Two lost applesby PaladinponyTChaptersChapter 2: Pies and WhistlesChapter 3: Tales of old timesChapter 4: Eyes in the nightChapter 5: Tooth and bladeChapter 6: I'm sorryEpilogue.Dark trees.Chapter 2: Pies and WhistlesAs the sun rose above the trees, I could hear a peculiar sound; it was whistling, but not the whistling of birds. What followed that was a heavenly smell, I could make out cinnamon and something else. Using my magic, I put on my sword, belt, and cloak. I floated myself down from the rock and made my way over to the sound and smell. My silver mane felt nice in the bright morning air; I felt better than I had last night. I felt as light as a feather and the cinnamon smell warmed my heart; I turned around a great tree and into a wide opening. In the middle were two ponies, one was a stallion with a red mane and light yellow coat. The other was a mare, she had a mane of bright orange and was very pretty. The two were busy cleaning up a small campsite; they loaded their stuff into a large wagon. I walked slowly over to them, even amongst ponies, I am wary of strangers. The stallion was the first to see me. He picked up an old hat and placed it on his head. He walked up to me with a friendly smile, "Howdy there, didn't expect to meet anypony way out here." he said, his voice was very cheerful. He held out a hoof for me to shake, I took it, and he shook me very hard, but not to hurt me. I was surprised at the kind greeting and I cursed my suspicious mind; not every creature was dangerous. Trying to smile, I said, "Neither did I, but it is nice to meet you. Mister?" "Bright Mac," he answered. "And that is my wife Buttercup." He pointed to the mare at the wagon. She walked over to us with a sweet smile of her own. Buttercup's voice was soft and full of curiosity as she asked, "What are you doing way out here mister?" I was hesitant at first, but her smile made me feel that I could trust them. "I am on an errand for the princess, and I need to get back to Canterlot." The two of them looked at me with amazement, "You know Princess Celestia?" asked Bright Mac. "Yes I do, and now let me ask you something. What are you two doing out here? This forest is very dangerous." The two looked at one another then led me back to their wagon, Bright Mac pulled open the covering and I looked inside. There were dozens of large pies in the wagon; now I knew the source of that wonderful smell. "We were delivering these to a town on the other side of the forest, but they didn't sell very well." Bright Mac said sadly. I wondered why, nothing looked wrong with the pies and they smelled fantastic. Seeing my mouth water, Buttercup took one of the pies and cut a piece out for me. I floated it over to me and took a bite, it was apple, and it was the greatest thing I had ever eaten. Indeed, in all the lands far and wide that I had visited, nothing compared to that one slice of apple pie. I thanked them and ate some more; it brought them great joy to see somepony admiring their hard work. "We are on our way back to Ponyville," said Bright Mac. "If you want, you could come back with us and make your way to Canterlot from there." I had heard of Ponyville before, but I had never been there, and traveling with these two was not an unpleasant idea. I nodded and said, "I would love to join you." They both smiled in approval, "What's your name?" asked Buttercup. Again I hesitated, I didn't give my name to many creatures. Only the princess and a few close friends knew my real name; however, something about them put me at ease. "My name is Sunblade." I bowed to them. "At your service." And with that the three of us walked to the second half of The Everfree forest, Bright Mac pulled the wagon behind him and Buttercup walked right next to him. I walked in front, keeping an eye out for trouble. As we left the wide opening, Bright Mac started to whistle a happy tune. Chapter 3: Tales of old timesThe Everfree forest seemed less frightening in the light of day; as we walked Bright Mac and Buttercup told me stories about their family. Bright Mac's mother had helped to found Ponyville, she was still a very hard worker, but they had convinced her to take it more easy these days. Especially since she had three grandchildren to look after now, Buttercup's father was a more complicated issue. He had been very angry with their union and had left for Vanhoover, Buttercup tried to get in contact with him many times, but nothing came of it. I knew how she felt, I missed my own father; I remembered very little of him. All I knew of him was that he had been a Pegasus and that he had died heroically. My relationship with my mother was complicated; she could not raise me herself, but I never resented her for that. When we stopped to take a break, the two of them started to ask me questions about myself. There was not a lot I could tell them, my missions for the princess needed to be kept secret. Also my personal history was difficult to talk about, but I had a few things to share. With my magic, I pulled my sword from its sheath and the blade shined like silver. So dazzling was it in the sunlight that my companions could not look away. "This is the Alicorn blade, forged in the ancient world by powerful forgotten spells." I said proudly. "I have never seen anything like it before." said Buttercup in wonder. "Nor will you, this sword is the only one of its kind," I said disappointedly. "For this blade is made of star-metal and the spells used for it have been lost forever." "Where did you get it?" asked Bright Mac. I had expected that question, everypony and creature who had seen it asked that. "Funny enough, this sword is how I got my cutie mark." I answered. "It was a long time ago, and I was looking through the many incredible artifacts that the princess keeps inside the castle." I had them both in rapt attention, no matter how many times I told this story; the reactions were always the same. "Suddenly, there it was, like it just appeared out of nowhere, and when I pulled it out something amazing happened. I saw places far away from Equestria with fantastic creatures and great kingdoms." Their eyes were wide with amazement as I continued, "But then, I saw terrible places filled with horrible monsters and dark rulers." Now both of them looked frightened. "I was filled with a powerful desire to go to these places and cleanse them of all their evil." I got up, took off my cloak and showed them my cutie mark; it was a gold sword in the middle of a crossroad. "Then this appeared and the princess knew that the sword was part of my destiny. She let me take it and made me her personal ranger. My job is to enter places of great danger and bring back information." "And that's what you're doing out here?" asked Bright Mac. "Yes," I answered "But do not ask me more about that, what I have learned is for the princess only." The two nodded and got up. Buttercup was helping Bright Mac with the wagon when a long howl sounded out. It was answered by other howls, some loud and some low. Buttercup held her husband closely as she shook a little in fear. I raised my sword, but no Timberwolves came. "I hate this forest," said Buttercup. "I wish we didn't have to go through it to reach the other towns." I put my sword away and wrapped my cloak around me. "This forest is old, older than Celestia," I said. "It's a remnant of the ancient world, when magic was wild and full of chaos." "You mentioned that before," said Bright Mac as we started to move again. "Can you tell us more about the old world?" "Not a lot is known about it, a great deal of the ancient lore has been lost." I answered. "All that is known, is that in those times the early ponies were surrounded on all sides by monsters of chaos." As I spoke, I tried to remember all I had read about those times. All the lore that remained was collected by Star Swirl the bearded, now Celestia kept it in the castle. "Then came The Bringers of Harmony, six powerful alicorns who brought order to the