To Build a World

They encircled the intruder, talking slow deliberate steps as they moved to either side of her. The female kept an eye on her mate as well, both of them reacting in unison to intimidate this new threat.

The female was confused. Yes, in their lives in Everfree forest they had seen wild things - horses with horns, horses with wings, a strange lion-like creature, and of course far larger creatures - but never had they encountered a horse with a horn and wings. Certainly never one whose hair seemed to move on its own volition, without any wind.

The intruder looked at her, then at her mate, her eyes wary and her body still, wings extended and ruffled. Her size intimidated the female, who snarled at her, claws outstretched and mouth wide open. The male did the same.

Suddenly, with a great flap of the wings and seemingly unreasonable speeds, the intruder was off the ground. The raptors quickly followed Celestia with their eyes as she landed away from them. Celestia had spent many hours with her father in the library, reading up on animal behavior. She knew that when an animal was stuck between two predators, the outcome was likely a very unpleasant death.

"Stand down, please," Celestia said as calm as she could. "I mean you no harm."

The female raptor looked at her mate. Both of them re-positioned themselves in front of the nest, still snarling at Celestia. Drool dripped from the open jaws of the male as he lifted one leg, then the other, moving his arms erratically so that the feathers caught the glint of the sun and reflected it. The female began to do the same, snapping her jaws.

Celestia was torn. She wanted to flee, to run back to Ponyville and be away from such aggressive creatures; she wanted to stay, to fix this, to find out what had caused such uncharacteristic behaviors in these animals. She spoke again, louder: "Stand down."

The raptors took another step, jaws snapping still. The female, suddenly, lunged at the princess, snapping at her legs. The teeth caught the hair just above Celestia's hoof as she pulled it away, taking a few steps back. Perhaps it's time I try a more.... direct approach, Celestia thought.

"You will cease this behavior at once!" Celestia was never fond of speaking loudly. It was a sound which was intense, ear-pounding and terrible; her sister used it, often with her royal voice, but Celestia never had much use for it.

The female raptor took a step back, shaking its head at the noise. her mate scrapped the side of his head with his wrist, eyes clenched shut; his body began to sway unsteadily as he searched for his footing in his confusion. The female moved closer, supported his body with hers, eyeing the intruder viciously.

The male quickly regained his steadiness, at which point.....

Beside Rose stood a green pony with braided yellow hair, an apple pie adorning her flank. They were talking excitedly.

"Do you think she'll find them. Granny Smith?" Rose asked.

"I reckon she might, though I ain't heard anything," Granny smith replied.

"Maybe they're gone," Rose whispered more to herself than to Granny Smith. "Maybe they left."

From Everfree came a voice - loud and determined. "You will cease this behavior at once!" Silence for a second, before the sound was pierced with the fiercest cry Granny Smith had ever heard. It was terrible.

"I ain't so sure about that," she answered Rose.

She had to shake the male off of her side, her body rocking vigorously as the male fell away. Even though she'd moved swiftly, the male had been able to land when he jumped at her. As pain shot through her side, her mind rational even in its panic, Celestia jumped into the air as the female lunged forward. The male looked up at her from the ground.

Celestia had never had reason to flap her wings so hard before, and he muscles ached as the raptors regained their feet, their bodies lowered as they looked at each other in alarm. They snarled and snapped their jaws, shifting on their feet. Their feathers stood ruffled, arms wide, tails swaying.

The female did not like this. This was not a creature with which she and her mate could defeat in a direct confrontation. Perhaps if she had not run away her mates brother's they could have taken the mare, but now..... Now, the female knew they could not win. They would have to retreat, but the female knew they would not give up on the area. Not yet.

The female looked at her mate, and yipped. The male yipped back. Celestia watched as the raptors turned and fled into the forest, leaving only the sound of footsteps in their wake.

Celestia winced at the pain in her side. The wounds were not deep; her actions had saved her.

She knew they would be back. They had tasted equine flesh, they would be back. And Celestia knew the perfect compromise.

She turned and began to walk toward Ponyville, her blood trickling down her leg.