Author's Note

This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction. I have a lot of good ideas, my only problem is trying to word them properly. If you'd like, post your comments on what do you want implemented, and I'll give it a look. :D

Prologue: Everfree

Twas a peaceful day. Pegasi were fluttering about in a cloud-free sky, birds were chirping. It was just a regular day in Ponyville. A regular, peaceful, monster-free day. That is, until a roar echoed from the Everfree, followed by three high-pitched screams.

All in all, a regular day.

Everfree Forest

“Ah told ya’ll that it was ah bad idea!”

“Pretty sure you were the one who went and poked it with a stick, Applebloom!”

“Who cares about that Scoots, if we don’t keep running we are going to get eaten!”

The three fillies were being chased by a manticore that was roused from its sleep. It was angry, it was hungry, and it was running after a couple of snacks. It was gaining terrain, and started to snap its jaws in an attempt to catch one of them. Luckily for the girls, they were reaching the edge of the forest, and they knew the manticore wouldn’t dare to chase them into town. Pushing themselves harder, they dashed out of the forest with a speed that would make Rainbow Dash proud. The fillies reached Sweet Apple Acres, believing themselves to be safe. Turning around made them realize that they were wrong.

The manticore was staring them down, almost like it was weighting the risk of, then suddenly deployed its wings and used them to launch itself at them, jaws wide open and claws held in front of it.

“ANYPONY, PLEASE SAVE US!!”

Their screams echoed through the orchard as they huddled together and closed their eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Which never came, instead a loud ‘CRACK!’ resonated throughout the field, followed by a roar.

The fillies opened their eyes to find a livid Applejack and a seriously pissed Rainbow Dash looking at an injured manticore.

“GET AWAY FROM MAH SISTER YOU MONSTER!!”

“NO ONE HURTS THESE FILLIES ON MY WATCH! I’LL KICK YOUR FLANK IN TEN SECONDS FLAT!!”

The manticore looked at the angry mares, then looked back to the fillies. It let out a low growl, trying to weight out the pros and cons of trying to gobble the smaller ones up.

It started to slowly back away, but it’s eyes were fixed on the mares. Rainbow Dash was having none of it, and flew at it hooves extended, trying to smash it’s face in. Unluckily for her, the manticore made use of its wings and leapt out of the way, before flapping them a couple times to launch itself in the air. It made a mad dash for the forest, flying as fast as it could, dodging a certain rainbow blur trying to destroy it.

30 feet.

‘Dodge’.

20 feet.

‘Duck’.

10 feet.

‘Avoid’.

5 feet.

*CRACK!*

The rainbow of pain hit its mark, sending the lion-like beast straight to the ground, with a broken wing. Trees bent and broke when it slammed into them at high speed. It let out a roar when a branch impaled his already shattered wing. It whimpered in pain when it hit a large tree, and made no noise when said tree fell on top of it.

“Serves you right you freak. No one messes with Scootaloo and her friends.”
Rainbow left the tree and manticore to its fate. It couldn’t survive long anyways, not with a broken wing. That is, if it even got out from under that tree.
Applejack questioned what happened to the manticore after Dash hit it. Dash filled her in, they shared a chuckle, and took the fillies home.
“Stupid monster tryin’ tah mess with mah sis.”

A dark figure stood there, watching the entire scene. It was disgusted by how the ponies treated an animal who was just trying to survive, and would have probably never bothered them if it wasn’t for those fillies. It walked over to the tree, and with a grunt, lifted it off the manticore. The sight of it was not pretty.
It had splinters all over, the left wing was broken, teeth were missing, an eye was bleeding, half of the mane was missing, several bruises were on its body, the tail was completely crushed with the poison leaking out, and the saddest thing was its midsection, crushed flat, guts spilling out. The manticore looked up, but made no sound.

“Let’s get you healed up.”

End of Prologue.