" Pebble dear! Don't go too far, ok? Stay where We can see you!".

" Ok Mom!". Not soon after saying that the filly ran away.

The little filly joyfully jumped around the trees chasing the squirrels that lived in the small forest. Making little of her mother's advice the brown furred filly continued playing while her parents harvested the sap and nuts from the trees.

" Ah that girl, is all from your family side". Said the father as he dug his axe deep in the tree with his magic.

"Don't even go there mister! Wasn't your brother who ran away with that mare to Celestia knows where".

" Hmm!"

" I thought so".

As the adults continued with their chores, Pebble ventured deeper in the forest, her parents weren't so worried as the whole family knew it like the bottom of their hooves, they also knew that there was no predators living close, this was one of the many reasons why the family moved to the far side of Equestria, where they were safe from crazy shenanigans like in the capital, but today they were to receive a terrible surprise.

" Don't run away! Almost got you!". Pebble jumped to catch one little squirrel but the rodent escaped her and quickly climbed the nearby tree making a raspberry to mock her for her failure.

" Come down, that's not fair". The filly pounded on the ground in rebellion when something caught her attention. From across several trees where the forest grew dense a pair of green bright orbs appeared. Pebble saw them appear and disappear several times in less than a minute, always together. In one instance they disappeared again and when she saw them they were bigger. Curiosity won over the mind of the brown filly and she moved closer with the hope that the orbs would be new friends.

"Maybe they are fireflies!". With a happy tone the filly trotted closer until the orbs were gone again, when they came back Pebble saw them get bigger again, her mind just coming to the realization than they weren't growing in size but getting closer, and that they weren't fireflies but eyes, the green eyes of s timberwolf.

The filly froze, she had heard from the adults that Timberwolves were dangerous, that if you saw or heard one you should run or look for a hiding spot that they couldn't reach. " But it's not attacking yet". The filly came to the conclusion than if the beast hasn't attacked yet it meant that it was friendly, so she waited keeping her eyes in the wood creature.

The sound of twisting branches came close and now the little filly could see the creature completely, it was only then that she realized her mistake, the mouth of the wood beast drooled endlessly almost tasting the little dish that was in front of it.

Pebble was frozen with fear as the creature moved closer, its body getting ready to jump at the pony.

"Mo-M-MOMMY!". The filly managed to scream before the beast could jump at her, she closed her eyes waiting for the pain that never came. When she took a fearful look she found the timberwolf motionless, the beast was distracted by something else, something behind her.

When the squirrel she chased before started chirping angrily she turned around and soon whished she hasn't. Walking slowly toward them was a nightmare, for her little innocent mind couldn't find other name for it. The new threat was several heads taller that the timberwolf, its head was also canine in form but while the timberwolf was made with tree bark, roots, branches and splinters the other was pure black with a protective white bone mask, apart from that the other major difference was the eyes, red like blood and fire, red like a sun sinking back in the horizon marking the end of light and the upcoming darkness.

Red met green, both predators realize that the pray wasn't big enough for both of them, non that they would share, an unspoken pact was reached, one of them would cease to exist.

With a howl the timberwolf lunged forward, shoving the filly out of its way. Pebble was dazzled temporarily from the fall and could only manage to seat on her flank as the wooden monster reached its black opponent. Poor Timberwolf never stood a chance, as it jumped to gain the advantage the other wolf did something unexpected, it stood in its hind legs gaining more high than the jumping one. The black wolf caught its new pray in its Jaws and claws, sinking deep into its leafty body, then, when it didn't felt the wet and warm sensation of blood from its wounds, it tore it apart leaving chunks of bark and moss everywhere.

" Pebble! Where are you?". The filly's father finally reach her but she was so scared that she couldn't even cry much less call back to him. The winner of the fight then reacted, not to the desperate yells of the stallion but to the ever growing fear that the smaller pony was feeling. It sniffed in her direction before it sprung at her. In the middle of her terror, her voice finally came out.

" DADDY! SAVE ME!". Pebble found herself running without thinking, just letting her four legs carry her away, as far from the black nightmare as possible. This however send her in contrary direction from where her father was coming.

Her mad run came to an end when her front legs tangled sending her muzzle first to the ground, the pain in her snout making her forget about her pursuer for a few seconds. " Awee! It hurts ".

