her pace if she wanted to get back into Ponyville without being completely soaked. The mud was thicker, and was seemingly grabbing at her aching legs as she trotted back. It hurt her neck just to focus on not spilling the remedy that could save her from the sickness. She craned her neck forward to avoid spilling it. The pathway started to seem much narrower. The massive bushes on each side seemingly crept towards her as she trotted, though she kept her focus on keeping the remedy safe. It was much darker in the forest than it was earlier, and the smell was oddly putrid with some sort stench she couldn’t even identify. Everything seemed eerily quiet. She had an unsettling feeling in her chest when all she could hear was her own trotting through the flooding pathway. Then the feeling of being followed returned again. She trotted faster. The tall blackened trees seemed much taller than she had seen from earlier, and the pathway was quickly giving away to shrubbery of all sorts. As she squinted through the fog, she noticed that she had made a terrible mistake and had gone the wrong way. No need to panic, just find your way back! She turned around with the intention of finding her way back, but was met with the demonic eyes of a large Manticore, inches from her face. Before she could scream, she was pinned down by the beast's massive claw, the potion falling onto a nearby rock and breaking instantly. <><><><><><><><> The party was going to start soon. Soarin’ was in his home in Canterlot preparing himself for an all-nighter with the Wonderbolts and company, a ritual he became all too used to. He spiked his mane, groomed his fur and was ready for some action. Soarin’ had worked up a reputation for himself as the most ruthless partier. He gained this title by partying for two days straight with no sleep, while others weren’t even close to keeping up with him. He wasn’t alone at any time, because partying by himself would have just looked plain dumb. He planned to work on breaking that record this party, just for the hay of it. The party was being hosted by DJ P0N-3, somepony he had requested since it was her party that he gained his reputation for his ability to outlast anypony on the dance-floor. He pretended that it didn’t bother him that Rainbow Dash left him for Vinyl Scratch, because her DJ-ing abilities were unmatched by anypony. In Soarin's mind, he couldn't pick another DJ just because his marefriend had left him for her, he would feel selfish since DJ P0N-3 was a favorite amongst his fellow Wonderbolts. The Apple family worked up some apple cider just for this party and sent it all the way from Ponyville to gain reputation in places other than Ponyville itself for their apples in more towns. Soarin’ was ready and definitely felt like he was going to top his old record. He’s already known across Equestria as a Wonderbolt, why not get known for being the most extreme party pony. His Canterlot home was a small one since he never really stayed in Canterlot for long. Nopony even knew that he lived there, which is good, because any break from the nagging fans is nice for such a famous stallion. The party would be at the biggest venue in Equestria, modestly named ‘The Saddle’, though it wasn’t as quaint as it sounded. Generations of Wonderbolt members have been going there since The Wonderbolts formed many decades before, and it definitely wasn’t a tradition he was ready to break. Instantly flying once he left his home, he noticed that it was a little darker outside than he had expected. He hoped he wouldn’t be late, which would just make him look ridiculous with the reputation he has. He flew swiftly and made sure he wouldn't arrive late. Upon arriving at the door of the nightclub, the neon lights and strobe lights almost blinding him, he noticed Ice Wind and Lightning Streak inside with only a few other ponies mingling about. He flew inside and greeted his co-workers as usual. “Who’s ready to PAR-TAY??” He exclaimed with a chuckle. “The apple cider is ready right?” “Hay yeah!” Lightning Streak said, bro-hoofing Soarin’. ”I’ve already had a cup or two.” “That doesn’t surprise me,” the pie loving Pegasus said with a chuckle. “The DJ here yet?” “Yeah, she’s getting her stuff set up right now, I arrived first sadly enough.” Ice Wind said, thus changing the subject, “Is every Wonderbolt going to be here? Fire Streak hasn’t been to, like, the last five parties, what a wimp!” “Spitfire told me she’d be here, but I don’t know about Rapid Fire or Fleetfoot, they’re morning ponies anyway.” “Aren’t they still in Cloudsdale? They had a show didn’t they?” Lightning Streak asked as he downed the rest of his apple cider. “I guess that would explain why they aren’t here.” More ponies starting arriving quickly, many of which the Wonderbolt’s were already familiar with from previous parties. The party area was huge, darkened by everything being black and had strobe lights nearly everywhere. There was a dance floor that took up most of the room, and adjacent was a bar where ponies could order anything they would want. There were massive speakers that were taller than most of the ponies there, There was a second deck that overlooked the lower floor for VIPs only, which of course were the Wonderbolts. Vinyl Scratch and other ponies she invited were allowed up there too, so they had much more room to party. Suddenly, the party started with the strobe lights flashing as fast as the techno music that blasted from the speakers. Instantly everypony was in a trance, and were partying like it was their last party. Soarin’ decided early that he would hold off on drinking the cider in order to party well into the next day. Flashing lights, extremely loud music and every one of his friends. This was the recipe for a good night in Soarin’s mind. He started it off with a bang, spending most of his time on the lower flow with the fans and keeping an eye on the entrance for when Spitfire arrived. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he felt more confident than usual. However, after over an hour of partying, she still hadn’t arrived, or at least Soarin’ hadn’t seen her arrive. He flew up to the VIP section where Rainbow Dash had taken over the DJ-ing. This distracted Soarin’, because he hadn’t seen her since they broke up. He had to take a long way around just to avoid the awkward confrontation that was bound to happen. However, it was clear that Rainbow had come there to make up with him, when she left the scratch board just to tap him on the shoulder. They turned to face each other, and Soarin’ gave her a blank stare in response. The silence was awkward, neither knowing what to say. The loud music seemingly stopped. “Hi,” Rainbow Dash started, with an embarrassed smile. “Hi,” He responded bluntly. He honestly didn’t know how to react, so he decided to just go with being the apathetic ex-coltfriend. “I missed you…” You have got to be bucking kidding me, what does she even mean by that? “Yeah, I’m sure that’s true,” he chided, looking over his sides to try to see if he could spot Spitfire’. He didn’t know why he was being rude. He missed her too. “Look…” The cyan Pegasus said, having to raise her voice as Vinyl Scratch returned to her scratch board. “We said we would be friends, and yet we never talk anymore…I still want to be your friend, Soarin’, instead of this ignoring each other thing we’ve been doing.” She rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof as a sign of discomfort with the conversation. His heart softened, as it always did for the Pegasus. “Maybe I have been a little distant, but I am a Wonderbolt, my life is very…active, to say the least.” Rainbow Dash smiled, “Well, I’m going to be helping Vinyl DJ this party, maybe we can meet up sometime?” “Sure, I’d like that,” Soarin’ said with a smile, and gave the Pegasus a hug. This interaction only boosted Soarin’s mood. He actually forgot what he had gone up there for until he started looking around for the yellow-coated Wonderbolt again. Edging his way through the other VIP ponies, he found Lightning Streak, who had already clearly over-drank himself. “Soarin’! Wassahp?” “You’re always the first to drink too much, huh?” Soarin’ jested his longtime friend. ”Is everypony here yet?” “Yes I am,” The yellow stallion said. “Answer my second question,” the blue-coated Pegasus said with a sigh and laughed. He continued to silently survey the area with his eyes, while waiting for a response from his friend. “W-What?” Lightning Streak asked, as the tremendously loud electronic music got even louder. “Is everypony here yet?!” The blue stallion yelled. Lightning Streak looked around obnoxiously as if Soarin’ couldn’t have done the same exact thing. “Lightning, have you seen Spitfire?” “No, she’s sick.” “She said that she’d be here. You were there when she said it. I’m guessing you haven’t seen her?” “Nope, she’s *hic* p-probably just stayin’ home or something,” The blue stallion pondered the situation. His friend was really sick and hadn’t shown up to a party that she had promised to be at. He didn't want to overreact and embarrass himself. Spitfire would remind him every practice. It isn’t like her to miss a party that she said she’d go to. “I think I’m going to go to her house and see if she’s alright,” “What? You’re going to leave this party already? LAME!” Lightning Streak said with a noisy burp that could almost be heard over the music. “You can’t just leave!” “I’ll be back once I know she’s okay,” The pie loving stallion stated. “I just need to know, she didn’t look too well earlier.” Soarin’ then started backing up so she could fly down from the VIP section and exit. “You’re still in love with her, huh?” Lightning Streak said with a chuckle as his friend left. “You love all your ex’s!” Soarin’ didn’t have time to think of a response, so he gave his friends a weird look and flew down to the bottom floor. The strobe lights didn’t make it very easy for him to see, but he managed to make it outside, into the chilling night air. The loud music was muffled by the thick walls. Nothing seems quieter than the atmosphere when you just exited a loud party. He jumped into the air and flew casually towards his friend’s home in the middle of Canterlot. He always enjoyed flying at night, because it relaxed him. The cool air lightly flowing through his mane, the comfort of the clouds he could perch himself on and the rare taste of privacy he gets from flying higher than his fans could be able to recognize him. Spitfire’s Canterlot home was very close to his own, and it didn’t take him too long to land in front of the quaint place, surrounded by roses and darkened by Luna’s night. He landed quietly and trotted up to the front door. He had front door privileges, so he walked straight into the home. The clopping of his hooves was amplified by the echo in the seemingly empty house. His silhouette was casting a big shadow on the bedroom door that was across from the front door. “Spitfire?” He whispered, towards the bedroom, “You awake?” He received no response, which just told him that she might be sleeping. The door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it slowly. The door squeaked quietly, so Soarin’ became more careful not to wake the mare up, it revealed a pitch black room. He focused his hearing, yet couldn’t hear any light breathing or anything to signify that his friend was there. He moved around the small room until he found the window, and let the drapes open to let in the moonlight. Nopony was in the bed. “Huh?” He said as he tried to get an idea on where his friend could be. He forcefully ignored negative thoughts that were appearing with this discovery. Soarin’ exited his friend’s room to inspect the rest of the home before coming to a conclusion. Spitfire was nowhere to be found in her own home. “Hmmm,” He walked outside, trying to rationalize why she wasn’t at her home. Spitfire had no home that he knew of in Ponyville. The train she would have boarded would have arrived before the party started, because none arrived late at night for a reason he didn’t know. She knew nopony in Ponyville that she could stay with. At this point, Soarin’ started to feel a little worried for the fellow Wonderbolt. I’m going to have to miss a lot of that party, but I need to go to Ponyville and make sure she’s okay. Once again, he lifted off into the dark night air and started his flight to Ponyville.
Chapter 3Luna’s night had taken over by the time Soarin landed at the mouth of the Everfree forest. The only light to guide him was the moonlight, which was absolutely dismal in the forest. The wall of trees before him threatened him, with their height reaching up to the blackened clouds and deep blue sky. Facing the forest, he looked to his sides as if he would somehow see the orange Wonderbolt nearby. His heart beat anxiously as he started the slow walk into the forest. “Spitfire?!” He yelled, “Ya out here with that Zebra?!” His vooice oddly didn't echo. He followed the path that the minuscule amount of moonlight showed him. The light barely shone through tiny cracks in the black clouds above him. “Spitfire! Are you here somewhere?!” He exclaimed louder, receiving no response from the blackened wilderness. One hundred yards in, he started contemplating going back, as if Spitfire could be somewhere else. The malevolent atmosphere from the forest eerie, and distant animal voices caused his thoughts to race. It was everything he would expect from walking into a forest at night, but it didn't change the fact he didn't feel very safe. He could barely see ten feet in front of himself, the sloshing of his hooves in the mud was the only indicator that he hadn’t run into the shrubbery parallel to him. Then the moonlight shone through the clouds sometimes gave him a short opportunity to raise his speed. The stallion paced his own breathing and kept his mind on the task at hoof. He decided not to call out for the Wonderbolt anymore because it had occurred to him that he had been drawing a large amount of attention to himself, which couldn’t be good in such a Celestia-forsaken forest. It started to sprinkle as he looked behind himself to see how far he had trotted. He barely could see the entrance to the forest. That scared him enough to have him once again consider high-tailing it out of there. However, he mustered up his resolve and pushed forward. The faintest, flickering light could be seen a hundred yards ahead of him. Soarin’ assumed that it was the hut. Suddenly, the mud deepened and it caused him to exert more effort just to suction his hooves from the mud with each step. Focus, Soarin’…look for any sign of her Using the hut’s faint light to guide him, Soarin’ then concentrated his hearing to listen for any signs of his friend. Nothing could be heard but the sloshing of his hooves for a good minute. Then, he heard the quietest of noises, a peculiar noise he wouldn’t expect from a wild animal. It was high pitched and stressed, and definitely in the distance. Soarin’ stopped in his tracks, the surrounding darkness and silence penetrating his mind with menacing thoughts. He stood there, in the muddy pathway, silent as he ever had been, listened for that quiet, distant voice once again. Against his own better judgment, he closed his eyes to focus his hearing. The stallion replayed the distant voice in his mind, each time he did this, it seemed different from the previous time, until he decided to dismiss it. He opened his eyes slowly, and to his dismay, the light in front of him had been extinguished. He sighed to prevent himself from panicking. Soarin’ knew that he needed to be strong if he were to still find the hut and question Zecora about his friend. The Zebra would be the only one to be able to at least help him figure out whether Spitfire had made it to the hut or not. The Wonderbolt pressed on slowly, again having to use the infinitesimal amount of moonlight to guide him towards the Zebra’s hut. Through the peripherals of his vision he spotted black figures flying about in the massive trees, however when she