Romantic Getaway (Sort of)

Chapters

The Argument
The Incident
Stranded
Left Wandering
We Need a Plan!
Recovery
Here We Go
Trouble on the Horizon
Preparing.
Trust Me
Waiting
Bump in the Road
First Hunt
Heated in the Snow
Hope
Getting Home
The Letter

The Argument

"Damn it Twilight! I was only trying to protect you!" Flash shouted. "Flash I thought I told you to use lethal force only if absolutely necessary! Why did you have to kill him!?" Twilight shot back, with teary eyes. "Twilight... You could have died. He was heading straight for you with a knife, and you were pinned down..." Flash responded, and Twilight remained silent. "... Look Twilight, I understand why you are upset about this... But sometimes, we guards have to take the necessary actions to protect you. Even if that means having to kill." Twilight was about to let her sadness take over, but she had to retreat into her room. She couldn't let him see her like this.

"Flash... Listen, I need to be... alone for a while. Just please... don't bother me." Twilight said, with sadness in her tone. Flash sighed sighed at this. "Twilight... I'm sorry-"

"Flash just leave me the hell alone!" Twilight shouted, slamming the door to her room in Flash's face.

A bit earlier, Flash was accompanying Twilight on a stroll through Canterlot, she had wanted to go shopping, get a bite to eat, that sort of stuff. Flash was appointed her personal guard, so he had to follow her if she decided to leave. When they were strolling around, they came to an empty street, and it was quiet. They had noticed all the shops were closed, some even boarded up, and Flash was starting to get suspicious. Suddenly, somepony lunged out of one of the closed shops at twilight, and then three more of them came out and pinned her down. Flash fended them off her, and went on defense. Twilight also held her ground. Flash was blocking them with his spear, and Twilight was using force spells to defend herself. However one of them lunged at her with a knife, and Flash put a spear through his neck.

The guards took the rest of them into custody, and his captain ordered that it would be best if Flash led Twilight back to her room in the castle. On the whole trot back, Twilight didn't speak to him once. When they arrived back at her room, the argument started, and Flash is where he is now. As much as he hated to kill other ponies, it was a price to pay for the protection of the princesses. But, when he saw Twilight's reaction to it, it made him feel torn inside. Celestia and Luna have witnessed it multiple times, however this was Twilight's first.

Maybe I should go talk to her...

Flash decided that was his best option. Ever since he was appointed as her personal guard, they have grown to become good friends, he didn't want it to end over this incident. Plus, he did have a 'slight' crush on her, however due to the laws that Celestia has in Canterlot, and that she might not return his feelings, he never really told her.

Flash knocked on the door. No response. He knocked again, still no response. "Twilight, I am coming in." But then he paused for a minute, she told him not to disturb her...

No! She needs help.

So, very slowly, he opened the door. He said in a soft tone: "Twilight, I am coming in, like it or not."

When the door was open, he was interrupted by a terrible sight. What he saw broke his heart. She was on the floor, and she was crying, quietly and softly. Like an angel that lost her wings. Quiet enough he couldn't here her through the door. "I thought I told you to leave me a- alone... I don't want you t-to see me like this..." Twilight responded to his entrance, sniffling. Flash didn't speak, he only thought about what he should do.

Should I... try... a hug? I could get so fired for this... But... She needs a friend right now... I am gonna do it.

He slowly closed the distance between them. Once he was close enough, he picked her up by the hooves, and gave her a sweet, and gentle hug. He also put his wings around her for additional comfort. At first Twilight showed a bit of resistance, but she gave in to his comfort. He's... He is hugging me...

"Flash... I'm sorry I yelled..." Twilight was interrupted. "Twilight, don't talk, just breathe. We are alone in here, it's okay if you need to cry." Twilight gave in to her tears, and let the flood gates open.

This lasted for about ten minutes, her crying on his chest and him stroking her back until she settled down. When she had went from crying, to slow whimpers, Flash was the first to break the silence.

"Feeling better?" He asked. Twilight nodded, and noticed that his chest was completely damp. Twilight blushed, and flash spoke up again.

"Twilight, just tell me what's on your mind. I want to help." Twilight hesitated, but knew Flash enough to know that he could read her like an open book. He knew what to do, so she agreed.

"Okay Flash..." She took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Ever since I became a princess, it has put a lot of pressure on me. I am always thinking I may have my own kingdom put upon me one day, and that I would have to lead it... I can't, I just can't do it. I don't know the first thing about being a princess... And with the consequence of other ponies getting hurt or killed, along with me, or ponies close to me... I'm scared that I could endanger my friends..." Flash was listening closely, and came up with a response.

"Twilight, it's okay to be scared." Flash said. "We all get scared at some point. Remember when you fought Tirek?" Twilight cringed when she heard that, and nodded. All while Flash was stroking her back. "You didn't run, you didn't cower in fear, well you may have ran at first, but-"

"You saw me????" Twilight interrupted, and Flash smiled. "Twilight, I saw everything, and you pushed through it, just enough to put the fight to a standstill. You proved that you are a brave, and caring pony. I know you can pull through this Twilight, and I think Celestia knows it too. She wouldn't have made you a princess if she didn't believe you could handle it."

Twilight started to tear up again, and Flash started to worry, however he soon realized these were tears of joy, as she was smiling. This time, she hugged Flash.

"I'm glad I kept the door unlocked... I'm sorry for pushing you away like that..." She said, and Flash nodded at her and smiled. But then, Twilight had to ask him something else.

"Flash... why were you watching me? During the fight?" Flash chuckled a bit. "Twilight, you think I wouldn't notice a unicorn fighting an ancient demon in a huge firefight a few miles away?" Twilight giggled. "I suppose not." Flash looked at the time, and spoke again. "Well, twilight, it looks like it's getting late, my friend Shift said he would take the night shift for me tonight, since I have an important meeting tomorrow with my captain and need to get up early.

"Oh... Well, I hope it goes well. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Twilight."

Flash exited her room, and noticed Shift waiting for him outside. "Oh, hi Shift."

"Hey Flash... I heard you and the princess talking, was something wrong?"

"Well... She was just concerned about her new position, it's really getting to her. Also we were attacked today."

"Woh... What happened?"

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow, I'm pooped."

"Well, what did you do to cheer her up?"

"Don't tell the captain, but... I hugged her." Shift gasped. "Well I am finally glad you are making a move on her, but you know that's not-"

"SHIFT!" Flash silently yelled. "Heh, sorry mate."

"Well... I guess I will see you tomorrow after the meeting. Keep a good eye on her."

"Don't worry I have stood guard for the night plenty of times for the other princesses."

"Alright. Bye Shift." He said as he started walking toward his quarters.

"Night Flash."

Flash left to go to bed, leaving Shift to guard Twilight.

The Incident

Shift was half asleep, he was awake all night keeping an eye on the princess. It was his duty, and his job, so he didn't complain.

Shift saw a faint yellow figure in the corner of his eye, and realized it was flash coming from the right. "F-Flash? I thought you were supposed to be at the meeting?" Shift said, rubbing his eye. "Well... I still had a few minutes to spare after breakfast, so I thought I would come over here and bring you something to eat and check on the princess." Flash held out a tray of oatmeal and tea for his friend. "Oh man, thanks Flash. I am starving." Flash chuckled, and then he looked to the door.

"You check on her this morning?" Flash asked. Shift was eating the oatmeal while he responded. "I checked just 10 minutes ago." Flash confirmed with a nod, but he still wanted to see her before he went for his meeting. He just wanted to make sure she was feeling alright since yesterday.

He started to open the door. "Twilight... it's Flash. Are you awake?" The door was now open.

"Scream and she dies." Flash gasped. Four pegasai were in her room. One of them had Twilight in his hooves... with a knife to her neck. He noticed there was a glowing, red ring on Twilight's horn. Shift gasped and dropped his oatmeal and got into an offensive stance with his spear, so did Flash.

"Don't even think about it, put them down." He held the knife closer to her. "Flash! Don't listen to them!" Twilight was struggling to breathe. Flash had to comply, or Twilight was dead.

"Hold on, here, we are setting them down... alright?" Flash gestured Shift to do the same and he complied, and they both kicked their spears over to the thugs.

"Everypony relax. What do you want?" Flash asked with anger in his tone. One of the pegasai spoke up, who Flash presumed was the leader. He had red fur with a spiky white mane. "We want her crown, and I demand extra bits after what you did to my friend yesterday." Flash then realized his supposed 'friend' was the pony that he killed the day before. The element... That's when Flash realized the scale of the situation here. One of the other pegasai told Flash and Shift to get inside Twilight's room, or there would be consequences. They stepped inside, and there was a few moments of silence before the leader spoke up. "Well?" Then there was a knock at the door.

The voices of two guards could be heard outside. "Um princess? We heard some yelling coming from your chamber, is everything alright?" The leader pegasai whispered to Flash. "Go outside, tell them nothing is wrong, or I will cut open her throat." He held the knife even closer to her. Flash growled at him, but he had to obey his orders. When he was opening the door, he had an idea.

"Sir Flash Sentry! What are you doing in the princess's quarters? Aren't you supposed to be at the meeting?" The guard asked. "Oh sir, the princess went out with another guard just this morning, she ordered me to stay here and organize her bedroom." The guards were skeptical, until they noticed Flash was tapping his hoof on the ground very slightly. The guards realized it wasn't normal tapping, like when you are nervous, he was moving his hoof in a certain way.

It was Morse Code.

The guards understood it translated into 'Send help here now'. They were wondering about why he was doing this. But then they remembered why they were taught this mode of communication in the first place.

First, it was used during stealth missions, as a quiet way of signaling trouble, or anything else. Second, it was used during a hostage situation, to signal if someone was in danger if there were threats against voicing it. The guards understood this immediately, and replied: "Alright Flash, just let us know if you need any help."

They left for backup, and Flash closed the door. "The're gone..." Flash said. "Good." The gang leader replied. "Now, about our deal, we want that crown, and the bits... or else." One of the pegasai came up to Twilight, and had a knife in his hoof. "Why do would you want the crown? You don't seem like the type that would try to harness it's power or anything..." Flash asked. "Why do that, when I could just sell the thing and make a profit?" He answered. "I am going to count to ten, and unless you tell me where it is, I'll torture her like a Scientist does his mice." Twilight could barely breath at this point, and the knife held to her neck was causing cuts. "F- Flash... Help!" She was starting to cry at this point, thinking it was over. Flash was stuck in between a rock and a hard place. He gave them the crown, Equestria loses it's best means of defense, and if he doesn't Twilight... dies... Of course, Flash knew from the beginning that he was going to tell them where it is, the guards wouldn't get here in time, and even if they did they would still kill Twilight if they set hoof inside the room. But he had so many scenarios playing out in his head he couldn't focus.

"One"

The pegasai holding the knife slowly put it closer to her flank.

Oh no, they are going to torture her until they get an answer...

"Two"

The knife connected with her flank, but not damaging any skin or tissue.

"Three"

The knife went into her skin and she shouted in pain, and it was slowly being worked down her flank.

"LISTEN! I don't know where it is! Twilight never told me-" Flash instantly covered his mouth with his hooves. Oh shit...

The gang leader smirked, and gestured the other pegasai to stop hurting her flank. "Twilight, would you care to tell me where the crown is?"

"Never..." She replied. The leader held the knife closer. Flash, all caught up in the situation, didn't notice a book sitting inches from his hoof on the floor. "You will have to kill me instead, because I will not tell you where the element is!" She yelled, and closed her eyes for her impending doom.

Maybe... Flash tried to get his hoof under the book. It's the perfect angle...

Flash flicked the book, it landed straight into the leader's face. Twilight dashed for safety, and Flash dashed and used his wing for more speed over to his spear. He stomped with his hoof onto it's tip and it went into the air. Flash then punched the leader enough times to knock him out. He then caught the spear, and smack the back of it so hard onto another pegasai's head it knocked him out and the spear broke in two. He then realized that the two other pegasai had... crossbows. They aimed, and took the shot. Flash closed his eyes, and waited for his impending doom, until he felt something grab him, and then heard the sound of an explosion.

All went black.

Stranded

After he heard the explosion, Flash wasn't sure what was happening. His vision was black, and he couldn't feel anything, until, a bright light was beginning to consume him. Before he knew it, he was falling out of the sky, 1000 feet in the air it looked like.

"Wh- What... AGH!" He saw Twilight falling as well. He quickly regained his senses, and he was flapping his wings so he could get closer to her. Then, he realized how close the ground was. He was going to crash land, no doubt about that, but he had to catch the princess, who looked to be... Unconscious...

"Twilight!!!" No response. "TWILIGHT!!!" Still no response, he was getting closer. "TWILIGHT WAKE UP!!!!" She startled awake, as soon as she did, flash swooped her in his hooves. The sudden weight difference through him off balance, as he went spiraling toward the snow. Wait... Snow? He didn't care about that now, he put his back toward the ground to protect her as he crashed. He skidded across the snowy landscape.

It wasn't as bad as a landing as he thought, however the effort he was putting into his wings to land safely was excruciating.

When he came to a stop. All he could do was breathe. Flash was safe, and Twilight was safe in his arms... Wait, she didn't get up yet? Flash was blushing. So was Twilight as she stood up. She put a hoof on her head as she felt a bit of pain there. "Twilight... you okay?"

"Yes Flash... I'm fine. Thank you." As she grunted, rubbing her forehead.

"What happened... And why are we in snow?" Flash asked, holding up a hoof full of it. Twilight gasped and looked around."Sweet

Celestia... It worked."

"Hold on Twilight, you did this?"

"Uh, hehe, I may have... yes." She said putting her arm around her neck.

"Care to explain?"

"Well, after that pegasai let me go I..." Twilight covered her mouth with her hooves and gasped.

"Hey. Twilight, don't worry about that right now, just focus on- AGH!" Flash gripped his wing with his hoof.

"Flash what's wrong!?"

"My wings, I think they are sprained, or maybe broken. I pushed them too hard to break your fall, and maybe that supposed fall wasn't as soft as I thought..."

"Flash I'm so sorry, this isn't-"

"Twilight stop, just calm down. I have some bandages in my packs." Flash grabbed some bandages out of his med kit he had in his saddle bags with his mouth. "Um, do you think you could uh... apply these on my wings?" Twilight blushed furiously. Normally, a female pegasai that preened a male's wings led to them... having a 'moment'. Twilight didn't think applying bandages was much different. Flash blushed too. "Uh, erm, Twilight it's not the same thing alright. Please, I just need them bandaged." He confirmed, and Twilight felt a bit relieved. "Um, alright Flash." Twilight isn't much of a medical pony, but she knows how to apply bandages. While she was giving Flash some medical attention, he spoke up. "Twilight, could you um... explain now. Let's start from the beginning, in your bedroom."

"Alright, um... What was his name? Oh right Shift. I remember him checking on me this morning shortly after I woke up. I told him I was fine, and thanked him, and right after he closed the door, the thugs intruded my room through a window I had open. I don't know how they weren't seen by anypony, but they managed to sneak through my window, and put a ring..." Twilight shivered. "It's alright Twilight, take your time." Twilight took a deep breath and continued. "They put a... ring on my horn after the leader put a knife to my neck. He said the ring would... explode if I used any magic." Flash was shocked.

