Chapter 3: What in the Rut?

The loud crash could be heard from the farm house as everypony looked that way.
“RAINBOW!!!” AppleJack shouted. Everypony knew it came from her direction and the loud thundering crash had alarmed them all. Without speaking they all understood what to do as they ran as fast as they could to where they had left RainbowDash.
“Twilight!” AppleJack spoke not even looking away from the path before her.

“Way ahead of you.” Twilight replies.
Twilights horn would begin to glow as she ran, then with a little burst of light would disappear.

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RainbowDash would moan lightly as she managed to make it to her hooves. She had not fully thought it through and struck the stag harder than intended. Trying to collect herself Rainbow fans away some of the dust and leaves with her wings, however in doing so revealed the green eyed stag charging her way with antlers lowered.
RainbowDash felt a swelling ball in her throat and her face would fall in sight of the antlers being turned on her. With a shocked step backwards, she would fall back to her plot in the tracing gaze of her coming demise. She would attempt to swallow as she closed her eyes, the thoughts crossing her mind. Twilight had appeared not far and watched the stag come just a couple meters from her. Twilights mouth would open with slight terror, then at an instant would stop in his tracks.
Gently opening one eye realizing she was still alive, RainbowDash opens to the sight of him now standing broadside looking down as his shadow casted over her with a dominating glare. With a huff from his muzzle he turns and looks to the direction where the other stag had been taken down. He was gone, only a broken tine remained behind, being unhappy of the situation those green eyes would again put an overwhelming heavy force against her as he would step away keeping his glare till the last moment. Disappearing into the underbrush giving one last glare, his eyes would fade into the mid shadow as he then stepped out of sight.
Twilight would quickly make her way to Rainbows side, consoling her with a gentle touch. She could see the devastated look in RainbowDashes eyes and knew she needed to be delicate for the time being. Rainbow was unable to avert her sight from the direction in which he departed as Twilight would help the slightly injured mare to her feet. Her movements were slow and had a slight limp to one hoof and one of her wings sagged just lightly. Stepping from the woods into the clearing of the orchard, the others arrive to see Rainbow injured and silent with her head lowered. There was a gasp as they came together; Twilight spoke softly with a simple request of helping her back. As Rarity and Fluttershy stepped with a gentle cradle helping her back to the farm house, AppleJack would turn to the woods with her hat lowered, hiding a raging glare that none had yet seen.

Before stepping away to follow the others AppleJack would let out under breath a threat pride.
“By the Apple Family name, ya just earned yerself a can of kilkenny whoopass.” Turning back away from the tree line AppleJack would continue to follow the others to the farm never once raising her hat above her eyes.

!!BAMM!!! The door entering the barn would open and slam against the side of the wall shaking the tools and other nik-naks that hung. AppleJack would enter startling BigMac, who had been tossing bales of hay on to a truck to be pulled to the pasture.
Surprised at the entry after retrieving his composure, BigMac would approach her with a lowered brow. He knew she had been upset from this morning but to be riding on it this long, it needed to stop. He was unaware at what had recently occurred and did not understand that things had gone farther than simple vandalism.

“AppleJa….”

“NOT A WORD, BigMac…” AppleJack demanded as she hooved her way to the coiled rope and yanked it from the wall ripping its holder from the wood plank.
BigMac went wide eyed and backed lightly looking back to his pile of hay as if contemplating. Before looking back AppleJack had already left the barn giving BigMac no time to say or do anything. She was ready to take care of business, and this level was brought to his attention.

She had not gone far as of yet, as rolls of rope hung over her.
“You do NOT expect me to believe that you are going back Down there, dear AppleJack?” Rarity had expected this out of AppleJack and had made her presence before she made off. AppleJack remained quiet instead paused for a moment. She knew it would be best to say nothing, as an argument with Rarity was more pointless than washing a pig before its mud bath.

“Let me tell you sweetheart, I understand you want to avenge RainbowDash and all, But it would be right pointless of an endeavor if you were to get hurt as well.” Rarity spoke trying to talk sense into AppleJack. “And for heavens sake, we all know how RainbowDash is always getting herself into some sort of incident.”

AppleJack remained quiet, her hat still pulled over her eyes hiding her expression. “NOT… On… My… Farm!!” Kicking up dirt behind her as Rarity shielded herself with her hoof, AppleJack charges back down the hill. Dissatisfied with the dirt with an obvious discussed, Rarity shakes the dirt away, and then rolling her eyes to AppleJacks decision, returns to the girls who were at the farm house together with AppleBloom and GrannySmith.

“Were you able to stop her?” Twilight asks, using her magic to wrap RainbowDash’s wing with a roll of medical wrap.

“Really, now Twilight and how would I have accomplished talking any kind of sense into that, roughian.” Rarity replied, fanning her hoof in blowing off the conversation. She knew very well AppleJack was not going to listen to any word she could have said, but was content in the thought that should couldn’t help but respect the thought of which AppleJack hoped to accomplish. Even though, it was obvious they were unsure of WHAT she went to accomplish.