shot his head towards them, they just disappeared. Soarin’ was soon convinced that the forest was causing him to be slightly paranoid. Soon, the moonlight revealed the hut, and it was clear that the Zebra had just fallen asleep. Once he trotted over to it, and was tempted to knock on the door, he surveyed the area around himself. He wiped his dampening mane off of his face as he looked back to where he had come. He couldn’t see the entrance anymore, and the black clouds were filling in the gaps from which the moonlight had shone through. Then to his dismay, he heard a petrified scream, much more prevalent than the one he had though he heard already, come from somewhere distant in the forest. The scream was labored and bloodcurdling, however, it was also unmistakably Spitfire’s, and instantly Soarin was wide-eyed and fearful, a vision of the distressed mare sending chills down his spine. Adrenaline instantly causing him to react on his first thought, he burst into that direction, narrowly avoiding the trees in his path. He galloped at full speed, hoping to hear another vocalization to pinpoint where she could be at. “Spitfire!” He shouted, his voice echoing back as he nimbly ran through the mud. He wasn’t flying because the speed would cause him to slam into a tree. Suddenly, he tripped and landed in a puddle of mud as his hoof caught on something. He landed with violent thump and 'oof', the vile liquid soaking all of his mane and tail instantly, as he recovered from the fall. He cursed his terrible luck. He quickly found what he had slipped on. Through the limited light, it looked like some sort of broken cup. The blue stallion tossed it on the ground as he once again began his decent into the unknown forest. Instantly he was aware of every single noise around him, and every single object in front of him. His senses were sharp and his heart was racing faster than it had ever before. “Spitfire!” He shouted through his own heavy breaths. A few seconds after, an extremely massive roar rattled the trees around him and wiped his confidence away with it. It came from less than fifty yards in front of him. His eyes widened in fear at the idea of following the noise. He wasn’t even sure whether Spitfire was there, and by all means it could be the last choice he’d ever make. Adrenaline fueled his decision to go forth, towards the beast that awaited him. He had no clue where he was, and knew it was his only choice now that he heard the scream of the fellow Wonderbolt. Through the patch of trees in front of him, he dashed into a sudden open clearing, the moonlight much more prevalent. He shook his head left and right until he saw the lifeless body of Spitfire being flung around violently by a massive Manticore, who had her wing in its jaws. No words could describe the terror Soarin’ felt in his heart at that very moment. In the midst of its rage, the Manticore locked eyes with Soarin’. Instantly, it had a new target, dropping Spitfire on the ground carelessly. It started a bull-like run towards Soarin’, who instantly jumped into the air, barely able to escape the paw that was swiped below him. “Spitfire!” Soarin’ screamed in midst of his panic, “Wake up!” He was met with no response, and quickly had to return his attention to the raging Manticore below him. The Wonderbolt could almost feel the beast’s breath during a horrifying roar it released. All Soarin could think about was keeping it away from the mare that he presumed was unconscious because she had just screamed a few minutes before he arrived. The time he was taking to think of a plan wasn’t enough, because the Manticore leapt into the air and swiped his sharp claws over the bottom of Soarin’s hind legs almost being able to take him out of the air. The monstrous animal landed on the ground with a thunderous ‘thud’ and pain shot through Soarin’s legs. Soarin had forgotten that Manticores had wings. He couldn’t get much higher or he could lose the beast’s attention and it could return to Spitfire. The panicked stallion considered his options as the Manticore released a thunderous roar once again. However, this time the Manticore changed direction and started running towards the motionless Spitfire. Soarin’ had to act fast. In an instant, the blue stallion was running full speed on the ground towards the beast, which was facing the same direction he was. A massive pain shot through Soarin’s leg as he ran, from where he was cut by the Manticore’s claw, however, he ran full speed and headbutted the beast in the ribs, sending them both into a tumble, only feet from the injured Wonderbolt. The rain had quickly escalated from a sprinkle into a full-fledged downpour. Spitfire was laying on her side with her mouth slightly ajar. The new danger of her drowning put a time limit to Soarin’s rescue effort. After slidding into a tree, hitting his back, the blue stallion narrowly avoided another massive swing of the Manticore’s paw. If the massive creature wasn’t enraged before, it certainly had been after being tackled. However, it was clearly in some pain. After tenderly feeling its ribcage with its paw, the beast gave Soarin’ a deathly look. “Spitfire!” He screamed one last time, a desperate attempt to get her attention through the relentless noise of the pounding rain. He checked his hind hooves to see a concoction of blood and muddy rain dripping from where the beast had hit him. Once again, the mare didn’t even move a muscle. The water around her was rising sharply. Flying in midair, soaked and scared beyond words, Soarin’ about fifty yards from the Manticore, and lowered down until he was standing on wet ground. He moved his mane out of his face with a swift move of his hoof, and eyed the curious beast down. The Manticore lowered its head and began a mad dash towards Soarin’. The thundering of the Manticore’s claws was loud even in comparison to the pouring rain. Soarin’s hooves were several inches deep in muddy water. Soarin’ waited until the last second, then darted into midair, unfortunately unable to avoid another slash at his legs, causing him to cry out in agony as he flew above the bewildered beast. The Manticore had slashed the back of his legs a second time and adrenaline wasn’t helping him through the pain. Fighting through the pain in his hind legs, Soarin’ flew to the opposite end once more, glancing over at the injured Spitfire who was less than ten feet away. Her eyes were still closed, and her wing was clearly broken. If she had any cuts, the rain had wiped away any evidence. However, Soarin’ noticed the slight rising and falling of her chest. Spitfire’s alive…! He turned his head to see the Manticore charging at him again, and he safely flew in the air before he could get swiped at again. He could only hope that the Manticore didn’t decide to use its wings again in pursuit of him. The Wonderbolt returned to the other side, flying down and once again waiting for the Manticore. Soarin’ quickly noticed the sharp rise in water. Spitfire had to be extremely close to drowning. The Manticore prepared to charge once more. This time, however, Soarin’ wasn’t going to dodge the monstrosity by flying into the air. He was going to swiftly turn around, and aim his hind legs and buck, hopefully making contact, and causing damage to the Manticore. He didn’t have much time left. He once again wiped his muddy mane out from where he could see it, and tried to focus through the distracting downpour. The monstrous animal let out another roar, and started running towards Soarin’ once more. If this doesn’t work…I’m sorry Spitfire…I tried... In a moment where everything seemed to slow down, where reality met dreams, the Wonderbolt had the time to decide whether he should stay down and attempt kicking the Manticore and hopefully defeat it, or if he should fly up once again and try something else. However, to his surprise, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Spitfire struggling to get up and coughing violently. The Manticore heard this too, even over its loud running The beast skidded to a stop, and turned to face the injured mare before Soarin’ could even react. The Manticore was much closer to Spitfire and quickly started running towards her. “Spitfire!” Soarin’ screamed as he saw the look of fear in her eyes. In an instant, Soarin’ was airborne, flying as fast as he ever had. Just a few feet from the distressed Pegasus, the blue Wonderbolt crushed in the Manticore once more. The impact shattered the Manticore’s lower ribs and sent them both flailing across the flooding waters. Soarin’ slid into a tree at a high velocity, only causing himself more injuries. He stayed conscious through the hit to the head and cried out in pain once more. He didn’t have the energy to protect himself from another attack. he could only hope that last hit had worked. When he turned his head, ignoring the flooding water, he saw no sign of the Manticore. Just rain and trees in ever direction. He sat up with a groan, now stricken with a throbbing headache. Instantly, he jumped up and surveyed the area once more. Nothing but trees surrounded him. He ran over to the Pegasus who was struggling to even lift herself up. “S-Spitfire…” He said softly through an emotional voice crack, holding the shivering mare up as she sputtered through a round of violent coughs. Spitfire turned over on her side, and finally looked at Soarin’. Memory hit her like a bombshell, and she started crying immediately. “You okay?” Was all that Soarin’ could say, he was stunned, elated, and still full of adrenaline. He took a look at Spitfire's mangled wing. “D-did you…?” Spitfire started, though another round of coughing prevented her from continuing. Soarin’ looked around their vicinity to survey whether there were any threats. They were out in the open and were still prime targets, both injured. In the wake of the peril she had just gone through, Spitfire found the strength to give Soarin’ an emotional embrace, as she sputtered out how thankful she was for him. “T-thank you…s-so much…you s-saved me…I can’t-t believe you d-did this for m-me,” Soarin’ returned the hug gently, careful not to touch her badly injured wing. Spitfire slowly got up, her legs extremely weak and wobbly, and her own vision blurred. She leaned on Soarin’ through support as all the many aches and pains caused her to gasp and cringe. “Are you okay to walk?” Soarin’ said, through the relentless rain. “Y-yes…” She replied, her voice shakier than her legs, “Y-you…I’m alive because of you…” The stallion once again surveyed the area for any new threats, the moonlight shining moderately through cracks in the black clouds above them, “We’re going to need to find shelter…” Though just surviving such a dramatically horrid ordeal, neither pony could begin to comprehend how much worse it could get. The rain was still coming down, though it had calmed down for the time being. The muddy water was about 4 four inches deep in the most flooded parts of the forest. The black clouds way above them were thick and could be seen as far as they could see, which wasn’t far to begin with. Soarin’ looked around and tried to find where he had come from. Every tree looked like a replica of the other, everything just looked the same no matter where he looked. He could see tree upon tree, and no clues to where he had come from. The stallion sighed, causing Spitfire to look up at him, “I can’t tell where to go…” Spitfire grimaced, as she once again had to wipe her mane out of her eyes, “The rain isn’t going to help, i-it’s too dark,” “Horsefeathers…” Soarin’ chided, “Where in the hay can we stay out here? We’re too far to go searching for Zecora’s hut, even worse, we’d probably just end up lost,” He turned to the shivering mare beside him, “You’re still sick, this rain can’t be doing any good, we should find a safe place to rest as soon as we can. How’s your wing?” Spitfire turned to look at her right wing, which was terribly damaged, “I-I don’t know if I’m going to be able to fly again…” “Don’t say that,” The stallion responded quickly, before the thoughts could get to Spitfire, “Magic does wonders, I’m sure you’ll be able to fly when we’re back. I’m just glad you’re alive…” The two then started walking close together as they constantly surveyed their surroundings for any possible shelter, along with threats that could come their way. They were both shaken from their ordeal but where grateful for being alive, and wanted to make sure they would stay alive. “Soarin’…you didn’t have to do what you did back there. This was all my fault for going here in the first place,” The mare said empathetically, "That was s-so heroic of you...." “It was my fault for even telling you to go here. I would have done anything to save you,” “H-how did you know?” The yellow Wonderbolt asked, though interrupted by another flurry of coughs, “How d-did you know I was still out here? I thought you’d be at the party,” It was a long silence before Soarin’ responded, “I-I guess I started to worry a little when you didn’t come to the party, I went to your home and you weren’t there, and I-I guess I took a chance and came here…” “I-I owe you my life, Soarin’” They walked slowly; understanding that Spitfire was hurt so badly that she couldn’t walk faster than a slow trot without threatening to hurt herself more. “You don’t owe me anything,” He said, oddly with a grin, “You being alive is all I wanted…when I first came upon you and Manticore, I knew I wasn’t going to leave without you…” Soarin’ weaved around what he really wanted to say. In the tense silence after his statement, they glanced over at each other, as if it was the first time they had ever seen each other. They were muddy, bloody and soaked with diluted rain water, but they only saw each other’s eyes. Spitfire’s Wonderbolt uniform was ripped in places, though it was all the protection they seemed to have from predators. They each spotted a large tree that had a sort of cave-in at the bottom. It was clearly big enough for them to fit in. Without saying a word, they both walked over to it, and once again gauged their surroundings got threats. The stallion then removed the layer of moss that had formed within the little crevice in the tree. The tree had formed on an incline, and there was only a small amount of water in it. “D-do you think this will be okay?” Spitfire asked, jumping awkwardly when she heard the loud screeching of a distant bird. “It’ll have to be. We need to get rest,” Soarin’ climbed into the tree, Spitfire taking up the space in front of him. The stallion had to awkwardly lay his head on part of a tree root as a pillow, while Spitfire had his front leg has a pillow. He didn’t mind this one bit. The mare rested into him a little more, reminiscent of their past. They both could look out and see the pouring rain, which was oddly comforting. It was constant and calming. Though they had just barely survived one of the most life threatening events in their life, neither had a clue what was to come.