That's why she wasn't defending herself! I knew something was up! "Twilight... I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to go through that..." Flash said, but Twilight continued. "After that, they waited for somepony to enter so they could get a ransom." Flash nodded. "Okay, I got it, you don't have to tell me what happened after I entered. But what happened after those pegasai were going to shoot me?" Flash asked. "Well, I got you out of there with a teleportation spell." Flash was shocked again. "But... But how?" Flash asked.

"I read about the ring the thugs used on me, conveniently two nights before. It's a special artifact made for ancient bounty hunters. It was originally used for capturing criminal unicorns. Anyways, I found that it has an arm time of two seconds after a spell is cast with the horn it's on. The teleportation spell has a cast time of approximately one point seven seconds if you are a professional. I cast it, and the the ring blew up shortly after we disappeared."

"That explains it then... Wait..." Flash immediately thought of something. "What?.." Twilight asked, concerned. "Twilight, that other pegasai that was holding the knife- Your flank!!!!" Twilight suddenly realized her flank had been bleeding furiously ever since the pegasai used it on her, she was too distracted to realize the pain. "Twilight stop, my wings will be fine, lay down, let me help you."

"Um... Alright..."

"Man your neck looks a bit bad too, how did I not notice! Stupid. Stupid!" Flash was banging his head with his hooves. "Flash it's really

starting to hur- agh!" Twilight stung in pain, and gripped her flank.

"Okay, okay, just relax. I am gonna take a look- uh, if you're okay with it?" He asked nervously. "Flash it's fine." She confirmed, and Flash inspected her flank. "Oh man."

"What is it?"

"It looks pretty bad, you are lucky it doesn't need stitching. Hand me the bandages." Twilight handed him his bandages and he applied them as fast as he could. "Okay, alright that should do it, let me look at your neck." Twilight nodded, and bent her head up. Flash was relieved. "Phew! It's alright, just needs band-aids." He grabbed some out of his med kit. After he applied them, he looked at her... with a sad look. He thought to himself...

How could somepony be so... sick to hurt her like this...

"Thank you Flash."

"Don't mention it Twilight. Now If you don't mind me asking, where are we?"

"Oh... Um, well... heh, ya see..."

Left Wandering

"YOU DON'T KNOW???" Flash shouted. "F- Flash I'm sorry" Twilight responded.

"Can't you teleport us back???"

"Flash, I tried already, but every time I do my head starts to hurt, really badly. I don't know what is happening." Twilight had a tad of sadness in her voice. Flash noticed this, and realized what he just did. "Twilight, I'm... I'm sorry for yelling at you like that." He apologized. "Flash, it's fine. I understand why you were mad at me." She responded. "No! I shouldn't be mad. This isn't your fault at all..." Twilight just smiled at him, but then she realized the scale of the situation. "Wait a minute... This means we are... We... are st- stranded here... Oh Galaxia!" Twilight started shivering. Then, she screamed at the top of her lungs. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!"

"Twilight! Calm down!" Flash shook her to get her attention. Then, she stopped screaming, and tried to breath slower. "Alright Twilight, just keep calm. We need to do something." Flash suggested. Twilight tried to remain calm. "So, what do you suppose we do? Do you have any ideas?" Twilight asked. "Well... I have been in a situation like this before actually, but I will tell you about that later. Anyways, if you are stranded like this, you always go in a single direction. Luckily I have a compass with me so we can keep track." Flash pulled a compass out of his pack. "Wow Flash, you certainly come prepared for anything." Twilight said. "Actually, this is my dads old compass. It was one of his most treasured items, and he gave it to me. That med kit I have is slandered equipment. All guards have one."

"So, which way do we go?" Twilight asked.

"I am not sure. Since I don't know which direction we were teleported away from Canterlot, I don't have an answer." Then Twilight spotted something far. "Wait, Flash look over there." Twilight pointed her hoof to a forest in the distance. "Flash, there is a forest over there! Do you think maybe that could help?" Twilight suggested. "I was thinking the same thing, we could set up camp under one of the trees, and maybe we could find some food too- oh... Damn it..."

"Wh- what is it?" Twilight asked nervously.

Buck! Buck! Buck! I forgot about this... How am I going to break it to her? She is going to be scared out of her mind! Oh and when she thinks about Fluttershy... Oh boy, this is going to be heavy.

"Flash?" Twilight became nervous.

Flash had to break some bad news to her. "Twilight, um... I hoped I wouldn't have to tell you this... but listen to me closely."

Twilight was listening, very nervous about what he is about to say.

"Twilight, we are stranded. In the middle of no where. What do you think we can eat?"

Twilight didn't like where this was going.

"Um, plants? Fruits and berries and stuff?"

"Twilight, I have been stranded before, and when I couldn't find berries, fruit, or any other healthy vegetation... I had to turn to... other means of food." Flash cringed. "F- Flash... Wait a minute! You... you ate a... You don't mean..."

"Twilight, if we can't find any vegetational sources of food, it's either us or... them. Do you understand?" Twilight was shaking. She had never considered she might have to eat... 'them'. Twilight nodded, and shortly after, Flash gave her a hug. "Flash, you know Fluttershy cares for animals... If she... If she discovered..." Twilight started to tear up. Fluttershy gave her heart to animals. Twilight couldn't face her after doing something like that. "Twilight, don't think like that. We will find some real food." Twilight nodded and took a large, deep breath. "Alright."

"Come on, let's get to that forest."

They started walking, and the forest looked to Flash to be about one and a half miles away. He estimated they would reach it in about an hour or two. While they were trotting, Twilight brought up a question. "Flash?" Twilight asked. "Huh? Yes?" He responded. "I mean, you don't have to tell me but... Would you tell me about, um, your experience? I mean it is going to be a long walk so I just figured..."

"Sure, it would pass the time." Twilight listened closely.

"Well. When I was younger, I was drafted into what was called, the League of Aspire, before I became a guard."

"Aspire? That old crime fighting organization?"

"So you know about us..."

Twilight knew completely who they were. The League of Aspire was founded to find ponies with special abilities, test them, and see if they could put them to further use by assisting in preventing crimes. It was however, very strict, and only the best were drafted in. "Wow, I just, never thought you were an Aspire member! That is, really amazing actually." Flash blushed. "But Flash, I have to ask, what 'special ability' did you have to be drafted in?"

"I have advanced peripheral vision. I can see things almost directly behind me without turning. It really assists in combat, and flying." Twilight was shocked. "Wait, stop." Twilight said. At first, Flash was going to question this, but then found out what she was doing. She trotted behind him.

"What am I doing right now?" Twilight was testing him. Flash found it adorable, and played along. "You are... covering both your eyes with your hooves? You are also shaking your tail. Twilight's jaw dropped to the ground. "Flash that's amazing!" Twilight complimented. "Thanks." He smiled at her. "Oh, Twilight? Not to pressure you or anything but, can you use your magic yet?" Twilight tried except she flinched a bit from pain. "No... Still nothing. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked if you keep getting head aches."

"Wait a minute! Twilight you are an Alicorn now! Can't you fly?"

"Sorry Flash, I just got these wings. I haven't even learned to sleep with them yet." Twilight and Flash chuckled. "Anyways tell me more about your story."

"Oh right. Eh em. After I was notified I could join the guild, I was put through a series of tests to see how my reflexes would fair in combat. Seeing if I could disarm opponents, catch projectiles like shuricans or knives, etc. The captains were pleased, so they put me through one final test. Surviving 3 days in the wilderness." Twilight gasped. "That's a bit over the top isn't it?" Twilight responded. "They needed to test my strength, to see if I was good enough. It was the biggest and most important test: Endurance. I was put in a different environment each day. Each one having different weather, terrain, and vegetation. Day one, I had to survive in a desert. Day two, a forest. Day three, mountains and taiga, which I am guessing is what we are in right now. I know how to survive in all these climates now. "Did... did you pass?" Twilight asked. "Yup, I did, and I ended up being drafted into the Canterlot guard when they took interest in my abilities. But I am currently still part of Aspire... here."

Flash handed Twilight an Aspire medal out of his pack. It was red with a blue trim and a blue dragon in the center breathing fire. "Flash, your story is... amazing! I never knew you were so... interesting!" (Hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink. You get the idea.)

"Please Twilight you're making me blush." They both laughed, and realized they are nearing the forest. "Well Twilight, we need shelter, food, water isn't a concern since there is plenty all around us, are you ready?" Twilight nodded. "Alright!"

We Need a Plan!

"Phew, we finally made it." Twilight said.

"Yup, now, we talk strategy."

"Strategy? What kind of strategy?"

"Well... This location is perfectly suitable for shelter and I hope some food, however... The way I see it we have two choices. We make a quick shelter here, and stay for one night, then afterwards we move in the same direction and keep repeating the process, and hope to find civilization."

"Or?" Twilight asked.

"Or, we play it safe and take more time to make a good shelter, and wait for someone to come find us through multiple nights. I can't decide."

"Well... each option has it's ups and downs. Oh I wish I had a checklist right now."

Flash was surprised. He realized he had some parchment in his bag. Flash handed her one of his feathers and tore some parchment from the roll, and gave it to her along with some ink. He winked at her. "Well this just became a whole lot easier." They shared a laugh, again. This time both of them blushed after silence followed.

"Eh em, let's get to writing heheh..."

"Er, right!"

Flash carved a smooth surface in the side of a tree with his knife so Twilight could write on it. Flash thought to himself... Let's hope I don't have to use this for anything... 'else'. Remembering the previous conversation him and Twilight had. NO! Don't think about that now! I need to get on this list.

"Okay, what do you say we point out the positives and negatives of each option, and choose the one with the most positives?" Twilight suggested.

"Great idea."

After a few minutes of thinking and writing on the parchment, they went through each option carefully.

"Okay, I will start with the 'Wait it out' Strategy." Twilight said. "So, our positives are that we will have a stronger shelter, plus more time to add to it if we need to, we won't have to travel far distances, we can take as much food as we need from vegetation as we need, and we can build a distress signal if any helicopters or pagasai fly by here. However, the negatives are that we can't find civilization ourselves and any hostile predators will track us down easily if we are stationary..." Twilight cringed at the last one, but Flash gave her a reassuring tap on the shoulder.

"Alright, my turn. If we choose the 'Pick up and go' strategy, the positives are we can find Civilization quicker, and we may have more options for food, but that's it. The negatives are that if somepony does pass by, there is a chance they won't see us if they are too high up, even if we scream for help. Also, it may burn through our supplies quicker. I only have a limited supply of parchment for a fire, and a lot of the wood in this environment is wet."

They both sighed.

"Even with this list it's hard to decide." Twilight said.

"I kno- wait..." Flash shot up.

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"Twilight, I don't know if it's the wind but I hear something..."

She listened.

"Wait, you're right..." Twilight started to hear it too.

"Twilight... stay close." He warned her.

"It's more clear now, it sounds like... Slithering..." Twilight said.

"Wait a minute, look!" Flash pointed his hoof to a strange occurrence in the snow. It's like there is something under it, and it was heading straight towards them.

"Twilight... Run!" Flash shouted.

They started running from the occurrence and into the forest. It was moving faster.

"Flash, what... are those things!?" She said between breaths.

"Twilight, those 'things' are Frost Vaculists!!!" He shouted.

"What are they!?" She asked, all while running for their lives.

"Special vipers that live in cold environments! Don't let them touch you, their venom will kill you in a matter of minutes!" Flash finished warning her.

"Flash, how are we going to evade them? We can't run forever!" They tried and tried, dashing through trees, sliding down hills, it wasn't working. One of them caught up, and dived at Twilight. She jumped out of the way and Flash slashed at it. His blade didn't connect, but it retreated. They both continued running, Twilight still trying to use her horn but her head kept hurting. "Twilight, duck!" Flash yelled. A Vaculist flew over her, and cornered them. "This way!" Twilight yelled, and they ran in a different direction. "Flash... I... Can't run... anymore..." She tried to say.

After minutes of running, Flash and Twilight came upon a small clearing with a cliff. They were trapped. "Oh no..." Flash said as they were cornered. They had their backs to the drop, and they were closing in. Flash looked back, and noticed there was an unfrozen lake below. The cliff continued along the lake, with no way to get to land. The nearest shore was far, but reachable.

Vaculists can't swim... But it may be shallow, and even if it is deep enough... we'll freeze... He looked at Twilight.

No... We can't give up yet.

He wasn't going to let it end like this.

"Twilight..."

"Flash?"

"Do you trust me?"

Twilight nodded her head, then before she knew it, Flash took her by both her hooves and jumped.

They landed in the freezing water, twilight was immediately taken over by the temperature, and her's dropped. She started shivering. Before she knew it her heart rate was dropping, and she was sinking into the dark pits of the lake.

This... is it... Flash... Rainbowdash... Pinky... Applejack... Rarity... .. Fluttershy.. . . .. . Celestia.. . . . . . . . . This is the end.. . . . . . . . .

That is, until somepony grabbed her.

Recovery

Flash dived down after her, trying to grab her.

He didn't care how much air he had, he just wanted to reach her, comfort her, bring her home, make her happy, that's all he ever wanted. To him, he was more than just her guard, he was her friend.

He just wanted her to be the happiest mare in the world.

He wanted to love her with all his might and strength, and before he knew it, he was holding her hoof...

He tried as hard as he could to swim up. Even flapping his broken wings, and it propelled him, as much as it hurt. He then surfaced, taking in all the air he could and then searched for the nearest shore. Come on damn it, I don't have much time left, neither does she... THERE! He found the closest shore possible, and amazingly there was a cave just near it. It has to be dry in there! I can start a fire!

Stay strong, Twilight... He looked to his right. She gave him the courage he needed. He swam as fast as he could, he didn't care how tired he got, how sore he was, he just needed to get to that cave. He neared the shore, and got onto land as fast as he could. He tried to carry twilight on his back so she wouldn't have to be dragged through the snow. The cave! He had to hurry, hypothermia was going to overtake them in a matter of minutes. Then, he heard her voice. "F f- f- Flash..."

"Twilight, hang on just a bit longer... You can do it. Just don't fall asleep!"

"F-Flash... I-I am st-starting t-to f-feel warm. B-but I am still c-cold..."

Crap! Hypothermia is taking her over! I need a fire now!

He felt her shivering on his back as he was now dashing toward the cave. Once he was inside it, he ordered Twilight to huddle and to hug her knees. "T- t- Twilight, huddle l- like i'm d-d-dong." Flash ordered. Twilight got into a huddling position. "Okay... n-now do t-t--this with your w-wings. Flash folded his wings around his body. And told Twilight to do the same. "Th- this will c-contain your b-body heat."

Flash stopped, and got his pack out. BUCK! The parchment... It's wet! I need to find wood now! "Tw- Twilight, I n-need to find w- wood. Stay h- here alright?"

Twilight was scared. But she had to do what he said if she was going to live. He went outside, tried to find any dried branches he could before his heart stopped.

Meanwhile Twilight was struggling to keep warm. Even with the greenhouse strategy Flash showed her, it still wasn't enough. She would surely die if Flash didn't return soon.

Flash... If only you knew... How much... I... love... Her eyes were starting to shut, but when flash returned they snapped open. He set all the dry wood he found on the cave floor, and struggled to start a fire with his hooves. Please... Come on Celestia I know you're with me... COME ON! He started swiveling a stick into some bark to make friction. "Come on! Come on!" He started going faster, and faster, and before he knew it, he saw smoke, then started a slow flame, but when he looked at Twilight... She wasn't going to make it. Not if it was this slow. Flash thought of only one other option.