land." "Alicorns? Real Alicorns?" asked Buttercup in amazement. "Yes, three mares and three stallions," I answered. "However, only one of their names is known and only their gifts to pony kind remain." Bright Mac looked confused, "Gifts? What gifts?" he asked. I smiled in amusement, "Well, the lady of earth gave ponies their strength and knowledge of farming." The two of them suddenly looked dumbstruck, I chuckled a little. "The lord of storms Icarus gave the pegasi their wings and the mistress of magic gave the unicorns their horns." The two of them were so distracted by my tale that they nearly tripped on a rock. Again I chuckled, "The prince of heart, who studied emotions and their effects went north. There he made a great kingdom of his own." Buttercup saw my sad look, "What's wrong, Sun?" I looked back at them, "It's nothing, that kingdom is gone now. Lost forever maybe." I took a deep breath and continued, "The last gifts were left by the queen of light and king of darkness; they were the first rulers of day and night." I said in great respect. "Their gifts were their only daughters." "Celestia and Luna!" yelled Buttercup brightly. I stopped and they stopped too. "Yes," I said. "But now only one of them is left." "What happened to the six?" asked Bright Mac. I started walking again, "I don't know, no pony does. Not even Celestia; she was to young to remember." The two of them saw that I was starting to get upset. "Maybe we should stop," said Buttercup in concern. "The sun is going down and we have been walking for hours." I nodded, "Very well, but tomorrow we need to leave the Everfree, day or night we need to get out of these trees." Bright Mac looked puzzled. "Why?" he asked. "The lord of the woods knows we are in here and his servants are looking for us." Chapter 4: Eyes in the nightWe set up camp near a large tree that stood higher than the others; Bright Mac and Buttercup were busy setting up a tent. While I went off to find water, I carried their canteens to a small stream and filled them to the top. I walked back and the two were trying to start a fire. I levitated the canteens over to them and I sat down; the moon was full tonight. Looking up at it, I saw the image of the mare in the moon. Sadness quickly took my heart as I remembered the tale of Nightmare Moon; the princess told me the real story when I was young. As I stared, four stars could be seen getting closer and closer to the moon; worry filled my mind. "The stars will aid in her escape," I whispered to myself. Buttercup looked at me as the fire started to smoke, "What was that Sun?" I took off my cloak and shook my head, "It's nothing, Buttercup. Just recalling something I read once." She did not press me for more. Bright Mac, smiling, pulled out a old guitar from the wagon, "Darling, why don't you play something." he gave Buttercup the guitar and she began to play. The song was very beautiful, it spoke of a young love that had never broken; it had endured every hardship and challenge. Now it stood for all to see and admire; when the song ended Bright Mac hugged his wife and kissed her forehead. "Just as wonderful, as the first time you sang it to me darling," he said lovingly. Buttercup blushed in the fire light, "One day we need to play it for our kids," she said still blushing. Bright Mac grinned and put the guitar back in the wagon. We then ate a small dinner of carrots and other small greens. It was nice to have company; too long my journeys had been lonely. The two were about to go in the tent, when suddenly Buttercup screamed. Great yellow eyes stared at us from the dark trees, I drew my sword. It sparkled in the moonlight as I shouted, "HEAR ME HOUNDS OF EVERFREE!" the eyes drew back a little, "GO BACK TO YOUR MASTER OR I SHALL TURN YOU TO DUST!" The eyes disappeared one by one and the forest became quiet again. I looked at my companions. Buttercup was shivering in her husband's hooves. Bright Mac looked at the place where the eyes had been, "Why can't they just leave us alone?" he said in anger. "They have no will to do so, all intruders must be driven out or dealt with," I answered sitting on my cloak. Buttercup looked at me; she had small tears in her eyes. "You mentioned their master before," she said, courage returning to her. "What is he?" That was difficult to answer, for I knew very little of him. I told them all I could about the lord of the woods. "Only Star Swirl has seen him, but no pony today knows what he looks like." I said, "Some say he is a pony ruined by dark magic; others say he does not exist." The two of them wrapped themselves in a blanket as they listened. "However, the princess and I believe that he is an ancient creature of the old world. There are many that still exist, but he can't leave the forest." "Why?" asked Bright Mac. I shrugged, "I don't know, but I do know that he made the Timberwolves." Both of them gasped. I continued more quietly. "I am sure you have noticed that the wolves are not natural, they are not made of flesh and blood." Both of them nodded in agreement, "They are sentinels made to watch over the woods, even now they are watching and waiting." The wind suddenly rustled the trees; I could catch a whiff of the wolves's breath. I looked around, and on the far side I saw two yellow eyes. They would not come near the fire, but I feared what would happen when the flames went out. I got up and walked slowly closer to the eyes. They left without a sound. I looked back at Bright Mac and Buttercup. "He hates Ponyville the most, and if it were in his power he would order the whole forest to swallow your home completely," I said gravely. "But we have never done anything to him," Bright Mac said in rage. I turned to them, "Your own family history says otherwise, didn't you tell me that your own mother once entered these woods? And took something that maybe she should have left alone?" "The Zap Apples!" cried Buttercup in alarm. "Yes," I answered signaling them to keep their voices low. "Be grateful it is beyond his strength to act against your town. Something is keeping the forest in check." Both of them gave a great sigh of relief at my last words. Bright Mac yawned and Buttercup's eyes looked heavy. "Go to sleep you two; I will keep watch a little longer." They nodded and entered the large tent. I sat near the fire knowing that the wolves would not come closer to it. As the night went on, I sat there watching the trees. Waiting for what was to come. Chapter 5: Tooth and bladeThe night was filled with the sounds of insects, wind, owls, and other noises. The fire was just a small glow now. I sat there trying to keep my eyes open. Hours had passed and no more eyes appeared; that only made me more anxious. I nearly jumped when I heard the tent open. Bright Mac looked out and whispered to me, "I'll take over if you need to sleep, Sun." I was too weak to argue, and, if something did happen, I would be no good like this. I nodded and walked over to my cloak. I laid down after telling Bright Mac to wake me if he saw anything. I fell quickly into a dreamless sleep, and I was grateful for that. Nightmares were more likely to happen since Princess Luna was banished. Though Celestia could raise the moon, she couldn't enter the dream realm. I was suddenly awakened by the feeling of Bright Mac shaking me. My eyes popped open and I quickly sat up. Bright Mac and Buttercup were startled by my sudden movement. