Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo could only watch in silence as the creatures lit a torch and proceeded along the path towards Ponyville. Once they were out of earshot and far away that the torch's light was faded, they burst into conversation.

"Did you see that?" Sweetie Belle gasped. "Did you?"

"We did." Applebloom replied. "I've never seen anything like that before!"

"I don't think anypony has." Scootaloo said. "They sort of looked like Royal Guards, only they're...not ponies."

"Should we go get Twilight?" Sweetie Belle asked hurriedly. "She might know what to do."

"i don't think that's a good idea." Scootaloo said. "We'll have to tell her that we were in the Everfree, alone, and at night! We'll be in big trouble!"

"Right." the other two fillies groaned. As they considered their options, Applebloom got an idea.

"Let's just sleep in the clubhouse tonight, and tell Twilight that we saw them in the morning." she whispered. "But we should get moving, I don't like being here."

As the three fillies nodded and found the stone path that would take them back to Sweet Apple Acres, they didn't notice the light of a torch growing closer to them.

====

"You hear that?" Turris said, the Conqueror spinning around and attracting the attention of the other Knights. "I heard voices."

"Who is it? Vikings? Samurai?" Samuel asked.

"No, it was different. The voices sounded young, but scared." Turris replied. "Should we check it out?"

"i'm not sure." Andrew replied, the Warden motioning forward. "It would be better to find shelter before going off somewhere."

"True." Leah replied. "But maybe whoever it is could show us the way out of this forest, and potentially give us aid. It'd be better than our current situation."

The Warden turned to Samuel, who shrugged.

"Alright, let's go." Andrew said as the four of them began to retrace their steps. "Stay close, and keep your weapons ready."

The other Knights nodded, and Turris loosed his Flail in expectation of battle. As they turned and began to venture deeper into the forest, they didn't notice several sets of glowing eyes watching them.

====

As the three fillies returned to the path, they could hear heavy footsteps coming towards them, thought they were still a ways off.

"What was that?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Oh, I don't like this!"

"We'll be fine." Apple Bloom did her best to reassure her friend. "We're almost home, just keep it together!"

As Scootaloo nodded and tried her best to keep pace, she couldn't help but shudder at the footsteps growing closer and closer towards them.

Then, a primal roar came from their proximity, and a Timberwolf pack surrounded the three of them, growling hungrily. The three fillies went silent, daring not to move lest they be attacked. The Timberwolves started to circle them, snapping their jaws in anticipation.

"Should we run?" Sweetie Belle whispered.

"I don't think we can run from this one." Scootaloo replied. "One thing left that we can do."

"Scream for help?" Apple Bloom said. The three fillies then screamed as loud as they could, startling the Timberwolves and sending some nocturnal birds to the sky.

"HELP!"

====

As the four Knights heard the echoing scream pierce the still air, they nodded as one before taking off in a sprint towards the source. Then, as they entered a clearing, they could see three small equines being menaced by several larger creatures, and judging by the teeth, they weren't herbivores.

"NO SUPERSTES!" Samuel roared as the Knights entered the fray. The large creatures immediately turned and began to attack, jaws snapping and claws slashing. Timberwolf claws are made of an unknown rock-like substance, a contrast from their wooden bodies. However, they are still strong, capable of shredding iron.

Iron, but not steel. Especially Legion-forged, battle-hardened metal capable of shrugging off blows from Viking Long axes or Samurai kanabos. As the creatures' claws bounced off their adversaries' plate armor, the Knights went on the attack.

Andrew's longsword landed two light hits to one's chest, before he skillfully dodged a lunge and pierced its throat, killing it. Leah entered her prime environment, landing slashes and thrusts that were not enough to kill alone, but would slow the creatures down and tire them.

Turris's flail smashed through the head of whatever creature challenged them, sending splinters in all directions. Every so often, he would use a shield bash to disorient them before Andrew or Leah would finish them off.

Samuel was a unrelenting warrior, and his Poleaxe smashed through the legs of the pack leader, before he cleaved out the beast's throat with a powerful slash and pull. The creatures were soon defeated, leaving their carcasses as nothing more than fragments of wood and amber. As the Knights regrouped, the three fillies they had just saved huddled together near the light of the discarded torch.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Turris said, rewinding his flail. "What were those things?"

"Search me." Samuel replied. "They were like wolves of the old age, but made of wood and vine. What kind of forsaken place is this?"

"I do not know." Andrew said, then his gaze turned to the three stunned fillies. "But I believe they might."

The Knights approached, lowering their weapons slowly and assuredly. The three little ones still seemed scared, but Leah came forward and gently removed her hood and mask.

Leah's face was worn, and a scar lay on her cheek from a blow long forgotten, but her composition and her appearance made the fillies relax.

"Are you okay? Can you understand me?" Leah asked.

To the surprise of all four Knights, the three of them nodded slowly, with fear present in their eyes.

"Good." Leah said. "We need to get moving, it is not safe here. What are your names, little ones?"

"I'm Apple Bloom, that's Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo." one with a yellow coat and red hair said. "Who are you?"

"We are Knights, hailing from the land of Ashfeld." Andrew said, coming forward. "I am Andrew, Warden and Commander of the Tidal Legion. This is Turris, our Conqueror, Samuel, our Lawbringer, and Leah, our Peacekeeper. Let us move to safety, you three. Those things will be back, and in greater numbers to avenge their dead."

The three fillies nodded, and they set out beside the Knights back along a worn stone path. As they finally exited the forest, they could see the light of torches and lanterns in front of them, guarding a small village made from timber, brick, and thatch.

The source was soon revealed to be the town's equine population, and they were unarmed except for their sources of light. They were apparently intently focused on another one of their kind. Their leader seemed to be one with a purple coat, a set of wings, and a horn.

"Alright, we all know what to do!" she cried, her back to the knights. "Let's go and…"

As the ponies turned to the left and froze at the sight of the three fillies and the four Knights, Apple Bloom and her friends came forward.

"Uh, hi?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We're okay, thanks to them."

"Sweetie Belle!" said an indignant voice as a unicorn with an alabaster coat came forward, huffing angrily. "Do you have any idea of the panic you caused when we heard you shouting for help in the middle of the night?"

"We wanted to sleep out." Apple Bloom said. "We were attacked by timberwolves."

"I'd say you should've expected that to happen!" another said with an accented voice. This one wore a rustic-looking, ornamental hat. "You all should know better than sneaking out into the Everfree at night for Celestia's sake!"

Andrew made a mental reminder to ask who "Celestia" was and why they would use its name like they did in that moment. As they watched the three young ones argue with their presumed caretakers, Andrew decided that enough was enough, and he came forward.

And everypony there froze. The leader with the purple coat came forward, and Andrew thrust his sword into the ground before kneeling.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Andrew, Warden and Commander of the Tidal Legion." he said. "These are my lieutenants, Turris, a Conqueror, Samuel, a Lawbringer, and Leah, a Peacekeeper. We are friends, who have traveled long and far from our home, and we are in need of rest."

The pony raised an eyebrow before sighing.

"Then come with me." she said. "I do have questions for you, however."

"And we will answer them as best we can." Andrew said, as the Knights came forward. "Lead the way, miss…"

"Twilight, Twilight Sparkle." the pony replied as the five of them headed to her Castle, while the other ponies dispersed and returned to their homes.

Author's Note

Update!

Next chapter - The Knights tell the Main 6 of Ashfeld, Apollyon, and their origins.