Chapter 4There was no sun to be seen in the sky to even give them an idea of what time it was. Greyish clouds still hovered high in the sky blocking out most of the light. The rain had stopped only hours before they woke up. Soarin’ woke up first. He had watched the mare he held her in his hooves sleep as he contemplated what they would do next. The day wasn’t going to be as dark as was the day before, though the massive trees still reached out higher than the clouds and blocked out most of the sun, as usual for the Everfree forest. Though he felt considerable pain in his hind legs from the Manticore’s claws when they dug into his flesh, he wasn’t going to pity himself when he saw Spitfire’s condition, clearly more injured and still sick. If only I had gone with her… The feeling of regret and guilt filled his mind every single time he glanced at the mare’s broken wing. Every time he saw the gashes on her back from the Manticore’s claw, he regretted ever telling her to come to the forest. Thoughts soon escalated to his friends and fellow Wonderbolts. Considering his circumstances prior to leaving to find Spitfire, Soarin’ assumed they thought he and Spitfire had spent the night together. They did, just in a completely different way than they probably assumed. There was no indication on which way he needed to go to get back to Zecora’s hut. He planned on using the Zebra’s hut as a landmark to find their way back to Ponyville. Hopefully there’s other ponies or zebras living in this Celestia forsaken place Surprisingly enough, he had slept pretty decently over the night, the rain proving to be as calming as it had been threatening during the Manticore encounter. He focused on Spitfire getting good sleep, because she needed it the most. The only times he had woken up during the night was when the poor mare had gotten caught up in a coughing fit, her sickness most likely exacerbated by the rain and chilly night air, let alone her weakened body. He felt the rhythm of her breathing change slightly, as she let loose a tiny yawn. The quiet yawn had always made him smile, especially during their disastrous relationship. “Ow…” Was the first word that came from her mouth, her senses aware of the stress her body was under. “Good morning,” Soarin’ said, immediately chastising himself for the irony of the statement. “Ow…” She said once more, “H-how’s my wing?” “Move so I can see it,” Spitfire inches forward so her battered wing could been seen by him, “It looks pretty bad, but it can be fixed once we’re back,” The stallion remarked, purposefully being optimistic for her sake, “Did you see my hind legs?” The mare turned on her side she he was facing Soarin’, and looked at the many wounds on his lower legs, “Oh my Celestia…I’m so sorry…” Her voice hinted of a soon to come breakdown, so Soarin’ played it cool, “Oh, don’t be. They’re nothin’. Can’t even feel them,” “Don’t lie to make me feel better…let’s just get back to Ponyville and get some help. The entire thing is my fault, s-so I’ll pay for it,” The mare then exited the crevice in the tree, wincing when her damaged wing hit the top of the entrance, then Soarin’ followed. “You’re not paying for anything. I told you to come here, I should have gone with you, so let’s just agree this is all my fault and press on,” There wasn’t any pathway in sight from their vantage point. A plethora of trees and the clouds above them could be seen as far as they could see He surveyed their surroundings, and then decided that they should be okay if she kept an eye out for any new dangers. He hadn’t heard a single sound come from anywhere in the forest since he woke up. “Where are we going to go? Can’t you fly up through those clouds and see Ponyville f-from here?” The orange Wonderbolt asked, as she tried to style her muddied mane into a less distracting form. “If those were white clouds, maybe. You know how dumb it is to just fly into a dark grey cloud. That’s like asking to be electrocuted,” The mare thought once more, as they glanced around to decide where they should start, “M-maybe you could fly back since your wings still work, and then come get me when you get help,” “Spitfire, I can’t leave you here in the condition you’re in. I’d regret it my whole life if something else were to happen to you,” The orange Pegasus could feel herself blush, though her outfit hid it. Though it was an odd though, she couldn’t help but notice that Soarin’ was the only pony she’d ever want by her in such a situation. It made her start questioning herself again, something she hadn’t done in quite a while. “Where do you think we should go? The last thing we’d want to do is…um, go the wrong way and get more lost,” Soarin’ stated simply. A loud rumbling was then heard by both of them. It was Spitfire’s gurgling stomach, causing her to blush out of embarrassment. “You must be really hungry,” The blue stallion mused with a chuckle, “Come on, let’s find something to eat,” “W-what should I look for?” Spitfire said, gazing up into the tall trees as if there would be any sort of fruit in them. “I’m hoping there is a bush that produces this delicious berry around here…it’s everywhere in Whitetail woods…” “Oh, okay. I think I know which berry you’re talking about. Should we split up?” “Nope, you’re coming with me,” Soarin’ said bluntly, as he looked for an area that seemed like it would have a lot of bushes. “You don’t have to be so protective over me,” The mare chided, then softening her disposition, “I mean I appreciate it and all, but you’ll be close enough to know if I’m in trouble,” “You’re coming with me so I can show you the berry I’m talking about. We can’t just gather enough to eat right now, we’ll need to stock up for later when we’re walking home. You have the uniform on, with pockets, so you’ll have to come along. Besides, I need to know you’re safe…you know…you don’t even understand how I felt when I saw you yesterday…” Spitfire suddenly felt bad about her previous response, because the fact he cared about her so much made her feel loved. The fact that ‘loved’ was the first word to come to her mind bothered her. Though still having several injuries on her hooves from being tossed around by the Manticore, she was able to walk faster than the night before. When they started delving deeper into the forest, >the light getting slightly brighter in the hue of the clouds above, the mare had a question for the stallion that had saved her. “Soarin’?” “Yeah?” “Did anypony else notice that I-I was gone?” She questioned, walking next to him as they gazed through the woods for any sign of the berries they could eat. “What do you mean? Like at the party?” “Yeah,” Soarin’ stopped to think for a second, ignoring the distant animal noises that had startled the mare beside him, “Well, not really. They were partying so hard that they kinda just though you weren’t coming I guess, or just didn’t notice,” “Oh,” She responded, slightly saddened that only one of her friends had even cared to search for her, “What would have happened to me if you d-didn’t come?” Once again the stallion stopped, “Spitfire, I really don’t want to think about such a thing…I came and that’s all that matters. No more ‘what ifs’,” Walking slightly behind the stallion, Spitfire studied the wounds on his hind legs. They were covered with some mud from the damp ground that they had been walking in and it worried her that the wounds could be infected. She thought about her own injuries. Her wing was possibly damaged beyond repair, she had gashes on her back from the nail claw? of the monstrous beast that had attacked her, and miscellaneous other wounds across her whole body. As she looked around the forest that she was trapped in, she felt the sickening feeling of regret and despair, which didn’t help the fact she was already physically sick. “I bet I could have gone to the party anyway…” She said as a response to her own thoughts. “Huh?” “I didn’t need to come here, I could have gone to the party and be fine…I’m sicker now than I was then, I could have just slept it off like I usually do…” The stallion sighed, “Look, Spitfire…thinking like that isn’t going to get us anywhere. If we’re going to get out of this, I need you to focus, now come here, I think I found the right bush,” Spitfire climbed over a few logs of fallen trees to meet the stallion at his side. The area was the brightest they had seen all that day, though still no signs of a sun that they could tell the time by. “You see these red berries right here? You’ve been a Wonderbolt longer than me, and you didn’t have to go through a survival course to join, remember? These are the berries they showed us that are edible. They taste terrible, but they’re edible. They’ll give you energy too,” The stallion said, his hoof lifting a few patches of the fruit for her to see. “I’d have to eat like two hundred to even have a chance to fill myself up,” She remarked at the small size of the red berries he was holding, “How many are there?” “This bush has to have at least a hundred, I think. What I’d give for a pie right now instead…” The mare laughed heartily, “You’re so obsessed with pie, it’s actually kind of cute. Hearts and Hooves day is coming up, you should make a pie for your special somepony!” “You said the same thing last year,” Soarin said with a chuckle. Despite his conscious, the topic of Hearts and Hooves day caused him to venture a little further, “So…you have anypony that you would say was your Special Somepony…?” The mare released a little chuckle as she pondered his motivation, “Well, I guess you could say that,” She said, purposefully not giving him a definite answer. “Oh…” Soarin’ said, saddened, “Well, uh, I have one too, so we need to get back as soon as possible. She likes pie as much as me,” The stallion lied terribly, so he cleared his throat awkwardly, “We… we um should gather as much berries as we can, so we won’t be hungry later if we somehow get lost,” “We’re already kinda lost…” The mare replied, though quickly changing her tone when she realized she was being quite the negative Nancy, “Want me to help?” Soarin’ started picking the berries from the bush using both hooves to grasp a twig with berries on it and breaking that twig to get multiple berries each time, “Just hold the pockets in your uniform open. That’s where they’ll have to be,” After several minutes of picking from the bush, her pockets were full and the bush was completely devoid of any of the reddish fruit. Spitfire started digging in to some of them, until she had eaten about half of what they had just harvested. “Soarin’, are you going to have any?” The mare said, as she finished eating her final hoof-full if berries. “Nope. You need them much more than I do,” “Just have some, I need you to be healthy too,” She said, suddenly thrust into another fit of coughing. “You clearly need them, Spitfire. I’m not hungry, honest. Now, we really need to find out way back,” Still all that was in his vision were the massively tall trees and the grey clouds that seemed to have no end. The smell of rain and wood still lingered in the air, and the occasional lightning strike could be heard every once in a while. He knew it wouldn’t be long until the rain returned, which was bad for Spitfire because of her sickness. “Uhhhh…” Soarin’ squinted as if it would help him see things in the distance, to no avail, “I really don’t know where to go…” “Ponyfeathers!” The orange Wonderbolt chided, kicking her slightly injured hoof into a pile a half-dried mud, “I wish we could see the sun to know where to go…” The two ponies looked right up at the clouds and branches of the blackened trees. They looked closed by and in the distance, but no sign of the actual sun could be seen. In the distance they heard a roar reminiscent of the Manticore’s roar, sending chills down their spines. This scared them both and took their breaths. Giving each other anxious looks, they both started trotting in the opposite direction. Jumping over dead trees and leaves , through mud and water, they weaved out and in through the forested area until they found where they had slept the night before. “We need to get out of here,” Soarin’ said, grimacing from the pain in the wounds on his hind legs, “Spitfire?” “I-I’m here…” Spitfire said in an exhausted voice. Just that run had caused Spitfire to get dizzy, and she had started shaking almost violently. Soarin was at her side immediately, helping her sit down to catch her breath. “We can’t run like that anymore,” The stallion stated simply, “I’m sorry,” He felt genuinely scared for her once more. “I-I’m sorry I’m so weak,” The mare said, still breathing heavy, “My vision started g-going away, I wouldn’t have been able to go much l-longer…” Her body felt heavy and her limbs felt unable to handle it. As she caught her breath, she started feeling a little better. They sat and listened for any approaching sounds that could signify a threat. When the coast seemed clear, the stallion helped the clearly shaken Spitfire stand up. In a low whisper, he spoke close to her face, “Look, Spitfire. I am going to keep you safe. Don’t worry about that Manticore, I’ll teach him another lesson if he even comes near us, you hear me? We’ll be okay, now let’s go home…” The dazed Pegasus put on a brave smile as she got back up. Without saying a word, they chose a direction to walk in. On and on they went, without a clue to where they were going.
Chapter 5“Looks like we’re two Wonderbolts short today…” Firestreak the then team captain I noted as he flew in front of the other four members. They were all lined up for a practice race as a warm-up, in their Canterlot practice arena. Firestreak was a light orange coated stallion with multi colored orange mane, though not very similar to Spitfire’s. He spoke with a raspy, aged voice, being the oldest Wonderbolt on the team. “Soarin’ was at the party last night but he left to find Spitfire and didn’t come back,” Lightning Streak said, getting the attention of the others flying at his sides, “Methinks they didn’t want to be at the party. They wanted to have their own one, if you know what I mean?” He finished with a mischievous smirk. After a few chuckles from Rapidfire and Fleetfoot, the orange maned stallion lifted his hoof up to silence them, “Everypony knows that Wonderbolts are required to send a letter if they’re going to miss a day; a day in advance, in fact. I received no letter, which means they intended to arrive today,” He said sternly. “Hey hey hey, hear me out, Soarin’ told me just yesterday that he’s interested in Spitfire again….I don’t know, but it just seems to me they’re just…you know,” Lightning Streak continued, “You know their crazy past. They’re probably fighting or something right now because Spitfire ate some of his apple pie,” “No,” Firestreak chided, before the group could laugh again, “You all know what we have to do. Did he tell anyone, last night at the party, where he was going?” “Well Spitfire went to Ponyville to get some medicine, so if they’re anywhere, it’s there,” “Why would she need to go to Ponyville just for some medicine?” The light blue maned Fleetfoot asked quizzically. “Somethin’ about some zebra in the Everfree forest. She cured Soarin’s hoof when he hit his it on a tree or whatever,” “Horsefeathers. She seriously went into the Everfree forest?” Firestreak added, face-hoofing in disappointment. “Well, yeah,” Lightning Streak responded bluntly, “I-I guess we should go look for them,” “Before we go, let’s plan this out. We can’t have everypony just go to the Everfree forest. Soarin’ and Spitfire are probably in their homes here in Canterlot. We can’t have too little of you go because it might endanger you. Let’s divide into groups now,” The captain said, still floating in midair in front of the group. “How about…um…three of us go to the forest, one will go check their houses here and could check other places in Canterlot or Ponyville,” Fleetfoot said rubbing her chin with her hoof as she thought, “I wouldn’t want to send so many of us into the forest, but we can’t send too little either. I doubt any of us have actually been in there,” “Alright!” The orange maned stallion announced, “We’ll go with Fleetfoot’s idea. Lightning Streak, Fleetfoot and I will go to the Everfree forest. <><><><><><><><><> Trees, trees, and more trees, with no pathway to be found, this was all they saw hour after excruciating hour in the seemingly forsaken forest. There were no clues to where they should go. They had a decent amount of berries left from their earlier efforts, and Soarin’ was determined to eat as little as possible, knowing that the sick mare beside him needed the nutrients more than him. They couldn’t walk too fast; considering that it could overwork Spitfire’s weakened body like their short run had done earlier when they heard a roar from a distance. They didn’t how far they had gone, nor which way they should go and it was unsettling for them both. The blackened clouds above had threatened another downpour the whole day they had been walking, but nothing but a gentle sprinkle had fallen. This however quenched their thirsts, after being in such a humid area of the wild