Though the fires had burnt out, the acrid smell of ash and singed fur still wafted through the air. What had once been a beautiful grove of conifers and Everfree Florists, was nothing but smoldering remains now. Except one tree. Blackened by soot but still standing erect in the middle of the desolation, it's watchful boughs stretched out over a group of celebrating ponies.

“Zecora, I reckon that was some of the finest wolf bucking I have ever seen,” Applejack said, while shaking the zebra’s hoof. “Cause, the way I see it, if you hadn't caught that one he would a up an ate this here coward.” The rainbow maned mare glared at her, but remained silent.

“Applejack, you are too kind, but it was you that saved my own hind.”

The country mare kicked the ground. “Aw shucks, let's just call it a tie, aight?”

Zecora smiled. “Indeed, but we forget our friend who came to our aid at our time of need.”

“Well of course, who could forget the flaming unicorn!” Applejack grinned and nodded at Twilight, but before the unicorn could reply the Pegasus erupted in a fit of laughter.

“Hahaha, flaming unicorn, that's too good. That was perfect AJ! You nailed her, alright!” Twilight caught on to the joke and looked away sheepishly. Applejack on the other hoof, did not.

“Now Rainbow, what in the world could be so funny ? She was flinging fire ever which way. So she's a flaming unicorn!” With that Rainbow Dash collapsed on the ground, clutching her sides. The earth pony just glared at her. With another frown she turned her attention back to Twilight, who was busy trying to hide her cherry red cheeks.

“Twi, why do ya look so red?”

“Oh um red ? Uh, the heat. From the fire. Yeah, the heat.”

“The heat … from the fire ?”

“Yep. That's what I said.”

“You weren't blushing a minute ago.”

“Oh well I am now, so can we move on with it already?”

She hastily added a smile and a please. Applejack just looked confused. “I don't understand why every pony is acting so strange. We got a Pegasus climbing trees and rolling round on the ground laughing at nothing, a zebra saying weird things bout birds and trees, and you Twi. Always blushing and mumbling. I'm starting to think y’all 've lost your minds!” She stomped her hoof on the ground for emphasis.

Dash finally stopped chuckling enough to reply. “Maybe we are all acting normally and you're the one acting strange huh? Ever think about that?”

AJ turned to face her. “You calling me crazy flypony?”

The Pegasus giggled. “Oh no never! But maybe one of those wolves nicked you ey? Maybe he gave you the fever?! You might start foaming at the mouth and try to kill us all!”

Applejack just looked confused. “Now what in Equestria are you talking about?”

Rainbow stepped up to her. “The fever! Oh no, look it's already started! We're too late. We're going to have to put you down before you hurt any pony.” With that she flashed a devious grin.

“Woah there, Dashie. What are you doing?” The cyan colored mare just kept smiling as she approached. “Rainbow! Come on now, don't start something you can't finish.” Applejack started backing up, eying the other pony wearily. But Rainbow continued her advance, slinking low along the ground.

Without warning the Pegasus launched herself towards the earth pony. “Now Rainbow Dash, we can talk about this-” She was cut off as Dash impacted her. They rolled to the ground. Applejack rolled to the side and than back, pinning her adversary to the ground. “Ha, whose gonna put who out of their misery now?”

Rainbow Dash struggled for a moment before realizing it was useless. She cocked her head up to her captor. “Oh? You think you've won this?”

Applejack laughed. “I do happen to have quite the upper hoof.”

The Pegasus snorted. “You have the upper hoof, ey? Do you have a ticklish spot as well?” With that she unfolded her wings, running them along Applejack's sides.

“Ticklish spot? I don't have a clue what you're- hahaha! No! No! Stop!” she cackled as she squirmed, trying to avoid the feathered fiend.

Dash took the opportunity to wiggle free from the other pony. She jumped to her feet and laughed. “Who’s got the upper hoof now?” A hoof full of ash hit her in the side of the face. She looked stunned for a moment. Applejack was waving her hooves in the air celebrating her shot. Dash spat out a mouthful and glared at her.

