Brave new Lives

Tears

Twilight and Dash were huddled together for warmth in the cold damp cave, nights here seem to be colder than in Equestria, Twilight had tried earlier to create a fire with her magic but all she was able to achieve was to give herself a worse headache, it seemed that when the raw energy was released it had caused a feedback through her horn, or that's the best explanation she could come up with. the burning sensation at the base of her horn has slowly been subsiding. she looked up at the sleeping pegasus, Rainbow Dash had a goofy grin on her sleeping face, her wing draped over Twilight, seeing this Twilight giggled a bit then snuggled in closer, enjoying the feeling of closeness to her friend.

Dashs' eyes shot open, her senses alive with warning, the cave was dark, it still being night, there was still enough moonlight to see by. At the mouth of the cave silhouetted in the moonlight she could make out a large winged form, at least eight feet tall, its stance was threatening as it stood there looking in at the two ponies. Dash nudged the sleeping alicorn curled up against her "Twi, wake up, we gotta get outa here." the beast was silent as it watched the panicking pegasus attempting to stir her sleeping friend.

"Dash its still dark." moaned Twilight slowly opening her eyes to glare at Dash "whats so important?"

Seeing the panic in her eyes Twilight looked in the direction of Dashes wide eyes seeing the beast. a very large red cat with leathery red wings staring at them with hunger in its large green eyes. folding in its wings it crouched down close to the ground, working its shoulders to loosen them up and readied itself for the attack.

"Twi, we gotta fly, now!"

With lightning speed it lept at the two ponies, claws extended, fangs bare. Dash didn't think, she only reacted. Within less than a second she flared her wings wrapping her hooves tightly around Twilight, she launched them to the side just barely missing the claws of the beast. Twilight recovering from the surprise awakening seeing the danger they were in got herself to her feet untangling herself from Dash. Flaring her own wings she put herself into a defensive stance, channeling all the magic she could to her horn, feeling the burn at the base flare up instantly causing a throb in her head. Her horn sputtered, a single spark was all that she could muster out. "This isn't good."

The beast landed, flared its wings out using them to turn its body to propel itself off its hind legs and launch itself at the ponies before they could fully recover, Dash seeing that Twilights magic was still out knew that it was up to her to get them out of this and launched herself at the giant cat causing it to stop its second attack to paw the pegasus out to the air. years of training to be a wonderbolt has kept Dash at the top of her game, this cat had nothing on her for speed or reflexes and Dash was able to dance around its paws. Twilight seeing Dash having the beasts attention seized the opportunity to run for the opening of the cave. one of its prey attempting to escape the beast lept towards the lavender alicorn ignoring the annoying pegasus as it buzzed around it in an attempt to distract it and save its friend.

"Hey you big ugly. its me you want!, come on try and hit me!" Dash yelled at the beast as she dove in to kick the side of the cats head.

The strike was enough to buy Twilight enough time to dodge back and avoid the cats claws, but the strike left Dash vulnerable and the beast took full advantage swiping her with it paw sending her flying into the cave wall.

"Rainbow!"

Dazed, Dash shook her head to clear the stars from her vision. the beast had Twilight backed into a corner, panicking Dash looked around for anything to distract the cat and get Twilight out of the situation, then she seen her answer. The cave ceiling was covered with stalactites, if she could knock one loose it might be enough to distract and daze the cat and allow Twilight to get away. Leaping up she put everything she had into the strike at the base of the stalactite causing it to jar loos and fall onto the unsuspecting cat just as it started its pounce.

The sound of the impact was a sickening crack followed by a cry that will haunt Rainbow Dashs' nights, the stalactite had impacted the cat right behind the shoulders separating the vertebrae and breaking the spinal cord leaving the cat paralyzed and in agony. In shocked horror at what she had done Rainbow Dash landed mouth gaping, eyes wide unable to break away from the sight before her. The giant cat just lay there wailing an unearthly cry. a cry that will echo in Dashs' nights.

