Pain stung Swift Blade's side as he ran, a reminder of the injury from earlier. The glass had been removed from his side carefully, then bandaged up, but it still stung like hell. Sweat ran down his face as he galloped as fast as his legs could take him, towards the source of the scream, which sounded again.

The others picked up speed, visible sweat falling down their faces and sides.
Vinyl's leg had been tended to better and now she could run better than before, a determined expression plastered across her face as she ran. Apple Jack seemed to be even more determined than the rest to find the source of the screams, almost as if she recognized the scream. Big Macintosh galloped next to his sister, an axe in his mouth. his eyes were narrowed. Pinkie had her cleaver, and almost looked mad. An emotion that Swift had never seen the party pony display.

The screams intensified, getting louder and more desperate, although Swift couldn't tell if it was because they were getting closer or if it was because whatever was attacking the screamer had gotten its prey. Slowly, an old treehouse came into view, and the source became known.

Three undead beasts, two earth pony's and a unicorn, all mares, were gathered around the tree fort, moaning, their heads all pointed upwards as they did, looking at the scared little filly who was trapped up there. The ramp which had been used to climb up to the entrance of the treehouse had been broken off somehow, and now lay on the ground in pieces. Some splinters stuck out of the zombie pony's legs and back, signaling that the filly must have broken the ramp to stop them from getting to her.

The filly was a orange Pegasus with a punk style purple mane and tail, her violet eyes had tears running down them as she screamed.

''HELP ME! SOMEPONY!''

Swift gripped the longsword in his mouth harder as the stallion and his friends reached the base of the tree. The filly's screams stopped and she gasped at the sight of the pony's coming to rescue her, she let out a cry of joy. The zombies turned their rotting heads towards the newcomers, snarling, they started towards the new prey, sounding more ravenous with every step.

Swift answered the challenge by leaping forward, hooves outstretched, aiming for the unicorns face. His hooves smashed into the mares face, causing her to fall backwards and hit the grass with a thud. The mare started to try and stand once more, but Swift interrupted the process by plunging his blade into her scull. Her head hit the ground and stopped moving.

Swift withdrew the blade from the dead pony's head and turned to see one of the earth pony zombies lunging at him, but it was knocked away from him by Apple Jack, who had reared up and kicked the beast in the jaw.

Pinkie Pie quickly dashed up to the zombie Apple Jack had sent flying, and switched her cleaver over to her hooves, she reared up on her hind legs and brought the big knife down on the zombie mares head with a cry of what could have been anger.

Swift looked away from the slaughter and watched as the final threat was eliminated by Big Mac. The red stallion started pulling on the handle of the axe now embedded in the corpses head with his mouth, grunting as he did.

Vinyl slowly approached the treehouse and looked up at the little filly, giving her a reassuring smile. ''Hey up there, its okay now, they're all dead.''

The filly peered down, her eyes still wet with tears, ''Thank you, I thought they would get me eventually, somehow.'' The orange Pegasus tried to joke, but it was clear that she was really scared.

The group of pony's gathered around the tree house, Apple Jack and Pinkie seemed to be overjoyed at the sight of the filly, looks of surprise and happiness on their faces. ''Scootaloo!'' they both exclaimed.

The filly, Scootaloo, smiled at the sight of the two mares and Big Mac, who followed close behind with a small smile on his lips. Pinkies mane and tail fluffed out again and she smiled widely. ''I'm so happy that your okay!'' She exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

Apple Jack also had a smile across her face, but slowly faded and turned to a look of concern, ''Sugar cube, what happened ta Sweetie Belle an ma sister?''

Scootaloo stayed silent for a minute, so Swift started trying to piece together what was going on, and then it hit him. He had seen the Pegasus filly around ponyville before, with two other filly's, a white unicorn and a yellow earth pony. One of them must have been AJ's sister, and the lack of her meant that she probably hadn't made it, but it wasn't Swift's place to assume or say anything yet. It was up to the little Pegasus.

