The afternoon sun shone above as Fluttershy lifted a watering can in her mouth and began to slowly sprinkle its contents over the garden. The water spilled across the flowers, wetting the dirt and sinking down to the roots to fully nourish her plants. Once each flowerbed was watered she then began the process of weeding and pruning. Fluttershy had been somewhat negligent of her garden of late, allowing unwanted plants to grow around her precious flowers. And her guilt was a partial contributor to that afternoon’s gardening session.
The yellow pegasus made made up for it by caring for each flower carefully and individually. One at a time, she pruned then pulled out any weeds she could see. Her ministrations were gentle, as the flowers were delicate, requiring a soft touch. She took her time, wary of each petal; fragile as tissue-paper.
AROO
The pruning shears fell to the ground with a clatter. Fluttershy blinked. She stared, transfixed at the single delphinium in front of her eyes. It was almost shivering as she looked down at its blue form. She reached out a hoof to touch it.
AROO
The pegasus jumped slightly at the sound, looking around. With the help of her swiveling ears, she was fairly certain that the noise was coming from the Everfree Forest. Feeling jumpy, she shook her head slightly then went back to caring for her garden. Only then did she notice that she had dropped the garden shears in her lapse of attention.
“Oh Fluttershy,” she quietly scolded herself, “You’re such a clumsy pony.”
She had picked up the shears once more in her mouth when the noise came out again. It sounded, to the animal carer’s ears, like a wolf howl. She hadn’t seen many wolves in her lifetime, as they were hard to find and usually kept clear of the Everfree Forest. And while they did have timberwolves, they were only named such by their resemblance but were far from the same species. As she the howl once more she worried for the creature. It sounded to her, that the animal was scared. As if it were in trouble.
She placed the gardening shears at the base of her flowerbed and trotted tentatively past her chicken coop, toward the edge of the darkened forest. Peering into its depths, she squinted, looking out for the creature. As she stared into the forest she thought she saw something moving, past the gnarled trees shrouded in darkness. But before she could get a good look at it-
CRACK
A sudden clap of thunder caused the pony to yelp and jump at least five hooves into the air. She gasped as she hit the ground. Snapping her head upward the frightened pegasus saw that sky had become obscured by dark and fast-approaching thunderclouds. That was odd as she hadn’t remembered seeing a thunderstorm in the weather schedule for that week.
Fluttershy shivered as cold droplets began to fall. The water hit her, beginning to soak into her fur and mane. She started back to her house and could see the sky quickly darkening as the clouds began to pour in earnest. The dripping pegasus trotted as fast as she dared back to her home, trying to not slip in the small puddles that had begun to form. Once there she opened the door with a hoof and was about to head inside when she stopped, then looked back at the forest. Even through the rain rattling her rooftop, drowning out everything else, she could hear the wolf howl once more over the strengthening roar of the rain.
Brow furrowed and large cyan eyes full of worry, Fluttershy stood just inside her home, frozen with indecision. She took a few more steps into the house. She closed her eyes, concentrating to block out the noise and the feeling of damp fur. With a deep breath she walked further inside, trotting faster as she swept into the empty house. She came to a stop by a large cupboard, opened it and pulled out a first-aid box full of necessary supplies.
Placing it on her back, she rushed to the open doorway, watching the many streams of water cascading down in front of her. It was almost like a wall, undulating and translucent and she would have to cross it to continue. Fluttershy took a deep steadying breath and made the step.
She had thought she was drenched before, but now it felt like she would never feel dry again. Luckily, Fluttershy spotted her umbrella a short distance away, leaning against her home and picked it up. She opened it and raised it to act as a barrier against the onslaught. Almost immediately, she could feel the many droplets hammering on the umbrella’s surface. Steeling herself for the journey through weather and a dangerous forest, she took a step forward, then another.
The rain seemed like it had no intention of stopping as the world around her slowly filled with water. But she soldiered on regardless, wading through the deep puddles surrounding her house and stopped as she reached her flowerbed. The flowers that she had just been caring for so meticulously had drowned, the dirt being washed away as the rain flooded the area. She watched sadly as the stems drooped and the petals fell off one by one into the rapid stream below.