for so long. They were able t dink the faling rain, no matter how odd tasting it could be. They didn’t have a choice whether to ponder how clean the water was, they hadn’t found a single area of water from which they could drink from and had felt signs of exhaustion about the time the rain had come. Soarin’ stopped once to look into the distance to see any sign of Zecora’s hut. He had done this periodically throughout the day, “It’s getting darker,” He said, his tone of voice deep and serious, “We better look for shelter. I might just have to build one if we can’t find another crevice…” Spitfire walked beside him, breathing heavy, “I-I’ll help,” “You’re sick, I can’t let you use more energy…we need it for our trip to home tomorrow,” He said, cautiously optimistic about their situation for her sake. The night was approaching fast, they were both drained from hours of changing direction and getting nowhere but increasingly more lost. She couldn’t argue with him. It was a struggle for her to put effort into anything. She really needed some sleep, and needed time to figure out a way to get home. She felt responsible for their dire situation and she needed the energy to help Soarin’ instead of hindering their progress in the woods. “I can’t believe we’re not going to get h-home tonight,” Spitfire confessed, “I’ll do whatever it takes for us to get back tomorrow…” “Don’t worry,” Soarin’ said calmly, “We’ll find our way back sooner or later. We need sleep. I’m going to gather branches, wait here and rest. Yell for me if you need help and I’ll come, okay?” “Okay…” She said, walking over to the side of a massive tree and sitting. She watched him leave while gathering large branches from trees. He left her alone with her thoughts once more. A year ago, she had always complained that he didn’t do enough for her when they were dating. They got in many arguments over their own inability give and take and respect each other as partners. Out of spite, she had broken his autographed picture from one of the first Wonderbolt’s, something she had always regretted. She avoided dozing off as much as she could, knowing it would be dangerous, but she couldn’t help it. The subject matter of her thoughts influenced the dream she would have next. Spitfire didn’t know where she was, but she felt as if she was supposed to be there. She was sitting in some sort of field near what she assumed was the Wonderbolt’s practice facility in Canterlot. However, everything just seemed a little different, even surreal. His voice brought a smile to her face, as he held his hooves over her eyes from behind her. Suddenly, there were flowers in front of her, and a feeling of joy spread throughout her whole body. She turned around, in this blurry world of hers to see Soarin’ smiling, with a diamond hoof-ring in his mouth. From a short distance away, she could see herself jumping up and down with joy, see herself hugging the stallion tightly, as if she was flying outside of her body and could see herself. Spitfire felt joy like she never felt before, and everything felt so perfect… Time suddenly skipped forward, though she didn’t consciously notice it. Everything felt so real, the emotions were almost tangible, the colors of her own dream world vivid enough to make her believe it were the real world. There was a massive crowd from all across Equestria, every single member of the audience with a beaming smile. She saw the stage where she and Soarin’ were standing. From her clairvoyant view of this event she saw the tears in her own eyes as she looked up at the blue stallion who was appropriately dressed in a tuxedo. She saw her deceased mom in the crowd, as alive as she ever was. She and Spitfire never had gotten along well and they had never made up with themselves, before her death. She was smiling and proud for her daughter, and Spitfire was proud to have her in the audience. Time advanced once more until she was in her home, two unknown fillies in front of her. She knew they were her own fillies and she knew Soarin’ was their father. She had memories she hadn’t had before and felt unconditional love towards the fillies in front of her. Soarin walked into the room, from a doorway that had seemingly appeared from nowhere and said words that she couldn’t even understand, like they were a blur. She was in first person view, and saw her eyes gaze lower until she saw Soarin’s hind legs. Then the dream darkened, and her feeling of love changed to deathly fear. She saw the deep wounds in his legs as if they were fresh. She felt her backside and noticed her missing wing. She felt the pain in her hooves from being slammed down. Everything felt so wrong… Spitfire panicked in the midst of this horrifying change. Everything seemed to dissipate into blackness…into coldness… “Soarin’?!” She yelled, though the voice didn’t seem like her own, “Soarin’ are you okay?” She spotted the stallion walking away from her into pitch blackness, as if he was ignoring her. “Soarin’! Please! I’m sorry for breaking that picture!” Her voice echoed almost infinitely, as Soarin’ disappeared into the blackness of her own dream. She didn’t know it was a dream, however. She started crying, a sudden despair seemingly controlling her. “Spitfire?!” Soarin’s voice called, distant. She heard the sound of trotting, and soon heard a voice close to her, though she couldn’t see it. The blackness surrounding her slowly started fading away… “Spitfire?! You okay?” Soarin’ called, dropping the branches he was holding. When he made it to the distressed mare, he could see streams of tears cutting through the mud on her mask, “Are you okay?” Her eyes opened slowly and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was back in the real word and couldn’t be more reassured. She took a few seconds to gather herself as the dark world outside reminded her of her predicament. Spitfire relived the pleasant part of her dream then looked up at Soarin’ with a peculiar smile. He couldn’t see the redness on her cheeks from blushing due to her mask. so Soarin returned the smile, and offered her a hoof to help her up. He used his hoof to gently wipe away the tears on her face, “Bad dream, I take it?” “Yeah…kinda. Not all of it. It was a good dream, actually,” She said, awkwardly avoiding the actual subject of the dream, “Have you gotten all the branches and stuff?” Soarin’ turned around, “Yes, I have a big pile of some large branches I can use to create some sort of shelter for us, well, at least for you. Oh, and I also found this type of tree that has some really large leaves, we can use that for blankets. I know you need to keep warm,” Grabbing at four or five branches, each around five feet long, he set them down and had Spitfire hold one up at an angle. He grabbed a second and let the tips of the branches they were holding interlock into a sort to where the branches both leaned into each other supported their weight. He did this with about twenty others, ten on each side, until a decently shaped mini hut was formed This took them only about ten minutes, but it wasn’t finished. He grabbed branches of shrubbery with excessive amounts of leaves on them and put them atop their hut to block out as much rain as possible if it did rain. Then he used some of the big leaves he had gathered and put them in for bedding and blankets. Though his work may have been considered sub-par to a survival expert pony, Spitfire found herself quite surprised at the stallion’s ability to make such a hut. It was about six feet in length, four feet in width, which was just barely enough for them to fit in. It was placed strategically between two trees so the structure would have additional support. When he was finally finished, he couldn’t help but smile at the finished work, “Go ahead,” He said with a nod towards his hoof-made shelter. Spitfire crawled in, avoiding hitting her injured wing on one of the stray twigs. After a fit of coughing, she spoke, “Wow, Soarin’…I have to say this is pretty impressive. Can you fit in?” “Yeah, I’ll just have to squeeze in…if that’s alright with you,” The stallion responded tentatively, understanding that the mare had personal space. The forest seemed quieter than it had been the night before, and there was no rain in sight. It was also windless, so the night seemed to be promising for a decent sleep. “Of course, I-I couldn’t let you sleep outside,” She said, with a small smile, and a voice crack that Soarin’ couldn’t but think was cute. She patted the area next to her as an invitation for him to lie beside her. He squeezed in and rested his head one of the big green leaves he had prepared. When he was settled, he put hid hooves between him and Spitfire and closed his eyes comfortably. “Are you warm enough?” He asked. Spitfire reached behind herself and grabbed Soarin’ front leg and put it over her side, “Now I am,” The stallion grinned, but was conflicted about what to do. He also found himself wide awake, though he had just felt extremely tired moments before. “Do you need anything else? Do we have any berries left?” The berries were in her side pocket that were facing up, so she hadn’t squished them when she laid on her side, “Oh, there are some left…w-want some?” “Nope, help yourself,” Soarin’ said. Silence soon came over them once again as they listened to the distant noises that the wild animals seemed to constantly make. The lack of wind and rain made it almost creepily quiet considering they could hear every little noise, but not see where the noise was coming from. Neither could let their imaginations get to them or else the night could be terrible. When she was finished eating the berries they had collected earlier in the day, Spitfire attempted to go to sleep, but to no avail. Her thoughts started to keep her awake. The injured mare had so many different thoughts going through her head, and her short sleep earlier revealed thoughts she had suppressed for quite some time. She keep could feel him breathing behind her, and assumed he was going to sleep. What I would give just to talk to him right now...without it being so awkward... She lay facing the wall of branches that made up their small shelter; though it was too dark for her to see anything more than something really close her to her eyes. Spitfire studied her dream from earlier. She remembered every second of it, the surreal emotions she felt during it. The despair she felt when she saw Soarin’s injuries in her dream. She had never had such a dream before, it felt realer than life and definitely disrupted her most inner thoughts about the stallion next to her. Spitfire owed her life to him, and then some. He saved her life and has taken extra measures to keep her alive. She was beyond grateful the selflessness he was showing, but didn’t know how she would be able to thank him. “S-Soarin’?” She asked in a quiet tone. “Yeah?” He responded, surprising her that he was still awake. “I-I can’t sleep…” “Me either,” Spitfire turned over onto her side, ignoring the pain in her wing just to face the stallion. She didn’t say anything at first, and neither did Soarin’, but they both caught each other smiling through the dim moonlight that shone through. “I-I know this is going to sound weird…but I…even though we’re out here in the middle of a forest…there’s nopony else I-I would rather have with me than you…” The yellow Wonderbolt told Soarin’, “I-I don’t know how I’m going to thank you for saving my life, but I…I will find a way somehow,” They were nose to nose, the situation as tense between them as it ever had been, “Spitfire, you don’t owe me a single thing… you’re alive, that’s all that matters to me…” Soarin’ said in a deep whisper. A single tear dripped down Spitfire’s cheek. Through the dim light they could see each other’s eyes, and through the tense silence, they could feel the feelings they once had for each come into fruition, neither knowing how to act. Soarin’ leaned in just a little closer, the injured Wonderbolt opening her mouth invitingly, leading them into passionate, life-affirming kiss, letting go of all of the tension that welled up in both of them during recent times. It was a moment they would never forget.
Chapter 6“I’m extremely sorry mister Firestreak, but my sense of where Spitfire could be is quite weak,” The day was slowly fading away and Luna’s night was set to take over. Firestreak and the rest of the Wonderbolts’ had searched all of Ponyville and Canterlot for any signs of Soarin’ and Spitfire. Every answer was the same and every hour that past only stirred up more thoughts and ‘what if’s’ about the two Wonderbolts’ situation. They had avoided the Everfree forest as long as they could, but had eventually made their way in as a group to find any signs of the lost stallion and mare. “Did you see Spitfire with a stallion with her?” The fire-red coated stallion asked, as he entered the hut with the Zebra. “As far as my memory can go, I have to say no. When Spitfire was here, I could sense no one near,” “Horsefeathers…” Firestreak chided in disappointment, “We haven’t seen them the night before and they had failed to show up at work today. We’ve been searching for them darn near in every corner of Equestria. We’re thinking they’re somewhere around here, considering that Spitfire had to come here to receive medicine for her sickness,” “I can assure you she was here, but to where she is now is unclear,” The Zebra said, using a big spoon to mix a green boiling potion in her cauldron, “Tomorrow I’ll keep an eye out for anything I see, to be lost in this forest is dangerous indeed,” “Thank you, Zecora. This is very appreciated,” “Come again anytime, young Wonderbolt friend of mine,” And that was it. Firestreak was unwilling to delve deeper into a forest he had never been in. The clouds cut off what little remaining sunlight there was, which would endanger them if they went in too far. It wasn’t a risk they were willing to take, they would have to come back the next day. Firestreak called everypony over to him, all of whom were in his vicinity, and told them that they would return the next day. <><><><><><><><> Spitfire’s eyes darted open at the sound of something walking nearby. She had just been in a deep sleep, and was unsure whether the sound was just something she had heard in her dream. It was another absurdly vivid one, and the events before they went to sleep had influenced it again. When the dim light revealed the sleeping stallion in front of her, she couldn’t help but smile as a warmth filled her heart. This feeling was short lived when she heard low pitched grumble not ten yards from their shelter. She tensed up and her heart beat increased. When the unknown creature started walking, the sound of snapping twigs hinted to the idea that it was some wild animal. Each step it took was loud and it seemed that it was slowly walking closer to Spitfire and Soarin’. Spitfire bit her lip in order to prevent herself from making any noises that could give off that they were there. A combination of fear and anxiety flew through her body as she lay still, her ears perking up at any sign of movement near her and Soarin’. The cold darkening night made this encounter go by excruciatingly slowly. She had no clue what time it was, she only could guess that it was still too early in the morning for the sun to be out. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. She stared towards the stallion next to her and focused her hearing as well as she could. Each twig that snapped didn’t help her determine where the beast was at. Suddenly, whatever was standing so close to them, started running in the opposite direction, the stomping of each step quickly growing distant. She lay there silently until she could hear nothing but the distant voices of owls that inhabited the area around them. The encounter was suddenly over, though it certainly scared Spitfire and influenced her thoughts. It only took the sound of something walking near them to bring up the terrifying fear from when she was first attacked by the Manticore. It was a feeling she could never possibly forget. The mare clutched the stallion just a little tighter for comfort and warmth, letting the fear she had slowly drift away as she closed her eyes. She sighed, probably louder than she should have, but it helped her calm down. Spitfire was wide awake, and really wanted to talk to Soarin’. However, she knew she couldn’t wake him up. They both needed their sleep. Spitfire rested her head on the pile of leaves that was her pillow and closed her eyes to try and sleep through her hunger and thirst. <><><><><><><><> When the mare finally woke up again, the first thing she noticed is that she actually was able to fall asleep even through the short ordeal she had gone through in the middle of the night. The second thing she noticed was that Soarin’ wasn’t in the shelter anymore and that there were a pile of berries on a leaf next to her. Spitfire smiled warmly, grabbed a few and put them in her mouth. The delicious juices from them jump-started her stomach and quickly reminding her that she was parched and famished. The Wonderbolt quickly ate what she assumed was her half of the berries. She poked her head out from the shelter to see that the sun >was up from the light ??? shining through the thick clouds above. It was a dim light, but was lighter than the day before. Carefully crawling out from where she had slept, she immediately noticed a nauseous feeling just from the act of standing up. She had felt fine lying down, but standing up has made it clear that she had only gotten sicker through the night. She waited for her vision to come into focus, and through the trees she saw Soarin’ picking berries from a nearby bush. She walked over to him, ignoring the half dry mud that clung to her hooves she walked through it. “Good morning, handsome,” She said with a smile, “Thanks for the breakfast,” It was the morning after they had kissed and began their relationship again. Old feeling had resurfaced and caused their hearts to flutter and their cheeks to redden at the site of each other. They hadn’t felt that way since they had dated years ago as teenagers. They had shared a past of failed shots at a relationship, but something seemed different the moment they kissed, and they couldn’t quite put a hoof on it. “They’re all yours, did you enjoy em?” He asked, handily picking out more berries he could hold in the tiny crevice of his hoof. “Well, I had half, I thought that the rest were yours…we should eat together,” The fact they were in a forest trying to find a way home didn’t seem to distract Spitfire from considering this their first date. The blue stallion nodded, and filled his leaf up with berries and met the mare outside of the shelter he had built. He placed his leaf on the ground in front of hers which still had berries from earlier. She had brought it out in preparation for his return. Sitting while facing the stallion, Spitfire spoke first, “Why do we also always seem to end up together huh?” She said with a chuckle, but was clearly happy that they were. “I don’t know, but and I don’t care…I’m just glad we are,” The stallion responded simply, shoving a hoof-full of tiny red fruits into his mouth. “I heard a noise last night and it woke me up…I couldn’t really go to sleep…I kinda…” Spitfire took off her the mask she had had on for the past several days because it had annoyed her. The cool air touching her face was very relaxing for her, considering the mare still had a fever from her sickness.The fact she was blushing became much more obvious without a mask, “I kinda um….I kinda wrote a poem about you. About us…” “Whoa, I forgot about your poetic talents…” The stallion said with a grin, “Lemme hear it,” “Don’t judge it please, it’s not that good,” “I’m sure it’s great,” Soarin’ said. “I-I’m still working on it,” The mare sidetracked, “I’ll tell you when I finish it, okay?” Soarin’ chuckled, “Okay, I’ll be patient,” He craned his neck to his right to examine the mare’s wing, “How’s your wing looking?” Her heart sank being reminded of her injury, “I-it’s…it’s okay…I don’t really feel anything anymore, it’s almost numb,” “How sick are you?” “I…I feel worse than yesterday. I-I’m actually a little nervous about walking so far today. I felt woozy when I woke up,” The stallion grimaced, but had good news to share, “Well, I guess I have some good news. Did you notice that we could see the sun this morning? All we have to do is go east and we’ll be able to find Ponyville… So, depending on how good or bad we did these past few days on finding our way back, we should be able to find our way home before tonight, but I’m not sure,” “That’s amazing to hear…I really just can’t wait to lay in a nice comfy bed and sleep for days,” She said with a labored chuckle, “I can’t wait tell everypony about how you saved me,” “Do what you want, because all that matters to me is that you’re okay,” Soarin’ mused, giving the mare across from him a smile, “Maybe in a way you saved my life too?” “How so?” “If you hadn’t had gone to the forest, I may have had been the manticore’s first target and I wouldn’t have been found by anypony,” “So, I guess it was a good thing I came to the forest…kind of,” Spitfire said, releasing a small chuckle, “Well, I’m happy you’re alive too. You could have died trying to save me…” “If I had died, as long as you still lived, it would have been worth it,” The stallion said genuinely. The touching statement from the stallion across from her caused tears to well up behind Spitfire’s eyes, “We’ve been through so much together, even before all of this…maybe we were meant to be together?” She ventured, finishing up her breakfast of berries. Soarin’ had always thought that way about them, and to hear her say that, made him elated. He had to ponder his response, “Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. But I-I think we have something a lot of ponies may not have, and that’s because we’re alike in almost every way. Except your poetic talents, I’m a terrible poet,” They both smiled lovingly at each other as they spoke, “I think that instead of poetic talents you have the talent of loving pie more than anypony else,” “I still think you’re crazy for not liking it!” Soarin’ said, both enjoying a moment of laughter, “We can meet in the middle. You can write a poem about pie, and I’ll eat it,” Soarin’ joked, causing the mare across from him to burst out in more laughter. “So…” Spitfire started, though having to pause to cough, “D-D you think anypony is looking for us?” The stallion took a moment to think, while finishing the berries he had collected, “Well, we’re Wonderbolts, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. Let’s keep an eye out for anypony while we’re on our way back today,” Through their remaining hunger and thirst, and numerous wounds, they started towards the rising sun that they could see through the dull grey clouds. It had occurred to Soarin’ that he could fly through the clouds to see the direction they should head in. However, the puffy clouds above still had some deep blackened spots that still threatened to strike him with lightning if he flew through. He knew that if he injured himself, he could doom Spitfire in the middle of such a terrible area. They could feel the humid, warm air stick to their coats and the mud dried in their coats from the rain just a few nights before. Their muscles ached and Spitfire’s sickness had only gotten worse overnight. As they walked, the forest once again slowly returned to its usual darkness. The clouds were black as coal and they could only use their own sense of direction to trust that they were heading towards Ponyville. They could only trust their sense of direction to guide them. Now a couple once again, they felt more bonded. They felt closer in a sense that they trusted each other more than had ever before. They had a past of ugly streaks of dating, but they both bonded on the idea that this time would be different. They were both strong-minded ponies, but Spitfire was able to let the stallion lead knowing her own condition. They trusted each other with their lives, which is something they hadn’t done before, even as best friends. There’s always a short time of slight-awkwardness when a new relationship arises; both need to adjust to life with somepony by their side and need to adjust to the time they feel they should devote to each other. The time passed quickly for them. It felt natural for them to label themselves as a couple. It felt right. Even in such a dire situation, they found comfort and confidence in each other. Though conversations about their emergence as couple helped the time pass by steadily, the hours that went by caused a striking fear to meander at the back of their minds as they slowly started doubting their hopes to return to Ponyville. Their hunger returned quickly and their thirst only grew. They endless greenery only added to their growing nervousness as they gazed into the distance. No sign of anypony else could be found, not even a hoof print or a sign of freshly picked berry bush that Zecora may have used for her potions. Despite her efforts, ever so often the two would have to take a break so Spitfire could gather herself. Soarin’ went out to scrounge for berries to help her regain energy, but it was clear that she was fighting a losing battle. Soarin’ stayed strong and confident for the mare near him, but his thoughts increasingly became disheartening. He stood by her as she finished the berried he had gathered for her. Spitfire breathing was labored. “You alright now?” After a few more audible breaths, she groaned and stood up, “Y-Yeah…” He studied her figure struggling on deciding what he should do. He looked up towards the grey clouds. They were a lighter shade than they had been during most of their walk that day. He flew up slowly, Spitfire eying him as she guessed what he was doing. It hit her quickly as he was halfway up, “No, Soarin’! I don’t want you to hurt yourself…” The stallion looked down and flew idly, “Spitfire, I can survive a shock…I can’t bear the idea that we could be going the wrong way…” “Be c-careful!” She shouted, the act of yelling putting stress on her weakened body. Soarin’ looked straight up. Through the outreaching branches of the tall creeping trees and grey clouds, he could see no sign of electricity through them that could endanger him. Having only been a part of the weather team for a short time before becoming a Wonderbolt, he didn’t know if that meant it was safe or not. He took a few deep breaths, and then flew up as fast as he could. From the ground, Spitfire watched in horror as a blinding light sent lightning through the stallion’s body. He fell in a spiral towards the ground, a plume of smoke following his descent to the ground. Anything that could have went wrong, went wrong in his pursuit to see where Ponyville was. He was barely able to slow his descent with his wings, and landed with a loud thump, and an immediate vocalization of the pain he felt throughout his body. Spitfire immediately rushed to his aid, adrenaline preventing her body from collapsing from the effort of running. The stallion’s eyes were clenched shut as he moaned from the terrible pain he felt through his back. “Soarin’!” The mare exclaimed breathlessly, “Are you okay?” Her heart beat faster than she could ever remember as the sight of Soarin’ lying in agony sent terrifying chills down her spine. “I-I-I’m okay…” He stammered, “T-That w-was pretty s-stupid of me…and I mean really stupid…but I did see something…” “W-what’s wrong, where are you hurt?” Spitfire asked, keeping calm against her own urges to panic. His coat was singed from the shock and he was breathing heavy after such a failure. “My back…but it’s okay…I’ll be okay, just give me a minute,” The mare backed off for a second to give the stallion his space. He had fallen from high above Spitfire and was only able to stifle the fall with his wings in the last half of his fall. Spitfire looked around in despair. Everything seemed to be going wrong, everything seemed to show that they had no chance of surviving. She was striking with a deep feeling of hopelessness that only hindered her sickness and her will to survive. Spitfire could feel herself losing hope on their dire situation. She surveyed the area once more as everything came into focus. She had never been in such a situation before, and it was almost impossible for her to keep an optimistic outlook on it. The stallion rolled over onto his side, then slowly got up with a helping hoof from the yellow Wonderbolt. “I shouldn’t have let you do that…” She said, still gazing through the blackened trees around them, “Can y-you stand?” “I’ll be fine,” He persisted, “Let’s just go. I saw a glimpse of Ponyville….we’ve been going the right way….somehow,” “At least we know now…but that was a bad fall, are you sure you don’t need a break?” She asked sympathetically. “We can’t afford taking another break,” Soarin’ responded, putting on a strong front, “I need to make sure you get back safe…” Through the dim light the yellow Wonderbolt was able to see the singed feathers on Soarin’s wings. It reminded her of her own injuries, “Let’s keep going in the direction that you said we should go…I’ll be fine Soarin’,” After taking a few more moments to catch his breath, Soarin’ started walking once more, with a worried Spitfire by his side. It was their second day in the forest. They haven’t had nearly enough nourishment to sustain both of them for much longer. As they walked forward, they continued surveying the area around them for any signs of more threats, but were consistently met with nothing but trees and shrubbery. Hour after hour, they started feeling that they were walking in circles. All they saw were the plethora of trees and dark clouds as far as they could see. However, there was no rain, and they could feel the pit in their stomachs from being parched. Their bodies yearned for water and food, and perhaps most of all, rest. Soarin’ could feel the pain his hind-legs from the Manticore attack. Every step, he could feel a stinging sensation through his hind hooves. His back was injured because of his earlier fall and he had a pulsing headache. However, he pressed on. There was a hill they came across. It arched up somewhat steeply, yet had a flat surface on top. They didn’t need to say a word; they climbed up and collapsed on the top. Their breathing was heavy, and they had no clue what time it was. The blackened clouds still seemingly had no end, and revealed barely enough sunlight for them to know it was still daytime. Soarin’ looked at the exhausted mare next to him. A feeling of depression struck him. She looks so weak…I haven’t been able to lead us to safety. What have I done wrong? Is anypony even searching for us? Could I have done something better? I should have traced my steps when I first came here… there’s gotta be something I can do to save us…save her… He gazed off into the distance, quickly spotting a bunny hopping merrily between trees. He sincerely felt jealous of the bunny. Such a tiny animal could survive in such conditions and still happily hop around, while they struggle to even find their way out. He was tempted to follow that bunny, but he knew it wouldn’t help him since the animal probably wasn’t exiting the forest. “I’m sorry, Spitfire…” He said, solemnly saddened. Spitfire’s eyes remained closed while she spoke, “Sorry for what? W-we still have time to get back,” “I’m sorry…I’m saying sorry just in case….j-just in case we don’t m-“ The stallion was cut off by Spitfire’s hoof on his mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes with bags under them, and slowly tearing up. Soarin’ would never forget her face at that exact moment. They lay facing each other, their hooves interlocked. Soarin’ used his hoof to move Spitfire’s mane from her face and behind her ear . He then gently gave her a kiss on her nose, making her smile, just the slightest bit. “We’re going to need this rest…enjoy it. I-I don’t know when the next time we’ll be able to rest again will be,” Spitfire responded with a soft ‘mhmm’ and closed her eyes. She quickly drifted off into a nap, while Soarin’ just rested and surveyed their surroundings. He couldn’t sleep. His back was in pain from his earlier fall and he couldn’t have them both be sleeping in the middle of the day. They’d be prime targets for another attack, and in their conditions, they wouldn’t stand a chance. He stroked Spitfire’s mane, and listened to her labored breath. “The sickness must be really getting to you, huh?” He whispered in a saddened tone. His mouth opened to add something, but no words came out. “I-I’m fine, Soarin’…” She spoke, though her eyes were still closed. Soarin’ held her left hoof in his hooves, something he had done during their past relationships. Everything seemed much more silent as they took this short rest. Soarin’ could hear their breathing, he could hear the rumbling in distant clouds, signifying the possibility of rain. Every time he adjusted his position, he could hear the dying grass below him crumble and the dirt rub against his coat . However, as Spitfire’s chest moved out and in as she fell into sleep, Soarin’ found his vision darkening and his eyelids feelings heavier…and heavier... The stallion shook his head, trying to force himself to stay awake…it felt good just to close his eyes. Just having his thoughts to himself caused the whole current situation to materialize. Soarin’ had played cool, promised Spitfire he would be able to find their way out, and get them home. He had had no doubt they were going to make it out of the forest. He had no doubt he was going to be able to get Spitfire to the hospital and get her injuries mended. Soarin’ may have had worries and prepared himself for them, but he never had lost hope that they would escape. This short time, alone, caused his whole personal outlook on the situation to change. The idea of dying in the forest became almost tangible. The idea of not being able to save the mare beside him sent a chill down his spine. He forced the thought out of his head once again. There was a light breeze coming from behind them, and it was very comforting in such a humid environment. Soarin’ once again found himself forcing his eyes open after a short period of sleep. However, all it took was one time where he fell into a deep sleep, and soon the two Wonderbolt’s were both sleeping in the middle of the day, in the middle of the forest.
