Chapter one: Phantom stranger
Fluttershy poured the last of the feed into a bowl then left the cottage to do her chores. She was feeding the chickens when suddenly it felt like she was being watched, she looked around but didn’t see anything at first. Her head turned to the Everfree forest, there at the edge of the forest was a black clad pony. She felt a chill go down her spine as she stared at the stranger for a while, unable to take her eyes off of him. Suddenly she felt a tugging on the fur of her leg, She looked down with wide eyes which softened when she realized that it was only Elizabeak she looked up at Fluttershy in concern, she smiled down at her and pat her on the head, “I’m fine Elizabeak.” She looked back to where the stranger was to find he was gone without a trace She shrugged nervously. “I guess I was seeing things,”
Fluttershy smiled at her chickens. “I have to go and get more feed, I promise I will be back soon, goodbye for the moment!” She left the chicken pen and fluttered back into her cottage to get her purse. “I'll be back soon, little ones,” she said. “Stay safe. That means you, Angel!” She then closed the door and made her way to Ponyville. The road to Ponyville was empty, which was surprising: usually you'd see at least a couple of tourists. She thought nothing of it though as she continued walking down the lonely road. Almost naturally, she found herself looking back to the forest for some reason. She almost expected the stranger to show up again, but she saw nothing in the darkness of the forest.
She walked over the bridge which separated her from the town. The streets were more crowded than usual; it was tourist season in Ponyville, the most dreaded time of the year for her. Fluttershy gently squeezed, slipped, and wiggled her way through the crowd of ponies like a fat cat through a cat door. She had to stop and look around for a moment; she wasn't sure where she was going. “I hate crowds,” Suddenly she saw the black-clad stranger from before simply standing near an alleyway out of the crowd like a statue. She almost thought he was one at first because his cloak didn't move once. Even without a breeze, his cloak should have been moving just a little, yet it didn't even twitch, it was very unsettling. She stared at him nervously, fear beginning to well up inside her at the sight of him for some reason.
“Hi, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy screamed as she jumped in the air, she felt relief when she found herself only facing Pinkie Pie, “O-oh, hi, Pinkie, you startled me…”
Pinkie gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Fluttershy, oh, oh! What were you staring at, it must’ve been pretty interesting because you didn’t eve see me, you’re eyes were pretty wide too!”
Fluttershy looked back to see the stranger gone once again. “Umm.. I saw someone over there.”
Pinkie looked over Fluttershy's shoulder and looked at the crowd. “Which one?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No, over near that alleyway, I saw a black clad pony staring at me. It was actually kind of s-”
“Black clad? I don't think I know a black clad pony, I don't know anyone who really dresses in black at all- OH MY GOSH A NEW PONY!!” Pinkie dashed off, leaving Fluttershy coughing in her dust.
After the dust died away, she sighed, shrugging it off. “I guess I'll go get the feed now so I can go home.”
Fluttershy walked to the shop she normally bought her food from and smiled at the mare inside. “Hello, Outlook! How are you today?”
The mare smiled back brightly. “Wonderful! And you, Fluttershy?”
“I'm okay.” Fluttershy picked up three bags of feed and plopped them down on the counter.
Outlook smiled. “Do you want any help? My husband is out back; I can go get him if you like.”
Fluttershy shook her head sheepishly. “Oh, that's very kind, but I wouldn’t want to be a burden to you.
Outlook waved her off. “Nonsense, Fluttershy. Wait here. Honey come in and help Fluttershy take these sacks of food back to her cottage for her!”
A burly unicorn stallion walked in. “Sure thing, hon,” he said. He levitated the sacks of food to his back.
Fluttershy sighed knowing she wasn't going to win this, thank you I guess.
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Once they got out of town, it got pretty quiet. He didn't talk much, she was thankful for that, she wasn’t in the mood to talk right now anyway. Instead, she found herself staring out at the Everfree Forest again, half expecting to see that stranger again. To her relief, she saw nothing of the sort, she smiled a little in relief. “I'm just stressed out, is all, like Rarity said, I just need to lie down when I get home, is all, and I'll be fine.” She looked back to the road in front of her. As she continued walking, she pointed to her little cottage. “I live just over there in that little cottage, if you don’t mind I’d like to invite you inside my cottage for some tea as thanks.”