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and saw that the sun was starting to rise. Bright Mac had a look of shame on his face,"Sorry about that, Sun," he said timidly. "Didn't mean to scare you." I moved my cloak from the ground and cleaned the dirt off of it. "No, I am glad you woke me." I said reassuringly, "We need to get moving as soon as possible." I put my cloak on; however, I kept my sword drawn. Looking around, I saw no sign of the Timberwolves. "What are they waiting for?" I thought to myself. "We are still a few hours from Ponyville, so why wait so long?" The questions gnawed at me as I helped Bright Mac and Buttercup load the camping gear into the wagon. We began to move forward. Bright Mac, with the wagon, was in front this time. Buttercup walked next to him, while I stayed in the back keeping watch behind us. A feeling of unease was on all of us; Bright Mac did not whistle, and Buttercup kept looking back and forth for trouble. I held my sword close with one of my forehooves. Three hours passed without a problem. We stopped to rest at a huge rock; Buttercup pulled out one of the pies and we ate in silence. "We are not far from Sweet Apple Acres," said Buttercup happily. "I can't wait for you to meet our kids and Granny Smith." I was about to say something when we all heard a loud howl break through the trees. It was answered by more; suddenly we were surrounded by at least 15 Timberwolves. They circled and growled as their foul breath became unbearable; using my magic, I raised my sword and in old ponish I yelled the word for fire. Flames appeared around my sword and I waved it at the wolves, they didn't pull back. I was immediately shocked; normally the Timberwolves would cower at the sight of fire. Then came a great howl, and a Timberwolf twice the normal size stepped out of the trees. It was made of black wood with red leaves. I had heard about this kind of wolf, but I never imagined I'd see one. "An Alpha wolf," I said trembling. "The captains of the packs." The Alpha stepped slowly forward; its red eyes pinned me in place as it crept closer. An aura of fear washed over me as I stood there shaking. Without warning, an apple pie flew past my head and hit the Alpha. I broke free of whatever hold the beast had on me and looked back. The pie had been thrown by Buttercup, who stood with a defiant look on her face. Bright Mac stood tall next to her. Courage welled up inside me, and with a cry I brought my sword down on the beast's face. It cut deep, but the wolf's tough wood was nearly immune to fire. The other wolves attacked. I blinked over to Bright Mac and Buttercup and threw a shield of magic around us. Four wolves broke against it and I leapt through it. I cut two wolves, which burst into flame, they would not return from that; no Timberwolf has ever come back from ash. The Alpha tackled me and I fell to the ground hard, a lesser wolf jumped on top of me. The beast tried to bite my neck, but I used my magic to hold its mouth open. Bright Mac ran to me and kicked the wolf off of me; I pulled my sword to me and stabbed the creature's underbelly. Fire consumed it, and I turned to the Alpha; its red eyes blazed with hatred. I formed a shield in front of me and I charged; the Alpha did the same and we collided. Bright Mac ran back to Buttercup as the four wolves near her began to reform, he stomped on one that tried to bite his love. He lifted Buttercup into the wagon and continued to hold the wolves off, Buttercup grabbed more of the pies in the wagon and threw them at the wolves. Blinded, the Timberwolves were unable to avoid Bright Mac's kicks and stomps. The Alpha and I continued to fight; there was a twang as my sword met the beast's claws. The beast's wooden paws smoked, but did not burn. Its wooden body was like iron as I cut and shot it with magic; red smoke poured out of the creature's mouth. It smelled like rot and weakened my strength, with a great effort I blinked onto the Alpha's back and drove my sword deep into it. The beast gave no sign of pain, and it tried to shake me off. I held on to my sword with my hooves. The Alpha rolled and smashed me to the ground, I felt enormous pain as I laid there. My vision was blurry, when I tried to get up, nothing was broken, but I could feel blood running down my face. Bright Mac looked very tired as he continued to battle the other Timberwolves. Buttercup was running low on pies as the Alpha drew closer to them. Drawing from my reserves, I pushed past all the pain and blinked in front of my two friends. "You will not touch them!" I yelled. Power born from a desire to protect them filled me, and with a great cry I yelled the word for fire in old ponish again. White flames blasted out of my horn, they hit the Alpha and the four wolves next to it. The four lesser wolves turned to dust, the others near the trees were filled with fear and ran. The Alpha continued to press forward for a moment before breaking into pieces. Exhaustion quickly overtook me and I passed out. Chapter 6: I'm sorryThe smell of cinnamon and apples filled my muzzle as I slowly opened my eyes. My body hurt all over as I tried to look around; I was wrapped in a blanket. Bright Mac sat across from me; I realized then we were in the wagon. I sat up as best I could with the blanket still wrapped around me. I felt very cold. Bright Mac looked at me and gave me a little smile. He looked very tired. I looked over the wagon wall to see Buttercup slowly pulling us. She looked tired too, her husband's hat was on her head. "Are you alright, Sunblade?" asked Bright Mac. I looked at him; he was asking me that. I should be asking them that. I nodded slowly; it hurt a little to move. Looking around the wagon, I saw that nearly all the pies were gone and my sword was lying next to Bright Mac. He saw me looking at it and pushed it over to me, "I found it on the ground after you passed out," he said smiling. I took my sword and placed it on my lap. "Thank you," I looked up at the sky; the sun was starting to go down. "Where are we?" Buttercup looked back at us, "Not far from Sweet Apple Acres, about one more hour." She looked very happy about that, "Finally, we are leaving this forest." I was happy about that, too. I had a lot to tell the princess, and the fight with the Alpha wolf had drained me deeply. "Hey Sun, what was that spell you used?" asked Bright Mac. I closed my eyes, feeling very exhausted, but I still answered him. "Pyrokinesis, a high level unicorn spell." I had learned that spell when I was younger; it had been difficult to master, however, it came in handy. "Well it was amazing how you beat that giant timberwolf with it," said Bright Mac with joy. I shook my head and looked at him. "I didn't beat it." Bright Mac's face was grim as I continued. "Though the fire I used was powerful, it was not strong enough to end the Alpha forever." The wind moved through the trees as silence fell over us. I knew the Alpha would rebuild itself; no less than dragon fire could destroy an Alpha. The princess learned that after seeing a green one burn an Alpha to dust. The tops of the trees were awash with the colors of sunset. Night was my favorite time, where other ponies live in and loved the day. I loved the stars, "Night eternal," I thought to myself, remembering the legend of Nightmare Moon. I was probably the only pony who didn't have a problem with that. My tired eyes closed once again; dreams of stars over wide seas filled my mind. Suddenly, something large struck the wagon. I flew through the air and hit the ground hard; my eyes slowly opened as more pain passed through me. The Alpha wolf returned as I suspected; it loomed over me, its red eyes blazing. Buttercup was trying to help Bright Mac to his hooves. The Alpha turned to look at them, then started to move towards them. "Leave them alone!" I yelled, firing magic at it. My power was so weak that the large timberwolf didn't even notice; it reached the others. I watched helplessly as the Alpha attacked, Buttercup leapt in front of her husband, only to be thrown into a tree. With horror I watched as Bright Mac was next; the Alpha raised one of it's great paws and crushed him. Tears filled my eyes as anger welled up inside me. I got to my hooves, my body burning with pain and fury, "You will pay for that." I said coldly, my horn glowing with red energy. I saw my sword on the ground near what was left of the wagon, I levitated it over to me as the Alpha charged. I rolled out of the way and cut one of the wolf's back legs; it staggered forward and hit a tree, breaking it. As the Alpha struggled to get up, I was trying to think of a way to end it, but none of my spells were strong enough. In that moment a miracle happened, my ears caught the familiar sound of a cockatrice moving through the bushes. Following the sound, I grabbed the creature with my magic and I pulled it over to me. The creature kicked and thrashed in my magical grip; the Alpha turned to face me and met the eyes of the cockatrice. The Alpha's wooden body turned to stone and I threw the cockatrice back into the bushes. I walked over to the petrified wolf, and with one strike from my sword I cut its stone head off. I put my sword away and carried the head over to Buttercup; she had a very bad wound and blood covered the ground around her. I cradled her in my hooves as I cried for both of them. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me, "Sunblade....." she said weakly. "Is Bright Mac alright?" More tears fell from my face; how could I tell her? At this point I could not hurt her, "Yes, he is ok," I said trembling. She smiled, "That's good." I could feel her heart beginning to slow; her time was near. "Too soon," I thought. "Much too soon." All I could think of was their children, "I'm so sorry." I said to her out loud. She kept smiling at me, "It's alright, this was not your fault." Then her eyes closed, never to open again. Epilogue.I wrapped Bright Mac and Buttercup in blankets I found in what was left of the wagon. I sat there for a long time, tears continued to run down my face. I had only known the two of them for a few days, but that was all I needed to call them my friends. I didn't want to leave them, so I could only hope that we were close enough to Ponyville or Sweet Apple Acres for somepony to see my signal. I shot magic into the air, which popped like a firework, there was a red light and a sound like thunder. I waited for what felt like hours, until two ponies appeared. They had a wagon with them; it was pulled by the younger of the two. He was a young red stallion with an orange mane; the other was an elderly mare. She had a green coat and a mane of white silver, she was holding a lantern with one hoof. They both had apples as cutie marks; my worst fear had come true. They could only be Big Macintosh and Granny Smith. I stood up and slowly approached them. "Well howdy there," said Granny Smith cautiously. "Now what's a young fella like you doing out here in the forest so late?" I stood there in front of them silent, not knowing where to start, but more then anything, I owed them an explanation. I spoke slowly trying not to break down with tears. I had to stop once or twice to recall some important details; the two of them waited not interrupting. From the look on my face and how I was acting, I think Granny Smith knew what I was about to say and was trying to brace herself. Big Mac's face was growing more and more fearful; clearly his heart also knew what I was about to say. Finally with my head bowed low, I said the dreadful words, "I'm sorry but they are gone." Granny Smith looked over my shoulder to where her beloved son and precious daughter-in-law laid peacefully. Big Mac could not or would not accept my sad words. He cried out and ran towards them. With great effort, I tried to stop him. I held him tight, but the young stallion was very strong even for an earth pony. Granny Smith put a hoof on Big Mac's neck, he stopped struggling and turned to look at her. Long silver tears fell down the old mare's face; the two embraced and Big Macintosh cried deeply into his grandmare's mane. "How did it happen?" she asked me trembling. I told them the whole story with some difficulty, "They were brave until the very end, if your family needs anything you just need to ask." I finished after cleaning my face. "Can we see them?" asked Big Mac weakly. I nodded and led them over to the spot, using my magic, I unwrapped Buttercup and Bright Mac's faces. Granny Smith raised a hoof and touched her son's mane; she broke down and sobbed into the blanket around him. It was Big Mac's turn to comfort her, he patted her back gently. I stepped back and gave them a few moments, and after they calmed down we left. I gently lifted Bright Mac and Buttercup's bodies into the wagon using my magic, after Big Mac hooked himself up to the wagon we started to move. No pony talked as we left the Everfree Forest, I was very happy to see the dark trees behind us. We climbed over a hill and below was a large farm, apple trees spread out in all directions. I stopped moving, Granny and Big Mac both looked back at me, "Everything okay?" asked Granny Smith. I looked at each of them and then looked down at the farm house below. My heart was in deep knots, all my feelings tied up in chains. It had been hard to face Big Mac and Granny, I was certain my soul would shatter, if I had to face the looks of the youngest apples. I looked at my two companions, "I'm sorry, but I can't go any further." Granny Smith had a look of understanding in her eyes; clearly she knew just what I was going through. She was struggling with the same feelings and dilemmas. Before I left, I let Granny know that my words were genuine, if their family needed anything I would help. I turned and started walking in the direction of Ponyville. The small town was quiet as I walked down the lit streets. I finally found a inn to stay in for the rest of the night; the bed was soft under my aching muscles. In the morning I would take a hot air balloon to the capital, but tonight I let out all my pain and sadness. Dark trees.The Everfree forest was dark as I walked slowly under the silent branches. My hooves ached as I looked for a place to rest. My journey had been long and I was eager to leave the forest behind. The moon and stars watched me from the black sky, while I felt the trees close in around me. Many times I had walked inside these woods, and I feared no tree or beast. However, I could feel no eyes on me and that was more troubling than being watched. A cold wind suddenly washed over me; my gray cloak protected me from the worst of it. Then a great howl broke the long silence, I quickly moved to the nearest tree and pressed myself against it. I stood very still, letting my cloak hide me. Then they appeared from out of the dark, Timberwolves. The ever present guards of the woods, night or day they moved restlessly searching for those unlucky enough or brave enough to wander into this forest. There were three of them; I could smell their foul breath as I watched them sniff the wind and ground. Thanks to the magic of my cloak, they could not see me, nor would they smell me. They moved around the area for a few more minutes before another howl, louder than the first, echoed through the trees. The three looked up and swiftly ran back the way they came. I remained where I was a little bit longer before quickly moving forward. Now I was even more determined to leave the forest. Autumn was getting closer, and the Timberwolves were more active during this time. The end of the Everfree was still a long way away, and I was becoming more and more tired. I had no choice but to wait for sunrise. More than those cursed wolves walked the forest at night, and I was in no condition to face them. I stopped and looked around; finally I saw a large rock, I carefully walked over to it and ignited my horn. The spell was simple, but it took the last of my strength. I blinked to the top of the rock; it was tall enough to prevent anything on the ground from reaching me. I took off my cloak and laid it out to sleep on. I then pulled off my sword belt and laid the weapon next to me, still in its brown leather sheath. I sat there for a while, looking up at the stars. Many times I had done this, and I still wondered just what waited out there beyond those stars. Would ponies ever get to see it? A question for another time. For now I needed sleep, and as I laid down to do just that, I found myself asking just what was in store for me tomorrow.
