Rebirth

I ask for the pegasus’ and unicorn’s names. The pegasus is Scootaloo and the unicorn is Sweetie Belle. Is it a law in Equestria for ponies to have cute names? I know the Wonderbolts didn’t have necessarily cute names. Maybe they were born outside Equestria.

“So, what do you three do around here? I heard Scootaloo mention something about finding cutie marks?” I ask.

“Yep! We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom says. Her volume would make Metallica impressed. “We do whatever we can to find our cutie marks.”

So they’re looking to find their destinies. I can respect that. “'Mark' just so happens to be my first name. I could help you out.”

The three of them try their best to not die of heart attacks. I should be careful of not giving them their first heart attacks. I don’t want to be responsible for killing these three fillies. Being put in prison for murder wouldn’t be good for my image. Not to mention the fact that my next date with Rainbow would probably be canceled. And something about having to live with being responsible for the deaths of a few fillies, probably.

"What sort of things were you thinking of doing?" I ask. Probably something along the lines of cooking or housework? Maybe helping out with rebuilding the barn.

"Goin' to Everfree an' campin' for the day."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. Everfree's dangerous. Bad things could happen to us if we go inside."

"Which could help us get our cutie marks." Scootaloo points out.

A camping cutie mark probably wouldn't be very helpful in life. "Are you sure you'd want a lifetime of camping? If I were you three, I'd focus more on something I'd actually enjoy doing. Sure, camping's fun and all, but I wouldn't want to live in the woods for my entire life."

The three don't say anything for a while. They just look at each other and seem to have a silent conversation. "Nah. We're gonna go campin'." Apple Bloom says.

"For cutie marks or for fun?"

"Cutie marks!" The three of them shout in unison.

Exhibit A to why I don't want any kids. They tend to either give me headaches or get me drunk. By 'get me drunk,' I don't mean they spike my drink with alcohol. It's a lot more indirect than that. "I don't think that's a good idea, going into a place that'll likely get you either killed or put you in the hospital for months."

"Come on, Mark." Scootaloo says. She gives me puppy dog eyes. The other two join in.

I can't beat that. They're just too damn cute. "Alright, alright. You've convinced me." I'm always a sucker for a cute face. Beating three of them is nearly impossible.

"Yay!" The three cheer. Dear Epona, please let my death be quick and painless.

The forest isn't that far from the tree house. I look at the barn. Applejack and Big Mac have already started to rebuild the barn. One of the sides is already up.

"Good. They're raising the barn." Scootaloo says. I look at her. "I think that's the ninth time it's fallen over this year."

"Eighth." Apple Bloom corrects firmly. She has a tent, or maybe tents, strapped to her flanks. I don't know how she got that there when I wasn't looking. "There was one in December. That was last year, Scootaloo."

"That was after Hearth's Warming. That's basically this year."

I look back at the barn. During the brief conversation, the side has fallen down. Maybe I should go back and help them. I turn to the Crusaders. They're having an argument. I don't listen to it. I'm so tempted to go back to the Apples and help with the barn. But, I did tell them I'd be with the Crusaders, and that's what I'll be doing. I'm a man of my words.

"So." I clap my hands together. The sound is louder than I intended to. Scootaloo literally jumps nearly two meters into the air. I stare at her. Is she related to Pinkie Pie? If I think too much about that, I'll end up with a headache at best. "Anyway... Shouldn't we be going to Everfree?" I mentally face palm. I thought I was against going in there at first.

"Yeah." Scootaloo says once she recovers. "Let's go."

To describe the inside of the Everfree Forest simply: It's dark as fuck. If I put my hand half a centimeter in front of my face, I still wouldn't be able to see it. It's more black than a Type O Negative album.

"I can't see shit in here." I've always been great at expressing my thoughts.

"Watch your language. There are foals present." Scootaloo says.

"Ah've heard worse from Big Mac." Apple Bloom says.

I bump into something, probably a tree. It hurts a lot. It's not exactly 'hand burnt in a fire' pain. "Ow, fuck!"

"Never mind."

I rub my forehead. I don't feel any blood. "You don't seem to shocked at my language. Usually, kids are a lot worse with that kind of stuff."

"Like Ah said, Ah've heard worse from Big Mac."

"Whatever. I'll try to hold back." I keep rubbing my head. I feel a headache coming along. I could probably use an aspirin once I'm out of here. "How exactly are we going to be camping in here? I've already established that I can't see shit."

"There's a clearing up ahead. I think, at least. I'm going by memory." Sweetie Belle says. She's been kind of quiet during the short walk. "It's brighter in there."

"So in there I'll be able to see. And we're going to camp there for the night?"

"I dunno. Are we, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo asks. They didn't even talk about spending the night here? There's Exhibit B.

"Prob'ly not. Ah guess it's Mark's choice."

I shrug. Dammit. I forgot they can't see what I do. "We should leave before night comes. I've got plans." Plans of drowning in alcohol.

"Where's the clearing, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo says.

"Around here, I think." Sweetie Belle replies.

"You think?" I ask. "Are we lost?" A wolf howls in the distance.

"Probably not."

