Monster In The Everfree

Shadowleaf had been awake all night, screaming. The tan unicorn who put him there remained just outside the cage, laughing hysterically the entire time. Shadowleaf felt odd. He didn’t feel like sleeping, even though several hours had passed without it.

Several times throughout the night, Shadowleaf had once again been able to sense the flow of blood in the unicorn. Scared as he was that he could sense the pulsating blood in somepony’s body, he figured it might become useful.

The tan unicorn approached Shadowleaf. “Alright,” he said, “here’s the deal. I’ll let you out, as long as you promise not to leave the Everfree Forest.”

Shadowleaf looked at him. Is he a dumbass? Of course I’m going to leave!

“Okay,” Shadowleaf agreed. The tan unicorn opened the cage door and quickly started to cast a spell. Shadowleaf was surrounded by a green mist, which soon went away. “What was that for?”

“That?” The unicorn chuckled, “I don’t trust you, so I added that little spell. When you get to the edge of the forest, boom!”

“So I can’t leave at all…”

“Nope.”

“Damn.”

“Want me to explain what’s about to happen?”

“I guess.”

“Everypony is going to die.”

“Wha…?” With that, the unicorn lit his horn and vanished. Shadowleaf was all alone in the Everfree. Perhaps he could just try to leave. If he did die, he wouldn’t have to suffer. This wasn’t an emotional choice. Shadowleaf noticed this himself. Have I lost the ability to feel sadness?

He shook his head. No, he thought, I can make it through this. And then, I’ll put that fucking unicorn in his place.

The stallion gave no hesitation before he began running into the seemingly endless forest. It wasn’t long before he was lost. Closing his eyes, Shadowleaf sat down. Who am I kidding, he thought, I can’t do this.

Just then, a weird feeling rose in his brain. A chill ran down his spine. He could sense blood again. As scary as this was, it got worse; his stomach growled. Morally disturbing as it was, he realized what was happening: he could smell the blood, and he wanted a taste of it.

Uncontrollably, Shadowleaf began running through the forest. Stop, he thought, don’t let it get to you. Fight it! However, Shadowleaf continued to run to where the blood was. He could feel himself running faster than he ever had before. His legs were being engulfed by shadows.

As he rounded a large rock, Shadowleaf spotted his prey: a small brown filly, who hadn’t even received a Cutie Mark yet. She looked up at him and screamed. Shadowleaf tried to shout at her to run, but all that came out was a mighty roar. The filly charged in the opposite direction, and Shadowleaf followed. He simply couldn’t stop.

The filly wasn’t the fastest thing in the world, so Shadowleaf caught up quickly. One swipe of his claw and she was down on the ground, crying. Blood splattered across the tree trunks as he constantly pounded the filly’s ribs. A claw jammed her eyeball, which he pulled out and ate. He finished the body by slamming it into a tree, causing her internal organs to flop out into a pile in front of her. It was feasting time.

Shadowleaf was screaming on the inside at the thought of what he had just done. He was screaming even more at the fact that it felt so good to feel her warm blood splatter on his claws. He was becoming a killing machine, and nothing would be able to stop him.

Nothing.

***

Shadowleaf had been wandering around for a few hours. He could still taste the blood in his mouth, and he felt pleasure as he licked his teeth clean. That tan unicorn was the most sick being he had ever come across, aside from what he had now become. Ponies would die because of him. And he took pride in that.

No, Shadowleaf no longer cared about his sanity. He just wanted to feed the beast within, allow it to grow, to strengthen. However, this would prove to be quite difficult if he couldn’t find another snack soon. Shadowleaf shook his head. What am I doing? Why am I considering this?

He snapped again. Of course. I’d much rather live as a beast than die as a hero.

But why?

I don’t need a reason.

I should at least tell Luna.

Or not.

The monster heard a loud snap. Jerking his head to his right, Shadowleaf sensed somepony trekking through the forest. A meal.

Shadowleaf charged through the trees in the direction of the flesh. There she was. A yellow pegasus, who was already quite frightened, was attempting to grab a bunny off of the ground. The bunny bit at her pink mane. She had a cutie mark consisting of three butterflies.

She looked up at Shadowleaf, but then turned away as if he wasn’t there. Shadowleaf was approaching quickly. To him, she was already dead.

Oddly enough, as he got closer, he began to slow down. He realized where he was. No wonder she can’t see me, he thought to himself as he slowed to a stop, I’m at the very edge of the forest. It’s probably too dark for her. The pegasus began walking away, and Shadowleaf spun around. So much for a snack…

The adrenaline in his body was finally wearing off. It bugged him that he was excited from simply seeing another pony, but at the same time he couldn’t keep his mind off of his stomach. He wanted that fresh blood to slowly drip off of his teeth, he wanted to taste her kidney as he slurped it into his throat.

No, you can’t let this take control of you. Send a message to Luna, get help!

Shadowleaf felt a weird energy surging through him, and a parchment and quill appeared in front of him, surrounded by black smoke. Had his curse given him magic? He shook his head. It was time to get out.

Dear Princess Luna,

I need your help. I was captured by the unicorn. He cast a spell on me. I don’t have much time. I’m losing my sanity. I need food. Fresh food. Blood. Organs. Send somepony.I’m hungry. I’m turning into a beast. Nothing can stop the process. But you can still kill me. I want to kill you. Watch out.

Help,

Shadowleaf

The smoke vanished and the parchment flew away from him. “Calling for help?”

Shadowleaf spun around. The tan unicorn stood there, grinning. “Why can’t I sense your blood? And where did I get magic?”

“Never mind those small things,” he said, still smiling, “you’ve been being naughty. Let’s speed up the curse, shall we?” The unicorn’s horn lit up, and Shadowleaf collapsed on the ground.