The stallion nodded silently to this, alrighty then thanks.
they went into her house and he sat in a chair in the kitchen while she made tea for them both.
they talked about their week and life while she made the tea, however she once again felt someone was watching her. She looked to the window at the Everfree Forest; the stranger was back, but this time he was at least ten feet closer. Fluttershy stared in fear, unable to look away from him.
“Is everything alright Miss Fluttershy?”
quickly looked at him in fear, no I see some creep in my backyard!
The stallion quickly stood and came trotting to the window in concern, he looked out the window, there was nothing but a turkey out there. He looked at her angrily, you jerk you would probably make that poor turkey cry if it heard you call it a creep! He then stormed out of her house in a fit of rage.
Fluttershy watched him go in silence, he didn’t really give her a chance to say anything, it wasn’t the turkey I’m scared of you idiot, she looked back out the window nervously. Why do I have a feeling everyone is going to think I’m scared of turkeys now?
Chapter 2
Fluttershy awoke to her phone ringing she carefully slipped out from the mountain of cuddly animals sleeping all over her, She managed to not awake any of them surprisingly. She trotted down stairs to her phone. “Hello?”
“Hello, Fluttershy, darling, I won't be able to make it to the spa today, unfortunately.”
“That's okay, Rarity. You do what you need to do.”
“Thanks so much for understanding, Fluttershy, I have so much to do today in fact I’d best be getting to work right now. I promise to make it up to you next week.”
“Oh, no, that's okay, Rarity you don't need to do that for me-”
“No no, I insist, its the least I can do to make it up, I have things to do so have a good day. Ta Ta!” She then hung up before Fluttershy could argue any further.
Fluttershy sighed as she put the phone back and went to the kitchen to make her breakfast, after eating she went upstairs to do yoga for a few hours. Once done, she went up to her bathroom showered and then started her chores she walked outside looking towards the Everfree forest nervously. However she suddenly spotted something, it wasn't a pony and it wasn't black; it seemed to be a puppy.
She smiled relieved as she flew towards it slowly so she’d be less likely to scare it. It didn't notice her yet, it was sniffing the ground hard in concentration and her wings were flapping gently enough to be silent. As she grew about ten paces from the pup it’s head shot up instantly, its ears perked with interest as it stared at Fluttershy with wide eyes, it took a hesitant step back from her. She smiled wider as she landed, she then took out a muffin, the puppy wagged its tail as it leaned its head closer wondering what she had. Fluttershy giggled a bit, slowly walking towards it waving the muffin about in the air. The puppy slowly met her the rest of the way, taking the muffin from her and scarfing it down quickly.
Fluttershy watched in concern and amusement, “wow you must be hungry, you’re pretty thin even for a puppy.” Fluttershy gently took the pups head in her hoof and turned it back and forth looking it over, it didn’t resist in fact it licked her nose when she got close enough, getting another giggle out of her. After looking the pup over thoroughly she came to the conclusion that the pup was fine, “you have a few ticks and scratches but with a good bath you’ll be looking much better.” The pup wagged its tail as it circled her ,I think this is a wolf pup but what's it doing so far out of the Everfree forest?
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Copperfur sighed as he sat in the silence of the dark on the stump of a dead tree that had fallen down ages ago, he smoked an old wooden pipe, puffing out smoke profusely. he wasn’t alone, wolves surrounded him some of them right under his hooves. The pack was large, twenty-five strong plus seven pups, there had originally been eight but one had gone missing in an encounter with a Mydraal. In the confusion the pup must have gotten lost the pack and him had been looking for several days; they of course had his scent trail and it was fresh, so they knew the direction it had gone, but rest of the pack was exhausted. A beta wolf almost challenged the alpha’s decision but the alpha male quickly put him in his place, nonviolently through intimidation. To ensure other betas didn’t follow the original rebel they decided to stop it was impossible to tell the time of day with the tree branches above so thick, the last couple of days were crazy and the pack deserved a rest.
