Xane's Life Anew

Xane groaned. He kept his eyes closed as he counted his aches and pains. His body lay partially on its side with his arms out in front of him. There was something pressing against his lower back, probably a tree. Luckily nothing seemed to be badly hurt though he did wonder at exactly what just happened.

Opening his eyes showed him that the ground in front of him was disturbed from his landing, and that it was level. The later was odd since he had been hiking one of the mountain trails in the Olympic National Park. Gently lifting his head up he looked around. The trees were deciduous. He wasn't where he used to be.

Shifting his arms he carefully moved himself into a sitting position. Xane leaned back against the tree. He brushed the dirt from his side and pulled his legs in towards him. Taking off the small pack on his back he checked the water bladder inside and saw that it was still intact. Reaching up he pulled the tie out of his hair, letting it out of its ponytail. Using his fingers Xane then brushed the dirt and other detritus out of the hair before pulling it back into the ponytail and tying it.

Checking the sky the trees obscured the position of the sun, but it was either late in the day or early in the day. Checking his watch said that it was 1:15 pm. He wondered if something happened to his watch since the light seemed wrong for that time. Xane decided that he should hike and try to find someone or someplace. It seemed unlikely that any search party would find him as they would start with where he used to be, and he could be relatively certain that anyone in his current area was looking for him.

Xane stood up and stretched out to ensure his body was in good shape from whatever happened. Not knowing what else to do he spun around quickly and walked off in the direction he faced when he stopped.

He put on of his earbuds back in and turned his music player on. He lost himself to the walk as he took in the difference of the forest he found himself in. The sky started to get noticebly darker when he stumbled across what could only be a game trail.

Picking up a stick he broke it at a spot where a branch had sprouted so each end was different. He then tossed the stick into the air while spinning it. Stepping back he let it land and checked which direction it seemed to point towards.

Xane then stepped onto the trail and faced towards his right before beginning his walk once more. He pulled the tube from the shoulder strap for his pack, took the cover off the end, flipped a valve and drank some water from it. He reversed the process before replacing the tube on the strap.

He walked unto the sky grew dark enough that he started having problems seeing the trail he was following. Deciding that it would be best to get some sleep until it was bright enough to hike again, Xane looked around to find either enough stuff to build a shelter or an easily climbable tree.

He didn't find much in the way of materials but his did find a good tree. He made his way up the branches until he found a few positioned so he could sit down on a junction with his back to the trunk and lean against another one.

Looping his arms around the higher branch he laid a hand on his shoulder and put head on top of it. He lay there for some time, listening to the forest trying to place some of the noises as the sounds of the night lulled him to sleep.

Xane was running through a forest. It was dark but he could easily see the area around him. The trees seemed to have been twisted into monstrous shapes.

A loud cracking sound came from behind him as whatever was chasing him broke a tree. As it crashed to the ground he could hear it's claws scrape the ground as it ran.

He made a sharp turn hoping to gain some distance when the tree he turned around at was shredded by the beasts claw. Xane is knocked down by a large chunk of the destroyed tree. He shifts it off of him in time to see the monster move to tower over him.

As the monster seemed poised to strike a killing blow a large flash of light drew its attention. A blast struck the beast sending it flying away from Xane.

“Art thou alright?” said a horse. A horse with wings and a horn.

Xane was dreaming, he could see that clearly. The horse was waiting for a reply from him.

“Yeah, I seem to be uninjured. Thanks for saving me.” He said as he stood up, being roughly equal in height with the dark blue horse.

The horse looked him over, her large eyes were just below his but her horn and oddly flowing mane gave the impression of her being taller than him.

“That is good. You are a human if my information is correct.” She said, a tentative touch to her words.

“Yes. I take it that is a surprise to you? My name is Xane.” He stated.

“Princess Luna, Diarch of Equestria, Mistress of Dreams. Yes tis a surprise. Twilight spoke of creatures similar to you from when she visited another world, but you aren't exactly as she described.” Luna remarked.

“Equestria? Another world... I wonder if that is what happened.” He said.

“Tis likely. I hast figured out where thou art. I shalt show thou what direction thine should head to reach the nearest town.” She replied as she shifted the dreamscape to aid in her guidance.

Xane memorized the directions as they were shown to him. He also noted how the Princess used her horn to channel magic as she changed things.

“So I guess there aren't many humans in Equestria?” He asked.

“Thou art the only one. My sister and I will investigate how thou came to be here. There didn't happen to be a large portal where thine arrived?” Luna replied.

Xane hung his head, which told Luna all she needed to know. Walking next to him she nuzzled him lightly to comfort him. He leaned into her nuzzling and sighed.

“Thank you Princess for spending you time on me, though you must have more pressing duties to attend to.” He said morosely.

“Thou can call me Luna. I'll be sure to inform the guard at the village to expect thou.” She said, giving him a final nuzzle. “Now awaken.”

Xane started awake. He stretched out and rubbed his stiff muscles. Climbing down the tree he looked around to find the path he had memorized in his dream.

Finding the first few trees that marked the direction he proceeded to hike towards the nearby village.