The Bear And The Mare

Chapter 3: The Journey For Respite

Grunts and wheezes came from the buttercup mare as she valiantly attempted to remove the bear from the rubble he had caused. The afternoon day soon turned into the twilight evening as Ursa was entrapped in his rocky tomb.

Angel had left the scene as he was instructed by Fluttershy to find one of her friends, leaving her with the 'ursa minor'.

The injured bear chuckled softly at Fluttershy's attempts to free him. She had been going at it until evening, trying her hardest to free the poor creature.

He knew very well that he could easily get himself off from the situation that he had caused, but he admired the mare's efforts to free him, so he decided to not suddenly free himself,  which would render Fluttershy's efforts naught.

"I'm sorry if I can't get you out, Ursa minor. I'm not as strong as earth pony, nor do I have the magic of a unicorn, but I'm trying my best! As you can obviously see." She smiled sheepishly as she held Ursa's paw, her wings flapping furiously as she attempted to free him once more.

Taking pity at the persevering mare, Ursa decided to help her out a little bit. The leg that had been concealed under the earth pushed his body at the direction Fluttershy was pulling him from, allowing his body to suddenly 'jerk' forward.

Fluttershy, seemingly ecstatic at the sudden motion, beamed a happy face as she had made progress in freeing the bear.

"It seems as though you have managed to move me." Ursa praised the elated mare.

"Goodness gracious! I managed to move you! I'm surprised that I could do it, after trying for so long." She replied.

Ursa grinned a weak smile at her. For a moment, all of the pain that he had endured throughout the day seemed to fade the moment Fluttershy smiled. Either she was using some magic to dull his pain, or his brain was lacking oxygen. Possibly both.

He examined himself as Fluttershy continued her quest to free him. Short, thick scabs filled the wounds he took in from the afternoon battle. Globs of dried blood matted and littered his light navy fur. The smell of moldy bark and blood invaded his nostrils as his sight began to waver.

The reality of the situation had finally hit him.

He had been gravely injured for more than a few hours and he has not been medically treated as of yet. The wounds that he had taken bravely could possibly be infected for all he knew. His interests in the mare trying to free him had clouded his sight and the thoughts that were screaming at his mind.

He knew, that if this continued, he might as well die before the buttercup mare could make him move once more.

Immediately, Ursa began to plan for the right time to release himself from the rocky tomb. He was slowly dying, but he still couldn't bring it to himself to immediately free his entire body without the mare's help, for he didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Fortunately for him, Fluttershy was going to prepare for her last pull. Her body was in contact with his paw, letting it feel the sweaty coat as her wings prepared for one last flap.

"One more time! I know I can do this!" Fluttershy spoke.

"Then give it your all, fair maiden." Ursa muttered, his strength fading.

And, in one sudden motion, Fluttershy shot back from Ursa's paw, pulling with all her strength. Ursa used his feet to propel himself from the rubble as Fluttershy closed her eyes in determination, her muzzle scrunched up in pain. She felt a sudden jolt of release as the paw she held felt weightless for a few moments. A 'thud' followed soon after as her Ursa's body encompassed hers on the ground.

Fluttershy felt the overwhelming weight crushing her small body before it quickly receded. She opened her eyes to see the bear gazing at her, her eyes in particular.

Ursa was currently on top of Fluttershy, propping his stronger arm up on himself as his body levitated over hers. The duo gave soft pants: both of them were extremely tired.

"I..I..freed you?!" Fluttershy asked incredulously, her eyes widening at the sudden feat she had accomplished.

"Your strength surprises you. Be glad that a strong mare as yourself can bring a large creature like me out of that rocky prison." Ursa praised his 'savior' with a white lie.

"Th-thank you." Fluttershy smiled, sporting a noticeable blush.

The bear and the mare trudged along the Everfree in comfortable silence. Fluttershy was supporting Ursa's bitten arm as he limped slowly.

A symphony of sounds echoed around them, most of them being the sounds of a cricket, though every once in a while they could hear a howl from a Timberwolf, or even a roar from another creature that Ursa could not recognize.

So far, in his opinion, the day has gone very well, better than he'd expected.

He finally met another being who wouldn't dare to stab him in the back or even impale him with a flaming spear, not to mention that it was a female, of all possibilities. He also managed to get into a fight for reasons other than protecting the Radiant, which was a sight for sore eyes. Back then, it was just senseless killing in the jungle and then amassing powerful items (three of which were his favorites: A Skullbasher, Vladimir's mask and his lucky Blink dagger) to fight against the Dire. But now, he could live freely once more, devoid of any violence if he so wished.

He could live in this (near)peaceful forest for the rest of his days, enjoying the relaxation he so desperately needed. If possible, he could even visit the mare in his arm on some days if she let him, since he needed some living being to socialize with, after all.

That mare...that mare who he rescued.

That mare whom 'rescued' him.

"Fair maiden, may I request your name?" Ursa broke the veil of silence that had fallen over them. A look of curiosity on his face made itself evident as the mare shuffled around, ever so slightly hiding behind her mane.

