Among The Trotting Dead

Crisp morning air washes into the farmhouse through the open door. The flimsy screen-door still latched to the doorframe shakes a bit from the winds. Twilight shivers from the cold breeze and warm dense air washing over her body – making her fur stand on end. Picking up several cups of coffee with her magic, she walks up to the kitchen’s archway and hands a cup to Rarity and Applejack before handing out the rest to Shining Armor, Willy Pete and Sunny.

Zecora and Derpy sit by the fire. A large blanket covers Zecora in warmth and comfort as Derpy feeds her a bowl of tomato bean soup. Her eyes watch as the spoon scoops up a good amount of the meal. With a hum, Derpy puts the spoon up to her mouth which she graciously accepts.

“Shit!”

Rarity and Twilight look at Applejack with wide eyes. With all the years they known her, they never heard her curse. “What?!”

“I said shit!” Applejack growls. “Why didn’t we look harder?!”

Twilight frowns. “We didn’t know! You didn’t know!” She rubs her horn – its tip sparking from a small discharge of magic. “We can’t blame ourselves for something we had no control over!”

“We did and we did nothing!” Applejack shouts.

“Darling!” Rarity growls. “We don’t need another hothead!” She points out the kitchen window.

Several yards from the farmhouse, Rainbow Dash is showing an old dying apple tree whose boss – her strikes swift and sound. “FUCK!” Her voice is filled with pain as she sends chunks of decaying bark flying all around her.

The children watch the irate mare unleash her fury from the comfort of the farmhouse window by the fireplace. Scootaloo looks at her idol with terrified eyes. Hearing Rainbow Dash spew several more colorful expletives, Summer Wind gently guides the children away from the window towards their room “Let’s go play some games, shall we?”

Applejack looks away from the mare and sighs. “I know…” She winces when she hears Rainbow Dash break into a torrent of sobs. “Thunderlane?”

Thunderlane sighs as he stands up from the floor next to the couch. “I’ll calm her down…” He leaves the house, the screen door squealing as it shuts close.

Macintosh stares at Rainbow Dash from the kitchen window with solemn eyes. “I’ve been thinking.” He watches Thunderlane sit next to her, draping a wings over her back.

Applejack looks at her brother. “Thinking of what?”

Macintosh pulls out a small glass bottle of whiskey and spikes his coffee. “What Zecora told you?” He sips his drink. “And the pony who was stalking us yesterday.” He looks at Zecora. “Our stalker was wearing a brown robe, like her captors.”

The group looks at one another thinking over his words.

“You don’t think?” Sunny feels her throat tighten. “That pony is with them?!” Bolt comforts his wife as she begins to shiver.

Macintosh looks out the window once more. “I’m not sure, I hope I’m wrong and it’s just some random survivor just checking us out…”

Shining Armor rubs the base of his horn. “If it’s not, we better prepare ourselves… I’m not comfortable with a cult, with rape tendencies somewhere around our home.”

“We have children!” Sunny cries. “What do they do to children?"

Marley looks at the mare and Zecora and frowns. “Nothing good, if we go by what they did to her.” He nods his head at Zecora.

Sunny sobs. “Will you watch what you say!” Bolt growls. Marley frowns at the stallion, rolling his eyes he walks up to the front door grabs his shotgun and heads out of the house.

Twilight sighs as she rubs her eyes. “We’ll just have to be vigilant.” She looks at the group. “We need to keep track of every pony on the farm. We see strangers, we treat them as if they can do us harm.” Applejack and Willy Pete look at her with reserved expressions but nod in agreement. “The children will have to stay close to the house. No wandering off.”

“I agree with that.” Bolt chimes in.

“I second that.” Derpy gives the group a smile.

Twilight returns the gesture as she looks down the hall. She sees Spike and Applebloom looking at her. Not wanting them to worry she gives them a smile and a nod…

“WHERE THE FUCK IS FLUTTERSHY YOU SICKO!”

