It was a silent and cloudless night. Everything besides the nocturnal creatures was deep in their dreams, resting and refilling the energy they spent that day. The white moon and the stars were carefully watching over the land, giving it a bit of their light. And in this light movement could be seen. A pair of ponies has been walking towards the edge of a forest. What drove them to walk there at this hour the nightly watchers didnt know, even less so when the forest that was their destination was the mysterious Everfree forest.
The two of them weren’t in any hurry, their movements were slow and hesitant. Slowly, they came to the edge, only a few steps separating them from each other. The smaller one of the ponies grabbed under her cape that was covering her body, as well as her head, and pulled out a small package. The pony then looked at the package in her hooves until a few tears dropped down on it. She then carefully placed the package under of the nearby trees roots. Quickly, she turned around and left, tears rolling down her cheeks. She left and didn’t even turn around, her companion following behind her. He couldn’t keep from looking backwards at the small package they had left there. His face, covered just as the mares, would clearly show signs of sadness were it not covered up. After a quick glance he quietly murmured a weak
“Goodbye.”
The small package lay under the roots, silently and unmoving. But it was no simple package. Once the silent night watchers cast their light onto it, something green appeared in it. A tiny filly has been sleeping, covered in her blanket, dreaming about what her new life would bring. She was asleep and had no idea what had just happened, that she was just abandoned by the very same ponies who had brought her into this world. She just lay there, eyes closed, awaiting a new day with her family, who was now walking away.
The small filly lay there unmoving, her blanket moving gently by her breathing. But the silence of that night would be soon broken.
A weak rustling came from the forest, far at first but coming closer each time it was heard. Was the filly discovered ? Was she now in danger or would she be saved. The night watchers didn’t know for they could not see into the forest until it was too late. What appeared was a pair of wolves, one gray, the other one pure white. They stopped directly at the tree that was shielding the little filly. But they were no simple wolves. Nothing in the Everfree forest is simple.
The white one growled at the gray one and then pulled the filly from under the roots, gently as to not wake her up.
“Look. I knew I smelled something here.” she said pointing at the filly with her paw
The gray one looked at her and then at the little filly. If she were awake, she would most likely be scared now. The gray wolf stood tall above her, bigger than his mate and even more so then a normal wolf.
“What do you want to do with it ?” the white one asked. When she saw his reply, she didn’t flinch. She didn’t dare to. The grin on his face told her that she should just wait and see.
The gray one stopped grinning at her and then opened his mouth wide. With one big bite the filly was gone from the ground, but not from this world. He now held her as gently as he was able to, turned around and went back to his home, and to the fillies new family.
“Kids watch it ok ?” a wolf yelled at the pack of small wolves running by.
They didn’t listen, there was no reason for that. All they were doing was run around, act as if they were hunting, and having small fights to see who has grown up more in the past years. For someone who was not a wolf, it would look like a silly game, or at least until the point where the colors would change on the bundles of fur. What was before a patch of brown, white and gray had now a piece of green in it as well. The little filly, left alone by her family under a tree years ago, had grown up with her new family. She lived with them, slept with them, played and ate with them, and although she was different, they still cared for her. Well, almost all did. Some just couldn’t accept, that what would normally be their lunch was now playing with their kids. She had the feeling she was not accepted and knew she was different, but those that showed her their smiles made her forget it.
The gray wolf, leader of the pack and her savior, watched over them with care. He brought her in because he knew she didn’t stand a chance alone there, but also because he thought it would be fun to have a pet. The idea, that she would become part of his pack like this didn’t even cross his mind. He even tried to teach her what he was able to learn in his life.
Their language, which was almost identical with that of her own race was one of the first things she learned, and was she a quick learner. Other puppies were still struggling with some words while she was already reciting some small poems. He wasn’t able to teach her how to write though, mostly because none of them knew how to write since they didn’t need it.
Hunting proved to be a challenge. Not only was she not able to eat meat as they were, but she didn’t have the stomach for hurting any animal as well. This was something he wasn’t used to since all the wolves he had trained before were hunters, just as he was. To see her separate fighting younglings was too weird for him.
But still, she tried her best to fit in and she helped everyone as much as her still small body was able to. And she would help tomorrow too.
The night left silently, just as it had come and its darkness was replaced by rays of sun shining through the leaves. Today they woke up earlier because they had to walk quite a lot. Their water supplies were slowly running out and a trip to the river had to be made. This time though, a few puppies would be taken as well to show them how it goes. The filly was amongst them too.