Should I? It would make her very uncomfortable... Wait Flash what the hell are you thinking??? She is going to die damn it! Flash decided to walk over to Twilight, and try something else.

"T- Twilight, open your wings." He commanded.

She did it, and Flash got as close to her as possible, put his arms around her, and also his wings. Twilight immediately blushed. "Fl- Flash, what are yo-"

"I am using our combined body heats to help us get warmer. The flame is too slow..."

Twilight's blush became more intense, but eventually it faded away. This is just to keep us warm, it's not like he... but... maybe?

"T-Twilight, I need your w-wings around me, we can't let the heat v-ventilate."

Twilight blushed again, but she did as he asked. She concealed him in her wings as they tried to keep warm. Soon, the shivering subsided, and they were back to their normal body temperatures. After 10 minutes, Flash broke the silence.

"You warm yet?" Flash asked.

"Um, yes I feel fine now."

As he released her they both blushed. Flash sat next to her, and the fire was now fully lit. Twilight was the first to speak "F- Flash?"

Flash was rubbing himself with his hooves to get a bit warmer. "Yes Twilight?" He looked at her, and she was now crying, every tear built up through today, being released from her eyes. "W- we aren't g- going to make it... are we..." She said silently, while sniffling. "I c- can't use my magic... I c- can't f- fly. N- neither can you..." She continued. Flash scooted closer to her, and put an arm and wing around her back. "Twilight...don't worry... I'm here... I'm... here..." Flash said as he stroked her back.

Twilight held on to him like a lifeline.

"Twilight, hey. Look at me."

Twilight continued to look down, so Flash put a hoof to her chin and lifted her head up. "Twilight, don't think like that. Please..."

"Look, I am here to reassure you, that you are going to be okay. You are going to see your friends from Ponyville, Celestia, Shining, Cadence... As long as we stick together, we are going to be alive and well. Just don't give up yet alright? We still have a chance Twilight." Twilight was having a battle in her head. Does... does he really think we can make it out of here? No... no... I have to believe him. Flash always assured me everything was going to be alright. I just need to... Believe. After her thought, Twilight smiled at him, and spoke while trying to wipe her tears away.

"Flash... Do you... really think we can get out of here?" She asked. "Twilight, I don't think so, I know so. We may not have wings, or magic, but even without them, we have the strength, and the will. Together, we will make it out of here." He said. Twilight just smiled at him. "Thanks Flash, I feel a lot more confident now... You gave me hope, and for that, thank you..." She said. She moved her head up closer to him, and kissed his cheek. She then laid down next to him, and went to sleep close to the fire. Flash didn't move, not once. A million different thoughts were racing through him like bullets. This has to be a dream... she kissed me? No, no way, just pluck a feather... Wait wait wait did you really just suggest that? After almost dying from Frost Vipers and Hypothermia I think this is still a dream? Besides I already plucked a feather for a quill! He did it just in case. Owe! This... isn't a dream. Which means she kissed me and we are still fighting for our lives. Dang... and I thought I was going out for a drink with Shift this weekend. He chuckled silently, then he looked to his left, she was the most beautiful thing he ever saw. With the light from the fire mixing perfectly with her purple fur...

Flash felt determined.

Twilight, we WILL get through this... I promise.

Here We Go

Flash awoke to rustling beside him. He was still in a sitting position, and was considerably warm because he was using the greenhouse technique. Twilight was beside him, sweating so much it looked like she took another dip in the lake. She was also kicking, and thrashing around.

Oh no... her first nightmare... Flash struggled to get her awake.

"Twilight! Wake up!"

No response.

"TWILIGHT!" Flash shouted while shaking her.

"AAAGH!" Twilight awoke with a short scream and it startled Flash, but not as much as Twilight. She was breathing uncontrollably.

"Twilight calm down! You're hyperventilating! It was just a dream!" Flash did his best to sooth her.

"I was... and you were..... my home..." Twilight doing the best to explain her dream.

Flash knew what it was about. "It was about not making it back, wasn't it?" Flash said.

"You... you know?" Twilight asked.

"When I was on the trials for Aspire, I had nightmares each night. All the same one; not making it back. Sometimes, worse..." Flash said, cringing at the thought. Twilight just then realized how dreadful that would be. That same nightmare... each night??? Oh Galaxia... "Flash I- I'm sorry..." Twilight said. "Listen Twilight, I am not going to lie, you are gonna have a lot of those while we are out here. They might or might not be the same one you had last night." Flash said, breaking the bad news. "But... Flash... It was so terrible..." Twilight said nervously. "Just try to endure it, alright?" Twilight tried to breath slower. Okay... okay..."

Flash completely forgot about something.

"Twilight, we haven't eaten since yesterday, we need to find some food." Twilight was reminded of this, and also realized her throat was dry, so she trotted outside and ate some snow. "Well, I'm glad we don't have to find water. There is plenty on the ground." Twilight said.

"Careful Twilight, eating snow might feel refreshing, but it takes up body heat, we need something to melt it in... Ah hah!" Flash was looking through his bag, and he found a bottle with a scroll in it. It wasn't too big. About 10 inches in length, but it would do nicely. Flash, remembered it was a message for his Captain he had to deliver, but it was useless now.

"Man, I could have used this for the fire yesterday, how did I not see it?" Flash recalled the events of last night...

Wait a second, Twilight kissed me last night!!! He remembered.

Should I... ask her about it? No... Maybe later, she needs time to recollect her thoughts. Flash discarded the scroll from the bottle, and trotted outside to meet Twilight doing push ups with her wings. Twilight noticed Flash come outside. "Oh, hi Flash, I thought I would get some exercise in this morning, Rainbow Dash told me to do this every day. You should too." Flash blushed. More adorable than went I first saw a breezy...

"Um, Twilight, not to be rude or anything... but you know how to do that... and you still can't..." "Rainbow Dash has a weird way of teaching me things... Speaking of which how are your wings?" She asked while Flash was filling the bottle with snow. "Not good, I checked them last night and the're broken... I figured that landing was soft but I thought wrong." Twilight blushed when she heard 'last night'.

Oh gosh, did he mind that I kissed him? No wait, maybe he forgot... WHAT? How could he forget??? Ugh why did I do that??? Because you wanted too. No I didn't, I mean maybe a little... wait NO!

Twilight was kicked out of her thoughts when she heard Flash laughing.

"What's so funny?" Twilight asked a tad annoyed.

"It's just... you're cute when you fight with yourself." WAIT! WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT! NO NO NO NO NO!!!

Twilight blushed again. "Uh... hehe, is it really that noticeable?" She circled the ground with her hoof.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, I do it sometimes too." Flash confirmed. Silence followed, and was broke by the grumbling of their stomachs and they both laughed. "I guess we should find something to eat. Let me go put this snow by the fire, we will come back to pick it up once we find food, and move out." Flash said.

"Huh? We aren't staying?" Twilight asked.

Flash sighed. "Twilight, If I had known Vaculists would be here I would have went with the 'Pick up and Go' Strategy as soon as it was suggested. If we ran into some there is bound to be more." Flash said. "Right... You're right." Twilight said.

Flash reignited the fire and set the bottle near it, then they went off to find food.

"Okay, lets not go too far, we are heading northeast, so we head back southwest when we find something." Flash said.

"Wait, look Flash berries! Finally we can eat!" Twilight spotted a berry bush, and dashed for it. She plucked one of the bluish berries from the bush, and as it was inches from it's mouth... "TWILIGHT STOP!" Flash dived into her to stop her from eating it. They both crashed to the ground.

"Ouch, Flash... what's the big idea..." Twilight said, holding her head. "Those berries could be poisonous Twilight!" He said as he helped her up.

"Oh, jeeze I didn't even think about that... Thanks, you really saved me there. But how do we know if they are poisonous? Can we test them somehow?"

Flash thought for a moment. How did I test the berries back in the trials... Then something popped into his head. Wait... I can test them with blood! Flash remembered his mentor in Aspire showing him a trick where he mixed properties of berries into your blood. If your blood started to turn a bright red color, they are lethal. If the berry's juice just mixed with it to make a different color, they were safe. Flash took out his knife from his pack and pointed it at his arm. Then Twilight gasped.

"Flash... what are you doing???"

"I am testing the berry's properties with my blood, it's an old trick I learned."

"Flash... wait... let me do it." She said. "You saved my life, it's the least I could do."

"But... Twiligh-"

"No buts! It's fine, give me the knife."

Flash complied and gave it to her. She held out her arm and made the slightest cut and she flinched a bit. It was just big enough so blood can come through. Flash plucked a berry and held out his hoof. "Hold it over my hoof." He ordered. She held her arm over his hoof and the blood dripped onto it. Flash squeezed the berry so the juice would seep out. It dropped onto the blood and it mixed in with it to make a purplish color, as because the berries were blue. Flash took a relieved breath. "It's safe... we can eat it."

Flash tended to Twilight's cut and while he was at it removed the band-aids on her neck. Flash then decided to try a berry. Although the test was a success he was still worried and so was Twilight. "Well, here goes nothing... Or everything."

"Wait." Twilight also plucked a berry. "We do this, we do it Together." She said.

Flash almost teared up as she said that. He held her hoof as they were going to eat, and Twilight did the same.

"One."

"Two"

"Three"

They said in unison, and ate the berries.

Nothing happened.

They waited a few more seconds.

Still nothing.

Then, they both released a breath as sign of relief. "Well, their safe... Phew!" Flash wiped some sweat from his forehead. Flash realized Twilight didn't let go of him. "Uh.. er... Twilight you are um... still holding my hoof..." Twilight realized this and shot her hoof back, blushing. "Uh.. hehe sorry." She apologized, blushing. "Well... uh... we should pluck as many of these things as possible. We should stock up on food so we don't run out." Flash cleared out the items in one of his two saddle bags and put them in his other, which was now completely full. Flash pointed out the empty one to Twilight. "When your hooves are full, put them in here."

"Alright, got it."

They split up around the bush, and picked the berries. While doing so, they started conversing. "So Flash, which way do we head after we get the water?"

"Well, I say we keep heading in the direction we were going from where we landed, which is west."

"Alright. That seems like a good idea."

"Oh yeah, when we get back to the cave we need to do an inventory check. I need to see how good we are on supplies."

"Well... I hope so..."

Flash remained silent.

Me too... I hope so...

Trouble on the Horizon

Flash and Twilight got back to the cave where they stayed the day before with a bag full of berries.

"Okay Twilight, we need to remember we can't just survive off berries. We are going to need fruits, or something... else." Shoot! I shouldn't have said that! She is going to get worried now!" Twilight started to get scarred..

"F- Flash... I c- can't eat... them..."

"Twilight just stay calm, I'm sure we will find some other food on the way."

I hope so... If we were forced to eat... 'that', it would break her heart.

"I'm sorry I brought it up... It just kind of spilled out."

"No Flash... It's okay." She had an accepting smile on her face.

"Well, the water is ready, let me know if you need a drink." Flash said.

"Alright, will do Flash."

"Alright, now for that inventory check."

Flash took off his saddlebags and took everything out of the one he crammed everything into. Then, he spread it out on the floor.

Flash had a half role of bandages, a couple band-aids, stitches and a needle, and some alcohol in his med-kit, a compass, a 10 inch knife, the bottle of water, and a pocket watch.

"This is bad..."

"What is it?" .

"Well... I don't have a lot of bandages left. We just need to mindful of that."

"Alright..."

"Well, everything else is in order, my pocket watch says it's around 1100, let's get moving." "Wait, your watch and compass still work?"

"Yup, they're waterproof." Flash winked at her. Twilight blushed.

"Um... uuh, well you said we are heading west, let's go! Heh..." Twilight said nervously, hiding her blush with her mane. Flash packed up everything back in his bag, put it on, and they were off heading west. That is... until Twilight thought of something. After everything... the Vaculists, almost freezing to death... the berries. Should I tell him? I know it's against the royal order... But we might not even make it back... I... I... I have to, but what if he rejects me? He has shown some liking towards me, but I don't know if it was just from awkwardness, or he does really like me... Twilight thought for a second and before she knew it...

"Flash wait." Twilight commanded.

Flash turned back. "What is it Twilight? We are all ready to go." Flash said.

"Flash... um... Before we continue, I need to uh, tell you that, um... oh jeeze. How do I put this... I really... um."

"Twilight?" She blushed, and was circling the ground with her hoof.

"Well... uh..." Twilight took a deep breath.

"Flash... I... I-"

"Wait... Twilight stop talking."

"But... but I..."

"Listen..."

Twilight stood her ears straight up. They wiggled once they heard it. Twilight knew that sound and gasped It was the sound of slithering.

"There! Run Twilight!" Flash pointed toward the disturbance in the snow and yelled, and was now dashing along with Twilight through the forest. They ran from the cave, and into the thickly forested area. They were closing in on them, and one of them tried to lunge at Flash out of the snow. Flash saw it with his advanced vision, and pulled on a branch and released it, and hit the Vaculist sending it flying. They continued running for their lives, however the snow was getting thicker, and then they ran into an open area.

"Damn it! A clearing!" Twilight shouted.

"What are we going to do!?"

Twilight knew what had to be done, and she didn't like it one bit. "Flash, you know exactly what to do." Twilight said, with a frown.

"Twilight... You want to fight?..." Flash said in between breaths. "Flash, we can't hide in this clearing, and the snow is too deep, we have to." Twilight said. Flash looked around the clearing. There was nowhere to hide. It looks like our only option... While still running, Flash gave Twilight his knife and she grabbed it. "But Flash... you..." Twilight looked worried. "You need it more than I do, I know how to throw a punch."

Twilight nodded at him, as they stopped in their tracks in the snow. They then turned around to face the Vaculists. The Frost Vipers slowed down, as they were approaching their prey. "Okay Twilight, they attack by lunging, don't let their fangs connect with you in any way. If they lunge, duck and get them from behind."

"Got it Flash." Twilight said as she got into a defensive stance with the knife. So did Flash.

One of Vaculists approached under the snow and surfaced. It lunged at Twilight and she ducked and slashed with the knife as hard as she could. It split in two, and was spassing on the ground. Another one dashed at Flash from underneath, he jumped out of the way and punched it's mid section. It flinched, then proceeded to lunge at him again. Flash slid under it, grabbed it and slammed it down into the snow and stomped on it's head. There was one more, it proceeded towards Twilight, but then turned to face Flash, it lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. He was thrashing trying to get it off. Twilight rushed to help her friend, and used the knife to put a huge gash into the Viper's skin. It then stopped thrashing, and got off. It attempted to crawl away, but Twilight put in one final blow, and it ceased movement.

"That was... Close... Flash... You alright?" She asked in between breaths. Flash stood up with a look of distress. "F- Flash?" Twilight asked nervously. Flash was shaking and breathing heavily. Flash held up his arm slowly and looked at it. There, right in front of him was a bite mark in the form of two pricks on his wrist. Twilight noticed this and Flash fell in the snow, his arm shaking violently and breathing heavily. She then rushed towards him, with tears in her eyes.

NO! DAMN IT YOU CAN'T DIE!!! Twilight knelt over him as he was laying there, then he grabbed her hoof and spoke. "Twilight! Listen to me! You- AGH!! You need to get the venom out before it... reaches my heart!" Flash was struggling to breath.

"Flash... W- What do I need to do..." She asked. "The average time for the venom to kill is... three minutes. It's working it's way up my arm as we speak."

"Flash... I.. I..."