Chapter 2: Pies and WhistlesAs the sun rose above the trees, I could hear a peculiar sound; it was whistling, but not the whistling of birds. What followed that was a heavenly smell, I could make out cinnamon and something else. Using my magic, I put on my sword, belt, and cloak. I floated myself down from the rock and made my way over to the sound and smell. My silver mane felt nice in the bright morning air; I felt better than I had last night. I felt as light as a feather and the cinnamon smell warmed my heart; I turned around a great tree and into a wide opening. In the middle were two ponies, one was a stallion with a red mane and light yellow coat. The other was a mare, she had a mane of bright orange and was very pretty. The two were busy cleaning up a small campsite; they loaded their stuff into a large wagon. I walked slowly over to them, even amongst ponies, I am wary of strangers. The stallion was the first to see me. He picked up an old hat and placed it on his head. He walked up to me with a friendly smile, "Howdy there, didn't expect to meet anypony way out here." he said, his voice was very cheerful. He held out a hoof for me to shake, I took it, and he shook me very hard, but not to hurt me. I was surprised at the kind greeting and I cursed my suspicious mind; not every creature was dangerous. Trying to smile, I said, "Neither did I, but it is nice to meet you. Mister?" "Bright Mac," he answered. "And that is my wife Buttercup." He pointed to the mare at the wagon. She walked over to us with a sweet smile of her own. Buttercup's voice was soft and full of curiosity as she asked, "What are you doing way out here mister?" I was hesitant at first, but her smile made me feel that I could trust them. "I am on an errand for the princess, and I need to get back to Canterlot." The two of them looked at me with amazement, "You know Princess Celestia?" asked Bright Mac. "Yes I do, and now let me ask you something. What are you two doing out here? This forest is very dangerous." The two looked at one another then led me back to their wagon, Bright Mac pulled open the covering and I looked inside. There were dozens of large pies in the wagon; now I knew the source of that wonderful smell. "We were delivering these to a town on the other side of the forest, but they didn't sell very well." Bright Mac said sadly. I wondered why, nothing looked wrong with the pies and they smelled fantastic. Seeing my mouth water, Buttercup took one of the pies and cut a piece out for me. I floated it over to me and took a bite, it was apple, and it was the greatest thing I had ever eaten. Indeed, in all the lands far and wide that I had visited, nothing compared to that one slice of apple pie. I thanked them and ate some more; it brought them great joy to see somepony admiring their hard work. "We are on our way back to Ponyville," said Bright Mac. "If you want, you could come back with us and make your way to Canterlot from there." I had heard of Ponyville before, but I had never been there, and traveling with these two was not an unpleasant idea. I nodded and said, "I would love to join you." They both smiled in approval, "What's your name?" asked Buttercup. Again I hesitated, I didn't give my name to many creatures. Only the princess and a few close friends knew my real name; however, something about them put me at ease. "My name is Sunblade." I bowed to them. "At your service." And with that the three of us walked to the second half of The Everfree forest, Bright Mac pulled the wagon behind him and Buttercup walked right next to him. I walked in front, keeping an eye out for trouble. As we left the wide opening, Bright Mac started to whistle a happy tune.
Chapter 3: Tales of old timesThe Everfree forest seemed less frightening in the light of day; as we walked Bright Mac and Buttercup told me stories about their family. Bright Mac's mother had helped to found Ponyville, she was still a very hard worker, but they had convinced her to take it more easy these days. Especially since she had three grandchildren to look after now, Buttercup's father was a more complicated issue. He had been very angry with their union and had left for Vanhoover, Buttercup tried to get in contact with him many times, but nothing came of it. I knew how she felt, I missed my own father; I remembered very little of him. All I knew of him was that he had been a Pegasus and that he had died heroically. My relationship with my mother was complicated; she could not raise me herself, but I never resented her for that. When we stopped to take a break, the two of them started to ask me questions about myself. There was not a lot I could tell them, my missions for the princess needed to be kept secret. Also my personal history was difficult to talk about, but I had a few things to share. With my magic, I pulled my sword from its sheath and the blade shined like silver. So dazzling was it in the sunlight that my companions could not look away. "This is the Alicorn blade, forged in the ancient world by powerful forgotten spells." I said proudly. "I have never seen anything like it before." said Buttercup in wonder. "Nor will you, this sword is the only one of its kind," I said disappointedly. "For this blade is made of star-metal and the spells used for it have been lost forever." "Where did you get it?" asked Bright Mac. I had expected that question, everypony and creature who had seen it asked that. "Funny enough, this sword is how I got my cutie mark." I answered. "It was a long time ago, and I was looking through the many incredible artifacts that the princess keeps inside the castle." I had them both in rapt attention, no matter how many times I told this story; the reactions were always the same. "Suddenly, there it was, like it just appeared out of nowhere, and when I pulled it out something amazing happened. I saw places far away from Equestria with fantastic creatures and great kingdoms." Their eyes were wide with amazement as I continued, "But then, I saw terrible places filled with horrible monsters and dark rulers." Now both of them looked frightened. "I was filled with a powerful desire to go to these places and cleanse them of all their evil." I got up, took off my cloak and showed them my cutie mark; it was a gold sword in the middle of a crossroad. "Then this appeared and the princess knew that the sword was part of my destiny. She let me take it and made me her personal ranger. My job is to enter places of great danger and bring back information." "And that's what you're doing out here?" asked Bright Mac. "Yes," I answered "But do not ask me more about that, what I have learned is for the princess only." The two nodded and got up. Buttercup was helping Bright Mac with the wagon when a long howl sounded out. It was answered by other howls, some loud and some low. Buttercup held her husband closely as she shook a little in fear. I raised my sword, but no Timberwolves came. "I hate this forest," said Buttercup. "I wish we didn't have to go through it to reach the other towns." I put my sword away and wrapped my cloak around me. "This forest is old, older than Celestia," I said. "It's a remnant of the ancient world, when magic was wild and full of chaos." "You mentioned that before," said Bright Mac as we started to move again. "Can you tell us more about the old world?" "Not a lot is known about it, a great deal of the ancient lore has been lost." I answered. "All that is known, is that in those times the early ponies were surrounded on all sides by monsters of chaos." As I spoke, I tried to remember all I had read about those times. All the lore that remained was collected by Star Swirl the bearded, now Celestia kept it in the castle. "Then came The Bringers of Harmony, six powerful alicorns who brought order to the land." "Alicorns? Real Alicorns?" asked Buttercup in amazement. "Yes, three mares and three stallions," I answered. "However, only one of their names is known and only their gifts to pony kind remain." Bright Mac looked confused, "Gifts? What gifts?" he asked. I smiled in amusement, "Well, the lady of earth gave ponies their strength and knowledge of farming." The two of them suddenly looked dumbstruck, I chuckled a little. "The lord of storms Icarus gave the pegasi their wings and the mistress of magic gave the unicorns their horns." The two of them were so distracted by my tale that they nearly tripped on a rock. Again I chuckled, "The prince of heart, who studied emotions and their effects went north. There he made a great kingdom of his own." Buttercup saw my sad look, "What's wrong, Sun?" I looked back at them, "It's nothing, that kingdom is gone now. Lost forever maybe." I took a deep breath and continued, "The last gifts were left by the queen of light and king of darkness; they were the first rulers of day and night." I said in great respect. "Their gifts were their only daughters." "Celestia and Luna!" yelled Buttercup brightly. I stopped and they stopped too. "Yes," I said. "But now only one of them is left." "What happened to the six?" asked Bright Mac. I started walking again, "I don't know, no pony does. Not even Celestia; she was to young to remember." The two of them saw that I was starting to get upset. "Maybe we should stop," said Buttercup in concern. "The sun is going down and we have been walking for hours." I nodded, "Very well, but tomorrow we need to leave the Everfree, day or night we need to get out of these trees." Bright Mac looked puzzled. "Why?" he asked. "The lord of the woods knows we are in here and his servants are looking for us."