Apple Jack's eyes started to tear up, and her mouth quivered slightly as she spoke, ''Scootaloo, Where. Is. Ma. Sister?''

Scootaloo, took another few seconds to speak, and she began to cry. Tears poured down her face like a waterfall as she sobbed and wailed, ''They're...Th-They're d-dead!'' She chocked out between the sobs. Pinkie stopped bouncing, her eyes wide with shock, and horror. Her lips quivered, and her mane and tail deflated again.

Apple Jack fell to her knees, the shock to much for her, and she began to wail too, tears falling freely from her eyes.

Big Mac, just stood there, eyes filled with tears, but refusing to let them fall. He approached his sister and leaned against her, trying to show some comfort, but it did little.

Swift and Vinyl, could only watch as their new friends cried and sobbed over the loss of their loved ones. Vinyl stared sadly at them, unsure of what to do, and Swift lowered his head, in respect for the dead. The wailing, sounded out around the orchard, marking the deaths, of Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom.

Swift leaned up against Apple Jack, trying to offer some comfort to the still sobbing farm mare, his face was one of concern and sadness, he may not have known either of the two filly's whos lives had been ended to soon, but it still hurt to know that it had happened, and was causing this much pain to his friends. ''I'm...sorry AJ...'' The mares only response, was to keep crying.

Vinyl stood next to Pinkie, patting her on the back, whispering her reassuring words. Big Mac also leaned up against his sister, trying to remain strong.

Pinkie wailings continued, her tears pouring out like waterfalls. Vinyl was trying to avoid getting wet well also comforting the pinky pony, not an easy thing to do considering she swung her head back and forth, the tears rocketing from her eyes, following her head.

Swift looked back up at the orange filly, Scootaloo, she had calmed down a bit, but the tears and sniffling's still came from her. Swift detached from Apple Jack's side and approached the treehouse again, looking up at the scared little filly.

''Hey there, Scootaloo, I can see what your going through right now, but could you come down now, we should get back to the farmhouse, your probably hungry.''

Scootaloo, slowly nodded her head, wiping a few tears away with a hoof. ''Al...Alright...'' She stepped forward, and looked at the spot where the ramp had once been. she didn't move.

Swift looked up at her, a confused and concerned look in his eyes, ''Scootaloo, what are you waiting for? Come on.''

Scootaloo shook her head, ''I...I cant...''

Apple Jack suddenly spoke up, her voice still shaky, ''S-Scootaloo cant fly...''

Swift Blade turned to face her, mind full of questions, but knew now was not the time and turned back to Scootaloo, ''Alright Scootaloo, we're going to find a way to get you down, try and stay calm.''

Scootaloo nodded, she was used to heights, but being trapped wasn't going to work for her.

Swift turned back to Apple Jack, ''You have any ladders or rope handy?''

She shook her head. ''No, normally ah carry ma rope around, but ah left it back at tha house.''

Pinkie still sniffled a little, she had no solutions for once, and just sat on the grass, her ears flat against her head.

Vinyl suddenly spoke up, ''Maybe I can try to use my magic to get her down.''

Big Mac nodded to the plan, ''Eeyup.''

Swift nodded his head in agreement also, before remembering something, ''Wait, what about your leg, I know its been patched up, but do you think you can concentrate with it like that?'' He asked with a nervous voice.

''Sure, I can handle this, stand back.'' Vinyl's horn began to glow a magenta color, symbolizing she was about to do something...magical.

Vinyl concentration turned to one of the huge chunks of ramp on the ground and it became enveloped in her blue magic. Using her telekinesis magic, she raised the platform up to Scootaloo hooves, ''Get on'' Vinyl smiled. The Pegasus filly complied gratefully and stepped onto the makeshift elevator.

Once lowered to the ground, Scootaloo hopped off and embraced Vinyl with a quick ''Thanks.''

Vinyl's glow around the ramp vanished as she wrapped a hoof around the filly. ''No prob.''