Once everyone was ready the group headed out, the pack leader in front with a few adult wolves behind him and at the end of the group too. The puppies and the filly were in the middle of the group as to not get lost or try something stupid. There was always at least one who had to explore the forest on his own.
This day was different. None of the little ones tried anything and the only thing that they did was to watch the forest. It was the first time they went outside their territory and the forest was just too awesome for them to miss anything. Even the river was something new to them. Never before did they see so much water in one place. It even had this sound around it that made them relax and just listen.
“Ok were here.” the pack leader said to get their attention. Once every ear was turned his way he continued.
“We only came here for the water and to show you how it’s done. Don’t you dare and try to swim in the river or run after something you saw. None of you know how to swim and the river is not to be toyed with.” he said with authority in his voice and he knew that all of them would follow his orders.
Showing them how to get water from a river is nothing hard to understand. The only reason he made a big deal out of it was the place they were at. The Everfree forest was simply too dangerous for anyone to be alone in it, and if one his own got lost, well, he didn’t even want to know what would happen.
Once he showed them how to do it safely, one by one the puppies did so as well. They were all given a jug they could carry before they headed out and their goal was to bring it back with as much water as they could. It was part contest and part a game for them and it made them take it seriously, but still have fun doing it.
The filling went slowly. There was no rushing, mostly because they didn’t have to hurry back. Those with their jugs filled just sat down next to each other, guarding their jugs as to not spill anything before the trip back.
Everything went well, but for some reason, the leader got a strange feeling. He couldn’t smell anything, nor could he hear or see anything, but still he knew something was wrong. And to his disappointment he was.
While looking around to find out what was causing him to worry, he noticed a weak rumble from under him. He instantly looked to his right, only to notice a smudge in the distance, slowly getting bigger just as the rumbling was. He stood up onto all four and turned to look what was coming, alerting the other adults to a possible danger.
Once the smudge became more clear, his face froze and without hesitation he yelled “Quickly ! Run into the forest !” he then turned around and nudged the puppy that was getting water to the forest
“Go ! Run as fast as you can ! You, lead the way !” he pointed at one of the adults. He watched them leave the riverbank and once all of them were gone he ran after them while looking behind to see if it was still following them. And it was. Quickly, he changed directions from where the rest was running, luring the pursuer somewhere he couldn’t follow. Branches, bushes and roots were now his allies in the escape. He only slowed down once the pursuer was lost in the forest, and he was sure that following him now was impossible. Finding the rest of the group was easy thanks to his smell.
“What was that ?” one of the adult wolves asked once he returned
“A dragon.” he replied while still catching his breath
“Are you sure ? What would a dragon do here ?” the adult asked.
“I’m not sure but I sure as hell won’t return to ask.”
The rest of the group was sitting in a clearing where they were led to. The adults were on guard while the little ones rested. Most of them had lost their jugs while escaping, some managed to break them and only a few were able to keep theirs. To his surprise, two of them even had water in them, one of the two being the little green filly.
But his sense of dread suddenly came back. He looked over to the adults, then the fillies and then all around the clearing.
“Oh no. No no no no.” he said while looking around
“Something wrong ?” one of the adults asked
“One of the little ones is gone.” he said while trying to find him, looking around and sniffing the air.
The rest of the adults did the same but the smell was nowhere to be found. He must have gotten lost while they were running away.
“Damnit. Now we have two problems.” the leader said angrily
“Why two ?”
“We have to move everyone. There is no way we can stay where we are with a dragon lurking around.”
The others understood. Once the little ones had rested enough they left for the village.
Although these wolves were different from normal ones, one thing was the same. If they needed to move from one place to another, they were almost always ready to leave. This time was no different. Taking only necessary items like food and water they left for the clearing they had rested after the chase.
Once there, the group started looking together, the best hunters leading the way while the females stayed back with the little ones. Luck was on their side this day. They managed to find the little puppy only a few minutes away from the clearing., hiding in what seemed to be some kind of old ruins.
“What is this place ?” one of them asked but no answer came. The ruin was not far from where they were staying before, so how come they never found it ? The whole pack was just staring at it, confused and that’s when it happened. The little filly, mustering all her courage, went straight into the ruin. Her little eyes noticed something what the others didn’t. He walked over to what she saw, and before anyone could stop her, took it from the ground. What she now held in her hooves was a pure white skull, unlike any she had seen before. For something that lay in the dirt, it was clean without a single smudge or speck of dust. She looked at it, and while she did, she felt as if the skull looked back at her. And that’s when it happened.