The predator behind caught up to her without breaking a sweat and recognizing that its meal wouldn't run anymore simple walked to her.

"No! Stay away! DADDY!". Pebble curled up in the ground, a feeble intent of survival, the black wolf opened its Jaws wide ready to full down the filly in one swoop. A sickening noise frightened the filly even more, but it wasn't the sound of flesh been torn by fangs and teeth. It was the noise of bone been broken by forged steel. A second and a third sound came, both like when her father hit a soft spot in the surface of a tree with his axe. Still, the girl didn't open her eyes due to her fear.

" Die! ". That sounded like a stallion, was her father finally here?.

"GGGRRRRARRR!". The beast roared with hatred and hunger, but also frustration, and yet no harm came to Pebble. Then, the weak sound of the creature dying was next, Pebble could still hear breathing, but sounded normal, safe.

"It's ok now, it's gone, it can't harm you anymore". Came the stallion's voice, not her father's but somepony else. Pebble opened one eye, then the other, her first visage was that of the pony who spoke to her, her savior.

Most of his face was shadowed by a black hoodie but a mush of blonde mane could be seen barely, his eyes shone blue for a bit but Pebble thought to be her imagination, his fur was a cream color with two yellow arcs as cutie mark. He was carrying something on his back, a white metal contraction with a sword hooked inside, over his right front leg was a red sleeve, a brown utility belt attached to his torso and finally, a chestplate protecting his front.

Just behind him Pebble saw a black smoke, she wondered what it was until she saw the white bone mask turning into smoke as the rest. " PEBBLE!". Her father called finally reaching them, he pushed through the other pony and quickly asserted the condition of his daughter. " Are you ok? Let me see you, thanks Celestia, you're ok ". Pebble's father turned around and hugged the younger stallion. " Thank you, thank you so much mister! You found her safe and sound, sincerely! You have my entire gratitude".

"Da-Daddy?". Peebles asked timidly and still shocked.

" Ah, sorry, let me, just let me catch some air first, uff, uff, I don't know how you could run so fast while carrying that chunk of metal with you, uff, but it doesn't matter, if it wasn't for you walking on the forest my daughter would be food by now, again, thanks, from the bottom of my heart".

"Ah, well, it-its ok sir, I just did what any normal person would do, no biggy". The stallion said while scratching his neck with his hoof.

"Person? You don't mean Pony?". Asked the oblivious filly.

"Pebble please, show some respect for the young stallion that just save you, anyway, I don't know how this could happen, Timberwolves normally never travel too far from the Everfree forest, how did this one came all the way over here?".

"Timberwolf? The wooden one?".

" But of course! Or was there another creature roaming around too? Oh no! My wife!".

"Calm down sir, there's no more danger, trust me". The stallion looked all around, sometimes closing his eyes but still searching the surrounding. " There is no more creatures nearby, but if you say that this one wasn't a normal occurrence then it could happen again, better be prepared".

" You're right young one, this was a close call, one I never want to experience again, I have deal with Timberwolves before but having a filly and a mare to protect at the same time is way too much for me".

"I wish I could help you but I have a, a mission to fulfil, but if you can offer me a place for the night I could watch over you and your family". Said the stallion.

"That's great! More than that, come then, come with us. We need to inform my wife that Pebble is safe, follow me please, you too child, and thank the good pony... uh? Sorry with all the commotion I forgot to ask your name my friend".

"My name? Uh, I, you can, you can call me ".

"Knight! You look like a knight, isn't your name something like that?".

" Pebble! I'm sorry for my daughter, she thinks that all ponies are named after something they do or for their special talent".

"But Daddy, your name is Sap Finder and you look for sap and my name is Pebble and I can shoot pebbles with my slingshot and I never miss, well, almost".

Sap Finder hit his face with his hoof. " Child, please don't remind me of our bad habit while naming foals, you are grounded by the way, for three weeks for disobeying your mother!".

" Not fair, first you take my slingshot, then I was almost eaten by monsters and now I'm grounded! What's next? Is Mom making more sap soup? ". His father simply rose one eyebrow. " She is isn't she?".

"Count yourself lucky that you get to eat and not to get eaten, oh we finally got here, let me go in first, my wife most be a bit hysterical right now". Sap Finder left the two young ones to go into the house.