"Twilight, you need to take the knife and sever the artery the venom is traveling up. There should be a faint purple streak on my arm..."

Twilight saw this, and took the knife in her hoof. "I see it..." She followed the artery it was traveling through up his arm, and found where to cut. She put the knife to it, and hesitated. "Twilight do it!" Flash shouted. He was now shaking from shock.

Twilight put pressure on it, and made a large cut on Flash's arm. Flash gripped the snow below him and screamed in pain. "Twilight, you have too... Agh! Suck the... venom out or it will travel to another artery, then spit it out and DO NOT swallow!" Twilight listened closely as she put her mouth to where she cut and started to suck the venom out. Afterwards, she spit it out onto the snow. She could feel how vile it was through taste, so she knew once she couldn't taste it anymore, they were safe. She took in and spit out the poison for one minute, then she took some snow in her mouth, and washed it out. She was sweating furiously, so was Flash.

"F- Flash... are you... okay?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah, my arm feels normal. A bit numb, but that's what happens after the venom is extracted. " Flash had a sigh of relief, and wiped some sweat off his forehead.

"Thank you Twilight. You... saved me." Flash said as he smiled at her. Flash was still laying down, and Twilight hugged him with all her might.

"Flash... I thought you were. You... were..." Twilight started crying. Flash hugged her back.

"Twilight, I'm here, I'm alright. I'm not going anywhere." He tried to assure her. They stayed like that for a couple more seconds, then Flash spoke up. "You alright?" Flash asked as he looked at her face. Twilight nodded her head. "Great job extracting the poison. Many other ponies at Aspire cracked under pressure and couldn't do it, but you save my life."

"I'm just glad your okay..." She said and hugged him again. Then Flash asked a question. "Twilight, what... was it you were going to tell me before we were attacked?" "Oh... um... I... Don't know if... Maybe it can wait..." Twilight blushed. Flash tried to reassure her. "Come on you can tell me." He said.

Flash smiled at her again.

We were just attacked, he almost died... I didn't even tell him... I must... I have too...

Twilight hesitated but she thought for a few more seconds. Flash... will understand if he doesn't feel the same way right? I am over reacting, he won't get mad at me... He's a good stallion, he will understand.

"F- Flash... I... This is harder than I thought..." She was breathing heavily.

"Hey, you can tell me anything Twilight." Flash said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight took a deep breath. "Okay... okay... Flash, ever since I, met you after I came out of that portal, I have always um... I..." JUST CUT TO THE CHASE!

"I... I..." Twilight held Flash's hoof, and he looked surprised. Flash...I... I love you... Flash. You have protected me, comforted me, ensured I was going to be alright. You gave me hope... something I always needed... And for that... I..." Twilight looked at Flash. He was in total shock. His eyes wide open and his mouth agape.

"You... you mean that? Twilight?" Flash asked.

"Every word." Twilight confirmed.

"I just... we may die out here, and I just wanted to tell you before-" Flash put a hoof to her mouth.

"Twilight, don't think like that... To be honest with you, I was going to tell you... the same thing..."

"What? You mean... you feel the same way?" Twilight asked. Flash still holding her hoof.

"Well to be honest, when I saw you that first time, I didn't really feel the same. But when I was appointed your personal guard, and we got to be good friends, I started to like you more and more." Flash said.

Twilight didn't know what to say, so, she didn't say anything. She didn't realize how close they were to each other, and she started to lean closer, so did Flash. Flash took both of her hooves in his, lent in, and kissed her. This wasn't just some regular kiss on the hoof like a normal guard or royal would do. This wasn't on the cheek, this was pure, something else. But then, Twilight remembered. The one thing that kept them apart. The one thing that is separating them.

The law.

As mush as Twilight hated it, she shoved him away. And Flash had a worried look on his eyes. "Flash... I'm sorry... but you know this... can't happen-" She was interrupted by a hug. "Twilight, I don't give two bucks about the government. As long as your with me... for as long as I live... I don't care." Twilight smiled. "Flash... I'm sorry I shouldn't have..."

"Twilight, it's alright. I understand why you are worried... What about Celestia? She is your mentor, she loves you very much, so maybe she will understand..." Twilight hugged Flash and smiled. "You're a terrible liar." She began to cry again. She was smiling, but she still felt sad. She didn't know what to think.

Flash hugged her back. He didn't know what to think of this either... But then his mind went back to the situation when he saw what was behind her.

"Twilight... behind you." Twilight tilted her head up and looked behind her. She saw an abnormally large cloud, but it was far. Very far.

"Looks like quite the storm... Do you want to head back to the cave?" Twilight suggested.

"Hmm... It's pretty far... By my estimation, it should arrive in...

"24 hours..." They both said in unison.

They both blushed and Twilight started making circles with her hooves.

"You know, you're cute when you do that." Flash smiled at her.

"Heheh... heh..." Twilight laughed nervously.

"Anyways... the storm won't be here until tomorrow, so we can still travel west and make a shelter, or if we're lucky, find one."

"Okay Flash." Twilight responded.

Twilight and Flash continued onward. Hoping to ride out the storm that approaches them, and find civilization.

Preparing.

Flash and Twilight have been walking for three hours. After their encounter with the Vaculists, they were stressed, and tired. Not to mention they were very cold from the constant cold weather. They kept their wings around each other to keep warm, but it wasn't enough.

"F- Flash... We n-need to start a f-f-fire. I- I'm freezing." Flash wasn't as cold as Twilight, but he still was. Naturally, stallions had more body heat than mares. He looked at his watch, it was getting late. Though, he didn't think the watch was completely spot on, since they were probably in a different time zone than Equestria, he figured it was about 1500, considering the position of the sun. He adjusted his watch to match the time.

"Yeah, I figured the same thing, let's try to find an appropriate tree to set camp under." Flash said. Twilight complied with a nod. Flash looked around for a good tree. Then, he spotted a perfect one. "Hey, right there. You think that's good?" He pointed it out to Twilight. It had just enough space between the ground and the leaves for them to fit under. Plus it had a lot of leaves, so it could block out snowfall. "I t-thing that's g- good." Twilight said, shivering. "Alright Twilight, you just help me find some dry wood so we can get warm okay?" Twilight nodded. They started looking around for any dry branches they could use.

Twilight found a tree that had some dry branches, she cut them off with Flash's knife. When they fell to the ground, it startled something. Twilight looked to see what it was. There was a silent white bunny sitting under the tree, and it came out looking surprised. Twilight looked at it, and it reminded her of Fluttershy's pet Angel. "Aww, aren't you j- just the c- cutest-" She paused for a moment. She just realized she is holding Flash's knife in her hoof. She was getting nervous...

Wait... no I can't... I must... No I can't!... You are running out of food... Twilight. NO SHUT UP! I CAN'T! She didn't notice, but she was slowly bringing the knife up. Just do it! No... I can't... JUST DO IT- NOOO! Before she could even recollect what she was doing she through the knife into a tree and it stuck to it. She was sweating uncontrollably. She looked to where the bunny was, and it was gone.

Thank Celestia it's gone... I could have... No, I wouldn't have. I was under control... I think. I need to talk to Flash about this... She concluded in her thoughts. She took a deep breath, and went back to gathering wood. Afterwords she went over to where she through the knife and retrieved it. She looked around and realized it was getting pretty dark. She decided she had enough wood, so she put it on her back and trotted back to the camp site. When she arrived, she saw Flash already starting the fire.

"Come on... come on... Ugh! What about..." He tried igniting it from a different angle. "Hey F- Flash." Her voice startled him and he dropped the stick he was using. "Oh, hey. Sorry you startled me. Oh and you got wood, set it down here." Twilight listened to him and set the wood down where he was trying to start a flame.

Flash growled. "This thing won't start!" He set the stick and bark he was using down. "F- Flash? M- Mind if I try?" Twilight asked. "Oh, yeah sure, here. You know how to do it?" Flash asked. "Yup, I learned how to on a c- camping trip." Twilight said. She rubbed her hooves together and grabbed the stick and bark. She then started swiveling the stick into the bark. And then smoke started to appear. Twilight was going faster, and trying her best to concentrate. Then, there was a spark, and the bark caught fire. However, Twilight wasn't quick enough to set it down and her hoof was burned. She shot her hoof back and dropped the bark into the fire pit. "Agh! Jeeze..." Twilight started to hold her hoof. "You alright Twilight?" Flash knelt down to take a look at her arm. "Ow... Ow. It s- stings." She said.

"Here, just put it in the snow." Twilight complied and buried her hoof in the snow.

"That... Feels better..."

"Well... you did start the fire." Flash pointed a hoof toward the increasingly large flame in the fire pit. "Oh... good I can f- finally get w- warm."

Flash joined her under the tree. "Oh! I almost forgot, look what I found!" Flash took off his saddle bag full of the berries, and showed her what else was inside. She looked in to see cherries, in a perfect shade of red. "Flash... you found more food!" Twilight said, joyed. "Yup, found them while I was looking for wood. These are Frostfire Cherries." Flash said.

"Frostfire? Why are they called that?" Twilight asked. "These cherries grow in cold environments, hence 'Frost' and the're taste has a bit of a spice to them, hence 'Fire'. Here, try one. They are actually really good." Flash gave a couple to Twilight. She took one off it's stem and chewed it. "Wow, these are good! We finally found some real food- Oh yeah..." Twilight remembered her previous encounter with the bunny. "Twilight... what's wrong?" Flash seemed concerned. "Well... while I was looking for firewood... I may have ran into... a bunny..." Twilight said. "You thought about... killing it... didn't you..." Flash confirmed. "I did... And the scary part was it reminded me of Fluttershy's pet, Angel..." Flash scooted closer to her and put a wing around her. "Twilight, I'm sorry... This is my fault, I shouldn't have brought that scenario up in the first place." Flash said, feeling guilty. "No Flash... no it wasn't your fault. You were just warning me. I'm not mad at you, so please don't feel that way." Twilight reassured Flash, and she put her head on his shoulder. Flash could hear thundering in the distance. "Sounds like one heck of a storm." He said. "What do you think we should do?" Twilight asked.

Flash thought for a moment. "Well... we can't travel in it. We would surely freeze if we were caught outside while it was happening. So I think the best option would be to try and build upon our camp site tomorrow to prepare for it." Twilight nodded. "Sounds good... Ouch!" Twilight put her hoof on her flank. "Jeeze, it still hurts?" He asked. Twilight nodded. "Do you mind if I take a look?" Twilight shook her head and she laid down.

Flash unraveled her bandages, and looked at her gash.

"Hmm... it looks fine. Sometimes it hurts a bit when it's healing. Just needs some new bandages." Flash discarded the old bandages into the firewood pile for fuel, he took out some new bandages and wrapped her wound. "There... that should do it. I am going to start some more water."

By now, it was almost completely dark outside. Flash took out the empty bottle he had, filled it with snow, and set it by the fire. He returned to sit with Twilight, who was now chowing on some of the Frostfires. He pulled some out himself, and started eating. Flash heard Twilight yawn. Soon after he yawned too.

Wow, it IS contagious...

"We should get some sleep, it's getting late and we need to prepare for the storm tomorrow." Flash suggested. "Oh yeah... um... about that..." Twilight was blushing, and circling her hoof on the ground. Again. "Twilight?"

"Um... Flash... that last nightmare I had... was... I can't... I can't... I don't want to have it again..."

"Twilight..."

"I mean... I figured that um... maybe you could... uh..." She was blushing furiously now.

"You... what?" Flash was getting a weird feeling.

"Well... I think that... maybe if you uhh... H- held me tonight... while you were sleeping... maybe it would help?" Flash blushed and sat there with a blank face. "I mean... I would understand if you were... uncomfortable... but it's just..." Flash interrupted her. "Twilight... I am completely okay with it. I love you, so you don't have to feel so nervous about asking me that." Flash gave her a pat on the shoulder. And gave her a small nip on the cheek. "Thank you... Flash... It means a lot."

He trotted over to a suitable spot to sleep and laid down. Twilight did the same close to him, and snuggled up against his chest. Flash put a wing around her so she would stay warm. "Hey Twilight?"

"Yes Flash?"

"Was the whole nightmare thing just an excuse to cuddle with me, or are you telling the truth?" Flash asked with a smirk.

"What? No! I mean, not that I wouldn't like cuddling with you, wait no I would hate it! Wait! Agh! That's not what I meant!"

Flash chuckled. "Twilight, I know you were telling the truth. I was just messing with ya." He smirked again.

"Oh, whatever." Twilight playfully elbowed him in the chest.

"Well... Goodnight Flash..."

"Goodnight... Twilight..."

Trust Me

Flash awoke alone at the camp site. He felt emptiness under his wing. He rubbed his eye with his hoof, and then he realized Twilight was missing. He was about to shout her name, when he found a note on the old bandages she had laying beside him. It said:

Went to get more firewood and maybe some food. Don't worry, I'm not going far.

P.S. No nightmares last night! <3 Flash looked at the letter, and found it a bit adorable.

Well... I wish she wouldn't just go wandering off like that. But I'm sure she'll be fin- "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

He heard a hi pitched scream and it made him jump.

Oh no...

He quickly grabbed his medical kit, and dashed off to where he heard the sound. He dashed through the forest, checking his compass to make sure which way he went. Northeast. Got it.

He slowed to a trot.

It couldn't have been that far... I feel like I'm close...

He then came to a large cliff with about a fifty feet drop. He then looked straight ahead of him. What he saw was a sight to behold.

Damn, can't deny this view...

The cliff had a beautiful view of the sunrise. With trees and mountains in the distance. But then, flash noticed something on the cliff. There looked to be like a piece chipped off of it's tip. He saw several small rocks and ruble near it. Then, he decided to look down and then he saw her. Laying there in the snow below.

Twilight slowly started to wake. Ugh... my head... She looked around where she was, then looked straight up at the tip of the cliff.

"Flash... is that... you!? FLASH!!!"

"Twilight stay where you are!!! I am coming down." Flash then noticed there was red snow next to her side.

Oh no... she's hurt...

"I have to get down there fast. That much blood means the wound could be fatal."

He looked for any way to get down.

Damn it... why did my wings have to break!? He shouted in his mind.

As Flash was looking for a way to get down, Twilight was at the bottom of the cliff breathing and shaking violently. She looked to her left and there was a 5 inch gash on the side of her stomach. She was moaning and growling from the pain as she was losing blood. Fast. She then noticed Flash was galloping toward her from her side. "Twilight... Oh thank goodness you-" He stopped and looked at her wound. "Oh... oh no..." He rushed toward her and knelt down to inspect her wound. He had a worrying look on his face. Twilight looked at him with teary eyes. "H- how bad is it?" She asked. "It looks pretty bad..." Said Flash examining the wound... And then a sudden and painful realization hit him.

It needs to be stitched... Damn it. I don't want to to this... She is going to be scared out of her mind. Flash had to break it to her...

"Twilight... I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this..."

"What... What are you going to do?"

"Twilight... I am not going to lie, this is going to hurt... a lot. I don't have anything to help ease the pain..."

"...Flash?"

"I am going to have to stitch it..."

She gasped. What! Surgery! Please! Oh Galaxia NO!

"Twilight... listen to me... If I don't do this... You will bleed out. You will die... do you understand me?"

Twilight wiped her tears away. "Flash... I... I understand..."

"Twilight, look at me... I need you to be brave... and trust me... okay?" Flash was starting to tear up as well.