The skull lit up, blue flame bursting from within it and engulfing the little filly in it. She screamed but stopped once she realized she wasn’t hurting anywhere. She looked at her pack, which was now getting all the water they could get to put the flames out.
They shouldn’t have done it.
Several wolves ran to her and poured all the water they had onto her. Once the first droplets of water hit her little body, the blue flame burst out into all directions, changing instantly into to a red flame and engulfing everything standing close to the ruin. The little filly couldn’t watch what was happening and she shielded her eyes with her hooves. Once she couldn’t hear anything anymore she stood up, looking around. The place was empty, only the red flame could be seen as it slowly went pulled back to her.
Then there was only she, the skull in her hooves and the blue flame around her. And once the blue flame vanished she collapsed.
She lay there, eyes open and yet not awake. Her mind has been transported into a place she had no idea what it was. The place was bigger than anything before and for some reason, it had nothing inside it. No sky, no ground, no plants nor animals.
Then the place woke up.
Slowly, one by one, her pact started appearing in front of her. All of her friends, neighbors, even her savior now sat in front of her, looking at her but not saying anything. They didn’t have to, for what appeared last did so for them.
It was the skull.
The filly reached out to the skull and grabbed it tightly in her hooves, and as she held it her friends started vanishing until she was alone there. But they weren’t gone. They were all part of her now just as the white skull would soon be.
She looked the skull into its eyes once more, feeling not only the skull looking back , but her pack as well. A small tear rolled down her cheek as she hugged the skull tightly, waking up in ruins once more.
The Everfree forest. A place of magic mysterious and dark. A place full of secrets and beasts long forgotten. A place where those able to grow stronger and wiser just by surviving.
During the day, sounds can be heard from the forest. Some weird, some sounding dangerous and some trying to lure the listener in. During the night though, the forest is silent.
This night was different.
Just as so many years ago, a rustling could be hear by the nights watchers, at first weak, but slowly growing. This time it wasn’t a pair of wolves emerging from its depths to save a little green filly.
This time it was a grown mare ready for the world and all its secrets.
The night was still dark, the only source of light were the nightly watchers guarding the peaceful night for all the sleeping creatures.
But for our green mare, there was no sleeping tonight. Her time to leave her home in the mystical Everfree forest has come, and the darkness of the night seemed most appropriate, as well as nostalgic. None of her family had ever told her how she came to be, but still she found out. One of the many gifts the skull had given her, when it changed her life completely.
She looked back at the forest, thinking about the days she spent there, training, learning and most of all surviving. She caught a glimpse of her flank when looking back and smiled. It was not blank, but instead had a burning skull on it. Not something a pony gets as a cutie mark, but she didn't care, neither did she even know what was normal for her kind. She never met any in the years she spent in the forest, and that was also the reason for her departure. She had learned everything from the forest and her family she was able to, and now the world would be her new mentor.
A new start.
She started walking, at first with no other goal than to get moving, but soon she had spotted her new destination. A small town, not even that far from the forest, lay right in her way. She smiled. She didn't think she would be able to find something this fast, but she still had one problem. There was no way for her to enter the town at night. What would the inhabitants think if they woke up and an unknown pony would be walking the streets ? No, that would have been bad. The only option was to wait until morning. She got closer to the town, trying to find a place where she could wait unnoticed, only to see an orchard not far away from the town.
The place was incredibly big and filled apple trees, bursting with apples almost ready for picking. Not losing a moment, she picked a few and started eating, and her face was completely amazed. Never before has she eaten something this tasty, and there were just so many. She didn't take many though, she was no thief and even in a place as big as this one was, she didn't feel comfortable with how many she already took. Hunger was hunger though and maybe one day she would be able to repay the debt she had made. Once she was feeling full, she wanted to stash the other ones she had plucked, only to realize she had nowhere to put them. The only thing she had with her was a cape, and it had no pockets. Not wanting the apples to go to waste, she decided to put them somewhere they would be found and taken.
And so she headed to the house that was near the orchard.
She carefully crept up to the house, not wanting to get noticed or be heard. Success. She approached the house completely unnoticed and placed all the apples near the door.
“There. safe and sound.” she said and turned around to go lay down for a bit, only to notice that the moon was no longer ruling the sky, but was instead getting replaced by the rising sun. She watched the moon set, and at the same time the sun rise, switching from to the other. In the forest, there was not a single spot where this could be seen. The sky was almost always covered with trees, or clouds moving about.