Twilight walked up to the pegasus and put her hoof around her "Come on, lets go Rainbow." the pegasus closed her mouth still staring at the wailing form before her. Twilight seeing that something had to be done stepped between Dash and the dieing cat, lifting Dashs head with her hoof gently under Dashs chin so that dash was looking in her eyes she spoke softly "Come on Rainbow, lets go." The pegasus nodded slowly not breaking eye contact with the alicorn as she got to her hooves.

They left the cave in silence. Dash was trying her best to not listen to the wails and cries coming from the cave. The events were replayed over and over in Dashs' mind. She launched herself at the stalactite, it fell, then the sound. That horrible sound. Dash broke, she could not hold it off any longer and she fell to the ground sobbing uncontrollably.

Twilight had seen the look in Dashs eyes and knew that it was coming. She wanted to get them out of the cave before it did. Seeing her break she took her into her arms running, her hoof through Dashs mane as she cried. She leaned forward and started kissing the tears from Dashs eyes and drying her cheeks.

Arriving in Ponyville the princess landed the chariot just outside the library, seeing the door ajar she approached slowly, she could hear the sobbing before she got to the door. Peaking her head around she seen a pink pony holding a purple and green baby dragon. both crying hysterically in each others arms. by the pool formed beneath them it would appear that they had been at this for a while. stepping inside and slowly walking up she gently put a hoof on the pink ponies shoulder causing the sobbing to slowly die down and reveal the blue shimmering eyes of pinkie pie.

"Twilight?" asked the princess already knowing the answer "is she..."

"..gone" pinkie coughed out between sobs "She and Dashie." tears whelming up at the sides of her eyes again.

"I see" replied the princess, sadness in her eyes.

"Princess, I failed them!" exclaimed the pink pony "I didn't feel it coming and I should have!" her tears starting to get hysterical again.

"My dear little pony, there are things that happen that no one can predict or even be prepared for" looking down at pinkie with sadness and compassion in her eyes  "What matters is the time you spent with her, for those moments are the ones that made her life meaningful. and in the end that is all we ever have." the princess was saying this not just to the pink pony but also to herself. In all the years she has been alive she has had many of losses, this speech was one that she had to tell herself each time.

Her words seemed to have helped the pink pony, she was able to stop her crying and now looked down at nothing in thought. "Thank you princess" she finally said after a moment of silence.

Looking over at the baby dragon the princess extended her hoof for an embrace that spike accepted enthusiastically. "Spike would you care to join me in Canterlot? You are welcome to stay with me as long as you like."

"Thank you princess, I would like that very much." he replied softly with a hint of sadness in his voice.

Looking out one of the windows of the library she caught sight of the Everfree forest and her mind drifted to the team that was in route to investigate, silently she held out hope that they would bring back evidence that Twilight and Dash had somehow survived. After allowing herself a few moments of foolish hoping she turned her attention back to the baby dragon. "Now get your things, we will be heading back to Canterlot here soon." she turned to look at the pink pony who was getting to her hooves "Thank you for being such a good friend to Twilight and Spike both Pinkie Pie,"

"Thank you for letting Twilight stay with us here in Ponyville Princess." and the sad pink pony left the library and heading off to Sugarcube Corner.

The team of six unicorns had arrived at the sight a total of six hours after the anomaly had discharged, there was still some residual energy in the air and the elder unicorn was taking readings with a boxy looking device not unlike the one Twilight had used hours earlier. frowning at the readings he scribbled a few figures onto a notepad he was hovering next to him in a blue aura. a younger unicorn ran up to him hovering a boxy device that appeared scorched.

"Professor Bulb!, we found this and a notepad a few feet from the epicenter" said the younger unicorn hovering the device and notepad over to him. Taking the device in his magic he eyed the readouts. They appeared to be frozen to what he could only gather was the moment of discharge.

He looked the figures over with a hint of disbelief. could it be?, it was there, a very familiar spike of magic. "She must have done it on instinct." he said under his breath.

"Professor?"

"Look here" pointing at the last figures on Twilights device "That is the energy signature of a teleportation spell!" the elder unicorn eyed the younger one as what he just said dawned on him "they may yet still be alive!"