She shook her head and she continued on, feeling a steadily growing sense of dread as she stepped into the Everfree forest.
Fluttershy dripped water along the forest floor as each step brought her further into darkness. The canopy above blocked out all light and sound from the outside world, but on the bright side, the rain couldn’t penetrate its thick covering. She shook some of the water off herself, closed the umbrella and placed it underneath a wing.
Fluttershy felt her determination, which had been fueling her confidence, begin to melt away the darker it became and soon enough she was quivering with anxiety. The deep shadows from all around her were watching her every step and the longer she walked the more she felt as if she was being smothered from all sides. Her eyes flicked back and forth rapidly as she tried to see what was hiding in the suffocating blackness.
And despite that, Fluttershy keep pushing on. For if there was a hurt creature out there she would do anything to help it.
A little while later she she was further inside the forest than she had been for a long time and the wolf had yet to howl again. In fact it was almost completely silent, all she could hear were the crunching of leaves underhoof and her own breath coming short and fast.
The sudden snap of a twig caused her to gasp in terror, her heart beating triple-time. She spun around to face the sound, expecting the worst. But instead of the bloodthirsty and monstrous nightmare that she imagined, there stood a wolf.
It was a majestic and beautiful creature, which stood almost as tall as herself. It had a gorgeous light-grey coat, which, Fluttershy noticed was matted with sweat and blood, and in some places burnt fur. The wolf limped cautiously towards Fluttershy and she gasped in pity flying over to the injured animal.
“Oh you poor dear!” she cried out. But the wolf took a few steps backwards, watching her warily as she drew near. Fluttershy landed, looking bashful and instead opted to approach the animal in a more placating manner.
“It’s alright, I’m here to help. Don’t worry.”
As she smiled, the wolf’s eyes met hers. She was taken aback at how much worry and sadness she could see in them. For a few seconds they both looked at one another, and then the wolf sat down on its haunches in a clear sign of acquiescence.
Fluttershy placed the first-aid kit on the ground, reached into it and pulled out a bottle of saline solution, antibiotic cream and several bandages. With practiced ease, she gently lay the injured animal down and got to work. As softly as she could, the animal carer cleaned out the wounds with the solution, the cuts were luckily fairly shallow so wouldn’t need stitching. Fluttershy used a hoof to feel through the creature’s fur for all cuts and scrapes.
There were some large bruises along its side which looked nasty, but would heal. She noticed several burns and some singed patches of fur, so she applied a salve to soothe the pain and help with healing.As she worked, she noticed that the wounds seemed to shimmer and glow, and she hoped that the damage wasn’t done magically, as that would be something much harder to help. When she was done Fluttershy wrapped the wolf in bandages and gave it a soft hug.
“There, all better!”
The wolf stood up and looked down at itself. It seemed to be pleased as it began to do some slow bouncy laps around her. She giggled as the fluffy creature trotted around with its partially bandaged body.
“Now don’t do that too much Mr Wolf,” she laughed, “We don’t want your bandages to come undone!”
Fluttershy began to pack away her things. “Just make sure you stay out of trouble for at least a couple weeks, in fact I would prefer it if you stayed with me while you healed but I know how much wolves like their space so…”
As Fluttershy put the kit on her back the wolf barked and she looked up. The creature took a few steps away and then turned around to bark once more, looking expectant. “Are you alright? Is there something more you need?” The wolf once again took a few steps away and barked. “Would you like me to follow you?”
The wolf looked at her, its eyes piercing hers, and then walked deeper into the forest. Fluttershy felt that sense of dread sneak in again as her only source of comfort left. She hesitated for a moment before following.
The two walked through the gloomy forest. Fluttershy’s furry companion turned every so often to make sure she was still there. After a half hour of travel Fluttershy thought that the way ahead was growing lighter. Her curiosity rose as the light became brighter and brighter, they were very deep within the forest now, there should be almost no light at all. What was out there?