As of now Copperfur was the only one awake, He scratched his beard, sending white hairs falling from it, he continued puffing out smoke as though he were a chimney. Finally he sighed, took his pipe from his mouth and put the cap on and set it inside his bag, he coughed a bit then he put his hind hooves up and stretched, arching his back. he lay on the ground and closed his eyes delving into sleep.
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Fluttershy brought the pup inside her cottage, holding it by the scruff, she set him down on the living room couch to look him over. He wiggled about a lot trying to get away, wanting to go and explore and who knows what else but Fluttershy made sure to keep him in place by giving him a squeaky toy. This kept him very busy while she pulled any of the ticks she found from his body, she walked into the kitchen to get him some food. She poured the food and he came running, he scarfed it down fast obviously starving, poor thing, I wonder where his family is.
Angel suddenly hopped into the room, he noticed the pup and glared at him with hate, Fluttershy noticed but smiled, “Angel this is your new friend, I want you to come over and say hello please.” Angel stuck his tongue out and hopped out of the room, Fluttershy watched him go and sighed,he is so bad, he better not go after the pup though, this is one time I won’t let him get his way. Suddenly a knock was heard on her front door, Fluttershy went and opened it to find Pinkie smiling widely at her.“Hi Fluttershy!”Fluttershy gave a small but friendly smile, “oh hello Pinkie can I help you with something?”“Nope I just wanted to come over and see how you’re doin!”“Oh, well I’m fine would you like to come inside, I have some left over tea from yesterday if you want to have some with me?”Pinkie nodded and bounced inside,” you bet I do!”Fluttershy closed the door behind her and walked into the kitchen, and got the tea from the fridge, she noticed the pup was gone, she looked around frantically. Setting the glass down she looked around the kitchen until she heard a loud scream from Pinkie, Fluttershy raced into the living room to find Pinkie squeezing the pup in a big hug.“EEEEEE HES SO CUTE!!!!!!” The pup licked her face wagging his tail happily, Fluttershy smiled at this, Pinkie noticed her, “isn’t he the cutest little thing?!”Fluttershy giggled, “he sure is, I found him out near the Everfree forest all alone.”Pinkie kissed the pups nose, the pup licked her face even more in turn. “Have you come up with a name for him?”Fluttershy shook her head, “no I haven’t even had time to give him a bath much less come up with a name-”“OH OH CAN I NAME HIM?! Pinkie asked with an overly excited smile.”Fluttershy smiled, “I don’t see why it would matter who names him, sure.”“Okay lets see”, she set the pup down and stared at him a while, deep in thought. Fluttershy took this time to go and get the tea, pouring it into two cups she walked back into the living room, Pinkie was still deep in thought. The pup curled up at her hooves looking at her expectantly, Fluttershy took a drink of the tea.“I’VE GOT IT!!!”Fluttershy spilled her tea all over her face, she rolled her eyes but forced a smile towards Pinkie, “What name did you come up with Pinkie?”“Caramel!” she pronounced happily.Fluttershy looked to the pup, it made sense, his fur was the color of caramel, and he didn’t seem to dislike the name, Fluttershy smiled, “it seems like a good name to me Pinkie and I think he likes it too.”Pinkie smiled and hugged the pup again to which it licked her face to death.Pinkie stayed a for a few more hours before she finally left, Fluttershy smiled to the pup, “okay well it's time for a bath Caramel.” He wagged his tail excitedly unaware of the horrors which awaited him, he followed Fluttershy up the stairs to the bathroom. The screams of the pup as he was forced into the death trap which Fluttershy called a bath did not go unheard though that night.******************************************************************************Outlook looked up from her book, screams of what sounded like a dying animal could be heard, faint but definitely a scream of agony, she looked out her window nervously. She wanted to go and help the poor creature but fear held her to the spot. tears came to her eyes in sympathy, that poor, poor creature… I can’t even imagine what horrors it must be experiencing right now….