Romantic Getaway (Sort of)

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