" So, well? Thanks, for saving me Mr Knight".

"Mr Knight?".

"Well? You haven't told us your name, you have a sword, you saved me like knights do in tales, you dress like a knight, sorta, and, I got nothing else".

"Knight? I, I like it, so knight , for now until I remember my real name". The stallion said.

"Uh? So you really don't have a name?".

"No, I know I have a name, but I cann't remember it".

"How do you know?".

" Uh well, sometimes, when I'm sleep, I can heard voices, familiar voices, they call me, many times, they call me something, but when I wake up, I don't remember".

"That's so? And where are those friends of yours?".

"I, I don't know". His voice cracked as he seemed to felt into anguish.

"I'm sorry, don't worry ok, they most be somewhere, looking for you probably, I'm sure".

"Yeah, probably". The two felt into silence. The filly felt now the urge of asking what was the black creature that killed the timberwolf when the door of the little house bursted open.

"My baby! Come here!". In an instant Pebble was embraced by her crying mother.

"No! Mom! You're gonna get me full of snot!". The little filly yelled but her mother didn't let go.

The stallion watched as the family had their moment of joy, he was happy to have made it in time to save the filly and prevent another catastrophe, his mind slightly remembering the desolated place that he found during his travel all the way over here.

He turned to see the sun hiding deep away in the horizon, soon the night would fall and with it, the dreams.

DREAMSCAPE.

There were almost nothing than could surprise Princess Luna while inside the Dreamscape after years and years of guarding over ponies dreams she believed she has seen everything, by now even wild dreams like Pinkie Pie were a standard thing.

However that ended a few months back when two things happened almost at the same time. First was the appearance of two dreams that she couldn't access, this one was particularly worrisome if the pony owners of the dreams were having nightmares and suffering she couldn't help them subdue it, and if the dreamers turned out be an evil doers she couldn't see what was they were planning.

The second thing was as alarming, many ponies were starting to have confusing nightmares about bulky and intimidating black creatures that Luna has never seen before, she had calmed all of those dreams but more kept popping here and there. Finally, along with the black monsters was another presence, a stallion that appeared in most of the dreams slaying the creatures and saving the day.

Luna was extremely consternated by this and she was now planning to inform her sister of her finding.

In this night her intents at entering the mysterious dreams failed once more, no matter how much she inspected them they were closed to her and no amount of magic she poured in her intents it failed every time.

"This can't be, there is no dream that can be sealed from me! Well maybe, some, but no! I'm the Princess of the night! The guardian of dreams! The scourge of nightmares! I demand thee! Open NOW!".

Her voice reached wide and far but the two dreams remained the same. " Fine! If I can't enter through the dream then I shall through the pony itself". With that said Luna left the Dreamscape appearing back in her royal room, her temper completely gone from her.

"I will find you". Luna said as two small spheres appeared in front of her, one white and warm while the other was red and cold, the dreams of the unknown ponies. " Just you wait".

EDGE OF EQUESTRIA, PEBBLE'S HOUSE.

as soon as Pebble woke up she jumped out of her bed and trotted to the small shelf outside her house to meet with her hero. " Mr Knight! Mr Knight wake up! It's morning!". The filly opened the door violently when she got no answer. " Mr Knight, is breakfast time! Mister?".

Pebble only found the pillow and blanket her mother gave to the cream pony so that he could sleep. The two were neatly folded in a corner. " Mr Knight? Where are you? Where did you go?". The filly sat on her flank saddened by the sudden departure of her hero.

At the skirt of the forest the armored pony stopped when he thought he heard his name, not exactly his name but close to one as he would get. "I'm sorry Pebble, but I can't stay here, can't stay anywhere until I know what I am, or who I am, sorry".

With a last look the stallion turned tail and galloped away letting his hooves direct his path and hoping to find what he was looking for.

END OF ACT 1.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading and hope someone like the story, since I have 4 stories running now and my work load doesn't seem to reduce I will sacrifice BGFT for the moment. Again thanks for reading and have a good one.

NEXT CHAPTERS:

1) PokePon chapter 5
2) Fruits of love chapter 30
3) Fruits of love chapter 31
4 My Little Pony Isekai: The Knight chapter 2.