The shadow that watches us

“RUN” the word echoed in the mares head as she ran through the forest avoiding the trees that seemed to sprout up from the ground to try to slow her down.

“Get him to safety I’ll hold them off as long as I can, take him far away where they cannot find him” That was the last thing she heard her husband say before the fire erupted from the small cottage. The small bundle she carried cried loudly as she ran over the uneven terrain hoping she was not being followed by the creatures that attacked them at their residents.

She did not know how far she ran or how far to run all she knew was to get as far away as possible and get her colt to safety, she didn’t care about the pain from her lungs or the blood running down her rear leg the only thing that could stop her would be death itself which did not seem to far behind.

As she cut through the last bush that outlined the forest she tripped on a branch and fell sending the colt into the air, she used the last of her magic to the stop it from hitting the ground, she let him down on the tall grass gently and tried to get up only to find that she could not move her hind leg, resorting to crawl to the baby and comfort the crying child she curled around it to keep him warm she knew death was almost here to take her away from him she only hoped something would come and save him.

***

(Back at the smoldering home)

Jonathan never considered himself  the strongest stallion those were his brothers he was the small one till I was older and even then I was still a couple inches shorter than most. But right now I was a warrior in the inferno that was my home killing the dark monsters that appeared out of thin air, all I had was the old sword my father left me, swinging it in the way he taught me to only stopping to look and see if his wife got away or was foolish enough to come back.

Three more of the creatures appeared out of nowhere looking at them they looked like suits of old armor with a black mist inside and two blood red glowing orbs where the eyes where to be, they charged me and I moves quickly and struck them down with three decisive blows to the head, this was the fifth group they where getting smaller every time but it still did not give him any hope to escape.

Suddenly everything stopped the fire froze where it was and the crumbling ceiling stopped in mid air, a dark blue mist flooded the area and a figure came into the room.

Without thinking he took a swipe with the blade at the incarnate of evil only to have his telekinetic hold broken and the sword taken away. As it got closer the mist started to dissipate and he could see what it was a tall mare with glowing red eyes, dark blue armor, a dark red coat, black mane with crimson lines, and a smile that could make the dead cringe.

”Where is the foal” she said in a soft but haunting voice the smile never leaving her face.

“W-what foal” that was all I could say through my fear and it was not very convincing.

“Oh just the one that was born two days ago in this house, the one that has a gray coat, black blue mane, and blue eyes, the one I am looking for, the one that you are trying very hard to keep from me” She was getting visible more mad by the second.

“I still don’t know what yo-“he was stopped by the blade being brought close to his neck and the most hate he hade ever seen in a face.

“STOP LYING TO ME WHERE YOU’RE WIFE AND THE FOAL!” She roared practically shaking the frozen home to its foundation.

For some strange reason that did not scare him it just made him mad and gave him the adrenaline rush of a life time.

“YOU WILL NEVER FIND THEM MAY YOU BURN IN TARTARUS FOR ETERNITY YOU VILE BITC-“Before he could finish the sword was thrust into his chest, he spit up some blood and fell unconscious.

Two shadows appeared and to take there orders she spoke in a less angry but still a lot of rage in her voice “Take him to the manor if he does not die before you get there then heal him if he does drop his body in the forest.” She proceeded to leave the home at a leisurely pace, as soon as she was out of the door frame the home collapsed in on it self.

A shadow approached her bowed and spoke in a pale tone “we found hoof prints leading west we have knights following them now madam Blood horn.” staying in the bowing position

She looked up to the stars and sighed “First good news all day bring me the foal unharmed do what you wish with the mare.” With that the shadow faded away to catch up with his brothers.

“Soon he will be mine and all of my plans will come to fruition.” She let out a laugh and floated away on the mist fading into the night.

***

(On a road walking away from a pony settlement)

A small caravan of carts, wagons and the zebras that live in them are going down the highway to the next town in hopes of supplies and a place to park there carts for a while to rest.

“Wow it took them a whole week to tell us to leave or they drive us out, that has to be a new record or something.” Markel said laced with sarcasm as he pulled a wagon with his less than amused friend next to him pulling the cart with him.

“What do you expect the welcome wagon and flowers, at least they warned us they would attack, some do it out of nowhere with spears, also where nomadic we move to live” Isabella said in a normal tone trying to get him to stop talking with little success.

“Being nomadic sucks” he said with a frown

“You suck” she fired back

“No you suck!”

“You suck times ten”

“You suck times infinity”

“You win this round…” he said in defeat

Quiet rained over them the next few miles Isabella loved it but wondered why Markel was so silent the answer came twenty yards ahead in the form of an annoying voice directed at her.

“I need to pee” he blurted out

“Right now?” she asked “why didn’t go two hours ago when we stopped?” she said with a little anger in her voice.

