Tyrant Bird King

Scootaloo sighed, seeing trees surround her. The Everfree Forest. Usually that name held with fear, but now it was held with boredom. AppleBloom lead the way, Sweetie Belle staying close behind. Currently, the Cutie Mark Crusaders have been looking for birds, for their Cutie Marks. Usually, their adventures ended in trouble or running away, but today, it was nothing but birds.

Scootaloo snorted through her nose, then looked at AppleBloom. "What are we here for again?"

AppleBloom sighed, since this was the tenth time Scootaloo asked this question. "We're 'ere tah get bird watchin' Cutie Marks."

"I think birds are interesting." Sweetie Belle chirped out, but for it was ignored.

"'Sides, we gotta go to Zecora tah pick up some stuff. Then, we'll leave 'ere." AppleBloom said, before falling into something, stopping the other Crusaders in their steps.

She got up, rubbing her head with her hoof, then looked around, seeing that she was in a small ditch of some kind. Only it didn't look like a ditch, more like a three toed foot print.

None of the Crusaders paided that any mind, but Scootaloo growled.

"Can we get outta here? Rainbow wants me back before the sun sets."

"Calm your hooves, we'll be there in a bit." Sweetie Belle said, trotting along.

AppleBloom jumped out, dusting herself off, ignoring the giant, bird like foot print they left behind. Sweetie Belle looked at AppleBloom, a questioning look in her eyes. "Should we ask Zecora about the holes?"

"Nah, it's better not to bother her. She probably already knows about it anyways." Scootaloo said, her wings buzzing a little.

As they arrived to Zecora's hut, they noticed large spikes dug into the the ground, massive tree trunks with spikes cut into them. They justted out all over the perimeter., but, the children walked around them easily, almost as if the spikes were made for something bigger.

They knocked with their hoof, only for a ancient mask to open the door, causing them to scream.

"Children, what are you doing here?" The mask moved, showing the face of a Zebra, named Zecora. Her mane was matted with sweat, her eyes wide with surprise. "Don't you know the Everfree should cause you fear?"

"Nah, we're just here to pick up some stu-" Scootaloo was cut off when Zecora pulled them in, causing AppleBloom to accidentally cut herself with one of the smaller spikes, yelping in surprise.

"Zecora, now what's tha big idea?" AppleBloom asked, not noticing the cut which was now bleeding a little.

Zecora peaked through her window, feeling the room shake a little. The children looked at the big pot in the middle, seeing small ripples move inside of it, water moving thanks to impact tremors.

The impact tremors moved far away, Zecora unleashing a breath of relief she did not know she held, her ears flickering a litte, then moved, scanning to see if it heard any sounds.

Hearing nothing, she turned to the children, saying, "A strange creature has made its way into this forest. It's best not to jest." She rhymed, making the three children look at each other, confused. "I shall give you what you need. Then, I shall escort you so the monster does not feed."

They looked at each other, then shrugged, not wanting to get in the way. Once they were packed up, they started to head off, not noting that AppleBloom's blood would attract attention.

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The creature kept walking, massive green eyes seeing in colors most wouldn't believe. He turned his head, sniffing the air. New smells hit him, and he knew he was not at his territory.

He needed to know where he was, before he got attacked by another one of his kind. He wasn't afraid of the males of his species. They were considered weaker. The females were largely territorial, and could kill if they sighted him.

He inhaled deeply, smelling the area. He did not smell anything familiar, other than trees, dirt, and blood. Wait, blood?

He looked to the left, smelling bood of a mammal. He walked towards it, curious. Mammals were tiny creatures thaat he hunted when he was younger. Might as welll and see if they looked the same.

After a few minutes of walking, he came upon a large, furry mammal. It had a strange, black, insect tail. The body of a mammal, and the massive wings of a flier. He inspected this new creature, seeing it playing with some young animal. It was another mammal, a little wounded. It had claw makrs and horns on its head. It gave a deep, whistling call, trying to call for its mother.

He watched, then stepped out of the trees, stepping in some mud, leaving a large foot print. He inspected the larger animal, seeing turn to him and stare. It backed away a little, under his hawk like gaze. He turned to the younger animal, walking closer, it froze in fear, looking up at him. He nudged it, moving it away, making it scarmble, getting away into the shadows.