Chapter 8Though Ponyville was the least advanced when it came to medicine and emergencies in Equestria, they had a specialized unit of unicorns for emergencies, which were called upon once Zecora was able to get help. Galloping into the forest were four unicorn stallions, the two on the ends wearing saddles with medicinal equipment on the sides. On their backs was a padding for carrying an unconscious pony. Behind them was a worried Zecora and the morning sun, which was finally rising and giving them minimal light. They focused on Spitfire first. Using magical spells developed for emergencies, they attempted to restart her heart. They didn’t have much of a clue for how long it had been since her heart stopped. They knew it effected blood flow to the brain, so it made it extremely important that they got it pumping again as soon as possible. After a few seconds of mustering up magic, the unicorn’s first attempt failed. Spitfire still laid lifeless and was running out of time. Muttering words of frustration, the unicorn mustered up an even stronger spell, focusing on the yellow Pegasus’ chest. “Come on, come on, come on!” He said, his deep voice wavering, caused the stress of his job. When the spell was finished, a relieved expression came across the stallion’s face. The other stallion took is as a sign that the spell worked, and they could hoist her onto the back of one of stallions, as they had already done with Soarin’. Spitfire’s heart was beating, but she remained unconscious, which wasn’t a good sign. It took a few seconds of focusing as two of the unicorn’s used their magic to lift Spitfire onto the brown stallion’s back. They then focused on lifting Soarin’ and using lesser spells to heal the wounds on his legs and back. They simply didn’t have the time to revive him his unconsciousness until they arrived at the hospital. The backs of the carrier stallions were padded to absorb the shock of their running with the injured ponies on top of them. It became increasingly clear that the yellow Wonderbolt’s heart was only beating because of the magic. It was vital that they got her to the emergency room as fast as possible. “Zecora, what else do you know about their situation?” One stallion asked while the other three left quickly, with the injured Wonderbolts. “It was unknown to me, until recently, that they were lost in the forest of Everfree. Spitfire and Soarin’ came and saw me, though I had no clue to where they could be. When I saw Spitfire she was extremely sick, I gave her a potion to help her with it.” “Thanks for your help,” The burly stallion said, quickly making his way to Ponyville hospital where the others have headed. Soarin’ was going in and out of consciousness on his way there. He was laying on the padded saddle of the Emergency Response Pony, but only could get a glimpse of the surroundings before he fell back into unconsciousness. Then the magic that was being performed on him set in. The unicorn that had been performing the healing spell on him didn’t even notice him waking up, and instead quickly ran to work on the yellow Wonderbolt as they galloped towards the hospital. They quickly were able to exit the forest. Soarin’ couldn’t budge. His body was too weak. However, he was aware of his surroundings, and somewhat aware of what was happening. It was quite literally a blur and his mind was a few steps behind what his were seeing. He looked to his left where he saw Spitfire on the back of the other running stallion. They were already in the middle of town, and were making great time. The mare’s head bobbed back and forth from how fast the stallion was running. A greenish glow of magic surrounded her, its effect keeping her alive for the time being. Soarin’ was in no state of mind to even understand anything around him. He was at the lowest level of consciousness and everything seemed like a blur. Once they entered the hospital, they were almost instantly put onto beds with wheels. Spitfire was strapped down due to her lack of consciousness, the green glow of the magic still upon her. Soarin’ watched as the yellow mare was taken into a different part of the hospital. Is that the last time I’ll ever see her? His attention was quickly brought back to the doctors and nurses above him, as they moved him towards wherever they were taking him. He hadn’t a clue as to where he would be. However, his vision was clearing up, and he was slowly starting to get a grip. One of the nurses suddenly shone a light in both of his eyes, causing him to wince. The light-coated nurse didn’t say anything; she instead nodded towards another pony that was out of Soarin’s view. They turned his cart to the left, and then stopped. This was clearly where he would be for the time being. As his brain tried to decipher what was around him, the nurse, a brown coated mare, spoke up calmly. “Mr. Soarin’, are you there? We need to see how responsive you are,” The effort to speak caused him to close his eyes,” I’m…I’m…I’m okay,” He said with a chuckle, knowing that he definitely wasn’t okay, and the stress in his voice surely showcased that. “Can you give me any information about your friend?” She said, levitating a room-temperature glass of water in front of him to drink. After quickly finishing drinking the water, Soarin gathered himself to speak. “Spitfire is sick…she was attacked by a Manticore…it hurt…it bit her wing…where is she?” “Oh,” Was the nurse’s only response, as she stood over him with a clipboard which she started writing on. “How is she? Where is she?” The stallion reiterated, a little louder. “She’s in a different part of the hospital so the other doctors can tend to her injuries. We need to focus on you right now, hun,” “Tell me as soon as you can,” The next few hours were anything but relieving for the blue stallion. He was shipped to different units where he was examined and tested, only to be carted somewhere else. Staring up at the ceiling only left him with his thoughts once more and the occasional talk with one of the nurses taking care of him. One thing he noted was that water never tasted as amazing as it had once they deemed it safe for him to drink as much as he wanted. It was as if his whole world was revived just within the liquid that he hadn’t much of the past few days. However, it only led to the almost sickening hunger he felt, and the doctors were worried that if they gave him too much food, it could be dangerous since he had so little in the past few days. He couldn’t feel relieved. Soarin’ couldn’t feel like everything was going to be okay now that he was in care. They offered him no updates on the condition of Spitfire, and every time the thought crossed his mind, his heart fluttered with anxiousness. Soarin’ only knew so much about the situation. He didn’t know how long he and Spitfire were outside of Zecora’s hut, he didn’t know where she was, how she was or how she would be. Something told him the nurses didn’t know either. His back legs were wrapped in a firm cotton bandage where he was struck multiple times by the Manticore. He took medicine for his injured back and neck, along with scrapes and bruises that had accumulated during the past few days. At a point in time, without even wanting to, the stallion fell into a deep sleep, something his body had been aching for, and in the comfort of the chilly thin hospital sheets he wasn’t able to resist falling asleep. <><><> One week later <><><> Spending so much time alone was what truly brought to his true feelings for the yellow Wonderbolt. The nurses updated him on her condition, but would never give a definite answer for if she was going to survive her injuries, and it was mentally killing him with the uncertainty. The only answer Soarin’ wanted was one they were unable to give him, and it was a source of anxiety for him during his recovery. It was on the day of his release, a full week after he was admitted, when Nurse Redheart came in, a neutral expression on her face and a chart on her right front hoof. He was beyond nervous and only had thought saddening thoughts. Being the optimistic stallion he was, that wasn’t normal for him. Having been booked up by himself day after day with only his thoughts caused him as much stress as he had ever felt. The stallion looked up at her with big eyes, though he didn’t say a word. The mare spoke in a calm voice, “Soarin’, as you know, it’s your day to be discharged from the hospital. We know you’ve wanted to hear the condition of your friend, and I’m terribly sorry that weren’t able to tell you sooner. She’s going to make a full recovery, Soarin’” The stallion gulped, feeling the familiar feeling of tears welling up behind his eyes. “She’s in a very deep sleep right now. We were able to build a cast to help her wing heal, short term and long term-“ “I want to see her,” he said adamantly, sitting up in his bed, “I won’t leave until I do,” She led him through a hallway into a different room, where the more injured ponies were held. Passing nurses and doctors, and going through hallways that seemingly never ended. Of course, his anxiousness made the whole walk seem eons longer. He had bandages on his hind legs and back, but he didn’t notice the pain. His eyes scavenged the area for any sign of the yellow mare. “Here,” The nurse said finally, opening a curtain to reveal the yellow mare laying in a bed, her injured wing outstretched over the side of the bed in a cast. He sat next to her bed and put her hoof in the middle of his, cradling it as he spoke softly towards her. He spoke about how much he wanted her to stay alive, how much he loved her and how much he missed her. He spoke from the heart, which was not something he had done often before their ordeal. The nurse left and closed the curtain with her magic to leave Soarin’ alone with the sleeping Wonderbolt. He let the silence set in as she adjusted his position next to Spitfire’s bed. Seeing her for the first time was very emotional for him. He knew he would have to let her sleep, he knew she needed it. He was very fine with waiting. He was still ecstatic over being told that she was going to make a full recovery. Soarin’ couldn’t get rid of the smile on his face, as he sat in a more comfortable position and waited willfully. Soarin’s father had told him when he was just a colt that when ponies were in a deep sleep, they could hear him. He didn’t believe him but he thought it was worth a try. He considered it better than sitting and staring. “The rest of the Wonderbolt’s are worried about you. Yesterday they said that I could start practicing again once I am discharged, since the doctors said my leg wounds were healed and my concussion is okay, which I doubt since I’m still getting these headaches. I told them no. Not until you’re back. They looked at me weird, as if I was crazy. I don’t care, I couldn’t return without you,” Soarin’ sighed, which was almost habitual for him. He wasn’t bored, but was expectant as always. More and more time kept passing, though it seemed to go by impossibly slow. He looked at his somewhat dirty coat and quickly noticed how tired he was. He had only just arrived after a nearly sleepless night before at his temporary home back in Ponyville. It’s how it had been, he had only gone back to Canterlot once to update the team with Spitfire’s condition personally. “Hello Mr. Soarin’,” A voice called from the entrance, startling the stallion. “Just going to make sure her cast is secure, and quickly check up on how she’s doing,” Nurse Redheart’s voice was as calming as ever. “Of course,” After fidgeting with a few complicated looking machines next the mare’s bed, the nurse spoke up, “It seems everything is fine. Her heartbeat has increased on its own, which we’ll need to keep an eye on. It’s nothing startling, just an observation, which I’ll note just in case,” The Pegasus nodded, light moving back and forth on the wall behind him from the dim lights in the room. “You look so tired, Soarin’. You should go home. We’ll take care of her, you need rest. This is the kind of rest she has needed, it’s doubtful that she’ll wake up soon,” The nurse pointed out in a calm voice. “I know. I-I, I just want to stay for a little longer. If that’s okay,” Soarin’ hadn’t even realized it was past eight pm. “Of course. Remember to sign out when you do leave,” Nurse Redheart mused, putting the newly edited clipboard back on the edge of the bed, then leaving the room. The blue stallion sighed once more. The dim light in the room only added to his tiredness. His muscles ached and his eyelids felt heavy. However, being by Spitfire was important to him. He studied the area around the mare’s hospital bed. Her chest raised and lowered slowly with his breath, almost on pace with every two seconds that passed. Soarin’ noticed that her mane was an absolute mess. “You wouldn’t want anypony to know, but you hate having your mane so mangled, so I’ll fix it,” Soarin’ got up and leaned over the bed, carefully forming the mare’s mane to at least resemble her usual style. “There,” Soarin’ said, grinning as if he had accomplished something. He turned around and got back into the spot he had been sitting. He didn’t want to go home. The stallion couldn’t help but hope that the nurse would let him stay longer. The ticking on the clock suddenly came to his attention, though it had been in the background since he arrived next to Spitfire. He started counting each tick, as if it would help him pass the time. He would glance over at the sleeping Spitfire almost on a minute-basis as he checked how high he could count. 