Wildlife

The stories gripped the unicorn more than anything else. Cantlerlot looked shining and good, but there were problems. The violence she found there was terrible, shaking and crumbling communities, and cul-de-sac’s. Every time she picked up a paper she could see it, headlines;

“Murder”

She saw it when she walked through the streets, even to the store, picketers, “We don’t want griffins and their friends in Canterlot. Sweetie never really understood why people would think that way, not even after she saw it. It was one of those silly events the Wonderbolts did. Standing outside one of the bookstores Sweetie had been frequenting. Fillies and Colts were standing in line, standing about mulling, and waiting for their chance to talk to the stars. The hero’s that were so frequently mentioned in the papers, over the radio.

This was not a good town though. Canterlot’s slums were home to the organized crime party that called themselves the Winged Falcons. Not all of them were griffins, no, but majority of them were, the Griffins who thought they were cool, who would jokingly call everyone a dork, a dweeb. But this wasn’t a griffins stereotype, this was something else.

The scream was loud, making Sweetie flinch and bend her head. It was all claws them, and it was quick, one swoop down, one scream, and then it was over. A colt was laying on the ground, gasping and sputtering for breath. Gasps were heard, “Someone call Canterlot Hospital!” a woman, presumably the Colts mother screeched. Sweetie Bell did not once stop to help, instead her mouth hung open, a small ‘o’

She peers over the ragtag group of ponies that had taken up the jobs of stopping the bleeding. The former star, the former singer, she just watched. The Wonderbolts Medic was there too, pressing a towel against the cut, but it was no use.
The colt heaved, bubbling lines of blood pulled from his mouth, from his nose. Sweetie Bell couldn’t understand why this would happen. She knew death was a thing, but it seemed so pointless. So much like something that should have never happened. Canterlot was supposed to be a safe place, even in the slums.

Where are your princess’s now? Sweetie Bell thinks, and it almost makes her laugh, but something inside her hurts to much, something is so incredibly off here. She feels broken, as if this child could have suddenly become everything she was not. And his flank had the smallest treble cleft on it, with a star next to it.
She pictured him at home, working hard to impress his teaches. Telling his parents to look at him sing, and she could even picture the boys teasing him for it.

Sweetie Bell finds her face wet with tears, she turns from the scene, she has to go home. Back to her hotel, where she can be safe in her room, and where she can right these feelings in her diary. But when she gets there something is going on.
Three police ponies are screaming for someone to open up. There is no answer. The scene is frantic though, everyone wants something to happen. “Break Down the Door” some scruffy officer says, but the Sargent shakes his head, “No, Too Dangerous.” The whole front of the building is blocked. All Sweetie bell can watch.

“Gilda Griffen, we know you are in there, we have received telegrams telling us you are in there. If you open the door it will be easier. Easier for you, and for us.” The moment feels silent for too long before she hears a voice, “No.” There is an almost choking sob, “That wasn’t supposed to happen. That kid should be, he should be home!” Griffins were so capable of screeching that the words fall heavily on her ears.

There is a pony outside now, they let her passed. A blue mare, with a rainbow mane. Friends with Rarity, Sweetie Bell knew this pony, and heard her as she lied, “No one blames you Gilda” Sweetie Bell scoffs as she watches, an entire city, an entire nation blames the griffin.

But, what else could Sweetie think. Sweetie didn’t know that the Gilda was the oldest in her group. The Winged Falcons, teased the griffin about it, but they were friends. What Gilda couldn’t find in Ponyville she had found in the gang. They could ruffle their feathers together and make jokes.

“Rainbow?” The griffin asks. The moment is silent, things start to slow down. Sweetie can picture it behind the door, the griffins claws rubbing against the doorframe as she pressed her forehead against the door. Her voice is so broken.
Gilda has nothing left.

“Rainbow, think Celestia can forgive me?”

“Yeah, of course she can” Rainbow says, trying to sound chipper, but the moment is too tense, Sweetie feels nervous, she wants to go inside.

“Rainbow?” Another desperate squawk

“Yeah Gilda” you can hear talons from behind the door, and Sweetie Bell takes a step back, and then another, finding herself turning from the scene.

“Am I going to Tatarus? Rainbow, it was an accident, it wasn’t supposed to happen like that, no one was supposed to die, especially not that kid”

There are no words for too long,

“Can the princess’s forgive me, what if I just” Talons are lifted from the door, “What if I make it even.”

“No! Gilda everyone will forgive you, just cut your losses”

Gilda screeches in exasperation, shouldn’t Rainbow Dash, if anyone know what loyalty meant, she oculdn’t just cut her losses it wasn’t that simple. Then everything is quiet and Gilda finally says, “Rainbow I think I’m gonna say goodbye now”

But Sweetie doesn’t hear anymore, she is too far away.