A Warrior Among the Shadows

Crescent Shade lurked in the shadows of the Everfree forest. She had been on the move for days and had decided to rest for once. The forest was oddly silent around her but she didn't worry about it. Crescent enjoyed the silence and did not fear the clear sign of a nearby predator.  She hated company and other ponies due to a traumatic past she rather not talk about. After all, she had to go through it over and over again in her dreams at night so why go through it in the day?

"Friends. Who needs them? I sure as Tartarus do not need friendship." Crescent muttered to herself as she got up to continue her journey but paused to look at the wonderful moon above her. She unconsciously stepped out of the shadows into the bright moonlight.  Her bright yellow eyes were briefly illuminated but her pitch black pelt seemed to consume the light around it. The only way one could separate her from the shadows that the trees around Crescent were the pesky light gray spots that littered her coat and her cutie mark of a yellow crescent moon with a sword across it.

Crescent may have been severely distracted by the night's beauty but with her ominously perfect hearing she could hardly miss the cries of an animal nearby. And even though every fiber of Crescent's being told her to continue her journey, a vow she had made long ago set her in the direction of the cry.

When she finally reached the cry's location, the beast before her reminded Crescent of her childhood. It stood on two furry legs, but was hunched over. It had a torso of a minutare and it was also furry. It's face was similar to a dog but it had humongous teeth and blood red eyes. And underneath the beast's furious gaze cowered three little fillies. The first one was an earth pony with a yellow pelt and a red mane with a bow. Another was a unicorn with a pink and light purple mane with a coat as white as snow. The third filly was an orange pegasus with purple hair.

"Oh, tarter sauce," she muttered, charged the ghastly thing, and let out a roar even Celestia would fear.

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A terrifying roar rang out from the Everfree Forest so loud that it shook every foundation in Ponyville and horrified even the most fearless citizens. So anypony would expect the yellow pegasus Fluttershy to be scared as well, but oddly enough she was not. Cocerned, yes, but she wasn't scared. For Fluttershy could recognize most animalistic sounds and understood the message as clear as Celestia's day.

"Back off!" The unknown beast roared. "These ponies are not prey!"

Fluttershy quickly flew out of her house and headed towards Ponyville. She needed to find her friends.

The scene she saw in town was understandable. Ponies were running throughout the streets in panic. Shop owners were closing their shops, parents searching for their young, and screams filled the air. But Fluttershy ignored the panic below her as she flew to the castle nearby.

Flutters knew her friends would be meeting in the main room and set off towards it. She burst into the room and called out, "Sorry I'm late."

"Oh, it's fine", Princess Twilight Sparkle replied, "you are here and now can tell us what that awful sound was!"

"Yeah," Applejack said, "We were thinkin' you might know what beast made that sound, sugar cube."

"I have no idea what made the sound but, I know what it said." Fluttershy meekly replied.

"You what!" Five ponies shouted.

"Yes, it said these ponies aren't prey."

"So is the thing a threat?" Rainbow Dash asked with a bit of excitement in her voice.

"No but whatever is hunting the ponies is dangerous."

Rarity asked, "Darling do you think your woodland creatures could find the ponies?"

"Well it did come from the Everfree so I don't believe that they could help. But I know of a clearing in the forest close by and I think that's where the noise came from."

The pink pony named Pinkie Pie bounced up and down and said, "Well what are we waiting for, a pie eating contest? Let's go!"

And so the six mares set off towards the clearing and what would surely change the history of Equestria.

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Crescent Shade slammed against a tree. The little fillies whimpered and begged her to get back up.

Crescent had underestimated the monster in front of her. She assumed that this would be an easy fight. However the beast wasn't stupid and was a very good fighter. But Crescent was better. She had broken one of the beast's arm and had drawn blood.

Even though she was quite injured herself she needed to protect the ponies at all costs. It didn't matter that she had several lashes and deep scratches all over her body and her vision was dimming she must see this through. So she got up on bloody and shaky legs to fight again.

But she didn't have to fight because suddenly six mares dashed into the clearing and the monster disappeared

"Applebloom! What in Equestria are you doin here?" An orange pony yelled. "An' git away from that thing!"

"No AJ! It saved our lives!" One of the fillies said. For Crescent Shade wasn't a pony at all. She had paws instead of hooves, pointy ears, and sharp fang-like teeth. All of the ponies gasped when Crescent spoke.

"Huh. Even he-" she coughed out the blood in her lungs and started again. "Even here in Equestria I am judged for my looks. The land that values friendship and love above all."

With a bitter grimace she then fell unconscious.