135…136…137…136…1…wait? Soarin’ began again, trying to focus more. He rest his head on his front hoof. The Pegasus didn’t notice that his eyes had closed. Even while sitting down, his head had lowered at an awkward angle. Ten minutes had suddenly passed, in what felt like a minute or so. He yawned, a little louder than he should have, then almost started counting the ticks again. Then he looked up. “Hi,” a weakened voice called out. The stallion half-thought he misheard. “S-Spitfire?” He responded, his heart racing as fast as his mind. He craned his neck up to get a better view of the mare on the bed. “Ye-yeah,” Soarin’ was instantly on his hooves. He stood next to bed and gazed at the mare on the bed empathetically. “H-Hey, you’re okay,” The stallion said, not even close to knowing what to say. He had a thousand things to say at once, but couldn’t even choose one. “Yeah,” Spitfire responded, barely a whisper. Her eyes were barely open, and her breathing was really heavy, “How’s my wing?” “The doctors haven’t told me much…I was going to be discharged today. It’s in a cast, but I’m sure with magic it can be returned to how it was. I…I’m just so happy to see you alive…” Welling behind Soarin’s eyes were tears, which he held off as he spoke to the injured mare. “Wh..what time is it?” She asked. “It’s like nine pm,” “How?” Spitfire asked. “How what?” The stallion asked dumbly. “How did we survive? I-I…I don’t remember anything,” As Spitfire slowly started to wake up, she adjusted herself onto her side to face Soarin’. “Well…I don’t know where to begin…I don’t know much to begin with. I was carrying you and..” A light shone through the curtains as a nurse walked through, “Spitfire, it’s good to see that you’re awake,” The pastel green colored mare walked over to the complicated machines at the side of Spitfire’s bed and adjusted some of them with her magic. The nurse turned her head at Soarin’, “I’m sure you’re happy she’s awake. It’s always nice to see two ponies reunite like this. You know, all he would ask about is you, dear,” The nurse said to Spitfire, “Every time he saw us. We weren’t allowed to update him because we had to do so much in so little time,” Soarin’ placed his hoof on the side of bed, Spitfire smiling at him as she laid on her back again, moaning from the pain in the lower part of her wing. She placed Soarin’s in middle of her two hooves. “Oh. Oh. I had assumed you were friends, since you’re Wonderbolts and all,” The nurse said with a chuckle, “This makes your story even more….adorable! It’ll spread across Equestria like wildfire!” The nurse gushed for a moment before she settled down. She used her magic to write on a clipboard that had been placed at the foot of the yellow Wonderbolt’s bed. “Now Spitfire, I understand that you are, uh, definitely exhausted and probably want to sleep lonhger. Visiting hours are coming to a close very soo-“ “Can he…can Soarin’ take me home with him?” The Wonderbolt interrupted, trying to sit up in her bed, “I’m only tired…I don’t think I need to stay here longer,” Soarin’s response was to look up eagerly at the nurse. The nurse pondered this for a moment. She picked up the chart on the edge of Spitfire’s bed and scanned through it, “Well, here it this seems to show that there’s no particular need to stay here. You do have a lot of recovery to go through, but it isn’t anything you couldn’t do at home. However, you have just woken up. You have been sleeping so often the past week. I need to know that you can walk by yourself before I can discharge you,” Soarin’ and the Nurse waited for the mare to stand up. With an inhale preparing for the effort, Spitfire sat up, pulled the white sheet to the side, and slowly got off the bed. Soarin’ was quickly by her side just in case she wasn’t able to stay up. “I’m fine,” The mare insisted, standing next to Soarin’. She examined the many bandages on her front hoof and the cast on her wing and sighed, “I…I really got myself into trouble didn’t I?” She said with chuckle. “So? You’re tough as nails,” Soarin’ said to be positive. The white colored nurse took a few seconds to contemplate. “Mr. Soarin’, you’ll have a lot of work to do if you’re going to take care of her until she’s all well,” “I know,” The stallion replied without hesitation. Spitfire couldn’t help but smile at the fact he was so willing to continue to help her. It also made her feel quite embarrassed, knowing he had already done so much for her. “I’ll have to brief you on what you’re going to have to do, of course. That’s hospital policy. We couldn’t just send you on your way without knowing your duties when taking care of her. You just got over injuries yourself, you know!” The nurse noted, motioning her hooves to the bandage on Soarin’s back. The nurse went and had several interns clean up Spitfire’s room as they exited. The light caused both Soarin’ and Spitfire to cringe as they entered the room where other injured ponies were held behind closed curtains. When they got to the reception desk the nurse talked to Soarin’ while the yellow mare went to sit down on a chair to preserve her energy. From her position she could see the bandages on the back of Soarin’s legs, and the bandage on his back. It made her feel guilty and shameful for having ever gotten into the situation. She regretted waiting so long to retrieve medicine for her sickness. The mare regretted taking the wrong pathway that led to the Manticore attacking her. Most of all, she was thankful. She was thankful that Soarin’ has risked his own life to save hers. She was gracious that he had put so much effort despite her weakened state keeping them back constantly. When she gazed at the stallion while he spoke to the nurse at the front desk, she felt warmth in her chest and couldn’t resist smiling. When they were finally discharged, with assistance from one of the stallions that had saved them, the two found a place in Ponyville to stay the night before they could return to Canterlot, and eventually, return to being Wonderbolts. <><><><><><><><><> There was a moment for both of them only three days from returning from the hospital. They were still staying at their temporary home in Ponyville. The quietness and respectful nature of the Ponyville folks gave them the privacy they needed as Soarin’ tried his best to nurse Spitfire back to health. For the first time in those three day, Soarin’ was the one sleeping and Spitfire was the one awake. He hadn’t allowed her to walk anywhere and had insisted he do everything for her. Now that he was asleep, Spitfire had a lot of time to think. She laid next to him the bed, and finally had the time to just reflect on the past few weeks. It sent a chill down her spine as she imagined herself within the teeth of the manticore, so she quickly moved onto a happier subject. Soarin’ saving her life. No matter how many times she would remind herself, it would always warm her heart to realize that Soarin’s her hero, friend and boyfriend. The moment at night when they had kissed had most likely given her the strength she needed to get as far she had when they were in the forest. Laying on her her good wing, she rolled onto her side and faced the sleeping stallion. She rested her muzzle behind his neck, and sighed a content sigh. Surprisingly, this woke him up. “O-Oh...I’m sorry Soarin’” The yellow mare said, blushing a little. Rubbing his eyes, he turned over to face the mare, “How long was I asleep?” “A while,” Their noses almost touched as they spoke, “Do you need anything?” “No, I just want you,” Spitfire, sounding a little naughtier than she had intended. Soarin smiled, “You need sleep now, huh?” He said with a chuckle, “I’ve never seen you blush so much since I met you,” “Oh I just...” The mare responded, thought cutting herself off to think for a second, “You know...do you think we’ll....work out? Even after all of this? I mean, before we just...” “Shhhh. Don’t talk about the past. All I see is a future,” The stallion said with a smile. He gave Spitfire a peck on the nose, “I love when you blush. It’s absolutely adorable, I’ve never seen it before!” “Stop it!” The mare responded, playfully poking him the chest. “I think things are different now...things feel different,” Soarin’ said. he then ventured further, “I love you, Spitfire,” ”I love you too, Soarin’" <><><><><><><><><> They had been through a lot as friends and a lot when they had tried dating before. They were immature, cocky Wonderbolts who hadn’t a care in the world when they had dated. Though they had harbored feelings for each other even after they had broken up, their egos were too big to admit it. It didn’t take courage for Spitfire to admit that her feelings for Soarin’ were strong. They were so strong they were almost tangible. It wasn’t just because he had saved her life; it was how close they got after he did. The compassionate warmth she felt wasn’t just because she was grateful that he saved her life, it was because they had gotten closer in several days than they had ever gotten before, and it made her proud to know they had grown so much in such a short time. Despite her own objections, Soarin’ catered to Spitfire’s every need during the time after. His work went beyond helping to make sure that the yellow Wonderbolt made a full recovery, he also dealt with the many reporters that wanted a picture of the two. Their whole ordeal spread across Equestria like wildfire as predicted. The two only became closer as they recovered. Though Soarin’ would insist everything was fine, Spitfire would pester him about how she could make it up to him for saving her life. Even after the horrendous ordeal that they had gone through, Lightning Streak was the first to pester Soarin’ about his and Spitfire’s relationship. When the blue stallion saw fit, he allowed Spitfire to go with him as he returned to the practicing with the Wonderbolts. After three practices the mare couldn’t handle it anymore and joined in on a few races. It was the only time Lightning Streak had ever beaten her in a race, coincidently. It was only two months after their survival in the Everfree forest that Soarin’ returned to performing. Day in and day out, Soarin’ and Spitfire were together, and day in and day out, they got along. Maybe it did take such a horrifying event to bring them closer than they had before. They had respect for eachother that they didn’t have before. So maybe it is unlikely for two members of an elite team to truly be in love and last, but then again, they survived a terrifying ordeal together, which was much more unlikely than that.
Chapter 7*Chapter 7* Soarin’ didn’t want to open his eyes. He knew he had fallen asleep against his own will and he knew that that rest would only make it harder for him to exert the energy to will them forward. When he did open his eyes, he was met with the almost pitch-black darkness of the night. He rubbed his eyes, then squinted to see Spitfire still sound asleep in front of him. Her breathing was dangerously uneven, and this scared him. How long did we sleep? Soarin’ sat up slowly, then surveyed the area based on what he could see. It was as silent as it was dark, no wind, rain or thunder to interrupt the blissful silence of the forest they were.trapped in. This silence is good…just in case something tries to attack us The stallion found himself conflicted on whether or not he should wake the poor mare beside him. He glanced over at her for a few seconds. She was still in her ripped up Wonderbolt uniform, though she had removed her mask the day before. “Poor girl…” He whispered solemnly. During the silence, he noticed that Spitfire made the tiniest noise with every breath she took. It was barely a vocalization, barely a voice at all, though it seemed to stick in Soarin’s mind for an odd reason. He decided to let her sleep, knowing that she needed the rest. He took the time she was asleep to contemplate how they could make it out of the forest while still in such darkness. Neither of them were unicorns, so illumination was impossible without fire. Fire was near impossible because the rain made everything damp a few days ago. Everything seemed to be going against them. The impending doom thoughts nagged at the back of his brain, the guilt of not being able to save her nagged at his soul, and everything seemed to just be going so slow. Even though he had just slept an unknowable amount of hours away, the time seemed frozen and merciless. At first he had just wanted everything to go by fast so they could get back and make it to the training, which they had missed this day. Now, his priorities changed dramatically. Even with them both having sustained injuries, he had been confident that they would escape the forest and live. His confidence now was shaken, which is never good when trapped in such a terrifying ordeal. Soarin’ laid back down on his side, facing the mare once more. He moved her mane out of her face once more, it had been obstructing her breathing. She moaned a little, a sign that she was finally awake, though her eyes didn’t open for a few seconds. “Hey,” Was all that Soarin’ could say, as she revealed her orange eyes in the dim moonlight. “W-what time is it?” Her voice was hoarse and stressed from just waking up, “Wait, nevermind,” She quickly corrected, with a little chuckle. “Guess we fell asleep…” Soarin’ commented, half-jokingly, “Which is okay, I guess, you needed your rest. How are you feeling?” Spitfire sighed, still laying on her side. She used her forehoof to lift herself up into a sitting position, taking a considerable amount of effort. “I…I feel terrible, Soarin’,” She said, slightly struggling to keep her balance as she gazed off into the distant forest. Soarin’s heart sank drastically. Just the stressed way she had said that bothered him; hearing her sound so…weak, was absolutely saddening for him. Seeing what was such a strong, able-bodied mare in front of him in such a state was frightening. He needed to do something. “Can you stand?” He asked, as he lifted himself up into a sitting position too. “I don’t…know!” Spitfire exclaimed, her voice cracking in despair. She hung her head as a few tears dripped down her cheek. “P-please don’t cry, Spitfire, I-I’m doing my best,” Soarin’ said, his heart breaking in two, at the sight of his mare crying. “Why not?!” She exclaimed in desperation, “I-I’m holding us back! I’m holding you back! Just look at me, I’m beaten to a pulp! It hurts to breathe, Soarin’!” She took a few breaths as she recovered from the effort it took just for her to lash out in such a way. She lifted her head up, a tiny gleam of moonlight spotlighting the tears pouring from her orange eyes, “I-I’m dying Soarin’… I can’t… I…” The words she said really tore at Soarin’s figurative heart. Without a word, he calmed the mare down by hugging her, his hooves wrapping around the injured mare’s body. She felt frail in his upper-legs, though she did return the hug. With each exhale, the yellow Pegasus released a desperate short cry, as the stallion whispered comforting words into her ear. “Stay strong, Spitfire…I-I need you as much as you need me. You’re not a burden, you’re not holding us back...you’re not going to die,” Soarin’ felt a chill creep down his spine, knowing how uncertain he was about the last thing he said to her. “I-I hope so… I… I’m sorry for this, I shouldn’t be crying…we…we should probably get going,” Soarin’ wiped a tear away with his hoof, “Yes, we should,” The two ponies kissed, something that calmed them both down quite dramatically. It was a quick peck, but it reminded them of how they’re in it for each other. “Can you walk?” The stallion asked, slowly getting up into a standing position with a groan. Spitfire stood up too, though with a shaky sigh. After a few seconds, she nodded her head. The forest seemed almost devoid of any animal that could be of threat. It was so eerily silent that they almost had been comfortable with not checking for any danger around them, which is something Soarin’ knew he couldn’t forget to do. The massive wilderness around them smelled of a concoction of leaves and rain. The miniscule amount of moonlight that peeked / shone through the clouds gave them a general clue as to where they had been heading before they dozed off. Upon standing up, they noticed a slight breeze going nearly the same direction they were headed. The two walked down the hill they had slept on. The ground was dryer than they had expected, though it had been raining. Then they started their walk, once again, into what seemed like an endless amount of bushes and trees. Soarin’ was certain that during those few seconds when he was above the clouds, He saw ponyville in the distance and hoped that they were heading that direction. His back still ached terribly from the fall, thankfully his wings were able to lessen the impact. They walked slower than they had the past few days. Spitfire had to pace her breathing. Though they didn’t drink or eat much the past few days, her sickness was thriving and she felt nauseous. However, she felt oddly calm having Soarin’ by her side. As they walked further and further, she couldn’t help but feel proud of Soarin’. Things felt different for Spitfire as she walked next to the stallion. She glanced over at him while walking, his coat as dirty as it could be, his eyes weakened, his injured hind legs, and yet, he was still able to keep going. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but it seemed as if he could keep going much longer than she could. Spitfire knew that she wasn’t going to be able to last much longer. The humidity caused her coat to itch uncontrollably, her wing was held in an awkward position since first being attacked, during the night she’d roll over on it and send a jolt of pain down her spine. Above all, her legs felt heavy and her body felt empty inside. She yearned for water and food, though there was none, not even berries to be seen anywhere near them. Her eyelids felt heavy, as if the mere act of putting the effort into walking made her tired all over again. Spitfire didn’t know what to do. Soarin’ had tried to convince her she would be okay, and as she looked up at him, she gave a little smile, but her conscious thought otherwise. After an hour of walking, her breathing became manual. The stallion would stop and ask her if they needed another rest, because he could hear her loud breathing, but breathlessly she would force herself forward. The yellow coated mare could feel her own heart beating, and her muscles tensing up whenever they reached a slight incline. She could feel the force through her body each step of the way up. Time went by painfully slow for the two. They pushed on, forcing their bodies to cooperate with their minds. The stallion would say empty words of encouragement consistently, though neither of them believed it. The blackened-greenness of everything that was in front of them didn’t heed any clues as to whether they were near Ponyville. The clouds, mercilessly unwilling to break apart to reveal sunlight seemed as endless as their ordeal has become. Soarin’ spoke to himself and Spitfire, “Just keep going…j-just keep going…” A stutter left almost every syllable, his words shaken by the effort of walking. Their hooves were encrusted by a thick half-dry mud. It felt like twenty pounds on each hoof to the poor sickened mare beside him. “S-Soarin’…” Spitfire said suddenly, her voice raspy. She stopped, and instantly her body was shaking almost violently. The blue stallion quickly trotted back to the mare, who was leaning on a tree. “What, w-what is it?” The stallion asked, instantly concerned. Spitfire’s stare was almost blank, seemingly staring straight through the panicked stallion above her. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. “Spitfire…p-please…are you okay? Do we need to rest?” Soarin’ asked, his voice higher pitched as her worsened condition alarmed him. He could feel his heart break, almost physically, “Please answer me…please…” Suddenly, the whole plan to even get back to Ponyville wasn’t his primary concern. His heartbeat increased, as he only received a gasping response from the mare, her eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost. Her gaze continued to pierce through Soarin’ as if he wasn’t there. The stallion lent a hoof to help her stay up. Suddenly, the sick mare’s eyes rolled to the back her head as she collapsed to the muddy earth in one quick thud. The stallion could only release a petrified yell in terror as he saw the mare collapse, his hoof not coming in any help. He quickly scanned the area as his own yell echoed back to him, he then quickly bent over and wiped the mare’s mane from her face. “S-Spitfire…I-I….please!” His voice made a crescendo as panic truly set it, “Wake up! Wake up, please!” His voice cracked through the sudden stress put on him, he was barely able to think straight as everything fell apart in front of him. He chin quivered, and his eyes felt as if a dam was about to burst, “Spitfire! Somepony, help! Wake up! I-I…Please!” Soarin’s voice cracked once more in desperation tears streaming down his cheek. He forcefully calmed himself down. After a few seconds of letting his focus on the injured mare, he could tell she was still breathing. “Please wake up…I-I…” “Soarin’, I…” The mare whispered, her voice weaker than ever, “I just need to rest… it feels so good… good to close my eyes…” “No, no, Spitfire, we need to go,” Soarin’ said, his voice wavering in relief that she was conscious, though barely. “…and forget everything…” She spoke over him, her eyes slightly opened, though she clearly wasn’t able to see anything, “Soarin’….” His mind predicted her words before she said them, “I’m not going to leave without you, Spitfire!” He said adamantly. “I can’t….” The yellow mare tried to move herself up, though through major struggle, could only get herself into a sitting position. She rested her head on her front hooves and closed her eyes again. “We need to go Spitfire…we need to survive, we need to get to Ponyville…I could never leave here without you…get on my back…” She opened her eyes to look at the stressed stallion standing above her, “Soarin’, you’re too weak…I’m…I’m only getting in the way…leave,” “Spitfire…” Soarin’ dropped down in a sitting position in front of her. His voice was deep and solemn, “I promised you I would get you out of here…” Tears continued to stream down his cheek, his throat closing between sobs, causing his voice to waver, “It’s a promise I can’t break,” Spitfire’s eyes widened once more, revealing tears of her own that glistened in the moonlight that surrounded them. “Please…I can do this…I can carry you…I’ll do anything…” The stallion continued. Without another word, the mare slowly got up. Her breathing intensified, she made groaning noises as she used what felt like the rest of her strength. Soarin’ got up and sat in front of her, facing the same way. “I can balance you, I’m big strong? enough…” Through her shaking, she was able to balance her legs at Soarin’s sides until she was above him. She then laid down on top of him, each groaning through the effort. The relief she felt was immense. “I’ll get you out of here,” Soarin’ said, as she rested her head against the side of his neck. She lifted her muzzle against his ear and whispered ‘I love you, Soarin’… never forget me” The idea that she had prepared to die filled him with adrenaline. He lifted up Spitfire on his back, with a roar, as the effort put massive strain on his already injured back. The soreness hurt Soarin’ terribly, but adrenaline pumped through his veins and he finally started walking with the sick mare balanced on his back. Each step through the maze of trees took twice the effort, and the lack of water caused his whole body to feel heavier than usual. He couldn’t allow himself to stop, though his body seemingly begged for it. He wasn’t going to quit, no matter how much his body struggled. He felt the mare swarm weak breaths against the side of his neck, as he quickly noticed he could feel her heartbeat on his back. He could feel the weakened pulse that was being sent through her body, which worried him. Her heart seemed to beat a bit slower than any healthy pony’s would, which wasn’t surprising, but still very worrying. As long as he could feel a heartbeat and hear her breath, he was motivation to put forth the effort into getting them both out safely. The stallion’s back nearly felt numb with the weight being pressed on where he was injured during his fall. He had to work a little harder to keep Spitfire balanced on him. The air felt colder. Though it probably was a bad sign, it was calming and cooled him down after being in such humid and warm air for such time. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sign that they were getting closer to safety. “Spitfire, I need to keep you talking, I can’t let you go unconscious again,” The blue Pegasus said through grunts from the effort of walking with her on his back. “O-okay,” She responded, her muzzle right under his ear. Come on…think of something to talk about “Remember…remember when we first met back in flight school? And you were becoming a Wonderbolt before me, and I was so jealous?” The mare chuckled just a little, “Yes…you wouldn’t talk to me because you wanted to join before me,” Despite the situation and the pain he was going through, Soarin’ smiled at the nostalgia, “I remember when you joined and they invited us to the ceremony thing where they introduced you to the team, and Lightning Streak forced me to go, I was such a foal back then!” Soarin’ was only met with silence, so he spoke again, “Spitfire…you okay?” “Yeah, I’m sorry…” “You have to stay awake…I can’t let you sleep more, I’m sorry,” Soarin’ said, as he started walking up a very slight incline, though it made him use much more effort. Once again he received no response. Thump He could still feel Spitfire’s heartbeat on his back. It made a faint, yet noticeable sound that he focused on. Knowing that it probably wasn’t smart to keep making her use energy by having her speak, he decided to let everything fall into silence again and focus on saving the mare on his back. The stallion gritted his teeth as the incline increased sharply before leveling out. The temperature dropped again, and he could feel Spitfire shake a little on his back. The trees somewhat seemed a little farther spaced out, though still dark. The black branches clawed at the clouds above. Thump He suddenly noticed how bright it had become. They just have slept much longer than he had thought, or they simply lost their idea of what time it had been due to it always being dark. He still couldn’t see the sun, but the clouds were a lighter shade of grey. He looked down at his hooves and the numerous cuts and dirt in his coat. Thump He stopped for a second to help the mare balance on him a little more. Soarin’ could still feel her breath against the back of his ear, but just barely. He surveyed the area around him. Only the distant chirping of birds revealed any sign of nearby life around them. The trees and dying shrubbery seemed endless. Soarin’ assumed the water had flooded pretty bad around here. Thump Suddenly, something in the ground caught his eye, but his vision was impaired enough to where he couldn’t figure out what it could be. He squinted as he walked slowly towards an object sticking out of the ground. He stood over the object and squinted again. “Hmm,” He vocalized as he noticed that it was a broken cup. He used his forehoof to knock it to the side to see if the remaining fragments had anything written on them. Oddly enough, the stallion felt like he recognized the cup. “Oh my Celes-“ He started, as he realized that the cup he was in front of, was the cup he had tripped on as he raced to find Spitfire as she was being attacked by the Manticore. His heart beat quadrupled, and he shook with adrenaline once more as he squinted through the distance. Soarin’ took a few minutes to study the area, Spitfire still on his back. He looked past the endless amount of trees to tell where the pathway could be, the one that could lead them to safety. He shouted with joy, though having to calm himself just make sure he didn’t make another mistake. Soarin’ focused his vision until he noticed a small opening that seemed signify a pathway. A small clearing where there no trees, and only some dirt where a pathway could be. His eyes widened as if it were too good to be true. “Spitfire! I-I think we..I might have just found our way out!” He said, his voice cautiously optimistic, using his newfound energy to walk through shrubbery and muddy grass to make his way towards the clearing. Spitfire didn’t respond. “Spitfire, now’s not a time to rest, I need you to be awake when I get you to that Zebra’s place,” Once again he was only met with the chirping of distant birds. Hmmm….I haven’t felt her heartbeat in a while... Oh Celestia, no! Soarin’ stood still. There was no breath on the back of his ear, no heartbeat he could feel against his back. His heart plummeted. “Sp-Sp-Spi…I” He sat down quickly, letting the mare roll limp off of his back into a small amount of mud. “Oh Celestia, Oh Celestia, Oh Celestia, Nononono…” He head frantically surveyed the area around them for any signs of help. “Spitfire! Wake up!” he nearly screamed, his whole body in absolute panic His chin quivered and his stomach was twisted into knots. No! Not now! We’re so close! We’re so bucking close! He rested his head on her chest, trying to ignore his own loud breathing to hear any heartbeat. Seconds went by so fast. Nothing It took a few seconds for him to realize it. He lifted his head slowly, tears pouring down his cheeks, his breathing erratic. He let out an agonizing yell that seemed to echo for a minute. He looked around himself once again studying for anything around them. Anyone that can save them. Anyone that could save Spitfire. Tears obstructed his vision and heartbreak weakened his whole body. The lifeless mare in front of him, the mare he had loved for what seemed like his whole life, may have just lost the battle. He looked around, shaking his head to rid of the tears. He felt light-headed, but knew what he had to do. “I’m not going to break my promise,” he said, the tears once again welling behind his eyes. He laid next to Spitfire. He gave her a kiss on her nose. He tried to say something, but the site of the yellow mare in such a lifeless condition caused his throat to close. He used his forehooves to get her on his back once more. He balanced her as much as he could, then forced himself up, through his aching and weak muscles. His vision was blurred from exhaustion as much as it was blurred from tears. He started to walk fast through the trees towards the pathway, or what it seemed to be. It was his last hope. Soarin’ walked as fast as he could, though his ability to stay balanced was deteriorating. He wasn’t going to stop until he couldn’t go any further. He walked past a few more trees until the pathway was clear, but there was no way he could feel the slightest relief. He looked right and left, his vision surrounded by creeping black. His lightheadedness was only increasing. He leaned against a tree for a few moments, his breathing heavy. A deep feeling of nausea coming over his body, right as he spotted Zecora’s hut’s silhouette of the hut in the darkness. In a last ditch effort, he started trotting as fast as he could with the mare on his back. The stallion swayed, ever so slightly, as he neared the hut. “Z-Z-Zecora!” He said, gasping for more air. His vision faded to black, as his body gave in.He and Spitfire fell onto the muddy ground only a few feet from Zecora’s hut. Get up! Soarin’ could only think, his eyes open but unable to see, his body feeling the cold air around him, unable to use his sense of sight. Spitfire…I’m so sorry Everything seemed to come to an end. After so much backbreaking effort, after putting his life in danger for the love of his life, Soarin’ again found himself realizing that he failed. He quickly started drifting in and out of consciousness, the stress too much for his body to handle. … … ”Oh my Celestia, could this be? The two famous missing ponies? For my own potions, they’re too sick! I must find help right quick!”