When the bandaged wolf stopped again she followed suit. Out in the clearing she saw something so odd, she was sure her eyes were playing tricks on her. Unable to believe what she was seeing, Fluttershy walked a few steps forward to get a better view of the long stretch of water and a sunset in the distance glowing through thick, darkening clouds.
There was an ocean in the Everfree Forest.
Author's Note
Thanks for the comments last chapter, guys! I've read through it and fixed up most of the issues and improved the flow so it's hopefully an easier read.
Glowing
Fluttershy stared open-mouthed at the reflective sea of water, the surface of which was so calm, that it closely resembled a mirror. A mirror that stretched across the world, to the horizon, reflecting the sky and clouds above.
The awestruck pegasus stepped forward, transfixed. As she did though, her eyes travelled downward to where the Everfree Forest’s dirt and leaf strewn floor stopped and the water begun. It was as if someone had taken a knife and sliced through the world, showing a completely new one underneath.
There was a loud bark to her side and Fluttershy jumped, having forgotten that the wolf was beside her. The creature gave, what she perceived as, a reassuring look and proceeded into the mysterious new world.
“W-wait!” Fluttershy panicked and tried to pull the wolf back.
But as she reached out a hoof she noticed that miraculously, the wolf continued walking. It was trotting along the surface of the sea without worry. Fluttershy’s nerves calmed somewhat as she moved a bit closer. No, the creature wasn’t walking on the water, it was walking slightly below the water. There was land, but it was just a hoof or two underneath.
The wolf stopped and turned to face her. It sat down in the few inches of water, waiting. Its big brown eyes looking at her. Fluttershy stared back, shivering slightly at the animal’s gaze. She knew what it wanted, but she wasn’t sure if she was capable of following through. She closed her eyes.
Fluttershy remembered a wall of water, blocking her path and yet she had pushed through. This was no different to that moment. This wolf needed help and it would go against her very nature if she was to ignore a plea for help.
The shaking pegasus took a step forward and then another. Soon she was right at the window’s edge, one more hoof and she would be walking into a new world altogether. She could feel the anxiety creeping in once more.
“I can’t do it… I-I’m too scared!” she cried, her eyes opened, glistening with unshed tears. The creature was sitting just a few hooves away watching Fluttershy with what she felt was a pleading gaze. She took a step backwards.
Fluttershy cringed as the wolf’s ears drooped and its head lowered. Shame rushed in as forceful as a wave of water. She could almost hear the feeling flowing through herself. It became louder and louder.
Fluttershy’s ears perked up.
The sound of rushing water was coming from behind her and she turned to see a massive wall of water flowing past the trees, taking everything else in its path and heading directly for her. Fluttershy was frozen, her body was refusing to move, she felt completely numb from head to hoof. The deep splashing and crashing of the massive wave hurt her ears. The ground was shaking. Her body was shaking.
The wave hit her in a blast of force and sound. She could feel it as it flushed her through the window, her limbs flailing as she tried to breathe. The world swam in and out of focus as Fluttershy was thrown forward. She was in a state of pure panic. She was spinning, the water reflecting and distorting the world around her. And just when she thought everything would end-
The yellow sopping mass of fur finally hit the wet surface as the water evened out. Fluttershy lifted her head as she took in large lungfuls of air. A soft muzzle touched her side causing her to turn her head weakly. Coughing heavily she blinked the water from her eyes and saw the large wolf, looking at her, worried.
“I-I think I’m alright.” she attempted a smile, but it was interrupted by another coughing fit.
When the coughing had subsided the weary pegasus stood up on shaking legs, taking her first proper look around. She noticed firstly that her first aid kit and umbrella weren’t far away so she walked over to pick them back up. The next thing she noticed was that the window to the Everfree was gone.
Fluttershy shut her eyes tight, trying to keep the panic at bay. If she was stuck here, she knew her friends would find her, she was sure of that. It took a few minutes of slow, controlled breathing before she finally looked up and took in her new landscape.