Twilight was gripping the snow beside her as hard as she could. "Flash... I trust you..." She said, and she put her head up a bit to kiss his cheek.

This may hurt... But it's either this or I die...

"Do it."

Flash took out his med kit. He grabbed the bandages, stitches, and the alcohol.

First, he had to cleanse the wound so it wouldn't get infected. He tore a small piece of bandage, and put some alcohol on it. "Twilight, close your eyes, and no matter what happens hold still." She complied, and prepared for the pain that was about to ensue. Flash put the bandage on the wound, and Twilight screamed harder than when she fell off the cliff. She tried to remain as still as possible.

Twilight... I'm sorry...

Twilight was banging the snow with her right hoof to try and escape the pain. But it wasn't working. Flash was still cleansing it, but after a few seconds, it was over.

"Twilight, we are a third the way done." Twilight still had her eyes closed, her wound was already hurting enough, now it was stinging from the alcohol.

Flash took the thread and needle, and prepared for the worst part. "Twilight, as mush as this is going to hurt, keep completely still. Any movement could tear the stitching." Twilight tensed up waiting for the pain, gripping the snow even harder. Flash put the needle against her skin, and pierced it. Immediately, Twilight smashed the ground with her arm and screamed, but stood still. He continued to move it through her skin, and then put it through the other side of the wound. Twilight screamed again, this time much harder, and she continued to cry.

"Flash! Please stop!!!" She pleaded, but Flash kept going, as he figured it would be best to get it over with.

This grueling procedure continued for another five minutes, as Flash continued to thread her wound. Her screaming didn't subside, and lasted the whole duration of the surgery. Flash did the final thread, and tied it. He looked at Twilight who was still crying. She cried so much, snow was starting to melt around her head.

The moment I get these bandages on... I am hugging you harder than Celestia did when she got her sister back.

"Twilight... the hard part's done. Sit up carefully." She slowly did what she was told and tried not to tear the stitching. Flash took the bandage, and wrapped it around her waist.

Damn... I am running out of bandages. I need to be careful. Flash finished applying them, and the moment he let go, Twilight consumed him in her strongest hug yet.

Heh... looks like she beat me to it...

He heard Twilight speak. "I don't want to ever endure that... again..." Twilight said, crying into Flash's chest.

"Twilight... It's alright." He said as he rubbed her back.

"It's over. You were brave, and you pushed through it." Flash held her with more strength.

"Flash... I am sorry... I shouldn't have... wondered off." Twilight apologized, sniffling in between words.

"Twilight... It's fine. I'm not mad. But maybe now you could tell me what happened?" Twilight finished crying, and wiped her eyes.

"Okay... okay..." She began.

"I was originally going to look for more food, and firewood, hence the letter. Then, I came across that cliff. When I saw the view, I couldn't help but just stand there and marvel at it... It was so beautiful."

"I know... I saw it too."

Twilight continued. "Then, I don't know how... But there was this perfect warm breeze of air coming from the sunrise. It felt so... good... and it lured me closer to the cliff. Before I knew it, the tip of it broke off and I fell. I tried to glide down but I didn't know how. Then, I landed on some leaves that broke my fall, but I felt a branch scrape my left side, and then I went unconscious for a few seconds." Twilight finished.

"Promise me you will be more careful from here on out... Please." She nodded and hugged him again.

"Alright Twilight, lets get you back to the camp site. Move carefully, you don't want to tear the stitching."

"Okay." Twilight said as she tried to stand up. Flash was holding her hoof as she did. "Here, let me show you the way I came down."

Flash led her to a hill that led up the cliff. She moved very carefully. "Twilight... I'm sorry that had to happen to you... When I was doing the surgery... Every move I made on you felt like someone was reaching into my chest and crushing my heart."

"Flash... It's alright..." She reassured him. But then she thought of something.

"Um... Flash. Am I... going to have a scar?"

"I don't think so Twilight. Maybe for a while, but alicorns don't have scars for long, considering their regenerative abilities."

Twilight was relieved. She didn't want to have something that reminded her of this experience for the rest of her life. Although, this place is where she confessed to Flash, everything else was too hard on her.

"So... No nightmares last night huh?" Flash asked. Twilight instantly blushed and put a hoof on the back of her neck. "No... heh. Thanks Flash."

He just looked at her and smiled.

Once they got back to the camp site, Flash told Twilight to relax.

"Twilight, just lay down and rest alright? I can work on the shelter myself."

"But Flash, I want to help!" She said almost shouting.

"I know Twilight... but any heavy lifting could open your wound. I couldn't stand having to perform another surgery on you." Twilight understood this completely.

"Alright Flash... I'll rest."

Twilight continued to lay down, and Flash reignited the fire for her to keep warm. "How long will it be until I can help?"

"I don't know, I'll check up on you every once and a while to check your wound, alright?" Flash knelt down and kissed her on the lips.

"Have a good rest Twi, love you."

"I love you too Flash..." She responded.

After she fell asleep, Flash got to work on making a fortified shelter against the tree. Using any branches he could find as the structure, and packing snow over them like an igloo.

Flash heard lightning in the distance, and looked up at the sky. Damn, the storm is getting closer, maybe about five hours away. I need to speed this up Flash was working as hard as he could for the next two hours, occasionally checking up on Twilight. Then he remembered he wasn't holding her. I hope she doesn't have another nightmare... The storm's lightning may support in one. Flash checked on Twilight again. She isn't squirming, that's good. He felt her mane. No sweat... she looks fine. Then he checked her wound. It still looks bad... she looked pretty disappointed when she couldn't help... Flash thought for a minute. He really did need help. He couldn't finish the shelter by himself in time. And he couldn't work during the storm. Flash grunted. Damn it... I guess if she is careful... she can help.

He shook her to get her to wake up. "Hey... hey Twilight. Wake up. It's me." Twilight slowly opened her eyes and saw flash knelt next to her. "Flash..." Twilight rubbed her eyes and yawned. She looked around her. "Wow Flash, good job on the shelter... what time is it?" She asked. "It's about 1400, I woke you up to ask if you still want to help?" Twilight shot awake. "Yes! Of course Flash! What do you need me to do!? Oh wait... am I alright to help?"

"As long as you don't lift too much... I think you may be fine. Plus I can't finish this thing in time by my self. I just need you to bring me branches. We don't need firewood so it can be wet. And please... be careful." Twilight smiled at him. "Don't worry Flash, I'll stay close."

Twilight went off along with Flash's knife to find some branches. She also brought the food bag, in case she found any more Frostfire Cherries. Flash meanwhile, stayed with the shelter. He stood on top of it to see if it was sturdy. It didn't collapse but it creaked. Flash thought it was okay, considering he did weigh a lot.

Well, just a few more adjustments and this thing should be storm proof. Just as he finished his thoughts, he felt a drop of snow on his muzzle.

It's... snowing? The storm is close, I hope Twilight gets here soon-

"Hey Flash I'm back, I found some more Frostfires and I also got some dry wood for fire."

"Great job Twilight. The storm is almost here, help me construct one more layer and we will be all good. You're wound still alright?"

"It's fine, I'll help you out with the last layer."

They were almost done adding the last layer, and the snow was falling more rapidly.

"Okay Twilight, one more branch and... done!"

Flash and Twilight took a step back to look at it. "Well... there is enough room for a fire, and I dug out the snow inside so we can keep warm. The outside is covered in packed snow, so it should muffle some of the noise." Lightning startled them and they both clung on to each other.

"We should get inside." Flash suggested. They both trotted to the shelter as the storm approached.

Flash took off the panel he made from the front of the shelter, and gestured Twilight to climb in. Flash did the same and he fastened the panel into the front.

"So, you think this thing will hold up?" Twilight asked as she sat down. "Positive. I packed the snow really well on the supports from the tree. And the branches will hold it up just fine. I made a shelter similar to this on my trials."

Twilight thought wrong, as the shelter was creaking a bit from the wind. "Twilight, relax. It does that when pressure is put on it. It won't collapse." Twilight didn't believe him, as she kept looking around the shelter to predict where it was 'going' to fall. "Twilight, look at me."

Twilight looked up at his face. "I promise the shelter will hold up, trust me." Flash held her hoof as he talked. Twilight recalled when he gave her surgery.

and... trust me okay?

"Alright Flash... I trust you." She scooted next to him, and he put a wing around her.

Now... they just had to wait it out.

Waiting

Twilight was currently eating some Frostfire Berries in her corner, while Flash was sitting in his corner, with his hoof on his chin. Twilight noticed this, and spoke up.

"Flash... Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, everything is fine. I'v got nothing to do in here, so I am just stuck in my thoughts." He replied.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh... Just about what is gonna happen when we get back. What Celestia is going to think about our relationship, how my captain is going to react to what happened, oh and my friend Shift... Maybe I might treat him for a drink when I tell him what happened."

"Flash?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think... Celestia will approve?"

"To be honest Twilight, I don't know... We do have a chance with her, she is like a second mother to you, so she may consider it. What do you think?" Twilight thought for a moment.

"I don't know either Flash, but I think she may accept you. Considering what you did to help me after what happened to us."

"Well... I hope so. I Don't know if I can live without you."

"Me too..."

There was silence, until Flash's stomach roared. Flash Chuckled. "Well... I guess that means I'm hungry. Twilight could you pass me the food please?" Twilight handed him the bag with the Frostfires and berries. Flash started chowing down. He hadn't eaten since he started on the shelter. Then he noticed the water is ready. "Well, the snow is melted, you thirsty Twi?" He asked. "Very." She responded. Flash handed her the bottle of water, and she chugged a quarter of it down.

"So... I assume your magic still isn't working?"

"I don't get it Flash! I don't understand why I keep getting headaches! I Can't even cast basic spells like fast plant growth or light!"

"Okay... this must have happened before we got stranded here. Do you have any ideas?"

"I don't know Flash. It all happened so fast. I dived in to save you, teleported, the the explosion ensued." Then Twilight thought of something.

"Wait a minute... I have a theory..." Twilight suggested.

"What is it?"

"During the telportation, when I was being transferred to this location... I still heard the explosion. You aren't supposed to hear anything during an active teleport, unless something get's contained in it with you. I think that the explosion was contained by the telport, so nothing exploded in my room when we left. The explosion must have gotten mixed in with my magic, and it locked me out."

"Oh... Twilight... will you ever be able to use it again?"

"No, I should be fine. Celestia will know what to do, and if she doesn't, it's nothing Zecora can't fix." She said.

"You mean that zebra? You're friends with her?"

Twilight nodded. "Well, I wouldn't say friend is the appropriate word, more like... an ally. If that sounds right. Whenever I have a problem I can't fix, I go to her for guidance.

"Well, I never really knew her. I know Shift is good friends with her... He ran into this strange flower that turned his wings upside down." Flash laughed a bit at the thought. "He found her by chance in a shack, and she helped him fix his wings. He got to know her, and they became friends.

"Did these flowers happen to be... blue?" Twilight asked.

"He did mention something about them being blue... How did you know?"

"Well... let's just say I ran into a similar problem."

"I always heard rumors about those flowers. Although, they cause troublesome problems, sometimes they can actually be humorous."

Twilight giggled. "I know, Rainbow Dash ran into them and it made her fly upside down, kind of like your friend. Fluttershy also ran into them, and her voice turned deep. Like a narrator for a movie trailer." Twilight giggled again. Flash just started laughing. He never thought they could do that.

Flash checked his watch.

"Well... if this is right then it's 1800." Twilight grunted.

"What?"

"Flash, no offense, but could you please use actual times and not just numbers. It gets kind of confusing."

"Sorry Twilight, in the Canterlot guard we are supposed to pronounce time like that. It's 6:00."

"Thank you... wait... we have been in here how long?"

"Um... two hours."

"Wow. Time flies right by doesn't it?"

"Yeah." Flash confirmed.

"Well, I need to go um... you know. I will be right back." Twilight said.

"Alright, careful it's dark."

Twilight removed the panel and put if back once she was outside. The temperature difference was huge.

Flash sure did a good job with heat ventilation... She hurried up, as it was very cold outside.

Inside, Flash was waiting patiently, then the panel opened. A snow covered Twilight walked in, and put the panel back. Twilight shook off the snow that she was covered in. "Is it cold?" He asked. "Very... somewhere in the negatives. You did a great job preventing the heat from escaping." She said as she went to sit down next Flash. "Thanks, I guess it all payed off." Twilight snuggled in to Flash's wing and got comfortable.

"So, what are we doing tomorrow Flash?" She asked.

"Well... I would hate to leave this thing behind. But you know why we can't stay here..."

Those damn Vaculists... Twilight swore in her head. "Yeah..."

"So, tomorrow I suggest we keep moving west. But If the storm hasn't subsided by noon tomorrow I think it would be best if we stayed here another night. Sound good?"

Twilight nodded. "Always..." As she snuggled closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. Before flash knew it she was fast asleep in his wing. Flash was going to go to sleep too.

I should inspect the shelter before I rest... Just to be safe...

Flash carefully got up and laid Twilight down. He took a quick look around the whole inside of the shelter to make sure everything was secure. Worst case scenario is that it collapsed while they were sleeping. So he inspected each of the main wood beams. Then the branch supports. Then the snow. It was packed tightly enough into the walls so that no heat could escape.

"Well, everything seems in order..."

Flash laid down next to Twilight on the ground and covered her with his wing. He nipped her cheek, and went to sleep.

Bump in the Road

Flash yawned, and rubbed his eyes as he woke. He looked down and Twilight was silently sleeping in his wing. Then he looked up and around him.

Well, it held up... He thought. He slowly got up and checked his watch.

It's 5:00... I should check if the storm passed yet.

Flash slowly tip hoofed to the panel and opened it a bit to peek outside. The storm hadn't subsided, but it was letting up. It was still too dangerous to travel in though. He decided to go outside to stretch and get some fresh air. Once he set hoof outside he shivered.

Still cold...

He closed the panel and went outside. He stretched, and did his push ups. With his hooves considering his wings were broken. He did about thirty, and then he got up and looked at the shelter. He inspected the outside and made sure it was secure, then he trotted back to the entrance to go inside. He opened the panel, and saw Twilight awake, who looked startled.

"Oh hey Flash, I woke up and you weren't here so I got worried..." She said. "I just decided to get some exercise and inspect the shelter." He said as he stretched his arm. Twilight nodded in agreement. "Did you sleep well?" He asked. "Very... What time is it?" Flash checked his watch again. "5:16."

"Is the storm letting up yet?" She asked.

"A bit. There is less snowfall and less wind, but I think we should wait maybe another hour or so."

"That's a relief."

Flash trotted over next to her, then he realized the fire is out.

"Shoot... I should have gotten some wood while I was out there. I'll be right back."

"Okay, don't take to long." She smiled at him.

Flash got up and released the panel. He put it back once he left. He went over to his wood pile and got a small amount of firewood. Just enough for one hour, and held it in his arm. "Twilight, my hooves are full, could you open the entran-" Flash was interrupted by a growl coming behind him. He slowly turned around and standing before him was a pack of two wolfs, staring menacingly at him and he dropped the wood on the ground. Then he heard the panel opening and he gasped.

"Flash, panel's open-" Twilight gasped too as she saw the wolves.

"Twilight, get back inside... now."

"But Flash... I... let me help." She slowly stepped outside the shelter.

"DAMN IT TWILIGHT GET THE BUCK INSIDE AND CLOSE THE PANEL!"