Twilight and Zecora had been merely observing the event till then. Twilight began to giggle looking at Rainbow Dash covered in the fine gray white ash. Rainbow Dash turned to her. “Oh you think that's funny do you? Let's see how you like this!” She dive tackled Twilight and began tickling her with her hoofs.

“Wha- ah! No! Rainbow stop! Don't!” She began to scream in delight as she writhed on the ground, completely at the mercy of the Pegasus. One of Rainbow’s hooves was knocked by Twilight's movements and it brushed a little further south on the unicorns body. Already escalated by contact with her crush, Twilight's screams turned into a moan of pleasure at the contact in such a sensitive region.

Rainbow stopped, staring at her quizzically. “Wha-” She was interrupted as another quantity of ash hit her in the flank.

She flew back at Applejack and the two resumed their match. Twilight struggled upright, where she swayed, unable to gain complete control due to the sensory overload. Glancing at the two wrestling mares, she hoped they would forget what they heard. She turned to Zecora. The zebra had a knowing look on her face. She had recognized the sound. She was about say something to her when a particularly loud shout was issued from the Pegasus. Applejack had bucked her, gently, but hard enough to send Rainbow Dash tumbling through the air.

She landed and rolled across the ground before coming to a halt at the edge of the clearing. She stood up and shook, sending cascades of ash raining down. “Applejack! That was a dirty trick! I'm going to get you for-” Before she could reply two dark shapes rushed from the darkness at her. She turned to meet them, but they were too fast.

One of the wolves leapt at her throat, sinking its teeth into her flesh. The other latched onto her wing and began tearing at it. Everypony screamed, and rushed to their friend’s aid. But the wolves were really tearing into her, and blood and feathers littered the ground around her. They wouldn't make it time.

Twilight felt like her heart was going to burst. Tears welled up in her eyes. She focused her magic, letting all her rage and anger fill the power. She let the magic fly forth. A blinding white lance of pure energy raced forward, catching the wolf at Rainbow’s throat, blasting a crater through the creature’s chest. The second wolf saw his companion go down and let go of the Pegasus’s wing before running for the cover of the forest. Twilight let forth another blast of energy, the white light catching the wolf in the back of the head, completely obliterating it in a cloud of red mist.

She closed the distance to her fallen friend and dropped at her side. Her mouth dropped and tears poured down her cheeks. “Ra-Rainbow?” She let out a sob. She tried to assess the damage. The Pegasus was lying limply on the ground, soaked in the blood pooling around her body. Her wing had been torn apart, feathers jutting out at odd angles and pale red skin glistening underneath. But those wounds paled in comparison to the gaping tear at her throat. Blood gushed from it with every beat of the dying mare's heart.

Twilight just stared in mortified silence. Rainbow’s eyes flickered open. “Hey, Twilight,” she gasped out, almost unable to speak. “How ya doing?”

Twilight just cried harder. This couldn't be happening. Not to Rainbow Dash. It just couldn't. Nothing could… kill her. She dropped her head down on to the wounded mare's chest. “Rainbow, it's going to be alright. Do you hear me? You're going to be just fine.”

The Pegasus chuckled, though the action seemed to cause her immense pain. “You were always a bad liar. ” She coughed, blood pouring out of her mouth. Her eyes started to flutter, her lids dropping. “Don't worry, every things going to be alright Twi.” With that, the Pegasus’s eyes closed, and she went still.

Authors Note
Hey guys, sorry about the short chapter. But I couldn't think of any other ways to drag it out in the way I wanted. How ever Chapter 4 I'm expecting to be about 6-7 thousand words. Hope that makes up for it. Once again special thanks to Paradox949 and Stryker12324. I really appreciate your guy's help on this. And if you happen to see any errors or things that don't make sense. Please make a comment regarding it and I will address it as soon as possible. Thanks. *Also, if you read and like, thumb it up please ! I'd really appreciate it !