The group jerks at the tone in Rainbow Dash’s voice. Macintosh, Soarin, Aloe and Jiminy Jam look out the window and see a pony wearing a brown robe with a hoodie, standing by the gate. “That’s the pony we saw yesterday!” Soarin shouts as he bolts out the door.

Shivering, Twilight chases after the pegasus, followed by the rest of the group. Hearing their elders running out of the house the children lead by Applebloom and Spike head towards the windows. Opening them, they watch as the group approaches the stranger. Granny Smith walks up to Zecora, all the while keeping her eyes on the children. Zecora remains on the floor, her ears swivel, focusing in on the commotion taking place outside. Her eyes’ gaze however stay on the fireplace – watching its flames consume the logs within.

The stranger stares at the irate pegasus as Marley and Thunderlane hold her back. He raises his brow at her accusation. Finding it charming he gives her a playful smirk, before turning his attention to the approaching group of ponies coming from the farmhouse.

Closing the distance between the stranger, Twilight notices that he’s an earth pony. His fur is light grey. His mane is short and black. What catches her attention however, is his eyes – their bright green color pierces her soul, causing her to shiver a bit. “Who are you?” Twilight asks as she stands a few feet from the stallion.

“The same could be asked of you?” The stallion hums.

“We asked you first mister!” Applejack frowns as she nears the stallion.

The stallion hums as he looks over Applejack. “I’m just a stranger that’s been watching your group from afar for some time now.”

“What are your intentions?” Soarin asks.

“Nothing of ill intent if that’s what you’re wondering about…”

“LAIR!” Rainbow Dash spits. “You’re wearing those robes those ponies from Sanctuary wear!”

The stallion smiles. “Ah, you know of Sanctuary.” His smile leaves as he looks at the farmhouse. “But from the zebra you harbor… A tainted view no less.”

“Members from your group raped her!” Sunny shouts.

The stallion sighs. “Father told them to punish her for her wicked ways.” He looks at the pegasus. “As how they punished her, it was their choice. One that got them killed.”

Marley glares at the stallion. “You knew of their deaths?”

The stallion nods. “One that she did not kill ran back to Sanctuary. Blood coated his fur. We saw he had the bite of a demon. Before we executed him, he told us what happened.” The stallion looks to his right and sees the edge of the Everfree forest. “His actions lead to his death.”

The group is uneasy by his tone. From the sounds of it, he disagreed with his comrade’s actions, they even executed him. But that could have been for the bite. Or maybe, just maybe… Still, his group kidnapped Fluttershy and Button Mash – even raped Zecora mercilessly.

Twilight is perplexed by the name given to the dead. “Why do you call them demons?”

The stallion smiles at her. “Because,” His smile leaves. “The gods are displeased with our sinful lives that they forfeited their protection over us and allowed the zebras to use their dark magic to send the demons upon the world!”

“That’s a load of bullshit!” Macintosh spits.

“I was once blinded like you until Father told us the truth, told us of what he as foreseen! He predicted this long before the demons came!” The stallion growls.

Rarity huffs as she studies the stallion. “Who is this ‘father’ you speak of?”

The stallion calms as he looks at Rarity. “Just the wisest of ponies who ever lived.” He smiles. “He told us the way we can rid the word of these demons. Told us we must live like our ancient ancestors once did. It’s the way the gods intended us to live.”

Twilight shivers as she mulls over his words. Something in the back of her mind crawls its way to the surface. She rubs her head as she remembers old memories of herself sitting in history class in university. Her eyes go wide. “No…” She glares at the stallion. “What do you mean by how our ancestors use to live?” Deep down she has a sneaky suspicion as to what his answer will be.

The stallion smiles at her. “I can tell you already know the answer to that question.” He smirks. “I can tell you’re a smart mare.”

“Twilight you know what he’s talking about?” Derpy wonders.

Twilight keeps her eyes on the stallion. “Yes…” She grits her teeth. “Thousands of years ago we ponies lived barbaric ways…”

“I wouldn’t call it barbaric.” The stallion huffs. “It’s natural!”

