Twilight had instructed Aurora earlier in the day to go and meet the ponies in Ponyville to start her teachings of the magic of friendship. It had been easier than expected. Aurora had asked Pinky Pie to introduce her to everyone and had finished before lunch. The only side effect was that Aurora was now exhausted. It was hard to keep up with Pinky Pie. The towns ponies had been nice enough. There had of course been the stares but Aurora had been getting used to those since she was a filly. The town ponies would adjust. The only question was could Aurora?

Twilight ran over the letter she had received from Celestia. The letter was a request to help Aurora learn the magic of friendship. Twilight had been delighted but had no idea how to do it. She had sent Aurora out to meet all the town ponies. That had been easy. Now Twilight had to find out what to teach Aurora what had taken her years to learn. She wondered if now was a good time for this. Strange things had been happening in the Everfree Forest. No one had been able to explain the strange occurrences. Shadowy figures had been seen, strange lights, and terrifying sounds. Nothing in her book could explain it and the occurrences were only becoming more frequent and terrifying. Maybe she should send Aurora back until the problems were solved. Until then she would have to keep her away from the forest.

Aurora had explored every nook and cranny of Ponyville, learned lots of delicious recipes from Applejack, and met every pony, donkey, griffon, and pet. Now she stood at the edge of a strange forest outside of Fluttershy's cottage. It was dark and didn't look very pleasant. However, it had drawn Aurora in. Something mystical about the forest seemed to call her. A small voice in her head was screaming at her to get as far away from the forest as possible. Aurora would have done well to listen to that voice. Instead she walked on. She walked for what seemed a very long time. It was getting dark and the small voice was telling her to turn around and go back to the library. Whatever was in here could wait until Twilight explained it in further detail. Owls hooted and twigs would snap. Aurora ignored all these as if in a trance. There was smoke ahead that marked something important. Aurora knew that she needed to get to that smoke. There her answers could be answered.

Unknown eyes watched Aurora hungrily. Slowly they stalked after the pretty pony with the eye patch. Then a twig snapped. It almost sounded like lightning to the stalkers and snapped Aurora out of her trance. She whipped around to come almost face to face with a timber wolf. Aurora opened her mouth in a scream that never came. The timber wolf pounced. Ironically it was a timber wolf that saved Aurora's life. He had been stepping one the leaders tail before the leader pounced and resulted in the leader clumsily falling forward ramming into Aurora, sending her tumbling backwards down the hill.

Aurora tumbled down bumping and scraping herself on the way. As she fell a branch of a dead tree snagged her eye patch and tore it off of Aurora's face. The black eye stared out at the timber wolves with hate and rage, while the green one looked at them with fear. The timber wolves stepped back a few paces before regaining their anger at the strange intruder. That pause was all that Aurora needed though. As quick as a whip, she took of. Aurora rushed blindly into the thicket in the direction of where she had last seen the smoke. Her hoof caught on a root that sent her toppling into a clearing. There stood a beautiful zebra. The wolves stopped at the edge of the clearing and snarled at the zebra and her fire. Slowly they retreated back into the forest to lie in wait for the next unfortunate soul to pass through their territory.

Aurora turned to the zebra in awe through her green eye. She kept the other firmly shut. Groaning she shakily stood before collapsing again from the stress of the evening. The zebra gently started to take the strange pony to her cottage. It wouldn't be safe for the pony to return to where she had come from until the morning. Until then the zebra would tend to her cuts and scrapes. After a little while the pony insisted on walking. That was good, it meant that her injuries weren't too severe. The pony introduced herself as Aurora. The zebra introduced herself as Zecora. When they reached the cottage, Aurora fell asleep on one of Zecora's mats. While Aurora slept, Zecora tended to her cuts and scrapes. The pony opened both her eyes and looked at Zecora before a look of alarm crossed her face and she squeezed her eyes shut. Aurora was just a second too late though. Zecora had seen her black eye. The sign of her curse that had followed her since she had been a filly.