The other predator roared in anger, looking at him with fury, seeing that it's plaything and snack escaped. It jumped in front of the big theropod, who gave a low growl. The mammal inhaled and roared, though the big, bird like creature didn't even blink. Seeing that it was done roaring, the theropod stepped back, then walked away, giving a uninterested look.

The massive creature flew, landing n front of him, baring its fangs. He was getting annoyed at the mammal. The mammal pounced, ready to attack, however, he hit the creature with his tail, batting it into a tree.

Now that he thought about it he was a little hungry. Those strange howling trees had no meat in them, and he had not eaten in awhile. Might as well start with this creature.

He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding a little, his two "tiny" arms showing. He then opened his maw, showing his bone crushing teeth.

He moved towards the mammal, seeing it recover from the hit. He then bit its tail, tearing through it carapace, then pulled it back, making it roar in pain, clawing at the ground.

It turns and bit his leg, but he kicked its jaw, making it loose a few teeth. He then pulled it hard, lifting it up with his mouth alone, then threw it into some bushes. It tried to get up, only for it to screech in pain, its arm broken. He then bitonto the mammal's leg, crushing it easily, crippling the creature.

It screeched, before, as quick as a bolt of lightning, bit onto its neck, crushing the mammal's wind pipe. It stared up at him, feathers and green eyes all it saw before it finally died. He let go of its throat, then lifted his bloody maw into the air, releasing a below that would make a dragon shake in fear.

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Zecora's ears perked up, hearing a unholy scream. The trio of fillies didn't notice the sounds, starting to walk past her.

"Hey, Zecora, you coming?" Sweetie Belle asked, big innocent eyes looking up at her.

Zecora nodded, waking ahead. After a couple of minutes of walking, Zecora heard flies, then moved the bushes, which used to be a safe path to Ponyville, only to see a dead Manticore in her path, the children looking at it with disgust.

"Don't worry, it's dead." Zecora said, before she had time to rhyme, a tan, blood covered snout raised above the body. It stood fifteen feet tall, feathers covering its arms and on it's back, going all the way down its tail. Jaws held sixty bone crushing teeth, eyes held intelligence and hunger. A piece of flesh was hanging from its mouth as it looked at the mammals, cocking its head curiously.

"Nobody. Move. A muscle." AppleBloom whimpered out, freezing in fear. The creature looked at them, still able to see them, watching them curiously. He knew they were herbivores. However, he was eating his kill, why were they here? Perhaps they had wandered into here by mistake?

He snorted, giving a low, rumbling growl. Maybe he should eat them? No, he was well fed, not hungry right now. He snorted again, then seeing they weren't moving, snorted impatiently, wanting to go back to his meal.

He opened his jaws, releasing a bone chilling roar, making them scream and head the opposite direction. He smelt more of the bigger mammals over there, then gave a deep rumble. Might as well follow them and make sure they don't hurt themselves.

He stepped over his kill, following the four hooved mammals, giving another, short roar. He ran over them, smeling more of the stranged, hooved mammals in the other direction, then bit at them, making them scream again, heading towards his kill.

He roared, trying to scare them the right way, thinking he was helping them.

Zecora felt her lungs burn as she ran, her legs feeling tired. They were being hered by the massive predator. It roared and bit next to them, Scootaloo fluttering a foot over the ground, flying, keeping her hooves rested in case she had to land.

"Must go faster!" Sweetie Belle screamed, seeing in one of Zecora's earings the image of the massive gaping jaws of the carnivore. It gave a deep bellow, nipping at their heels.

They ducked under a tree, before seeing the massive carnivore burst through it, giving a bite as well. It started to slow down, then stopped, giving another roar of what they thought was anger.

Suddenly, they burst out of some bushes, slowing down, seeing Ponyville. They dropped on the floor, panting, catching their breath.

"Remind me to thank Zecora for the lovely afternoon..." Scootaloo joked, making all of them giggle.

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He watched as they disappeared from his vision, slowly following by smell. He arrived at the edge of the forest, seeing massive wooden areas. Yellow grass covered houses, and one looked to be a mountain of blue, shiny rocks.

He gave a rumbling growl, then looked down, seeing the four hooved animals resting nearby, at least fourty feet away.

He started to turn, going back to his kill. He would have to investigate after he finished his meal. Before he saw the town disappear, he gave one more bellow into the air, then disappeared into the shadows.