Chapter 4: Eyes in the nightWe set up camp near a large tree that stood higher than the others; Bright Mac and Buttercup were busy setting up a tent. While I went off to find water, I carried their canteens to a small stream and filled them to the top. I walked back and the two were trying to start a fire. I levitated the canteens over to them and I sat down; the moon was full tonight. Looking up at it, I saw the image of the mare in the moon. Sadness quickly took my heart as I remembered the tale of Nightmare Moon; the princess told me the real story when I was young. As I stared, four stars could be seen getting closer and closer to the moon; worry filled my mind. "The stars will aid in her escape," I whispered to myself. Buttercup looked at me as the fire started to smoke, "What was that Sun?" I took off my cloak and shook my head, "It's nothing, Buttercup. Just recalling something I read once." She did not press me for more. Bright Mac, smiling, pulled out a old guitar from the wagon, "Darling, why don't you play something." he gave Buttercup the guitar and she began to play. The song was very beautiful, it spoke of a young love that had never broken; it had endured every hardship and challenge. Now it stood for all to see and admire; when the song ended Bright Mac hugged his wife and kissed her forehead. "Just as wonderful, as the first time you sang it to me darling," he said lovingly. Buttercup blushed in the fire light, "One day we need to play it for our kids," she said still blushing. Bright Mac grinned and put the guitar back in the wagon. We then ate a small dinner of carrots and other small greens. It was nice to have company; too long my journeys had been lonely. The two were about to go in the tent, when suddenly Buttercup screamed. Great yellow eyes stared at us from the dark trees, I drew my sword. It sparkled in the moonlight as I shouted, "HEAR ME HOUNDS OF EVERFREE!" the eyes drew back a little, "GO BACK TO YOUR MASTER OR I SHALL TURN YOU TO DUST!" The eyes disappeared one by one and the forest became quiet again. I looked at my companions. Buttercup was shivering in her husband's hooves. Bright Mac looked at the place where the eyes had been, "Why can't they just leave us alone?" he said in anger. "They have no will to do so, all intruders must be driven out or dealt with," I answered sitting on my cloak. Buttercup looked at me; she had small tears in her eyes. "You mentioned their master before," she said, courage returning to her. "What is he?" That was difficult to answer, for I knew very little of him. I told them all I could about the lord of the woods. "Only Star Swirl has seen him, but no pony today knows what he looks like." I said, "Some say he is a pony ruined by dark magic; others say he does not exist." The two of them wrapped themselves in a blanket as they listened. "However, the princess and I believe that he is an ancient creature of the old world. There are many that still exist, but he can't leave the forest." "Why?" asked Bright Mac. I shrugged, "I don't know, but I do know that he made the Timberwolves." Both of them gasped. I continued more quietly. "I am sure you have noticed that the wolves are not natural, they are not made of flesh and blood." Both of them nodded in agreement, "They are sentinels made to watch over the woods, even now they are watching and waiting." The wind suddenly rustled the trees; I could catch a whiff of the wolves's breath. I looked around, and on the far side I saw two yellow eyes. They would not come near the fire, but I feared what would happen when the flames went out. I got up and walked slowly closer to the eyes. They left without a sound. I looked back at Bright Mac and Buttercup. "He hates Ponyville the most, and if it were in his power he would order the whole forest to swallow your home completely," I said gravely. "But we have never done anything to him," Bright Mac said in rage. I turned to them, "Your own family history says otherwise, didn't you tell me that your own mother once entered these woods? And took something that maybe she should have left alone?" "The Zap Apples!" cried Buttercup in alarm. "Yes," I answered signaling them to keep their voices low. "Be grateful it is beyond his strength to act against your town. Something is keeping the forest in check." Both of them gave a great sigh of relief at my last words. Bright Mac yawned and Buttercup's eyes looked heavy. "Go to sleep you two; I will keep watch a little longer." They nodded and entered the large tent. I sat near the fire knowing that the wolves would not come closer to it. As the night went on, I sat there watching the trees. Waiting for what was to come.