“I didn’t need to go two hours ago I NEED to go now” he said with his legs crossed

“Everybody STOP!” the caravan came to a slow stop

A random zebra from the back yelled “why?”

“I have to PEE!” Markel yelled back

An echo of a sigh made it to them to give them a less than enthusiastic ok all he had to say back was “two minuets tops,” As he ran out to the brush of tall grass as not to be seen by and peeping toms, it was dark so he could not see much but he heard something strange from the grass what he did see made him wet him self.

“AAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

When Isabella heard a little filly scream she knew Markel was in trouble her and four other zebras ran to where he went thinking it was a monster from the forest or he tripped and broke his leg, what they saw was horror in itself, an unconscious mare panting heavily in a pool of blood curled around a crying foul it was the most horrific thing she had ever seen in her life she start barking orders to break the others out of shock “You three pick her up and take her to the medicine wagon, you take the foul with them and have him checked out I will deal with him!” she looked at Markel who had a blank stare and tears running down his face, she tried to get him to calm down but to no avail after a couple of minuets she hit him in the face with a right hook he snapped out of it finally.

“Are you okay?” he nodded “good now lets get back.” They walked back to the caravan to see everyone around the medicine wagon they both pushed there way through to the front where they saw the healer and the elder of the tribe looking over the mare.

The healer was concentrating on the mare using a mix of potions and bandages to fix and stop the bleeding the elder asked him a simple question “ can you heal with the wagon moving” he asked in a serious tone.

He just thought for a second and spoke up “yes but I will need three to pull as to keep it steady and watch the road so I can operate on the leg.” The elder nodded and told three zebras to start to pull and commanded every one to get ready to move this instant.

“Why do we need to start moving so fast?” Markel asked in confusion

The elder turned to look at him and said with a serious tone and face “Something that does" he stuck a hoof up and pointed at the medicine wagon "that does not let someone escape or live without coming back.” The wind picked up at that moment that was all he needed to say to make him move fast and hitch to his wagon fast, the caravan started to move it was a lot faster than usual in twenty minutes they were miles away even farther when five shadow knights jumped out from the forest looking for there target, sadly for them they where long gone.

They came to a pool of semi dried blood and looked around for the foal or the mare only to find nothing, a short investigation later and they where done and came up with nothing, they did not think to look at the twenty five feet into the tall grass to find a road or to look anymore they all turned around and headed back to base to be the bearer of bad news there mistress did not take bad news well.

***

(Undisclosed location a fancy mansion)

Madam blood just got the news of what happened, she had already killed all the knights that told her what hey found, when they said nothing she started to make spikes come from the ground and impale them where they stand.

“WHY IN TARTARUS CANT THEY FIND ONE CHILD” she exclaimed in the study she was in.

As if on queue another knight walked in to inform her of the current situation that was going on in the clinic “madam the prisoner is awake he is in the medical station if you wish to talk with him” he said before he left.

“That should ease some stress.” she made haste for the medical area only to find the stallion chained to the bed and yelling to be let go she walked over to the bed and examined the wound it was not fully healed but it was enough to stop the bleeding and the internal lacerations all she had to say was “your not going anywhere.” he looked at her and growled.

“YOU!!!” Jonathan tried to get a hoof free to hit her but the chains did there job so he just looked in a different direction to ignore her.

“Now is that any way to treat the person who saved you” she said with a smile.

He said nothing just looked at the wall; she wanted to play with his mind nothing more nothing less she got up to leave but she was stopped when he asked a question “why do you want my son?” she smiled.

“Because your son is the key for me to take over the world and many like me” he obviously did not understand “let me explain someone like me is born with dark magic in there blood and master what we can, others like your son can go far beyond master the skill, they use it with god like precision and can level cities, towns, mountains all in a single spell, that is how I found him when he was born I could sense all the way from here his power, the dark magic within him was shown to the world at his birth.” She finished with a smirk.

This was like another sword to the chest for him, was his son evil with all of that dark magic in him or was she just lying to him to toy with him and play mind games could she prove she was telling the truth did he want to hear it, one last question and he would go back to ignoring her “Why cant you track him like before what is stopping you from finding him like the first time?” he was silent after that.

“How did you know I don’t have him?” she said with genuine curiosity.

“You would not be here and I would not be alive if you did” he stated plainly.

“Smart, well the reason is that a few hours after your son was a shining beckon of darkness his body started to cover it up as not to attract any attention so I cant track him anymore, it will only be shown if he uses dark magic or if he feels threatened enough to accidently use it.” She stated with some ire at the last words.

After that she left the room and left him to stew with his thoughts only to think over everything she said one last time she popped her head in “I am not the only one who sensed his birth I was just the first there.” With that she was gone and he was more worried than before.