Swift smiled at Vinyl and Scootaloo's hug, but his ears suddenly flattened and the hairs on the back of his neck rose up, he whirled around on instinct, and spotted one of the most horrifying things he had seen since the Cake's place.

A small rotting dog approached from through the apple trees, her fur had been brown and white, but was matted and covered with blood, turning the colors into more of a puke color now. A red collar hung around the small beasts neck, symbolizing that it had once had an owner.

Scootaloo cried out, as the dog opened its mouth wide, dropping some black fluid and a half chewed pony leg on the ground, with a splat.

Apple Jack, Big Mac, and Pinkie all turned to see what the filly had seen, and their jaws dropped in horror. Apple Jack let out a whimper, ''W...Winona...?''

Big Mac stepped forward, his mouth set in a grim line. ''That aint Winona anymore'' The stallion snatched up his axe in his mouth, and stood ready.

Swift drew his sword once more, his eyes narrowed, but Apple jack stood in front of them, ''No! Ah already had ta see one of ma best friends be beheaded, ah cant see ma dog killed too!'' Her eyes were filled with tears, Big Mac tired to step around her, but she moved in front of him again.

Swift started to speak, but was cut off when the mutt pounced, heading straight for the orange farm pony. Apple Jack turned around when she heard the snarl, but didn't move, she saw what was coming.

Swift lunged forward, his blade sliding through the small dogs stomach, and coming out through her back. Swift reared up and swung the sword in the air, the snarling zombie dog coming loose.

The thing that had once been Winona hovered in the air for a second, before a flash of Vinyl's horn sent a blast of energy that tore through the dogs head, completely vaporizing it.

Vinyl panted for a second, the glow vanishing from her horn, and Apple Jack crumpled to her knees. Tears fell, but she didn't sob.

Big Mac sighed sadly, and patted his sister on the shoulder, ''it was tha only way''

Pinkie Pie trotted over to her friend and leaned against her, ''I'm sorry AJ, its just not fair...''

Scootaloo, shuddered and approached Swift, her face still fearful. ''Um...that's some pretty cool swordplay''
Swift looked down at the filly and smiled, ''Thanks, it is my talent after all.''

He turned back to the farm mare, and tapped her with his front hoof, ''Come on, we had better get out of here, all that noise will probably attract more of them.''

Vinyl nodded her head, ''Swift's right, lets get the buck back to the farmhouse and get Scoots checked over, and maybe something to eat as well.''

Pinkie stepped away from Apple Jack and smiled weakly, ''Yep, lets go home.'' Apple Jack slowly nodded, and stood up.

The group of pony's turned away from the treehouse, and the remains of Apple Jack's beloved pet, and headed for the farmhouse, hearts heavy with regret, and sorrow.

The survivors ate quietly, all gathered at the kitchen table inside the Apple family house.

Scootaloo had been checked over, and she had only a few scrapes she had received when she had crashed her scooter trying to escape from a bunch of monsters with her friends. Her scooter now sat across the room, against a wall, she had left it behind a tree and had picked it up on their way back. It made up for her lack of flying ability in her eyes.

Swift sat next to Vinyl, chomping on an apple, while the DJ shoveled hay fries into her mouth.

Pinkie Pie was silent, which was an odd thing for her, and she picked at her food, seemingly not hungry. Big Mac sat across the table next to his sister and Scootaloo, his eyes said it all. Apple Jack took a bite from an apple, her face somber.

Finally Swift spoke up, ''Look everypony, I know what were all going through is hard. Especially for you and Big Mac ,AJ, but there is still hope. There might be a way to put a stop to this endless nightmare.''

Author's Note

alright, now things get really interesting, what is Swift Blade about to say, you might know, but your going to have to read the next chapter to find out.

hit the like button some more and follow me, and maybe i'll make some more really awesome books.
also, a big thanks to Ender Knight for helping me decide which of the crusaders would be in this book, and for adding Swift to his book ''Nights, Darkness Rising'' which you should check out.
enjoy guys.