Chapter 5: Tooth and bladeThe night was filled with the sounds of insects, wind, owls, and other noises. The fire was just a small glow now. I sat there trying to keep my eyes open. Hours had passed and no more eyes appeared; that only made me more anxious. I nearly jumped when I heard the tent open. Bright Mac looked out and whispered to me, "I'll take over if you need to sleep, Sun." I was too weak to argue, and, if something did happen, I would be no good like this. I nodded and walked over to my cloak. I laid down after telling Bright Mac to wake me if he saw anything. I fell quickly into a dreamless sleep, and I was grateful for that. Nightmares were more likely to happen since Princess Luna was banished. Though Celestia could raise the moon, she couldn't enter the dream realm. I was suddenly awakened by the feeling of Bright Mac shaking me. My eyes popped open and I quickly sat up. Bright Mac and Buttercup were startled by my sudden movement. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and saw that the sun was starting to rise. Bright Mac had a look of shame on his face,"Sorry about that, Sun," he said timidly. "Didn't mean to scare you." I moved my cloak from the ground and cleaned the dirt off of it. "No, I am glad you woke me." I said reassuringly, "We need to get moving as soon as possible." I put my cloak on; however, I kept my sword drawn. Looking around, I saw no sign of the Timberwolves. "What are they waiting for?" I thought to myself. "We are still a few hours from Ponyville, so why wait so long?" The questions gnawed at me as I helped Bright Mac and Buttercup load the camping gear into the wagon. We began to move forward. Bright Mac, with the wagon, was in front this time. Buttercup walked next to him, while I stayed in the back keeping watch behind us. A feeling of unease was on all of us; Bright Mac did not whistle, and Buttercup kept looking back and forth for trouble. I held my sword close with one of my forehooves. Three hours passed without a problem. We stopped to rest at a huge rock; Buttercup pulled out one of the pies and we ate in silence. "We are not far from Sweet Apple Acres," said Buttercup happily. "I can't wait for you to meet our kids and Granny Smith." I was about to say something when we all heard a loud howl break through the trees. It was answered by more; suddenly we were surrounded by at least 15 Timberwolves. They circled and growled as their foul breath became unbearable; using my magic, I raised my sword and in old ponish I yelled the word for fire. Flames appeared around my sword and I waved it at the wolves, they didn't pull back. I was immediately shocked; normally the Timberwolves would cower at the sight of fire. Then came a great howl, and a Timberwolf twice the normal size stepped out of the trees. It was made of black wood with red leaves. I had heard about this kind of wolf, but I never imagined I'd see one. "An Alpha wolf," I said trembling. "The captains of the packs." The Alpha stepped slowly forward; its red eyes pinned me in place as it crept closer. An aura of fear washed over me as I stood there shaking. Without warning, an apple pie flew past my head and hit the Alpha. I broke free of whatever hold the beast had on me and looked back. The pie had been thrown by Buttercup, who stood with a defiant look on her face. Bright Mac stood tall next to her. Courage welled up inside me, and with a cry I brought my sword down on the beast's face. It cut deep, but the wolf's tough wood was nearly immune to fire. The other wolves attacked. I blinked over to Bright Mac and Buttercup and threw a shield of magic around us. Four wolves broke against it and I leapt through it. I cut two wolves, which burst into flame, they would not return from that; no Timberwolf has ever come back from ash. The Alpha tackled me and I fell to the ground hard, a lesser wolf jumped on top of me. The beast tried to bite my neck, but I used my magic to hold its mouth open. Bright Mac ran to me and kicked the wolf off of me; I pulled my sword to me and stabbed the creature's underbelly. Fire consumed it, and I turned to the Alpha; its red eyes blazed with hatred. I formed a shield in front of me and I charged; the Alpha did the same and we collided. Bright Mac ran back to Buttercup as the four wolves near her began to reform, he stomped on one that tried to bite his love. He lifted Buttercup into the wagon and continued to hold the wolves off, Buttercup grabbed more of the pies in the wagon and threw them at the wolves. Blinded, the Timberwolves were unable to avoid Bright Mac's kicks and stomps. The Alpha and I continued to fight; there was a twang as my sword met the beast's claws. The beast's wooden paws smoked, but did not burn. Its wooden body was like iron as I cut and shot it with magic; red smoke poured out of the creature's mouth. It smelled like rot and weakened my strength, with a great effort I blinked onto the Alpha's back and drove my sword deep into it. The beast gave no sign of pain, and it tried to shake me off. I held on to my sword with my hooves. The Alpha rolled and smashed me to the ground, I felt enormous pain as I laid there. My vision was blurry, when I tried to get up, nothing was broken, but I could feel blood running down my face. Bright Mac looked very tired as he continued to battle the other Timberwolves. Buttercup was running low on pies as the Alpha drew closer to them. Drawing from my reserves, I pushed past all the pain and blinked in front of my two friends. "You will not touch them!" I yelled. Power born from a desire to protect them filled me, and with a great cry I yelled the word for fire in old ponish again. White flames blasted out of my horn, they hit the Alpha and the four wolves next to it. The four lesser wolves turned to dust, the others near the trees were filled with fear and ran. The Alpha continued to press forward for a moment before breaking into pieces. Exhaustion quickly overtook me and I passed out.
Chapter 6: I'm sorryThe smell of cinnamon and apples filled my muzzle as I slowly opened my eyes. My body hurt all over as I tried to look around; I was wrapped in a blanket. Bright Mac sat across from me; I realized then we were in the wagon. I sat up as best I could with the blanket still wrapped around me. I felt very cold. Bright Mac looked at me and gave me a little smile. He looked very tired. I looked over the wagon wall to see Buttercup slowly pulling us. She looked tired too, her husband's hat was on her head. "Are you alright, Sunblade?" asked Bright Mac. I looked at him; he was asking me that. I should be asking them that. I nodded slowly; it hurt a little to move. Looking around the wagon, I saw that nearly all the pies were gone and my sword was lying next to Bright Mac. He saw me looking at it and pushed it over to me, "I found it on the ground after you passed out," he said smiling. I took my sword and placed it on my lap. "Thank you," I looked up at the sky; the sun was starting to go down. "Where are we?" Buttercup looked back at us, "Not far from Sweet Apple Acres, about one more hour." She looked very happy about that, "Finally, we are leaving this forest." I was happy about that, too. I had a lot to tell the princess, and the fight with the Alpha wolf had drained me deeply. "Hey Sun, what was that spell you used?" asked Bright Mac. I closed my eyes, feeling very exhausted, but I still answered him. "Pyrokinesis, a high level unicorn spell." I had learned that spell when I was younger; it had been difficult to master, however, it came in handy. "Well it was amazing how you beat that giant timberwolf with it," said Bright Mac with joy. I shook my head and looked at him. "I didn't beat it." Bright Mac's face was grim as I continued. "Though the fire I used was powerful, it was not strong enough to end the Alpha forever." The wind moved through the trees as silence fell over us. I knew the Alpha would rebuild itself; no less than dragon fire could destroy an Alpha. The princess learned that after seeing a green one burn an Alpha to dust. The tops of the trees were awash with the colors of sunset. Night was my favorite time, where other ponies live in and loved the day. I loved the stars, "Night eternal," I thought to myself, remembering the legend of Nightmare Moon. I was probably the only pony who didn't have a problem with that. My tired eyes closed once again; dreams of stars over wide seas filled my mind. Suddenly, something large struck the wagon. I flew through the air and hit the ground hard; my eyes slowly opened as more pain passed through me. The Alpha wolf returned as I suspected; it loomed over me, its red eyes blazing. Buttercup was trying to help Bright Mac to his hooves. The Alpha turned to look at them, then started to move towards them. "Leave them alone!" I yelled, firing magic at it. My power was so weak that the large timberwolf didn't even notice; it reached the others. I watched helplessly as the Alpha attacked, Buttercup leapt in front of her husband, only to be thrown into a tree. With horror I watched as Bright Mac was next; the Alpha raised one of it's great paws and crushed him. Tears filled my eyes as anger welled up inside me. I got to my hooves, my body burning with pain and fury, "You will pay for that." I said coldly, my horn glowing with red energy. I saw my sword on the ground near what was left of the wagon, I levitated it over to me as the Alpha charged. I rolled out of the way and cut one of the wolf's back legs; it staggered forward and hit a tree, breaking it. As the Alpha struggled to get up, I was trying to think of a way to end it, but none of my spells were strong enough. In that moment a miracle happened, my ears caught the familiar sound of a cockatrice moving through the bushes. Following the sound, I grabbed the creature with my magic and I pulled it over to me. The creature kicked and thrashed in my magical grip; the Alpha turned to face me and met the eyes of the cockatrice. The Alpha's wooden body turned to stone and I threw the cockatrice back into the bushes. I walked over to the petrified wolf, and with one strike from my sword I cut its stone head off. I put my sword away and carried the head over to Buttercup; she had a very bad wound and blood covered the ground around her. I cradled her in my hooves as I cried for both of them. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me, "Sunblade....." she said weakly. "Is Bright Mac alright?" More tears fell from my face; how could I tell her? At this point I could not hurt her, "Yes, he is ok," I said trembling. She smiled, "That's good." I could feel her heart beginning to slow; her time was near. "Too soon," I thought. "Much too soon." All I could think of was their children, "I'm so sorry." I said to her out loud. She kept smiling at me, "It's alright, this was not your fault." Then her eyes closed, never to open again.