Twilight put her hoof to her mouth scared. She slowly started to tear up. She went inside and sealed the panel. The wolves saw Twilight, but when she retreated they turned back to Flash.

Flash took a deep breath and stood his ground. Twilight dug out a small hole in the shelter for her to see what was happening.

Flash approached the wolves with his hoof up.

"Hey... Hey... easy boys, easy..." He said as he was slowly approaching them. The wolves didn't attack.

Twilight was watching the whole thing.

As one of the wolfs attempted to lunge, Flash stopped him midway.

"STOP!" As he shot his hoof toward his direction. The wolf began to cease, and back away a bit. Slowly, they started to circle around him. He was following their every move with his hoof. The wolfs kept growling, but much more calmly. Flash then looked toward the firewood pile. He picked up two sticks from the pile, then held them up high, and the wolves looked at them and tilted their heads up. Flash then brought them down and their heads followed. Then, he sat down so he could use both his hooves. He took a stick in each hoof and spread held one out to each wolf. He wiggled the sticks, and threw one. One of the wolves followed it, picked it up, and sat down to chew it. Flash threw the other stick, and the other wolf went to it's location. They brought the sticks back to him shortly after.

He's... taming them... Twilight thought to herself.

Flash knelt down and rubbed their backs, then he whistled.

"Alright now, go! Shoo!" He commanded while waving his hoof, and the wolves retreated back to the direction of where they came from.

"Twilight, it's safe now. You can come out." He said. Twilight nearly knocked down the panel and dashed up to Flash. What she did next surprised Flash more than anything.

She slapped him. Hard.

Flash just stood there, and slowly put a hoof to his cheek which was now red. Then he looked at Twilight. She was crying again.

"Tw- Twilight?"

"How dare you yell at me like that Flash!!! How... How could you do that!? WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME HELP DAMN IT!?"

Flash just looked at her.

"T- Twilight... I'm... I'm sorry. I yelled because I was just... worried I would see you being... killed..." Flash finished, who was now regretting yelling at her like that.

"Well I might as well have! I would be better off up there than with you!" Twilight suddenly covered her mouth with her hoof. She looked at Flash who was still looking at her. Shocked. Did... did I really just say that?.. Before Flash knew it, she dashed off away from him. Flash came back to his senses. "Twilight! Wait! STOP!" Twilight didn't care. She thought she could just run away from her problems but she couldn't. She then realized what she was doing. I can't just run like this. I need to apologize... He probably hates me now though. Wait... did I just... end our relationship? Twilight cried more at the thought, then she stopped, and sat down in the snow.

"Twilight! Twilight please!" Flash was shouting. He was following her hoof steps in the snow, and she saw her on a hill just sitting there.

He slowly trotted up the hill, and approached her. Twilight heard him coming up to her, and she looked. There he was.

"F- Flash... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean too... Please forgive me..." Flash just smiled, and trotted up next to her.

"No Twilight I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I was just really worried those wolves would attack you."

"No Flash, I am the one to blame here, I didn't mean anything I said. I should be grateful you protected me like that. This whole situation... I feel like it's getting to me."

"Twilight, just remember you're not alone out here. I'm going to stick with you every step of the way." He said trying to reassure her.

Twilight took a deep breath.

"I guess I am just imagining all the bad outcomes play out in my head..." She said. "Well... let's focus on some of the good ones then." Flash said as he kissed her on the lips.

"Twilight... I love you."

"I love you... Flash."

They made their way back to the camp sight. At this point the storm was letting up greatly, and it was almost in safe traveling condition.

"Oh shoot, I never got the fire started. You must be cold."

"Flash, let me start the fire this time." She said.

Flash was about to protest, but then he saw her smiling at him. "Alright Twilight." He smiled at her.

Twilight ended up starting the fire, and Flash went to check on their food.

Not good, we are almost out of berries and Frostfires. Flash got up and he looked around the area. He never noticed, but there was a stream a couple hundred feet away. He noticed there were fish trying to swim upstream. He thought to himself.

Twilight is definitely not okay with eating... meat. But what about fish? I should ask her.

Twilight was currently sitting by the fire preening her wings. Flash came and sat next to her.

"Hey Twilight... I need to ask you something."

"Sure Flash, what is it?"

"Listen, I know you're not exactly 'fond' of eating... 'you know what'." Twilight shivered and that answered Flash's suspicion.

"But I have to ask, are you okay with eating fish?" Twilight paused for a moment. She wasn't fond of eating fish either, but it was different. It was probably because fish don't show any emotion. "I... I don't know Flash... How are we on food?"

"Not good, we only have a few Frostfire Cherries left and nearly no berries." Twilight was considering the idea.

"Flash... Do you think it would be..."

"Well, I don't think so. I mean if you are not up for the idea I am completely fine with it." Twilight thought about Fluttershy for a moment. She didn't remember her taking care of any sea life. "If it makes you change your mind. During my trial in the forest, I speared a fish and ate ate it. It didn't feel that bad." Twilight thought about it again. I guess if we are low on food.... Flash didn't say it felt that bad. "Flash... what do they... taste like?"

"Well... Depends on the fish. The one I had tasted a bit bitter and salty. But it wasn't that bad."

I guess it's okay...

"Alright Flash let's do it." Her tone a bit worrying to Flash.

First Hunt

Flash was trying to carve spears out of long sticks with his knife. As he was carving, he spoke to Twilight.

"Twilight, if you don't want to go through with this... It's fine."

"No Flash... really I'm okay." She said, but Flash could see her shaking a bit. "Twilight... If you want I could hunt one myself. You don't have to-"

"Flash, really it's alright." She said, with a bit more confidence in her tone.

"Okay... if you say so."

Flash finished another spear for her to use. He started leading her down to the stream, but then Twilight remembered she was hurt.

"Twilight, before we go, let me take a quick look at your wounds."

"Oh, alright Flash." She complied. Twilight laid down in the shelter and Flash unwrapped her bandaged flank.

"Well. Good news is your Flank is well enough for no bandages." Twilight had a sigh of relief, as the bandages were annoying when she trotted. Flash unwrapped the one around her waist and looked at the stitching.

"How is it?" She asked. Flash was still inspecting it. "Well, it's doing better. It's not bleeding anymore so you don't need the bandages."

Flash discarded them into the fuel pile. "Alright, the stitching should be fine, let's head down to the river." Twilight responded with a nod.

As they were walking down to the river, Twilight noticed the fish trying to hop upstream.

"So, what do we do?" She asked.

"Well, when you see one of them is close enough, dive your spear at them."

"Okay... like this?" She did a diving motion with her spear.

"Hmm, you don't have enough leverage, here."

Flash dropped his spear and walked behind Twilight, and put his arms around her to show her how you held the spear. Twilight blushed at this.

"Hold it a bit higher up, you need to hold it at almost the complete center." Twilight did as she was told, and held it like he taught her.

"Good, now grip it like this." Flash commanded.

Flash put his arm a bit around the spear so it could be gripped tighter. Twilight did it too.

Flash let go of her and grabbed his spear.

"Alright, mimic me." He commanded.

Flash held his arm up, and dived his spear into the snow.

Twilight did the same, and Flash smiled at her.

"Good, let's get into the stream. Don't slip, the current is strong."

"Okay, I'll be careful."

Twilight stepped into the water, so did Flash. They immediately shivered. The water was just as cold as when they fell into the lake. They had to hurry.

Twilight looked desperately for a fish. She then saw one that was swimming stationary in the stream. Twilight was about to spear it, when she hesitated.

Come on... I can do this...

Twilight held up her spear, and brought it down straight through the fish. Doing so made her flinch a bit, then she realized it didn't feel that excruciating. She carefully lifted it up. It was about 9 inches in length. I am so glad they don't show emotion... Twilight said, and she looked at Flash, who was also holding up a fish. Flash saw Twilight caught one, and she waved at her.

"Good job! Let's get back to the- OOF!"

Twilight saw Flash slip and fall into the water. She quickly and carefully trotted over to him.

"Flash, you alright?" She said as she helped him up. He was soaked, and shivering now. "Y-yeah I'm f- fine. J-j-just c-cold." He said with his shivering voice. He was still holding on to the fish he caught, and Twilight helped him out of the river. She moved quickly, as Flash was very cold.

Once they got back to the camp site, Twilight helped Flash to the fire.

"T-t-thanks..."

"Don't mention it." She responded.

Flash was already getting warm, and Twilight was setting up a new fire outside so they could cook the fish. After Flash got warm enough, he joined her.

"Twilight, you still have my knife? He asked.

"Oh yeah, here." She handed him the blade, and he started to cut the two fish into three pieces. Then, he took Twilight's spear and put pieces on it. He put it on two sticks across from each other with the fire pit in between them. Twilight lit the fire, and then they waited. Flash spoke up.

"Twilight, were you... okay when you... killed it?"

"I flinched a bit at first, but it wasn't that bad." She responded. "Okay... good. I'm glad you are alright.

"Um... Flash, I need some water."

"Okay, here. It's almost out so I need to refill it." Twilight took it and jugged down the rest of the water, and gave it back to Flash.

"That's refreshing, thank you." She said.

"Hey... I didn't even notice! The storm is gone!" Twilight said. "Hey, you're right! Finally!" He agreed. Flash checked his watch. "It's 11:00, we should get moving soon." He suggested. "Yeah, I am going to go get the food." Twilight went to go get what little food they had left.

"Twilight, how hungry are you? I want to know if we cook both fish. We can conserve one in my pack with snow if we need it later."

Twilight thought about it. "Flash, I feel like I could... maybe eat half of one."

"Okay good. Me too. Let's keep this other one for later."

Flash took the second fish now in pieces off the spear and set it on the snow. He grabbed the bag with the remaining food, and set it on the snow. He then filled it half way with snow, and put the sliced fish in, then he put the fish in and filled the other half. He put the remaining food they had on top of all of it. "Okay, that should do it. Let's just wait for the fish to cook so we can have lunch, then we're off."

"Okay, sounds good." She complied.

After about ten minutes, the fish was sizzling, and it was ready to eat. Flash took the sliced fish off, and started to cut it into smaller pieces. He laid some leaves on the ground so he could set them down. "Okay, I guess I'll go first." He said. Flash took one of the pieces of the cooked fish, and started to eat it. The fish was a tad bitter, and had a zingy taste to it. After he swallowed it, he spoke to Twilight, who was watching him eat nervously. "Well... It's not exactly a three course meal, but it will do. It tastes a bit bitter with a smooth texture." Flash gestured Twilight to eat. She hesitated for a moment, but decided to eat it. It tasted as he described, it was a bit bitter, but it tasted good enough. "Well... At least we aren't just stuck eating the berries and Frostfires." She said. Twilight took more pieces and ate up. So did Flash.

After they were done eating, they packed up. Flash then thought of something. "Hmm, Twilight, I decided to change our plan a bit." He said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... originally we were heading West, but that river where we were hunting leads South. I say, we follow the river instead. It is an abundant source for food, and it could lead to a watermill, or a camp."

"That does make sense... alright. I agree." She said.

"Okay, down the river it is..." Flash said.

Flash and Twilight continued down the river, in hopes of it leading somewhere satisfying.

Heated in the Snow

Twilight and Flash continued their trot down the river. After a few hours of walking, they began to tire.

"Flash..." Twilight was breathing heavily from the long trot. "What time is... it?" She asked. "It's... oh boy, 5:00... We should set up camp." Flash suggested. He found a tree that looked similar to the one they had camped under before. "This one looks good... I am going to start a fire and get some more water. Twilight, you go find some extra firewood." He said. "Got it." She complied. Flash and Twilight split up. Flash tried to find some firewood. He ended up finding some dry wood, and he attempted to start a fire. Meanwhile, Twilight was trying to find some firewood too. She was careful not to go so far, as she didn't want to lose the camp site. She spotted some dry branches, and tore them off. She didn't have Flash's knife so she put in a bit more effort. After tearing the branch off and taking hold of it, something startled her. She heard... growling, coming from behind her.

She quickly turned around and saw two wolves cornering her. "Fl- Flash!" She shouted as she backed up against the tree. "FLASH!" She yelled this time, and Flash heard it, and the wolves were closing in on her.

Crap! "Twilight hang on!" Flash dashed toward her location. Twilight was scared as the wolves approached her, and she backed down against the tree.Flash arrived and witnessed the what was happening before him. "Twilight... don't... move..." Flash commanded.

She listened, and stood as still as possible. Staring the wolves in it's menacing eyes.Flash slowly approached. The wolves noticed and turned toward him.

"Hey!" Flash shouted and whistled, getting their attention. He held his hoof up. "Over here, keep your eyes on me boys!" The wolves slowly approached him and stopped growling. "Good. Good." Flash turned to Twilight who was looking at him. He gestured her to hide with a flick of his head. Twilight dashed out of there and hid behind a tree. Flash was attempting to allure the wolfs. Until, he noticed their eyes. Then he looked at their coat, and their form. They looked strangely familiar.

The're the same ones from last time...

"Hey... you guys remember me?" The two wolves barked. "Of course you do..." They continued to sit down in the snow, looking at him. "Twilight, it's safe to come out now." Twilight exposed herself from the tree, and trotted to Flash. Once the wolfs saw her, they shot up to a stance and started growling. Twilight gasped and stepped back.

"Hey! Stop!" He pointed at them with his hoof. But they didn't respond. Flash pointed his hoof to Twilight, and then back to him. "She's a friend." He said. Flash gestured Twilight to get closer to him, and so she did. She was shaking in fear. "Friend." He said again. The wolves seized growling, and sat down again. Flash took a sigh of relief, and turned to Twilight. "You okay?" He asked. "Yes... I'm fine. Just a bit... shaken." She responded.

"Twilight, these are the same wolves from before." Twilight was shocked. "Do you think they followed us?" She asked. Flash started to approach them, and knelt down in front of them. "Maybe... look at their stomachs." Twilight looked, and noticed their rib cage was showing and they were thin. "They must be hungry..." She concluded. Flash started rubbing the wolfs' neck with his hoof. He then got up and approached Twilight. "Twi, I think we should give them our fish." Twilight looked at him with a blank face. "Flash... that's our food. I don't know if we should-"

"Twilight, look at them!" Twilight inspected the wolfs closer. She could tell they were hungry. "We could always just catch more fish... I kind of feel bad for them." Twilight looked at them again, this time straight in the eyes. "Okay Flash... But we need to catch another one right after."

"Right, I know." Flash whistled with his hoof, and the wolves shot up. Then, he gestured them to follow him.

How is he doing that... It kind of reminds me when Fluttershy...

As they were leading the wolfs back to the camp site, Twilight asked Flash. "Flash, how are you taming them like that?" She asked.

"Oh, well believe it or not Shift worked at the zoo before he became a guard." He chuckled and so did Twilight.

"Really?"

"Yup, he taught me how to command or tame different kinds of animals. I decided to use it in my trials because I didn't want to um... 'Hurt' them.'" Twilight cringed.

"So, how did you command the wolves then?"

"Well, it's kind of a dominance thing. The wolfs try to threaten you, and if you run away they consider you food. However, if you stand your ground and try to tell them you're the boss, they back down."

"I see..." Flash and Twilight arrived the camp site. Flash walked over to the bag of food, and pulled out the cut fish. The wolves noticed this, and approached him.

"Twilight, watch this."