She didn't even realize, that she didn't move from the house, and that morning was already here. What woke her up were the sounds coming from the house. The residents in it were waking up already, getting ready for a day of work at the orchard.
She quickly darted away from the house, hiding in between the trees. She just managed to hide when the doors opened and two ponies came out. The first two ponies she had ever seen.
One a orange mare with a funny looking hat, the other one a big red stallion. Both were talking, even though the stallion seemed awfully quiet, only saying a word here and there.
“Today's going to be the market.” the orange one said
“Eyup.” the stallion replied
“Want to come with us ? I don't think the girls will mind.” the mare asked him
“Nope.” he replied once again
“Mac you're no fun at all, you know that ?”
“There's too much work Applejack. The applebuck season is around the corner and the preparations have to be complete.” he said, which made the mare snicker a bit. She didn't expect him to say a sentence, this long even less so.
The rest of the conversation she did not hear. the two ponies entered a barn before continuing on talking and she was now too far.
But she got some info she didn't expect. A market ? She only knew partially what that was, but it sounded like something she could use as cover.
Leaving the orchard before getting noticed, the green mare now headed to the town. The sun was now ruling the sky and the townsfolk were waking up.Already from afar, she could see that the town was alive. Ponies were building their stalls or decorating the town, bakeries and other stores were alive with workers who tried to finish as much as they were able to. She was amazed. So many of her kind in one place, her eyes restless while looking from one to another. The whole town was simply amazing to her. Everyone seemed happy, and even though some seemed to be tired from all the work, they still smiled.
She slowly walked into the town, only a few minutes before everything started. Stalls started opening one after another so fast that the mare couldn't even notice when the streets got crowded.
Mingling in between the different colored ponies, she walked the street looking here and there, not really watching the various stalls and shops, but the ponies instead. They seemed more interesting to her than anything else in there. She even managed to see the orange mare with her friends walk by. The mare caught a glimpse of her but didn't seem to know her, which made her happy that she went unseen. No One even stopped her once, making it possible for her to enjoy herself for the first time in ages. But still, even with all the things she saw, she felt uncomfortable being here.
She didn't come here with only the purpose of discovering others of her kind, no that would have been too simple, and with her little secret pointless at that. No this town was just too pure to be her goal. Everyone here seemed happy, without any troubles or problems, and even there were some conflicts here and there, they were always resolved with a smile on the face and more to the point, without any incidents. What she was looking for was something more lively, someplace she could actually help and most importantly, use her gift.
Deciding to stay till the end proved to be a good choice. Not only was she able to see so many different ponies, but she started getting an interest in the stuff they were selling as well. The craftsmanship of the pony folk amazed her, surprised her and made her wonder how such things can even be made, for she didn't get this knowledge from her people. She even managed to see the orange mare and her friends a couple more times on the market buying various things, even talking to a weird looking pony, who she had a bad feeling about. She knew something was wrong with him, but she just couldn't figure out what, not did she want to cause any trouble by finding out the hard way.
But the day was at an end now and most of the stall have been packed up and the streets were slowly getting empty. What now, she thought. Staying here was not really an option. That's when she noticed a group of ponies not only packing their things, but also their stalls and tables and leaving together in one direction. A traveling pack, just like the wolves were maybe ?
She decided to follow them.
Once again, good choice on her part. The group has led her to the train station, where a train has already been waiting for departure.
She just had to get onto that train, no matter where it went, but she had no ticket, nor did she have money to buy one. And since she already had a debt for the apples in this town, she didn't want to steal anything either. That's when she noticed that the ponies were loading all their things into the last wagon, and just as she hoped, the last pony to leave forgot to close it properly.
Stealthily entering the last wagon and closing it behind herself, she sat down in between the things inside and closed her eyes. She was happy with what she discovered and saw, and just hoped that wherever she got next would be even more exciting as this town was.
__________________________
She woke up just as the train has been stopping. Hew new destination has been reached.
Quickly she opened up the wagons door to peer outside. Not a single soul close by so she jumped out and closed the wagon behind herself.
“Don't want anyone to steal anything now do we.”
She then turned around to see where she ended up at, and to her surprise, the town in front of her was something completely different. Huge building were squeezed next to one another, factories were scattered all around the city, with their chimneys smoking high up into the sky and the streets were filled with ponies hurrying to who know where or why.
And right in front of her a big shiny sign saying
“Welcome to Manehattan”
