The Dare

Secrets Discovered

"Midnight where ah' ya? Ah'm sorry fer what I did! Please quit yer hidin! It's dangerous! I almost got hurt by dem' Timberwolves!"

The earth pony scanned the trees frantically, trying to seek the navy blue mare.

She then heard a slight whimper, and crickets and even more animal sounds...but the whimper was faint but close to her.

"Huh? Anypony out here?" The whimper came once more. even closer. AJ could hardly see, but the moonlight shone on a bush in front of her, and she was horrified by what she saw.

The wolf laying there had her yellow eyes barely open, but what surprised AJ the most was the one side of the wolves' face...was seen by the moonlight and was horrifying. The earth pony looked closer and saw that the scratch on the face caused the fur underneath to change into a lighter color...and worse, her eye was blue...

Then, at that moment, AJ knew. Midnight was the she-wolf who saved her. She didn't know much about magic and all...but she knew it was Midnight by what she was seeing. She slowly held a hoof out to the wolf, and she leaped on the mare, licking her face before uttering another yelp of pain, and limping to reveal a scratch on where her hooves would've been. AJ rubbed a hoof on her belly, and earned a hoof-full of licks.

"C'mon Midnight, ah kner of a place to go..." Applejack smiled at Midnight, her eyes looking a bit adorable and helpless. But she couldn't help but tremble when she thought of when she attacked the Timberwolves.

She then lifted the wolf onto her back. "Yer not too heavy...kinda cute actually. Thanks fer uh...savin me..." Applejack thanked softly, a bit flushed that the only response was a somewhat confused grunt. Midnight licked AJ's face again, and wagged her tail playfully on her back.

"Are you kissing me?" AJ joked, patting Midnight's head.

She growled at her a bit, and Applejack chuckled. "Ah'm only kiddin' ya."

Fluttershy's cottage came into view as Applejack reached her friend's house path. Applejack thudded on the door while Midnight barked a bit. "Ya gotta stay quiet or ya wake up the whole town, girl! Sit." AJ sternly commanded as if she was talking to Winona. The she-wolf sat immediately, and wagged her tail, panting.

       "Fluttershy! It's an emergency! Come out or I'll buck the door open fer ya!"

The yellow pegasus dragged herself out of bed and slowly trotted to the door, and yawned briefly before opening it a crack just to reveal AJ. "Is Winona hurt again?" The pegasus barely whispered.

"Nnope. Something a teensey bit moar' important..." AJ creaked the door open a bit more, to reveal Midnight wagging her tail and panting happily.

"Is t-that a w-wolf?" Fluttershy gasped, as her pupils shrank as she began to tremble.

"Fluttershy...it's not JUST a wolf...it's Rainbow Dash's cousin! She'll love ya! Don't be afraid of her..." Applejack whispered back, trying to hold back the shock that she thought Midnight looked cute when acting like a this.

"W-what? How d-do you even know it's her?" The yellow mare gasped.

"We er' in the Everfree Forest, and when ah thought she got lost, I heard er whimpering and under her scratches is her pony features. Please Fluttershy...Dash will be upset..." AJ begged.

"F-fine...anything for a er..animal in need." Fluttershy smiled softly as Midnight slowly followed AJ as she walked in.

Midnight saw Fluttershy and started licking her face like crazy.

"Down girl, down. AJ...where's the injury?" The mare timidly asked, then frowned.

AJ put down a lamp full of fireflies, and pointed to Midnight's face and paws.

Fluttershy adjusted the light on Midnight's face, who was lying on her back. "Sit girl."

The she wolf immediately listened, and sat down.

Fluttershy saw what half Midnight's face looked like, with the blue eye, and saw the scraped leg.

"AJ, hand me the alcohol and bandages...this may hurt a bit girl, but it'll only be for a sec, okay?" Fluttershy rubbed Midnight's head softly, while AJ trotted back with her mouth holding a basket.

"Okay...AJ, will you calm her down?" Fluttershy asked, a bit of fear in her voice.

"Easy girl, easy...we'll only trying to help...and I'll give you plenty of belly rubs when we're done..." AJ soothed, rubbing Midnight's back.

Fluttershy carefully applied the alcohol on a cloth, but surprisingly, Midnight didn't snap or anything. She only growled one time, but that was when Fluttershy was applying the bandages and steeped on her tail by accident.

"She needs to rest somewhere..." Fluttershy said as she finished cleaning up.

"Ah guess I'll take er' in for the night. Thanks again Fluttershy...and uh...don't tell Rainbow...okay?"

"I promise! Bye Midnight!" she said to the wolf as she rubbed her furry belly.

Midnight could walk at least now, and she walked alongside AJ, wagging her tail and leaping around. Her yellow eye glowed brightly as she leapt down the path, her claws digging in the dirt and her fur bouncing.

"Slow down girl, or ya might get hurt again!"

The grey she-wolf gave the orange mare a daring fanged smile, and began to run.

"You're on..." AJ thought as she sped after the she-wolf.

The trees were a blur as they raced through the apple tree acres, and the night breeze blew on their fur.

Midnight grinned a bit before tripping and falling on the grass.

"Midnight!" AJ ran up to the fallen wolf.

"I told ya you shouldn't run so fast an' now look!" AJ scolded, her breathing heavy.

The wolf looked up at her and smiled, as if to say, "Gotcha!"

Applejack blushed and gave the wolf a dirty look as she trotted toward the barn, the wolf eagerly following.

"Sleep on ta hay and I'll tell ya when somepony's coming....which probably won't happen because my family's in Manehatten visiting my Aunt and Uncle..." The wolf gave the orange pony puppy eyes.

"You can't sleep inside....look at you!"

The wolf looked and the ground and frowned.

Applejack sighed, "Fine, ONE night."

The two trotted up the stairs and into AJ's room. Midnight jumped on the bed like a dog and laid at the edge, her eyes droopy.

AJ took off her hat and yawned, "Night, sugarcube." as she tucked into bed.

Midnight growled in reply and smiled.