"Oh for, fu..." I cut myself off. I said I'd hold back, and I intend to at least make an attempt. "I mean... Dammit. I can't think of any euphemisms."

"What's a euphemism?"

"I'll tell you later." I say. The area ahead is slightly brighter than the absolute black of the forest. "There's the clearing. Probably."

"Yep! That's it!" Sweetie Belle says. I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. If I hang around with these three enough, I'll probably overdose on adorable.

The four of us enter the clearing. I take one of Apple Bloom's tents and set it up. It unfolds faster than I expected it to. As if to insult me, part of the tent hits me in the cheek. I touch where it hit. The damn tent drew blood. This is why I don't go camping.

I set up the tent without managing to injure myself anymore. It's kind of alright, for the most part. I'm not an expert on tents, but this one could probably stay up for a day or two. As long as it's up for the night, it's good for me. Now that I've said that, it's probably going to collapse in a few minutes.

"Not bad." Scootaloo says from my side.

"Thanks. It's not perfect, probably, but it's the best I could've done." I feel like I'm talking about a painting rather than a tent. If this was a painting, it'd probably be a Picasso or a Pollock.

"I'd sleep in it." She says. If she were older, I'd almost take that as flirting. Almost. Seeing as how she's probably no older than seven, I doubt she intended that.

"Before you do, I should probably get some wood for a fire. Campfires are a thing in Equestria, right?"

"Yeah." A wolf howls in the distance.

"Then I'll make this time one of those times." I check my pocket for my lighter. It's there. I don't know if it'll start a regular fire or send a bunch of wood to Princess Celestia. "I'll be back in a few minutes." I say and start to walk into the darkness.

"Um..." Scootaloo says. I feel something pulling on my pants. I look down at Scootaloo to see she's biting on my jeans. She spits them out and makes a face like she's gagging. She shakes her head rapidly, almost like a wet dog drying itself. "I wouldn't go in there alone if I was you."

"I know." I state simply. "I'll be fine. I can get wood by myself." I pull out my lighter walk into the Everfree. I flick the lighter on, allowing for some actual light. A flashlight would be a lot better, but I doubt they exist in Equestria. The technology here is shit. I hit myself in the forehead. Why didn't I use the lighter on the way to the clearing?

Over the span of about ten minutes, I gather up some kindling and wood. During that time, it began to rain. Having to carry all the wood with just one arm severely limits what I can carry. I guess I could possibly carry it in both of my arms, but I'd risk setting it on fire, and possibly myself, while carrying it. On my way back, I hear a wolf howl in the distance. I step into the clearing and put my lighter back in my pocket.

I almost drop the wood and kindling at the sight. The tent's been ripped to shreds. The Crusaders aren't anywhere to be seen. A wolf howls. This wolf isn't in the distance. I set the wood next to the remains of the tent. I don't see any blood, fur, or feathers around the campsite.

I take my knife out from my pocket. I'd much rather have some sort of firearm instead of my seven-centimeter long knife. Having a knife is better than just having my fists. Behind me, another wolf howls. I turn around. Nothing's there. Just a bunch of trees. With another look around, the idea that the trees are howling ingrains itself deeper in my mind.

Despite the thought, I keep my knife out. If my thought is accurate, where are the fillies? What happened to the tent? They're not the kinds of ponies to rip the tent and run off into the forest. I'm tempted to go into the forest to look for them. I don't have any idea what direction they would have gone.

Another wolf howls behind me. I turn to it. I see a pair of lights in the tree line. They almost look like glowing green eyes.

A force coming from my side knocks me down into the muddy ground. My knife goes flying away. I turn on my back. A creature resembling a wolf made of wood is standing over me. The beast growls. I throw a punch at it, aiming for the throat. It connects. I feel something in my hand break. The creature doesn’t even flinch. Dear Epona, please let my death be quick and painless. It opens its mouth. I close my eyes and ready myself for death.

Death doesn't come. I don't feel anything on my throat. Instead, I hear a cracking noise. I open my eyes. The beast seems to be frozen in time. No aura surrounds it. "You entered my forest. Leave now." A female's voice says. I blink. The beast gets off of me. I stare at it. Its mouth is still open.

It runs off into the forest. My body almost forces itself to crawl to its feet and leave the forest.

I exit the Everfree to where I entered. The Crusaders are there at the entrance. "Where where you?" Scootaloo almost shouts.

"A timberwolf chased us out of there while you were in the forest." Sweetie Belle says softly. I can barely hear her. I hardly know pony body language, but with the way she's shaking, I can tell she's terrified.

Timberwolf... That has to be some sort of sick joke. "I was getting wood to burn. I told Scootaloo." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glare at the pegasus. "You don't have to worry about them anymore. Just stay out of the forest."

"You saved us?" Sweetie Belle asks quietly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"You killed one?" Scootaloo asks.

I hesitate to answer. "...Yeah. I killed one."

Shortly after, the Crusaders go back to the clubhouse. I look to the work in progress barn. Three walls are up. I head back to my home. I'm going to just stay there until my date with Rainbow Dash and hope my heart rate stays stable.