Twilight looked at Flash as he held the fish up high, wiggled it in front of one of the wolves, and then brought it lower to the ground. He then through it up in the air, and the wolf caught it. "Flash, that's awesome! Do you think maybe I could try?" She asked. "Sure, here." Flash handed her the fish, and she held it with her hoof. The other wolf brought it's attention to her. "Okay, bring it up high, and shake it." Twilight did as he said, and moved it high up and shook it in front of the other wolf. "Now, bring it low so he can sniff it, don't be afraid if he gets close to you." He said.

Twilight brought it in front of the wolf, and it came up and sniffed the fish. Twilight was feeling a bit nervous, but continued. "Okay, now throw it high!" He commanded. Twilight threw the fish up in the air and the wolf caught it. Flash started clapping his hooves. "Good job Twilight!"

"Thanks Flash." Twilight said smiling at him. Flash whistled again with his hoof and it got the wolves attention. He waved his hoof and gestured them to go. "Shoo! Shoo!" He shouted, and the wolfs retreated into the forest.

"Well, I'm glad that's over with..." He said.

"Flash, why couldn't they stay with us? They looked pretty loyal to me..."

"I was thinking you'd ask that. Wolfs usually travel in packs of three. There is an alpha wolf that commands them, and the other two follow. Alphas are usually bigger, so when I saw they were both the same size, the alpha wasn't with them."

"So, they had to leave because if the alpha found them with you..."

"He'd find me as a threat. And since he's the leader the other wolfs might think so too and turn on me."

"I see..."

Twilight decided to changed the subject. "Flash, how about you go get another fish, and I will start a fire. It should be ready when you get back if you're cold."

"Sounds good." Flash grabbed his spear, and headed off to the river to fish. Meanwhile Twilight started a fire.

I might even be better than Flash at starting fires! She said in her mind with a smirk.

After Flash returned with the food, he sat down next to Twilight who was next to the fire. "Hey Flash, I found more cherries." She said, and brought the food bag over to him."

"Oh good. Do you want to have the fish for dinner or just the cherries. Or both?"

"Um, I will just stick with the cherries, I'm not really in the mood for fish..."

"Yeah, me neither. I guess I'll save it then."

He set the fish in the food bag along with some snow, then he sat next to Twilight again and ate some cherries along with her. After Twilight ate a particular one, she started breathing heavily, and sweating. "Oh man... too hot! Flash I need water!" Flash quickly handed the water to Twilight. After she jugged down nearly half of it Flash had some too. He chuckled a bit. "Did you eat a really hot one?" He asked. "Yeah, I guess Frostfires have different intensities..."

After eating dinner, it was pitch black out, but the fire was making a very sufficient light source for them. Twilight stopped for a moment when she felt an annoyance behind her, and looked at her wings. She hadn't preened them in a while, so they looked messy. But then her mind got a dirty idea.

You know you want to do it Twilight... Wait... No what am I thinking! We are in a survival situation! How could... But I may not get another chance with him... But it's against royal order, but wait... who cares about the royal order out here in the forest! Maybe, one time? Wait no I can't!

Her mind was taking over, and so was her lust. Before she knew it, she had crossed the line. Not just a line, the line, the mother of all lines. 'That' line. "Hey um... uh, Flash?" She asked as she blushed.

"Hmm?" He responded.

"Would you care to... tend to my wings?"

Flash gasped and almost fell back.

Did she really just ask to... no she probably just forgot what me preening her wings means... But then Flash saw the seductive look on her face, the blush, and noticed she was circling the ground with her hoof.

Holy buck she's serious... Flash's fave turned red.

"Uh... um... Twilight I'm flattered... But you know the reason why we can't do thi-" He was interrupted by her kissing him intensely on the lips.

Flash had his eyes open in shock. After she broke off, she responded.

"I have a million more why we should..." She said smiling. Flash caught her message. They would probably never have a chance to do this again. When they got back to Equestra, Flash's captain could fire him, and Celestia might not approve of their relationship. He was interrupted in his thoughts by Twilight kissing him again, this time with more passion, and she put her hooves around his neck. So much so she made a soft moan, and it was luring in Flash.

As much as I want too... I can't do this... But then he had another thought.

But... why can't we?.. No one would know... and we might not be able to do it again...

When Twilight confessed to him, sex was the last thing on Flash's mind. He wanted to let their relationship grow a bit more until that.

But after he realized this may be the only chance to do it, he started to change his mind.

All caught up in his thoughts, Twilight was starting to lean into Flash while she was kiss him, making him lay down.

This is my last chance... Do I push her away... or do I go through with it? Then Flash looked up at her face when she broke away, and marveled at it for a second.

Twilight paused.

"Flash... are you... okay with this?"

Flash decided... Okay, I'll do it!

He nodded, and Twilight climbed on top of him.

What ensued was one of Flash and Twilight's most memorable nights of their lives.

They slept peacefully together in each other's arms that night.

Hope

Flash awoke slowly... trying to remember what happened last night. He looked down, and saw Twilight sleeping silently under his wing. Then he remembered.

Oh Celestia! We... we...

While he was caught up in his thoughts, Twilight started to wake too. She looked up and saw flash staring at her. Then it hit her.

She shot up to her hooves and stared at him with a blank face. Then silence ensued and they both blushed.

Flash decided to break the silence.

"We... we did it last night, didn't we." He started. Twilight started circling the ground with her hoof. "Um... yes... We did."

More silence.

"Flash I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable... It's just..."

"Twilight it's fine... I enjoyed it."

Twilight responded with a smile and a blush.

Flash noticed Twilight's wings. "Twilight, in all seriousness though, your wings do look a bit..." He said, putting a hoof around his neck. "Oh... right." Twilight realized. "I'll leave you to preen them, I need to go wash my face." Flash said. Flash left Twilight to tend to her wings. For real this time. When Flash came back from the river, he found Twilight with her wings looking beautiful. "How do I look?" She asked. "As gorgeous as always." He said blushing. Twilight came over and nipped him on the cheek. "Well, let's not waste any time today-"

"AGH!" Twilight clutched her flank, and fell over."

"Twilight!" He yelled, and knelt down to inspect her.

"Flash... my flank... Urg!" She said still gripping it.

"Okay okay, let me look at it." Twilight laid down on her back, and Flash inspected her. Closer this time. What he realized scared him beyond belief. He gasped, and covered his mouth with his hooves. "Flash! What's wrong? Is it okay?"

Oh my Galaxia... The cut, it looks... Infected...

"BUCK! HOW COULD I FORGET TO CLEAN IT!!!" He shouted at the sky, holding his head with his hooves.

"F- Flash?" He came back to realization once he heard her voice. "Twilight... you're cut... I think it's infected." Twilight gasped. "What... what does that mean?" She asked, scared. "Twilight, have you felt sick, at all lately? Head ache? Coughing?"

"I did feel a bit under the weather yesterday... But I didn't want you to worry..."

"God damn it... Twilight you should have told me. When a wound gets infected, it can cause serious sickness, and if untreated, it could lead to... death..." Twilight gasped.

"You... you can do something about it... right?" Flash shook his head and hung it downwards.

"How long do I have?" She asked.

"When did you start feeling symptoms?"

"Just yesterday..."

"Twilight, you have two days... four if you're lucky. You might go unconscious on the second... Considering how big the cut is..."

Twilight started to cry, and she lunged toward Flash to hug him.

"Flash! I... But... I... I can't die!" Flash returned her hug, and tried as hard as he could to help. "Twilight, look at me." He ordered, and Twilight tilted her head up to face him. "The best chance we have is to get moving right away. If we don't find civilization fast..."

She gasped. "Come on Twilight! We need to move while we can. You may not make it, but we have to try!" Flash started gathering supplies. "It's 8:00, we have until nightfall so let's move." Then, Flash saw Twilight with a blank face. She wasn't crying, but she wasn't happy either. She was just... blank. "Flash... Maybe you should... Go alone." Twilight had sadness in her voice, and Flash gasped. "What! I can't leave you here!" He shouted. "Flash... I'll only slow you down. I'm done for, we don't even know where we are, and civilization could be thousands of miles away... Just... leave." Flash couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was losing the fight, he had to help. "Twilight! Are you even listening to yourself right now!? What about your friends! Your home!" Twilight started to cry, silently. No whimpering or any attempts to hide it. "Flash stop, I am finished... Just lea-"

"NO!" Flash shouted.

Twilight stopped, and looked him straight in the eye. "We may not make it Twilight. You may not see your friends, your home, or... anything again. But that doesn't mean we just give up. We still have time. Are you just going to take the coward's way out!? Or are you going to go down fighting!?" Flash yelled, trying to convince her.

But... only around three days and I am dead... two of which I may be unconscious... I still have time. I will not take the coward's way out. I am not going to give up when there is still hope!

Flash looked her in the eye. "Don't give up hope Twilight, we can make it." All Twilight did was smile at him after his amazing speech.

"Flash... let's do it."

"And may Celestia be on our side!" Flash shouted, and after their preparations, they were off.

They continued down the river, hoping to find somepony else out in the wilderness. They were doubtful, but pushed on. They traveled for eight straight hours, and Twilight was beginning to feel worse and worse. To the point where Flash had to support her a bit. Then, with a miraculous stroke of luck, they found what they have been looking for this whole time... Hope. "Wait... no... it can't be!" Flash shouted. "Twilight, do you see what I see? Over there!" Twilight looked ahead, and was shocked at what she saw. She had to rub her eyes to make sure her brain wasn't playing tricks on her.

Hoof prints, in the snow.

"Twilight! We could make it!" He shouted with joy. Twilight gave him a kiss on the lips. "Flash... I... I love you, so much..." She said smiling at him. "Twilight, I love you too, now come on. We need to follow the tracks." The hoof prints were going toward the river, and then a second set of them heading back. They followed them, hoping they would lead to a location where Twilight could be treated. They followed them for a half hour, and then came upon the sight they have been waiting for. Just as it was getting too dark to see the hoof prints, they spotted a house. Not just any house, a tree house! And there were lights on inside it!

Well I'll be! "Hello! Hello is anypony there!?" Flash shouted, trying to get whoever lived there to come out. Surely enough, somepony did. He had walked out onto the tree house balcony. He was an earth pony with brown fur and a cloak covering his mane. He had a steel tipped spear with him. "Who goes there!?" He shouted, then noticed the two ponies standing before him. "Who are you? Why are you here and what do you want?"

"Please sir! We have been lost out here for days! And we need medical attention desperately!"

The stallion on the balcony seemed skeptical, but then he noticed who the purple pony was. "Is she... a princess?" He asked, and shortly after Twilight fell over, unconscious on the snow. "TWILIGHT!" Flash yelled, and the cloaked stallion ran across a bridge that was connected to an elevator. When he was lowered down, he dashed over to Flash. "What's wrong with her?" He asked, removing his cloak revealing a blue and grey mane. "She had a wound that I forgot to cleanse, and it got infected." Flash showed the cloaked stallion the cut. "Oh dear... This looks bad. Help me load her into the elevator!" He ordered, and they both picked her up, and carried her to the elevator. The cloaked stallion added more to the counter weight, and they were lifted. "Flash Sentry, and you are?" Flash asked as they carried Twilight across the bridge. "Everdann." He said. They got her inside the tree house, and sealed the door.

"Up here on the bed." He directed. They set her on the bed, and Emerdann quickly ran to his brewing station. "Flash, get that cloth over there in the water and put it on her forehead." He commanded. "Right!" He grabbed the cloth, and laid it across her head." Then she spoke with a cough. "F- Flash... Please..." Flash shushed her. "Twilight relax, you're going to be alright." He said as he re-dipped the cloth in the water.

She then noticed the stallion working behind him. "Who's... that?" She faintly asked. "That's Everdann, he is trying to help." But then Flash realized... what was he helping with? "Um, Everdann, what are you doing?" Flash asked, skeptical. "I am trying to brew something up that will help her. Give me her symptoms."

"Well... she was coughing on the way here, she mentioned a headache and feeling light headed."

"Okay... Frostfire juice for the cough... cured Vaculist venom for the headache and... done!"

He mixed the ingredients in with some water, and he had a pain reliever. He gave the bowl to Flash. "This won't cure her, I don't have the ingredients, but it will make her feel much better. He said. "How... does it taste?" He asked. "Well... you don't want to know..."

Flash took the bowl, and Everdann gave him a spoon. "Twilight, drink this. It tastes awful, but try to swallow, okay?" Twilight nodded, and she opened her mouth. Flash put the spoon in, and immediately Twilight cringed. But she swallowed. "She needs to drink it all if she wants to feel better..." Everdann said. Flash confirmed with a nod, and continued spooning it to Twilight. Once it was all gone, her mouth felt sour and bitter from the taste. "So, I assume she's Twilight then?" Everdann asked, and Flash nodded his head. "Twilight, just give it about ten minutes, and you should feel much better." Twilight nodded. He walked over to his cooking pot, and grabbed some water. "Here, I bet you're parched. Also it will wash out the bad taste."

Twilight chugged the water down, and relaxed. "Is it... safe for me to... sleep? She asked tiredly. "Yes, you can rest Twilight." Everdann said.

"Thank you..." She said as she drifted off to sleep. Everdann pulled a blanket over her. Flash and Everdann sighed in relief, then Everdann spoke up. "Okay, now that that's done, you owe me some answers Flash." Everdann said. "I figured you'd say that. Think we could chat over a drink?"

"Sure, I have tea."

Everdann finished making the tea, and brought a mug over to Flash. "Thank you, I'm patched." He said as he sipped. "Okay Flash, first, and most importantly, what the hell is a princess doing out here???" He asked, whispering. "Oh... heh. Well you see, it kind of went like this..."

After about ten minutes of explanation, Flash finally finished. Everdann was shocked. "Wow... Just... wow. Quite the story Flash."

"I know..."

"So, you're a Canterlot guard? Very interesting."

"Yup, I am also an Aspire member." He said.

Everdann's eyes shot open, and choked on his tea.

"You're... with Aspire? Well I'll be damned. Me too!"

Flash was shocked. Everdann got up and opened a small case by his bed, which was now occupied by the princess. He took an Aspire medal out, came back and showed it to Flash. "Wow Everdann... It's good to meet another Aspire member. What skill do you have?"

"I am advanced in weapon construction, use, and repair. I was one of the main weapon manufactures for aspire."

"Interesting..."

"What is you're skill Flash?"

"Enhanced vision. I can see things almost directly behind me without looking."

"Very impressive..." Everdann got back on track, and continued with the questions.

"Okay, second. Are you two... you know... a couple? I'm just wondering..."

"Oh, I forgot that part in the story. Yes, we are now. She kind of confessed to me while we were out here..."

"Well, congratulations my friend. She is one beautiful mare." He said.

"Isn't she? I am just afraid the other princesses back home won't approve of our relationship..."

"Oh, I assume you don't know where we are?"

"Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask you that. Also, what you are doing living out here Everdann."

"Well, we are actually in the Frigid north part of Equestria." Flash gasped. We were in Equestria this whole time? I figured that teleport sent us out farther..."

"Nope, in fact the crystal empire is about... sixty miles away from here."

"Wow... We were closer than we thought. Twilight will be glad to hear this when she wakes up... But we can't walk that far..."

"Not a problem. I have some snow hounds, along with a sled. I can get you two there within two days down Snakefrost road." Flash almost jumped up from the table in excitement. "I can't believe it, we are going to make it home!" He said. But then he got back to asking Everdann a question. "But, why are you living all the way out here Everdann?"