"U-um..Fluttershy.."

His ears twitched, barely registering her sounds.

"May you repeat that? My hearing is terrible." He chuckled.

Noticing the bear's laughter, Fluttershy straightened herself once more. She inhaled with her mouth as she tried to speak once more.

"haaaaaaahFluttershy." Her tender voice increased in volume, barely though.

Seeing it as a little game she's decided to play, Ursa played along with the pink-haired mare as asked her to speak again, expecting her to talk a bit louder.

"haaaaaaaaaaahFluttershy." Her voice was now easily audible to the bear as she made her name known, but he didn't want to stop there, and neither did Fluttershy.

"One more tiiiime." Ursa trailed his blunt ruby claws under Fluttershy, gently tickling her barrel. Fluttershy giggled in response as she spoke for the final time, her voice being as loud as it can be without anger or rage fueling it.

"Fluttershy!" She giggled as she squirmed under Ursa's barrage of the tickles.

Ursa laughed raucously with his new friend as they neared her grassy-roofed cottage. A faint light can be seen inside as the two neared the bridge.

The top half of the hazel door was ajar as a technicolor mane popped under it. Ursa eyed the cyan mare who was glaring at the 'threat', which w as him, sadly.

"Twilight! A giant bear has taken Fluttershy hostage!" She spoke, voice seemed to be that of a tomboy's.

"What!?" A scream from inside the peaceful home hit Ursa's twitching ears.

"No! No!, he's just an injured Ursa minor" Fluttershy lost her volume as the cyan mare darted towards the already-injured creature.

With dexterity and ease, Ursa held out his free paw at the charging pegasus. His reflexes were astronomically better than hers, for an ursa warrior must have them to be able to dodge the swiftest of strikes.

One such individual crossed his mind.

Darkterror, the Faceless Void. His agility was like no other, able to dodge attacks and even the strongest magic with the knowledge of time. His hits were so strong that it could freeze his victims in time for a second, preventing them from running away or even acting.

But he wasn't facing Darkterror.

Ursa was facing a pegasus, a mare to be exact. He effortlessly caught the mare's body, softly gripping her without harm. She thrashed around his grip, banging her hooves on his paw and even biting it on occasion, much to his dismay.

"Get off! Get off! Get off! Don't eat me!" The cyan mare screamed as more ponies revealed themselves from Fluttershy's cottage.

"Rainbow Dash...Stop." Fluttershy's silent pleas fell on deaf ears as a purple pony barge out of her door.

"Don't worry Dash! I'll save you!" The purple mare's horn glowed as a purple aura surrounded it. Ursa's eyes widened at the sight of the unicorn. If he knew anything about magic, then he'd know that it would hurt, no matter how strong it would be. And with the look of anger on the unicorn, the incoming blast would be enough to incapacitate him, or even kill him in the weakened state he's in.

"Cease your fire! I mean no harm!" He reasoned with the cyan mare's friend.

The unicorn widened her eyes, a look of shock and awe present on her face. Her mouth went agape as she tried to register what the bear said.

"Y-you can speak?" She spoke.

Nodding, Ursa released his grip on the pegasus. Immediately, she aimed a hoof at his muzzle, only for it to be blocked by the buttercup mare. Fluttershy gave a stern face to her friend as she scolded her.

"I suggest that these friends are yours?" Ursa asked his friend, who momentarily stopped her scolding. She nodded simply before returning to face her apologetic friend once more.

"H-how can an Ursa Minor spea-" The purple unicorn was cut off as the bear sauntered over her.

"We shall deal with this later, for I am in need of medical attention, as you can plainly see." Ursa waved his paw over his wounded body, fully defining his current state.

"May I ask for your name?" He questioned the speechless pony.

"Tw-twilight Sparkle.." She observed the 'Ursa Minor's body.'

He doesn't look like the Ursa Minor that Snips and Snails brought in before....

Ursa took a knee (on the one that caused the least pain, of course) to level with the mare. His topaz eyes gazed at hers, his throat groaned as he voiced that he was in pain.

"Twilight Sparkle, friend of Fluttershy..."

"If you know of any being who can heal me, then I beg of you to find them, for my strength is quickly waning." Ursa's ears drooped down in sadness as his eyes began to dim.

"I know a bit of medical magic, but it's only basic. I can heal the cuts you've got at best, but that's all I can do." She replied solemnly.

As a sign of affection, Ursa nuzzled the dumbstruck mare, his velvet fur brushed and tickled her cheeks as he thanked her. Twilight Sprakle silently cooed at the sudden jolt of pleasure that struck her.

Wow...his fur....so soft...

"My thanks." He spoke.

With a determined smile, Twilight the purple unicorn ushered the bear towards the cottage, with Fluttershy and Dash following suit.

All of the individuals slowly motioned inside the buttercup mare's home as the moon's rays cascaded over the land.

"So, where did you come from?"

"From a land you've never seen."