Twilight growls. “I don’t call living under a system of an alpha stallion and an alpha mare who controls when ponies can eat, drink, sleep and mate, not barbaric!”

The stallion smirks. “Its no different form the way we live now. We just call it by different names.”

The group looks at one another concerned by Twilight’s and the stallion’s words.

Gritting his teeth Shining steps up to the stallion. “Again!” He shouts. “What is the real reason you are here, why have you’ve been stalking us?!”

The stallion puffs out his chest. “To see if you will join and submit to our clan.” He gives them a seller’s smile. “Father knows what is best for us, he can feed you, house you, and give you the affection you deserve.” The group talks among themselves, contemplating on what his words mean. Jet Cloud on the other hand keeps to himself as he looks at the stallion, his expression unclear.

“We’ll never join you!” Twilight growls.

Copper stands next to Twilight. “If you haven’t noticed, we like our freedoms.”

The stallion frowns. “Freedom is dangerous.”

“We can handle it!” Soarin huffs. “Besides the way you live doesn’t sound like it would be worthwhile.”

The stallion smirks as he looks at Rainbow Dash. “Your friend Fluttershy thinks otherwise…”

“YOU BITCH!” Rainbow Dash shouts as she lunges at the stallion. But before she can land a blow on the stallion an arrow flies from out of nowhere and cuts along her right shoulder – impaling itself into the dirt near Jiminy Jam’s hooves. “AH!!!”

“DASH!” Derpy and Thunderlane rush to her side.

Rainbow Dash looks at her wound and sees that’s its bleeding at a constant rate. Panicking, Derpy places her front hooves on the would to slow the bleeding. With teary eyes, Rainbow Dash glares at the stallion.

The group looks around searching for the pony who fired the arrow. Marley glares at the Everfree forest to his left and sees a small speck of brown through the dense trees. Growling, he pulls out his hoof-shotgun.

“I wouldn’t do that.” The stallion huffs.

“Why not?!” Marley growls. The stallion gives him a glare that tells him that others are out there, ready to strike him down.

“Father said you might be violent…” The stallion sighs. “It’s a shame, Fluttershy spoke highly of you…” He glares at the group. “Since you showed hostility, I can only come to the conclusion the zebra is controlling your emotions…” He stares at the farmhouse and sees the children staring at them with wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, he looks at the group with a flat scowl. “We’ll forget her,” He points at Rainbow Dash. “little outburst, for now…” He messes with his robe. “Since you rejected my first offer, I have another for you.”

Twilight glares at the stallion. “What’s your offer?”

Marley, Zipper, Shining and Macintosh brandish their weapons.

Noticing their tense stances, the stallion holds up a hoof. “You give up the zebra to us. Allow us to give her the punishment she deserves and we’ll leave you be.” He sees Twilight is about to interrupt and he holds up a hoof once again, silencing her. “Or join us, summit yourselves to Father’s guidance!”

The group looks at one another each trying to read each other’s thoughts. “What if we refuse?” Applejack walks up to the stallion – She puffs out her chest. Trying to intimidate him.

“You’ll have seventy-two hours to find out.” The stallion bows before walking away from the farmhouse. “I hope you make the right decision!” He looks back at the group. “For Fluttershy’s sake.”

Watching the stallion disappear behind the foothills surrounding the orchard the group feels their spines shiver as they look at their surroundings. It now feels like they’re being watched from all sides. Even being within the farmhouse didn’t feel safe anymore. Feeling like she going to puke, Applejack looks at Twilight who’s staring at the spot where the stallion’s silhouette was last seen. “Twilight?”

Twilight jerks from her voice and whips her head to look at the earth pony. Her eyes are wide and full of fear. “What?” She softly asks.

“What are we going to do?”

Twilight looks over Applejack’s shoulder and sees the rest of the group looking at her and each other for some answer to their new threat that’s so close to home. Taking a shallow breath, she watches Derpy patch up Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “We have to prepare ourselves…”

“For a fight!” Marley growls.

Twilight nods. “Yes… A fight…”