The first wooden wolf never knew what hit it. Geralt charged through the underbrush and swung low. His strike cleaved both hind legs off and the wolf fell on its rear. The wolf was too stunned to make a noise as Geralt withdrew the sword and swung it overhead. The force of the blow severed the wolf's head from its neck. Sap like blood gushed through the arteries of the stump of the neck. *

The other Timberwolves turned at the new occupant of the clearing. One wasn't fast enough and was victim to Geralt's second attack. Geralt artfully stabbed it through the eye and into the brain. Blood splashed out and the Timberwolf twitched once before hanging limply on his sword. Geralt withdrew it just in time for one to close its jaws around one of his legs. Geralt winced and managed to kick it off. The wooden wolf bared its wooden teeth and lunged. Geralt rolled out of the way. Geralt, too, lunged at the wolf and ripped open its side. Its green liver and intestines spilled out.

The last wolf look between Geralt and its fallen comrades. It turned to run but was too slow. Geralt dashed forward and brought his sword down with all his might. He cleaved the wooden wolf in two. Geralt sheathed his sword as blood slowly pooled beneath the two halves, guts slipping out on either end.

Geralt turned to the three horses; they were clearly sentient. "Are you okay?" When they didn't respond at first, Geralt feared that they couldn't understand them. But eventually the one in the middle, the yellow one, nodded.

"Thanks, mister..."

"Geralt of Rivia. And you can talk,"

"'course we can talk. Why wouldn't we?"

"I just didn't expect a horse to talk,"

"Whut's a horse? We're ponies,"

Geralt knelt down so he could be at eye level. "What're your names?"

The yellow one pointed to the white and orange ones. "This here's Sweetie Belle, that ones Scootaloo, and Ah'm Applebloom,"

"What're you doing in this forest?"

"We were going to Zecora's With Twilight and Applejack when-" Applebloom's eyes widened. "APPLEJACK! We were attacked by Timberwolves an' we got split up. Geralt, Ah know we jus' met, but can ya help us again? Please?"

Geralt nodded, "Lead the way, but when we get there you three hide,"

"Can't ya jus' teleport us outa here, Twi?"

Twilight Sparkle grunted as another Timberwolf rammed into the magic barrier she put up. "Can't...focus...enough..."

Applejack looked at Twilight then back at cracked filled shield. She knew, deep in her heart, that the chances of getting out of here alive were slim. There were just too many.

And that's when she heard rustling bushes behind the wolves. The Timberwolves must have heard it too, as most of them turned around. Suddenly, something big and red burst out of the foliage. A wolf immediately lost his head, while another staggered back from a kick to the face. The thing was fast, the next thing Applejack knew was that the wolf suddenly had a sword down its gullet. The wolf choked, spewing blood from its mouth. The thing withdrew its sword to parry a lunge from another wolf. The wolf withdrew a little, stunned. The red thing swung its sword overhead and sliced deep into the wolf's skull. It twitched as it withdrew its sword.

It stopped to look at the rest of the wolves. This gave Applejack just enough time to get a good look at it. It was covered in what she guessed was red and gold armor, the only thing not covered was its face. The face was adorned with scars. A white mane adorned the top of its head with a scraggly beard on its face. What was most interesting was its eyes. It had slitted eyes, like those of a cat's.

And then, just as fast a cat, he lunged at the remaining wolves. The wolves yipped and yelped as the thing cut into them. One lost both its front paws and was finished by a stab through the back of the neck. Another's head was sliced in half diagonally. The thing pulled back a crossbow from its back and shot one between the eyes. The remaining wolves knew they were loosing the fight and thus turned and fled.

The thing turned and looked at them with its cat eyes, "Are you okay?"

Twilight grunted and collapsed,the shield failing. The thing stepped forward but stopped when Applejack stood defensively in front of her fallen friend. It sheathed its sword and held up its limbs. "Easy, not gonna hurt you,"

Applejack narrowed her eyes in distrust when the bushes rustled behind him. Much to her surprise, her sister and her friends came out. "APPLEJACK!" exclaimed Applebloom, and rushed forward. The thing did nothing except look at them embrace.

Scootaloo looked up at the thing, "How'd you know it was us that came out?"

The thing turned its head to look at her, "Heard hoof falls. No wolf could make those,"

Applebloom managed to squirm out of her sisters iron embrace, "Sis, Ah'd like ya to meet Geralt of Reeva!"

"It's Rivia," Geralt corrected.

Applejack nodded, still a bit wary considering the brutality of him dealing with the Timberwolves. Twilight beside her groaned. Applejack turned her attention to her tired friend, "Twi! Are ya okay?"

Twilight sat up and nodded, "Just tired," she looked up and her eyes widened. Adrenalin coursed though her veins allowing her to stand up. She looked at Geralt up and down before looking at the corpses. She winced, "Thanks for saving us..."

"There any way we can do to repay ya for saving our hides?" asked Applejack.

Geralt crossed his arms, "I'm not from this world, so my money is useless here. Do you have coin?"

Twilight nodded, "How does 100 sound?"

"Is that enough for me to get by?"

Twilight laid her ears back, "Not enough to buy yourself a home, but your welcome to stay at my castle,"

Geralt nodded, "I thank you for your generous offer," he looked around. "We should probably go, the wolves may return."

Twilight nodded, "Good idea. I would rather not deal with them again." She took the lead.

They walked for a while in silence when Sweetie Belle spoke. "Are you really from another world?" Geralt nodded.

Scootaloo flittered her wings. "What's it like there?"

Geralt's mind flew to the witch hunters in Novigrad. "Unpleasant,"

"Is that why ya have those scars?" asked Applebloom. Geralt nodded.

"An' how might ya got them scars?" asked Applejack, faint suspicion in her voice.

"Fighting a monster,"

"A monster, eh? Alrighty then,"

As they came out of the forest Applejack and Twilight strode further up ahead, no doubt to talk privately with each other. Thanks to his enhanced hearing he heard them easily.

"Interesting fellow, isn't he?" said Twilight.

"Mhm. I don't trust him, Twi,"

Twilight looked taken aback. "Why? He did save us, after all,"

"Ah don't rightly know, Twi. Somethin' about him feels wrong...like he ain't what he supposed to be. Like he ain't natural,"

"Well, I trust him. We--"

It was in this moment that Geralt heard a distinct sound of wings flapping. Geralt looked up and spied a blue speck approaching their position fast. He put his hand on his steel sword. The three fillies must have noticed him and looked where he was looking. Scootaloo grinned widely. "It's Rainbow Dash!"

The so-called Rainbow Dash landed in front of Twilight and Applejack. Her ears were laid back and eyes were wide. "Twilight, we've got a problem! There's a manticore in the town square!"

Author's Note

*Bestiary updated.

Elder Timberwolves:
Unlike Spirit Timberwolves, who are bound together by magic, Elder Timberwolves are living beings with blood and organs. Also unlike Spirit Timberwolves, who kill anything in sight, Elder Timberwolves need sustenance, and thus hunt like normal wolves.

Spirit Timberwolves:
Spirit Timberwolves are bits of trees and leaves held together by the magic of a spirit. These spirits hate everything for unknown reasons, and will attack anything that is not another Spirit Timberwolf. When the battle goes unfavorably, Spirit Timberwolves are known to break apart and reform in a giant Timberwolf. One can tell a Spirit Timberwolf is near is by the horrid smell they emit. They also hate Elder Timberwolves.