Treestump

by Treestump of the nlr

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Slice of Life, Death, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1179

A life worth waiting for.

A life worth waiting for.

Meet Treestump, a young mare trying to overcome herself, and to know what her destiny really means.

Published 2018-08-23 22:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-08-23 22:40:01 UTC

Prologue part one

The symbol that grew on my flank, that grew so new it almost shined, stood out to me. For I alone new what it meant.

I was now a protector, but not just that, a trader.

I was the second in my class to find my cutie mark, both of us found ours early. Mine stood for my flag, not that of any major empire but my own; A shield with a river flowing through it, and a tree growing up. It held so much meaning in so simple a design.

Yet, also, I wondered If I could ever live up to it. Which may I never told anyone the meaning, or maybe I just wanted to mess with them.

Evacuation

I was sitting in my room thinking up plans for world domination, when the alarm sounded. The kingdom I lived in was a small land in the middle of the everfree, protected by a barrier held up by the ageing queen.

I was at an age, that I was just barely under the age limit for war. Yet old enough to be expected to care for myself and both of my younger siblings, Thunderarch, and Little Bear. My older siblings, rough weather and fairy lace, were both in the capital for college and weren't my concern.

This meant that my mother had to fight while I evacuated my siblings. My father had died several years ago when the queen was in sickness and that cursed barrier weakened.

My mom put in a good nagging session before I gently pushed her out the door.

I grabbed Bears diaper bag, and woke up Thunderarch.

For the moment, I had Thunderarch carry Bear so I could open the passage hidden under the table.

Then I switched with will -he now had the diaper bag and I had the bear. I quickly snarled at my older younger brother to hurry up and we headed down the tunnel.

It was damp and dark, as many of the magic lamps were ill maintained, and these tunnels haven't been used in over three years.

It was actually going to be a long trek, as the only place the queen felt was properly safe was in a pre prepared camp on the outskirts of ponyville, a small equestrian town that was founded rather recently in history, within the last century.
The walk, using the most direct tunnels was still over five miles. I was thinking, in part out loud in non-understandable mutters- about how much I hoped we wouldn’t have to stop for a while.

In contrast to my thoughts, I was actually the first one to have to stop. Give me a break, okay? Colts are heavier than they look. Luckily for all of us, little bear was still sound asleep. I glugged down some water, it tastes gross but if you forget to drink, you die.

I handed thunderarch an apple, and allowed myself one as well. I am hopeless at judging distances but thunderarch guessed we were a little under half way.

We continued our walk, and this time as our legs got tired we flew. Just as we were nearing the exit, Little bear was starting to wake up, and cry out of hunger. It was nice to feel the wind and taste the fresh air outside of the old tunnel coming in, although the closer we got to the end the more ponies were in our path. We had discussed an emergency plan before so I headed next to the wall and my brother went to the other side of me to block other ponies.

I have many sensitivities, and to me being touched is like being hit with needles, (Though I cannot even feel a punch). It comes with many dangers including the good chance of me freaking out and dashing off, which can cause me and others to be in danger especially if someone gets in my way.

Luckily we exited without major incident, though by the end my head was making that dang thumping noise, and I couldn’t speak, only stutter uncontrollably.

As soon as we got out, we hurried to the outside layer of the group, and I sent thunderarch to sign us in. Bear was getting louder, so I got some foal food out of the bag and fed him the only thing packed for some reason; mashed carrots.

I hated feeding bear mashed carrots, as it made gross diapers.

Once Little Bear was fed and changed, and Thunderarch got back, I asked the older of my brothers to watch the younger for a while, so I could take a walk and calm down.

The walk was working well. Thanks to equestria’s notoriously low smoking rate and the farm-town nature of ponyville. It seemed like a very peaceful town, especially for one on the edge of the everfree.

Not that I minded the everfree, I have found as long as you respect the forest and its inhabitants, it will do the same for you. In many ways the forest simply reflects on your views of it. If you are afraid of it, it will give you a reason to be. If you attack it, it will attack back.

The forest itself is wild, with a will of its own. It is a magical place, with rules unique to itself. No other place in this wide world is like it.
While pondering this, I heard a scream in the other direction. I ran towards the sound, I was an adept fighter thanks to some childhood experiences. But, as soon as I saw the problem, an everfree style two-headed extra large bear, I froze.

More than anything else, I hated this about myself; My fear.

It made me feel weak, to stand unable or unwilling to help. Even though I knew I was strong enough.

My brothers came over to watch the fight, and little bear lit up with glee watching it. The guards successfully drove it off with only one minor injury and no deaths.

Yet this alone was more than enough to disrupt my sleep, as I dreamt about freezing, unable to move as anyone or anything I cared about was ripped apart. My forest, my family, my few but loved friends.

I always have been afraid of my own weakness, I try to purge myself of faults as well as I can, though I have so many, and I knew very well I could never be prefect.

This was a time to contemplate my cutiemark. I knew I existed to protect, but for how long would I need to wait before I lived up to my own cutie mark? How would I lead as I was? I never was one to know patience. I want to come out of my mold, my mother's womb ready to meet my destiny, but life likes to move slowly.

It is hard to handle, as a pony with limited life.

I rubbed my hooves together in anticipation, of the day I knew was promised.