I ran.

Simple as that. I grabbed my son and ran.

His father ran out to join the guard with his spear, but it has been over an hour since the sound died outside.

So we left.

The town was ruined and there was corpses everywhere, most half eaten.

I knew we shouldn't have trusted that stranger that showed up yesterday. After all, what kind of creature travels without the basic essentials? No food, no water, not even a tarp to cover themself?

He carried nothing with him, and yet no one said a damn anything.

He was smooth, charismatic, happy-go-lucky, and made fast friends with everyone he could.

He was given free food and lodging, he was a wonder to talk to, and he killed everyone.

I carried my son on my back as we ran. I tried to stay on the main roads but our town was small and out of the way, with no real roads for miles on end.

And even worse, a forest between us and any civilization. I could only hope for the best for my and my son.

I may be an Earth Pony but I am still mortal, and I was forced to stop from exhaustion.

I made sure my son was off my back before I collapsed, but collapse I did. I was thankful for the cover of the forest trees.

But no good thing lasts.

I tensed when I heard gurgling growl, like something between a ponies imitation of a predator and that of a large cat.

I jumped back to my feet and looked behind us to see nothing. But then the growl came again and I looked up to see a figure in the trees.

It had his hazel eyes, just faintly glowing in the dark of the trees. "Iron Horn, I need you to run." I spoke to my son. "We are near the edge of the forest. There is a town less than a mile way. Just keep going east. Tell someone what happened and try to find your brother, alright?" I continued as I got ready to fight. I would not let this monster get to my son.

"M-momm-"

"RUN, IRON HOOF! IRON WILL WILL KEEP YOU SAFE! NOW GOGOGO!" I shouted as the thing leaped at my son from the tree.

I jumped in it's way and bucked him in the chest, sending him back to the tree. His back met the bark of the tree with a painful *whump. I could hear my son crashing through the underbrush as he ran.

"I might die, but I will not let you touch my son."

The thing simply laughed as he pulled himself up off the ground.

"Oh this might be even more fun than I thought." It spoke as it began to try and circle me, but I would not let him pass.

"You will have to perform an exorcism before I let you touch him."

"Promise? It can get kinda lonely on the road." It seemed hopeful as it settled to just prowl back and forth in front of me. "But then again, that is the way I like it. If I'm around someone to long I might start thinking of ways to not kill them instead of the usual."

The cruel glee on his face more than enough to, in any other situation, make someone think that he should be the Element of Laughter if unaware of his intentions.

Why is he just walking back and forth? He has enough magic to easily get past me, he showed off more than that traveling showmare when he turned up in town. So why stay?

"Oooo, I recognize that look. 'Why is he still hear?' They ask themselves. 'Why not use his magic and end it?' They inquire." Said the monster to the mare. "'Why dose he leave me to run?' They probe. 'In the end it is simple.' The monster reply's. 'I enjoy the fight.' He answers. 'I love the hunt.' He acknowledges. And then he strikes while the iron is over heated. Exhausted, tired and easy to... mold, to his wishes. Tiny, thin, strips of it here and there and used to eat. Used to satisfy the monsters hunge-"

The beast cut himself off as I leaped at him, seeing nothing but him and red.

Only for him to duck and aim his horn as I landed on top of him and felt a sudden stabbing pain between my ribs. "You know," It spoke from under me. "I tend to prefer baby back ribs. But I think your's will do for now~"

The stabbing pain became that of a burning fire, and I could do nothing but yell in pain and despair. "RUN, IRON, RUUunnnnnnnnn...."

I fell to the ground, barely conscious. Every thing from the base of my neck to the base of my tail felt as tough it had been cooked. My mind should have gone by now but... I could feel something keeping me rooted to the waking world. "Go ahead. Let out one more scream. Stir up your sons fear even more for me... No? Oh very well then. Just so you know, I might have cooked you quiet well," He paused and I felt a slight rocking to my head, it was the only thing I could feel.

"I-om *ahem* I much prefer my meat bloody and r-om-rare." He add with what sounded like a full mouth.

As the implications of my slight movement and what he said set in I felt the anchor holding me here fade, and all went to black.

I ran.

I ran as fast as I could. My tears staining my face I ran.

I knew that mom would be fine. She would always be fine.

But that fact became fiction as I heard her yell again. Full of pain and sadness.

I wanted to stop. I wanted to save her.

But I couldn't.

I had to tell someone. I...

I had to find Will.

Mom wanted me safe.

So I will be safe.

And I will crush that monster under my hooves.

I swear on my name, on my mothers name, and on my fathers.

That monster will die.

Author's Note

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; Only love can do that."

-Martin Luther King Jr.

"Every evil begets some good."

-Voltaire