ASavior
Branches stretched out like long, thin, scraggly arms reaching up and grabbing for the sky. Leaves of gray colors littered the ground. Wind whistled its sweet nature tune as the darkness of Luna's moonlight night crept through the forest like a huge, ominous shadow. This all surrounded a crying, distraught pegasus mare. She lay on the ground and wept quietly.
Fluttershy painfully recalled just hours prior; a forest adjacent to the Everfree Forest hosted no serious dangers. Except for one, at least: these unnamed woods sported the strange and powerful magical ability to draw any living entity into it, and it doesn't let them escape. Fluttershy, unfortunately, fell victim to this. She had just come in here to help a sickly deer that somepony had seen earlier.
Fluttershy was gently tending to the sickened deer when pitch black flames suddenly sprang up from the brush, spreading a few yards in an instant. Instinct kicked into Fluttershy, and as much it shattered her heart to do so, she had to leave the deer behind in the fire that had broken out. The deer died peacefully and was put out of its pain due to the smoke and fire, though, soon after Fluttershy fled for her life.
Now the spring-yellow colored mare lay in the tall, olive-green grass unsure of what to do; where to go. The forest fire had forced her to flee deeper into the woods for a couple of hours, shooting deadly fireballs and chasing Fluttershy as if she was its prey.
Fluttershy's body wracked and shuddered as she sobbed painfully. She had exhausted herself from having to fly away from the wall of the fire, so she could barely get up. She thought about how much she would miss her friends, her home, her animals, and her life is she was stranded here. She was disoriented and did not want to risk going one way and that taking her further away from home.
Leftover smoke wisps from the fire rose from the forest floor in steady and slow patterns, as if they were trying to paint pictures in the air. The forest still smelled slightly of smoke, and it felt hot. Luckily for Fluttershy, she had not gotten too injured during her great escape from the forest fire except for signed fur and sore wings. Her physical pain was not at all as intense as her emotional pain, though.
Fluttershy quieted down and opened her reddened eyes slowly. She looked around the forest she was in. How could nopony have heard about it? Not even Twilight Sparkle had a single book about this forest. It didn't make sense, because this forest was attached to the Everfree Forest, and everypony knows about it and its dangers. This worried Fluttershy sick, because what if this mostly unknown forest has its own dangers?
Finally, Fluttershy spoke.
"A-anypony o-out there? Anypony a-at a-all?" she stuttered, desperate for an answer, but none came.
Fluttershy buried her face in her forelegs again. Sighing drearily, she realized it was hopeless. She would die lonely in this strange forest. She silently lamented her best friends and family, even though the latter she didn't interact with as often.
Suddenly, Fluttershy's ear twitched as it picked up the sound of hoofsteps not too far away. Fluttershy jerked her head up and looked around with her blurry, teary vision serving as an obstruction. The steps gave off soft thumps on the forest floor with the occasional cracking of stepping on dry leaves. Fluttershy relied on her survival instincts once again and took off. Tears flew from her face as she ran at full speed.
Before Fluttershy knew it, she heard hoofsteps behind her, possibly the same hoofsteps. They were going faster and getting louder. That's when Fluttershy knew she was being chased.
"SOMEPONY HELP ME!!" she cried out, with that being one of few times she raised her voice.
"No! Stop!"
The being chasing after Fluttershy was trying to get the horrified pegasus' attention. Fluttershy paid no heed.
"Go away! Leave me alone!" she demanded the being.
"Listen to me! I'm not going to hurt you, but you must stop and listen to me!" the being told Fluttershy.
Fluttershy still did not trust this strange being.
"No you won't! Just stay away from me!" she said.
Before Fluttershy knew it, she was tackled to the ground. She struggled and kicked but the being held her down with Earth pony strength. Fluttershy fought until she gave up. She squinted her teary eyes shut and prayed for her death to be quick and painless. After a moment, she found herself still alive. She looked at the being who had been chasing her. He or she was hard to make out, as he or she was wearing a dark colored cloak with a hood covering their face.
"W-who are y-you? P-please don't h-hurt m-me," Fluttershy stammered, her voice cracking.
"My name is Woodland Knowledge. Look, I can get you out of here, I swear, and I will not hurt you," the being answered calmly. "I'm also sorry we had to meet this way."
"I-I'm sorry. I-I just p-panicked," Fluttershy apologized.
Woodland Knowledge got off of Fluttershy and helped her to her hooves. She then pulled off her hood. She had a light tan coat, a chocolate brown mane done up in a braid, and mossy-green eyes. She smiled reassuringly to the frightened pegasus in front of her. Fluttershy sniffled and managed to find her voice.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"This place is only known by few, and they call it 'The Unknown Forest'. Not even I know much about it, despite what my name suggests," Woodland Knowledge replied. "How did you get here in the first place?"
"Somepony told me earlier that he caught sight of a sick deer in theses woods, so I went to it to take care of it," Fluttershy explained. "Well, a forest fire then broke out, so I panicked and hurried away to a safe place. Now I'm lost from home."
"Don't you worry about that. I know how to get out of here. Just follow me," Woodland Knowledge assured. "What's your name, anyway?"
"It's Fluttershy," Fluttershy responded with great relief. "Can you really get me home?"
"I know where these woods end and begin, trust me," Woodland said with a wink. "I know a few things about this place, and leaving it is one of those. Some of the myths about it are exaggerated."
As Fluttershy followed Woodland, she wondered who she was. Why was she here? Was she lost, too, but used to it? Fluttershy found herself with many more questions than answers. She wondered of Woodland Knowledge had the time to spend at her cottage with her to talk things out and clear things up. Twilight would be very interested in this strange pony, that was for sure. Rarity may also like the cloak she wore.
For some reason, Fluttershy could not find herself to ask Woodland her many questions. She just remained silent as she walked behind her. Occasionally, Woodland would whistle to birds, and they always whistled back. So this strange mare could communicate with animals just like Fluttershy could?
Fluttershy found herself able to ask Woodland Knowledge one question.
"Uumm, Woodland Knowledge? Why did you save me?" was her question.
"I couldn't leave you here to suffer. I'm not the pony who would want to witness that," Woodland answered.
How caring this unusual stranger was. Fluttershy wondered how much this pony really knew about this forest, and possibly animals as well. She really hoped this pony would have the time to meet her friends.
"Hey, Woodland, would you like to meet my friends when we get back? I feel like I owe you," Fluttershy asked.
"Not today, I'm afraid. I'm more of the alone type. Also, I don't want anypony to wonder where I live. It's secret," Woodland Knowledge answered. "I only let ponies I really trust and know well to visit me."
Secret? Was Woodland's home dangerous? Fluttershy mused deeply about this.
~~~~~~~~~~
By the time Woodland Knowledge and Fluttershy made it out of the Unknown Forest, Fluttershy's cottage became visible. Fluttershy was more relieved than ever. She looked at Woodland.
"I can't ever thank you enough," she thanked.
"Oh, it was nothing. You're not the only lost pony I've saved," Woodland Knowledge said.
Then Woodland turned around and walked back into the Unknown Forest. Fluttershy just looked on at her savior; her angel who had taken the time to lead her home.
"Thank you, Woodland Knowledge, for everything," Fluttershy said to herself.
Author's Note
There you go, everybrony.
Oh, and by the way: I will allow you to use Woodland Knowledge in a story of your own, but make sure to credit me. ;)