Twilight and her friends met at the town square as the moon hit it's highest point. From the looks of the other ponies Twilight had the feeling that none of them had found Aurora. Fluttershy stepped forward and whispered something into Twilights ear that made her blood run cold. Aurora had left Fluttershy's cottage and hadn't been seen since. Fluttershy had found her hoof prints and found that they led to the Everfree Forest. Everyone had heard the hunting calls of the Timber Wolves that night and Twilight had a bad idea what they had been hunting. Twilight sent Rainbow Dash to scan the forest from above. It was too dangerous to search for the lost pony on hoof. Twilight mentally kicked herself for not warning Aurora about the dangers of the forest. Now she might be out there hurt or lost. Rainbow Dash soon returned with no good news. Twilight wanted to sob. She had failed. Twilight took a deep breath. It was no good to blame herself now. The best way they could help Aurora was to wait until the morning and take a search party in and find her. Hopefully she would be safe until then.

Aurora felt the tears running down her cheeks. Zecora had seen the mark. The thing that made her evil. Her destiny written on her face for the whole world to see. She felt a gently hoof on her shoulder and looked up at Zecora through her green eye. Zecora stood there with tears in her eyes. She gently opened Auroras cursed eye and stared for what seemed an eternity. "The mark of evil on one so young? Oh how terrible fate had become." She gestured for Aurora to follow her. Zecora led her Aurora to book and handed it to her.

"This book you see is not in Twilight's library, but within it holds the key to your destiny. Learn from it from ever range. And your destiny you may change."

Aurora reverently took the old book and slid it into her saddle bag. Zecora looked at her eye and went over to look through a chest. From it she pulled a white eye patch with gold embroidery. Aurora put the eye patch on to cover her cursed eye.

Zecora looked at Aurora approvingly. "This patch has many mysteries. While you where it you shall see that it covers up the curse in thee. But be warned, if the patch comes off, out comes the storm."

Aurora nodded, lost for words. Both retired back to the cottage. A bond formed between them because of the knowledge of the curse they shared. As Zecora slept Aurora stared at the roof of the small hut with wonder. Yet even though her secret had been shared it still rested heavily on her. No one else must find out about the curse. If they did it could mean disaster for every pony. With these thoughts Aurora slept still battling the thoughts of her destiny and what she might have to do to her friends. Aurora smiled softly in her sleep at the thought of these strange ponies becoming her friends so quickly. Aurora realized that she would do anything to protect them.

As the first rays of light hit the trees, Twilight had already organized a rescue party. They stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest when they saw two figures approaching. Twilight sobbed with relief when she recognized them as Zecora and Aurora. Aurora smiled and both she and Zecora raced to the waiting ponies. Aurora received many tearful hugs and scorns for her foolishness. Aurora smiled slyly and responded that her task was to greet every pony and that Zecora had counted. She then apologized for her tardiness. Aurora was asked, or was rather demanded, by the fillies to tell them exactly what had happened. Every pony gasped when they heard of the timber wolf attack. Everyone was grateful that Zecora had been around to help. Aurora had of course left out the part of her eye. Rarity, quick to see something beautiful, had pointed out the change of her eye patch. Aurora simply said that Zecora had given it to her as a gift as she had lost hers in the forest. There was laughter and joy among the ponies as shadows watched their every move.

A timber wolf took the eye patch that he had found and brought it to his master. The mysterious shadow pony sniffed the patch and smiled.

"I believe that we have just found the cursed one."

His laughter rang through the forest only heard by Aurora. Her blood ran cold and a dull pain throbbed behind her cursed eye. Aurora knew that she would have to read the book that Zecora had given her as soon as she got back to the forest. A rebellious spark burned in her. There was hope to change her fate, and as long as there was hope, Aurora would fight for it.

Author's Note

I'm sorry if the pacing is a bit fast for some of you. It's how I tend to write.