Epilogue.I wrapped Bright Mac and Buttercup in blankets I found in what was left of the wagon. I sat there for a long time, tears continued to run down my face. I had only known the two of them for a few days, but that was all I needed to call them my friends. I didn't want to leave them, so I could only hope that we were close enough to Ponyville or Sweet Apple Acres for somepony to see my signal. I shot magic into the air, which popped like a firework, there was a red light and a sound like thunder. I waited for what felt like hours, until two ponies appeared. They had a wagon with them; it was pulled by the younger of the two. He was a young red stallion with an orange mane; the other was an elderly mare. She had a green coat and a mane of white silver, she was holding a lantern with one hoof. They both had apples as cutie marks; my worst fear had come true. They could only be Big Macintosh and Granny Smith. I stood up and slowly approached them. "Well howdy there," said Granny Smith cautiously. "Now what's a young fella like you doing out here in the forest so late?" I stood there in front of them silent, not knowing where to start, but more then anything, I owed them an explanation. I spoke slowly trying not to break down with tears. I had to stop once or twice to recall some important details; the two of them waited not interrupting. From the look on my face and how I was acting, I think Granny Smith knew what I was about to say and was trying to brace herself. Big Mac's face was growing more and more fearful; clearly his heart also knew what I was about to say. Finally with my head bowed low, I said the dreadful words, "I'm sorry but they are gone." Granny Smith looked over my shoulder to where her beloved son and precious daughter-in-law laid peacefully. Big Mac could not or would not accept my sad words. He cried out and ran towards them. With great effort, I tried to stop him. I held him tight, but the young stallion was very strong even for an earth pony. Granny Smith put a hoof on Big Mac's neck, he stopped struggling and turned to look at her. Long silver tears fell down the old mare's face; the two embraced and Big Macintosh cried deeply into his grandmare's mane. "How did it happen?" she asked me trembling. I told them the whole story with some difficulty, "They were brave until the very end, if your family needs anything you just need to ask." I finished after cleaning my face. "Can we see them?" asked Big Mac weakly. I nodded and led them over to the spot, using my magic, I unwrapped Buttercup and Bright Mac's faces. Granny Smith raised a hoof and touched her son's mane; she broke down and sobbed into the blanket around him. It was Big Mac's turn to comfort her, he patted her back gently. I stepped back and gave them a few moments, and after they calmed down we left. I gently lifted Bright Mac and Buttercup's bodies into the wagon using my magic, after Big Mac hooked himself up to the wagon we started to move. No pony talked as we left the Everfree Forest, I was very happy to see the dark trees behind us. We climbed over a hill and below was a large farm, apple trees spread out in all directions. I stopped moving, Granny and Big Mac both looked back at me, "Everything okay?" asked Granny Smith. I looked at each of them and then looked down at the farm house below. My heart was in deep knots, all my feelings tied up in chains. It had been hard to face Big Mac and Granny, I was certain my soul would shatter, if I had to face the looks of the youngest apples. I looked at my two companions, "I'm sorry, but I can't go any further." Granny Smith had a look of understanding in her eyes; clearly she knew just what I was going through. She was struggling with the same feelings and dilemmas. Before I left, I let Granny know that my words were genuine, if their family needed anything I would help. I turned and started walking in the direction of Ponyville. The small town was quiet as I walked down the lit streets. I finally found a inn to stay in for the rest of the night; the bed was soft under my aching muscles. In the morning I would take a hot air balloon to the capital, but tonight I let out all my pain and sadness.
Dark trees.The Everfree forest was dark as I walked slowly under the silent branches. My hooves ached as I looked for a place to rest. My journey had been long and I was eager to leave the forest behind. The moon and stars watched me from the black sky, while I felt the trees close in around me. Many times I had walked inside these woods, and I feared no tree or beast. However, I could feel no eyes on me and that was more troubling than being watched. A cold wind suddenly washed over me; my gray cloak protected me from the worst of it. Then a great howl broke the long silence, I quickly moved to the nearest tree and pressed myself against it. I stood very still, letting my cloak hide me. Then they appeared from out of the dark, Timberwolves. The ever present guards of the woods, night or day they moved restlessly searching for those unlucky enough or brave enough to wander into this forest. There were three of them; I could smell their foul breath as I watched them sniff the wind and ground. Thanks to the magic of my cloak, they could not see me, nor would they smell me. They moved around the area for a few more minutes before another howl, louder than the first, echoed through the trees. The three looked up and swiftly ran back the way they came. I remained where I was a little bit longer before quickly moving forward. Now I was even more determined to leave the forest. Autumn was getting closer, and the Timberwolves were more active during this time. The end of the Everfree was still a long way away, and I was becoming more and more tired. I had no choice but to wait for sunrise. More than those cursed wolves walked the forest at night, and I was in no condition to face them. I stopped and looked around; finally I saw a large rock, I carefully walked over to it and ignited my horn. The spell was simple, but it took the last of my strength. I blinked to the top of the rock; it was tall enough to prevent anything on the ground from reaching me. I took off my cloak and laid it out to sleep on. I then pulled off my sword belt and laid the weapon next to me, still in its brown leather sheath. I sat there for a while, looking up at the stars. Many times I had done this, and I still wondered just what waited out there beyond those stars. Would ponies ever get to see it? A question for another time. For now I needed sleep, and as I laid down to do just that, I found myself asking just what was in store for me tomorrow.
