As Shadow woke up he yawned and slowly went to get out of bed. Suddenly he fell back over and rolled. "Wha..... Oh Hay No!".

Shadow looked at the pony staring at him as he was stuck on the ground because of the ropes around him. Another quick look proved to show they chaos vines, very strong vines with their only weakness being dark magic. Luckily for Shadow that is his specialty.

"Hey why am I tied up?", at his comment the mare smirked and leaned down to just above his heads level.

"Well, it may have to do with you wandering onto my land". At this Shadow frowned and sat up on his hind legs.

"Uh miss I doubt you own the EverFree or anywhere near there for that fact".

The mare just laughed and stood back up as a green aura seemed to envelop her, it spread over her body and it slowly changed to that of a black mare with a multitude of holes in her.

Shadow stopped struggling and stared, "Oh great a changeling, what a day". Shadow laughed at his bad luck and broke his ropes with magic.

The changeling jumped back and hissed, "H-how did you break those ropes they are made of Chaos Vines, we use them to stop very powerful prey!

Shadow just got up without answering and pulled out his dagger. He slowly approached the now scared changeling as his dagger started to glow black. "I'm sorry" shadow said with no emotion, "Business is business it's not personal". At this he plunged the dagger into the changeling and she dissapeared into the blade.

"Ah that's better" Shadow stated as he stretched, "I needed some more energy".
Shadow walked back into the forest in search of more prey, the forest no more indifferent to him then before.

Later that day Shadow left the forest, and took his journey back into ponyville. Shadow moved through town quietly, nopony seeming to notice him. As he seemed to glide silently across the ground, he was muttering something just below hearing level. Suddenly a shadow seemed to move out of his and form a mare with a black coat and green eyes.

"Hello Dusk, what brings you to me at this moment?". The dark mare turned and laughed at Shadow, seemingly not scared of his look or words.

"Well Shadow, I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting later?"

Shadow smirked but nodded no, "Sorry Dusk I'm full from a meal already". At this Shadow sped up leaving Dusk behind him, Dusk spead up and paced with Shadow.

Dusk looked at him and gave him the puppy eyes while puffing out her bottom lip, "Pwetty Pwetty pweese Shadow?"

Shadow growled and looked down, "Gah fine you little filly!" At this Shadow stepped into an alley and opened a portal to the Forest. "C'mon lets get this over with." The two stepped into the portal and it closed as a pony walked by.

Shadow and Dusk moved through the shade, jumping from shadow to shadow in a near hypnotic dance. As the duo stalked through the brush, Dusk slowly unsheathed a knife and help it in front of her with her magic. Suddenly a sound echoed to the hunters from up ahead, something that sounded very much like voices.

"Dusk stick behind me" Shadow whispered as he managed to get quite close to a griffon that was stuck in a briar patch. Dusk then seemed to emerge from the darkness and grabbed the frightened griffon, and laughed as she seemed to steal its very essence.

Shadow sighed and revealed himself as Dusk seemed to glow dark, on its own a nearly indescribable occurrence. "Hey Shad" Dusk said as she walked back to him, "You need any energy?" At this Shadow, with a disgusted look, nodded no.

Dusk just laughed "Suit yourself mister picky eater". Dusk skipped deeper into the forest with Shadow in tow. They seemed to follow an unseen path until a cottage appeared in front of them. Dusk stepped to the door and knocked lightly, pausing between each hoof strike. Suddenly a female zebra stuck her head out. "Who is there, trespassers beware".

"Shadow smiled slightly and spoke "Zecora I believe that we aren't trespassers". Zecora smiled and opened the door all the way.

"Come in Shadow and Dusk, you both smell of death and its musk". Shadow nodded and stepped in with Dusk skipping behind him. The door shut behind them as the forest returned to its original peace.

Zecora walked over to a vat and stirred a potion as Shadow sat on a stool and Dusk started looking through some random books. Zecora then looked over and smiled. "Shadow, do you have the Chaos Vines I need, so I can make a potion with their seed?" Shadow just smirked and handed her the pitch blank vines spiked and tough.

"Zec you won't believe what it took to get those, involving being knocked unconscious and being kidnapped by a changeling". Zecora laughed as Dusk looked over at Shadow.

"Hey you never told me about this!"

Shadow frowned and seemed to think hard, "Oh sorry, guess I forgot".

Dusk then yelled out "That's not fair you never forget like anything!"

Zecora laughed at the two ponies as she put the vines into the potion. The vat bubbled up and a smoke seemed to swirl out of it. "Quickly now", Zecora stated, "Put your knife in this and all will bow". Shadow looked at Zecora sideways as he put his dagger in the path of the smoke. The dagger seemed to fade into nothingness even though Shadow still held it.

Author's Note

Redone for editing purposes. Astronosthelast is the best editor ever!!!!! All thumbs up and thanks!!!