The watery land swept across and into the horizon with little tufts of plant life pushing their way through every now and then. Now that she was on the other side she could see that the darkened clouds were massive pillars in the sky, far larger than any cloud structure she had seen before. And the large orange sun was dipping further down the sky, getting ready to leave for the day.
Squinting, Fluttershy noticed that in the distance stood the entrance to a forest of sorts, sticking out from the water. It looked relatively new, not as thick nor as tall as the Everfree but it covered a fair amount of ground all the same.
As she was looking about, wide-eyed, she felt a furry warmth by her side. The wolf was pushing himself against her, giving her some small amount of comfort. It stood there for a moment before trotting off in the direction of the forest. Fluttershy looked wearily back to where the window used to be, then picked up her umbrella and placed it under her wing. She put her first-aid kit on her back once again and the yellow pony silently prayed it was going to be alright as she began to follow the wolf across the foreign landscape.
The sun had gone over the horizon now, casting a deep, violet-blue over the world, it was going to be night shortly. As they neared, Fluttershy could see that there was a slight incline, as the land underneath rose to meet the forest’s edge. The woodland was acting almost like an island, with the water surrounding it.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at the forest entrance, the looming trees beginning to look un-inviting as the world’s light faded. Fluttershy watched as the wolf walked over the edge of the woods and through the trees. And with no small amount of trepidation, the animal caretaker followed the creature.
The two walked side-by-side, through the forest and Fluttershy couldn’t help feeling a sense of déjà vu as they went. Luckily though, this forest had a lighter canopy above as the trees weren't as overgrown, so that sense of claustrophobia was absent this time. She looked to the sky for comfort as they continued to whatever lay inside the forest, Fluttershy could see a smattering of stars out now, twinkling above them.
The wolf picked up its pace and ran ahead, leaving Fluttershy in its wake. The pegasus gasped and tried to follow, stumbling a little in her attempt to catch up to her furry companion. Branches whacked and scratched at her coat as she tried to keep up with the now silhouette. She could hear the wolf yapping and barking in the distance, so picked up her pace even more.
And then, Fluttershy broke through the trees and stopped, looking about at the clearing she just stepped into. The trees circled around a grassy break, some tall enough to reach their branches above. The moon was out, its light filtering through the trees and illuminating the sight before her.
In the middle of the clearing lay a beautiful pale-white doe, its eyes scrunched up in pain, hooves over its belly in a protective manner. The wolf had just reached the creature, placing its head by the deer’s and whimpering. Fluttershy walked tentatively into the small meadow,eyes on the deer. There were cuts and bruises all over its body, ugly marks against its perfect coat. The most noticeable thing however, was its large tummy. The deer was pregnant.
“Oh my gosh!” Fluttershy fluttered over to the lightly glowing creature. She placed her two, only items on the ground and sat next to the deer ready to examine her. The deer looked up from its pained grimace and into Fluttershy’s eyes. Putting a soft hoof on its exceptionally soft fur she examined the small injuries it had.
Running a hoof along each bump and bruise she smiled when she was finished. “You’re also a lucky one, Mrs Deer, your injuries aren’t too bad. But it looks like you’re having contractions, and you’ll be giving birth really soon. So I would like to stay with you, if you’re ok with that.” she smiled. Luckily Fluttershy had her first aid kit and had plenty of animal birthing experience so the deer would be just fine.
ROAR
A deafening sound filled the forest.This sound was louder than anything Fluttershy had ever heard before. It echoed across the land, shaking the trees and rattling the timid pegasus to the bones. The wolf growled and the deer’s breathing became sharper. Fluttershy herself, jumped in horror and shrunk down as low as she could to the grassy floor, searching the forest wildly for the source of the sound. She needn’t search for long, a huge whoosh of wind came from above as a dark figure flew past the trees.
It broke through the canopy above and with an almighty crash it hit the ground, shaking the land around it. The massive black monstrosity slowly raised its head, glowing orange eyes looking right at them. It then reared its head and the demonic dragon roared, spewing scorching-hot flames into the air above.