"Well, I always found nature to be interesting. I found a life living out here, exploring the landscape, discovering new places, I enjoy it."

"Oh, I see..."

"Is there anything else you want to ask me Flash?"

"Yes. I don't suppose you do, but do you have a way we can message the princesses?"

"I do. It's a portable messaging system. Princess cadence gave it to me when I left so that I could send my discoveries to her." Flash gasped.

"Could I use it? Please! I need to let everyone know we are alright!"

"Flash calm down, of course you can use it. It's sitting over there in that large chest." Everdann pointed towards the chest. Flash rushed towards it and opened it. He pulled out an object that had a dragon head, and claws coming from under it. "Here's some parchment, when you're done, role it up and insert it into the dragon's claws. It will be transfered through it's head so stand clear. Oh, and keep in mind it only goes to cadence."

"Thanks for all your help Everdann. We can't thank you enough."

Flash began writing the letter with a quill Everdann gave him.

"Everdann, I have an idea. I am going to ask Cadence if she can send a medical team down Snakefrost to meet us halfway. I don't know if Twilight could last two more days."

"Sounds good. It would be easier on my hounds too. I say we leave at 0600 sharp?"

"Perfect!"

Dear Princess Cadence

This is Flash Sentry of the royal Canterlot guard, and Princess Twilight Sparkle's personal watcher. I am informing you in this letter that we are both alive, and found you're little friend Everdann here. He is making this letter possible, so be in his thanks. However, we are currently in a situation. Twilight has a serious wound infection that needs treatment immediately. If not she could die from sickness. Everdann is going to let us hitch a ride on his dogsled, and he said if we take Snakefrost road, it would take us two days to arrive. However this may be too long for Twilight. I ask that you send a team to meet us halfway down Snakefrost so we can split the time in half, and to give her medical attention. We are leaving at 0600 tomorrow sharp. Please inform princess Celestia that we are okay, and that we will be seeing her soon.

-Flash Sentry

He finished it, and put the letter in the Dragon's claws. It shrunk, and shot out the Dragon's mouth in green flames.

"Finally glad this is all over..."

"I'm sure you are. Sounds like you've been through a lot Flash."

"She is going to be so happy..." Flash looked at her again. She was sleeping quietly, and peacefully. "You got anywhere else to sleep Everdann?" He pulled out some pillows sitting by the bed, and handed one to Flash. "Here, the floor is your bed tonight." He said.

Flash laid the pillow on the floor and rested his head on it. Before he knew it, he was asleep. Ready for the day they go home, the day they see everyone they love again.

Getting Home

Flash shot up to his hooves. He looked around, he found himself in Everdann's tree house. He took a sigh of relief and held his head with his hoof. "Man... that was some nightmare." He said, rubbing his forehead and his eyes. Flash was startled when he heard coughing. He looked over to Twilight, she was sweating, and coughing violently. He noticed, and ran over to Everdann and shook him to get him to wake up

"Everdann! Wake up! Twilight is coughing and she can't stop!" Everdann shot awake, and ran over to Twilight.

"She needs water... Go get her some and I will start on more pain reliever."

"Right!" He complied. He dashed over to the cauldron and got a cup of water.

"Flash... I can't breath..." She tried to say while coughing.

"Oh no... I am going to-" She covered her mouth with her hoof. Flash caught the message, and immediately grabbed a bucket and brought it toward her. She leaned over it, and puked. She was coughing less now, but was still having trouble breathing. Flash gave her the cup of water, and she gulped it down. She took a sigh of relief, and rested her head back on the pillow. She was still breathing a bit heavy. "Twilight, you okay now?" Flash asked. Twilight leaned over the bucket and puked again and coughed. She took another sip of the water, and lied down. "I'm... I'm okay now..." She said, with a raspy voice. Flash nodded at her, and discarded the bucket's contents outside. "Everdann, how's it coming?"

"Almost done, why don't you tell Twilight here about what's happening?" He said with a wink.

"Oh yeah... Um, Twilight?" He had all his attention on her.

"Flash?"

"We are heading home today..." He said with a smile.

Twilight gasped and put her hooves on her mouth. Then she started to cry, and hug Flash with all her might. "Everdann said the Crystal Empire is about soxty miles away. I messaged princess Cadence last night and told her we were alright. I also told her to bring troops and medical attention towards our direction, so we will meet them halfway. We should see them by tonight." Twilight gripped him harder, and cried tears of joy. "Flash... thank you... You too Everdann!"

"Yes you're highness, I was happy to be of assistance." He paused from his work, and bowed to her. "Uh, Twilight. You are still sick... You should relax while we get everything ready." Flash ordered. "What is going to be our transportation?" She asked. Flash pointed out the window next to the bed. "See for yourself." Twilight looked out the window, and saw a sled and harness, along with six hounds sleeping.

"Oh... those are you're pets?" She asked Everdann. "Yup. Sollie, Ember, Slick, Antigone, Spot, and Flash." He said, chuckling after the last name. Twilight giggled too. "How do you know which one is which?" Flash asked.

"Well... When you start to bond with them, you can distinguish them. I guess it just comes to you." Everdann said. He had finished the pain reliever, and gave it to Twilight. "Drink all of this, and you will feel better." He said. Twilight sipped it with a spoon, cringing at the taste again, but she drank it all. "I am gonna go pack my tent. I will need to camp out tonight once we reach the troops." He looked at the time. It was 5:30.

"Come down to the sled in fifteen minutes. I will leave you two to get ready." He said as he grabbed some of his medicine, and left, leaving Twilight and Flash alone in the house.

"Flash?" She asked. "Huh-" Flash was interrupted by Twilight's lips crashing into his. After she broke off... "Flash, thank you for everything you have done... I just want you to know... that even if Celestia doesn't approve of our relationship... I will always love you. I could never be any happier with anypony else than you." She said, and hugged him. "Twilight... I feel the same way..." He hugged her back. "Flash... I know you may be uncomfortable with this, but... Do you want to... give it another go?" She asked, blushing. "Another go at what-" Flash suddenly jumped back as he realized what she was asking, and blushed.

She wants to do... 'That' again? As much as I want too...

"Wait! Flash I'm sorry! It was a stupid idea..." She said, apologizing.

"No Twilight, it's okay. As much as I would want too... Everdann is right outside, and you're not feeling well..." He said.

Silence ensued. Then Flash decided to change the subject.

"Twilight, can you stand?" He asked.

"I... I think so." She said holding her head.

Twilight attempted to get out of the bed while Flash helped up her with his hoof. She got on all fours, and while she was a bit wobbly, she stood well enough. "Here Twilight..." He took the blanket off the bed, and set it over her so she could keep warm. "It's snowing outside, I don't want you to get cold." He said. Flash grabbed his saddle bag, and put his wing around Twilight while she had the blanked on to keep her even warmer. As they walked outside, they shivered.

Once they arrived to the dog sled, they saw Everdann hooking up his dogs.

"You two ready? It's going to be a long ride down Snakefrost until we meet up with the Crystal Guard." He said.

"Yes, we are ready Everdann. Let's get home." Flash said with confidence.

Everdann finished hooking up Ember, and he barked. Flash took the blanket off Twilight and laid it down on the sled. He gestured Twilight to lie down on top of it. She got on, and Flash laid down next to her and used his wing as a blanket to keep her warm. Everdann marveled at them for a second.

They are pretty cute together... Hey wait Everdann! Keep you're tough guy act on! He thought in his head. He got on his sled, whistled, shook the harness, and the hounds took off. "Twilight, if you want you can sleep. You need rest, and we won't meet up with the Crystal Guard for a while." Flash said. "Okay Flash. Thank you." She said, and drifted off to sleep. Flash was still laying next to her, keeping her comfortable. Flash was about to drift off to sleep too... until the sled came to a stop. "Huh? What's going on-" Flash shot his eyes wide open at what he saw in front of him. There were three wolves standing in their way. One of them was considerably larger than the other two. Everdann's hounds started growling at them, and the wolves growled back.

Flash recognized them again, as the two standing next to the large wolf were the ones they saw the last two times. However, their alpha is with them.

"These guys again..." Flash thought out loud.

Everdann noticed what Flash said.

"You ran into them?" He asked.

"I did, they scared Twilight half to death, but I was able to shoo them off because the alpha wasn't with them. However... It looks like he is back..."

Flash started to get out of the sled, then Everdann stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"I am saving our skins, keep Twilight safe." He said, and he stepped off the sled, and approached the wolves. All while Twilight was still asleep.

He stepped in front of Ember and Sollie, who were the leaders.

He got into an offensive stance, and started growling at the alpha.

Well I'll be damned, he is challenging the alpha wolf! Everdann thought.

Flash was staring menacingly at the alpha, and then it did what he never expected it to do.

"Well... that's no way to greet a gentlemen, now is it?" The wolf spoke, and Flash jumped back and gasped, while Everdann stared in awe.

"You... you can-"

"Talk? Yes my friend. I can do many things." The alpha responded.

"But... but how?" Everdann asked.

"Hmph, being this forest's lead explorer, I would expect you to know... Everdann." It smirked at him, and he gasped.

"So... how can you talk? And how do you know who Everdann is?" Flash asked.

"Well... long story short. My species has long been vanquished by hunters. I am one of the few left. I am a Hearthfire Wolf." He answered.

"Amazing... I thought you're species was extinct... And I never thought they could talk..." Everdann said.

"And we would like to keep it that way. We were huge targets for hunters and poachers, who would sell us for money. We are the most intelligent of wolves. We serve as the guardians, and watchful eyes of the homes we live in. And it appears my friends here have taken a liking to you... Flash Sentry." It smirked at him, and the two other wolves barked.

"Well, I guess giving them fish came a long way then..." He responded.

"Indeed. They have been watching you as you traveled."

"Wait... those two were watching us... you mean they saw me and Twilight..." Flash gasped, as he recalled the previous night with Twilight, and blushed.

"You and Twilight... what Flash?" Everdann asked.

"Flash made a 'be quite' gesture with his hoof waving across his neck.

"Oh, it's nothing important Everdann, now I must explain why I am here." He said, and Flash sighed in relief.

"Do you know why this path is called Snakefrost?" He asked them. They both shook their heads.

"It's a nesting ground for Vaculists." He said. They both gasped.

"Although, they do not come out often. Usually at night, I must warn you to keep you're guard up when traveling down this path."

Flash and Everdann looked at each other, and nodded.

"Don't worry, we will be careful. Thank you... Um, what is your name?"

"Just call me Hope, and I was just doing my job. I must get to the rest of my pack, I wish you all the best of luck." He then dashed off through the trees. The two wolves barked at Flash, and then followed their leader. After they were gone, Flash came back to the sled.

"Well... that was certainly... Um, interesting." Everdann said.

"I'll say. Come on, let's get moving." Flash said as he laid down next to Twilight again. But something was wrong. Flash didn't feel her chest rising.

She wasn't breathing.

"EVERDANN! She's not breathing!" Everdann quickly knelt down and felt her heartbeat. It was slow, but still there.

Flash leaned over Twilight and started to give her CPR.

He started pushing on her chest.

"One, two, three, four, five, six seven, eight." He said in unison with his pushing, then leaned down and blew into her mouth. He began pushing again.

"Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen." He blew in her mouth again and put his head to her chest to check.

She still wasn't breathing. Everdann was checking her pulse, and it was becoming feint.

"COME ON DAMN IT! DON'T DIE ON ME!!!!" He shouted, and slowly started to tear up.

"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twent-" He was interrupted by Twilight shooting up in a sitting position, gasping for air while putting a hoof to her chest.

"Twilight! Oh thank Celestia! You had us so worried!" Flash darted in for a hug, and she hugged back while still breathing heavily.

"What happened?" she asked while she laid back down.

"You were going into shock, so I had to give you CPR..." Flash answered.

Twilight started to cough a bit, and held a hoof to her mouth. When she finished, she held it in front of her.

She saw blood on her hoof...

Flash noticed this, and tried to relax Twilight.

"This is more serious than I thought. We need to get going. She needs a doctor." Everdann said as he signaled the dogs to get going again.

"Everdann, got any tissue in those bags of yours?"

"The red one has some."

"Okay, thanks." Flash pulled out a tissue box from his supplies, and handed one to Twilight. She thanked him, and wiped off the blood on her mouth and her hoof.

"Okay Twilight, just lay down and relax. You can sleep again, and I will be right here next to you, okay?"

"Speaking of which, did anything happen while I was out?" She asked, and Flash and Everdann both put their hooves behind their necks.

"Um... well you see Twilight..." After a long explanation Everdann gave her, she hung her mouth open in shock. "Wow... I would respond with a simple 'you're crazy', but after everything that's happened, I am second guessing myself." Twilight responded. "Well, it's all true. Hope said we are heading towards a Vaculist nesting ground, so we need to keep our guard up." He confirmed. "Speaking of which, I am going to alert princess Cadence about this." Flash confirmed. "Wait Flash! Could I send her a letter?" Twilight asked. "Oh, of course Twilight. She's one of you're closest friends." He handed her some parchment, some ink, and a quill, and she started on her letter.

Dear Princess Cadence

This is you're sister in law, Twilight Sparkle. I just wanted to write to you, and let you know I am alright. I look forward to finally seeing you after all of this... Me, Flash, and Everdann are on our way towards the Crystal Empire. We found out that Snakefrost is inhabited with Vaculists, and I am warning you to be careful at night when they start to come out. One more thing, when I see you, there is something very serious I have to talk to you about. I look forward to seeing you, and Shining Armor.

-Twilight Sparkle

The Letter

Cadence was sitting in her room along with Shining Armor in her room. She was crying her eyes out, with Shining trying to comfort her as best as he could. "Cadence... Please... They are going to be fine..." He said, putting an arm around her. "Shining! We don't know where they are, and for all we know they could be injured! I want my sister in law back!" She shouted, her tears flowing more as she spoke. "I am worried too Cadence... But Twilight is a strong and a brave mare Cadence, and Flash Sentry was one of my best guards. I am sure he is watching over her." He said.

Suddenly, a messenger crashed through their bedroom door. He was panting with sweat coming from all directions and was struggling to say 'your highness' but couldn't because he was out of breath. "Your.... highness!" He finally got out.

"You... have received a message... from Flash Sentry!!!"

Cadence and Shining gasped, then Cadence dashed towards the messenger and grabbed the parchment, almost ripping it. "Thank you, you are excused." She told the messenger, trying to wipe away her tears, and the messenger left. "Cadence... what does it say?" Shining asked. "She held down the letter, and turned to face him. She was smiling and tearing up again. "The're alright!" She said, and ran over to hug him. "They are about sixty miles out from the crystal empire. They met one of my old friends Everdann out there. He agreed to let them hitch a ride on his dog sled towards us." She finished. Shining took the letter, and read over it.

"She's... in critical condition? And Flash wants to meet us halfway there..." Shining said. He had received the letter at night, and almost everypony was asleep at this time. Shining called for the two guards standing by the door, and they both walked in and soluted. "Yes sir?" They asked in unison. "Go out to the camps, and tell everypony there to get up. We know where the princess is." Shining finished, and both guards gasped and soluted again. "Yes sir!" They both dashed out the door.

"Shining, I am coming with you." She said.

"Cadence, of course. You and my sister are the best of friends." Shining answered.

Cadence hugged him, and then thought of something.

"We need to message Celestia... And I need to reply back to Flash."