Chapter 5: Confronting.

Chapter 5: Confronting.

~Lightning was suddenly knocked off the tree as she just seized the berries. She lands to the ground beside Fluttershy with a thud, but thankfully, she had no injuries. Lightning looked back at the tree to see a creature slithering down it. It looked to be a sloth, snake, and fox but combined together. It droopily smiles at the two girls, but was staring at the berries in Lightning's hand.~

"What the heck is that thing, Fluttershy?" Lightning yelled, pointing at the thing.

"I...I don't know. I've never seen that kind of animal before…!" Fluttershy replied, cowering behind Lightning.

~The creature moves in a zigzag to get to the girls, but it appears to be very slow so it doesn't catch up to them. But the creature was also attacked by a blue ball that came rolling in. Both creatures have a brawl from inside the forest as they wrestled into it. Lightning and Fluttershy both watch in surprise and horror, not long before Spike and the Rainbooms appear.~

Rarity went over to the girls. "Are you two alright?"

Rainbow panted. "We got your signal and followed the birds here-What is that?!"

~Rainbow points to the sloth-snake creature fighting with what looks to be the blue dog the girls were chasing after. But, why did it help Lightning and Fluttershy?~

"Not sure." Lightning said.

"It looks to be a sloth." Twilight identified.

"But a snake too!" Rarity said.

"And a fox!" Applejack added.

"It's a sloth-snake-fox!" Pinkie clarified.

"It's an amazing discovery!" Twilight then said, sounding fascinated. "And is that the-"

"Blue dog I'm still after?" Lightning interrupted. "Yes. Though I don't know why it helped us?"

~Before anyone could say more the sloth creature was thrown out of the forest and it slowly slithered away. The blue dog then came out of the forest, still barking and growling until the thing was out of its sight. It then turns to The Rainbooms and Spike and Lightning with a lovable smile and its tongue sticking out and panting.~

"What just happened?" Lightning inquired, rather cluelessly.

"A lot happened…" Fluttershy answered in a sudden tone.

Lightning glared once again. "Who cares?! This dog is still toast!"

~Lightning pounced on the dog but it ceases smiling and jumps backwards only for Lightning to faceplant in front of it. She tilts her head to glare at it, then something unexpected came out of its mouth.~

"Enough, please! Persistent girls, aren't you? What you want from me?!"

~Everyone doesn't say a word and just stares at the dog in shock. Lightning gets up from where she landed and unties her hair before freaking out from this second talking dog.~

"Um….U-U-mmm Do-Do-es-BLAA! Does every dog speak in this universe?!" Lightning stuttered rather loudly.

"No...not at all…" Sunset said in shock.

"Even more amazing discoveries!" Twilight exclaimed happily.

"Another talking dog…?! This is...so...amazing!" Fluttershy's eyes bulge.

Rarity flipped out. "Oh my goodness!"

"Should me repeat the question?" The dog asked while staring.

"Don't ya mean 'Should I'?" Applejack questioned.

"Ih." The dog nodded.

Lightning raised a brow. "Ih?"

"Yes." The creature simplified.

"Yes what?" Lightning raised her brow higher.

"Cama...What you want?"

"Um...yeah. We're looking for our friend, Karly Crystal." Sunset replied.

Lightning suddenly bursted in. "Who you took away from me! Where is she?!"

The cub whimpered and jumped backwards. "Please! This is a misunderstanding. Ih, me has taken her. But, only to help. When you chased me to the construction site and got injured, me felt bad and wanted to help." He explained. "So me dragged your friend away to this forest and gave her those kinds of berries."

Lightning stops glaring and stares at the berries in her hand.

"Then went to get you, but you were gone…" The cub continued. "So, me headed back, but your friend was gone too. Me tried to look for her. When you started to chase me."

"Why cha go back to the site, then?" asked Applejack.

"To get a scent on her."

"That would explain why I smelt your scent on Karly's hair." A voice barked.

Everyone turned to where the voice came from and saw Spike good as new.

"Spike! You're Ok!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I gave him the berries." Fluttershy smiled.

"Yeah! I've never felt any better!" Spike wagged his tail strongly.

"Those berries worked wonders!" Lightning grinned.

"Well, this is starting to make sense, but it doesn't explain why you attacked us and bit me!" Rainbow yelled, getting back on topic as well as showing the dog her bitten leg.

"That. Really sorry. You startled me and attacked me first! Me got defensive. And when startled, me don't think and end up fighting aggressively." He explained, blushing.

"Hm." Lightning sighed.

"Do you want berries on that leg?" The dog asked.

Rainbow looked down upon him. "I guess, yeah." She shrugged.

~The dog takes the berries off of Lightning and crushes them into a liquid with its mouth before spitting it out onto its paw. It went up to Rainbow and rubbed the berries on the wound.~

"Ow, that stings!" Rainbow grunted.

The dog looked up. "It will."

"...Whoa...thanks...It actually now feels good." Rainbow shook her leg.

"You're welcome…"

"Alright, now that y'all are safe. Do you know where we are, little one?" Applejack kneeled down.

"This is Wuloric Forest." It answered.

"Wuloric Forest?!" Twilight exclaimed. "I've heard of this place. Miles away from CHS."

Pinkie's eyes widen. "What?!"

"Your friend was unconscious for a day. Because me dragged her here for 24 hours without stopping…" The blue cub explained.

"So, if you dragged her here, means it took you a day?!" Rarity asked, sounding alarmed.

The cub nodded.

"Means we're 24 hours away from home!" Rarity blurted.

"At walking speed…Not to mention finding Karly first and resting every few hours…" Lightning groaned.

The dog flopped its ears. "Truly sorry." He whimpered.

Fluttershy smiled sadly. "It's ok...I'm sure we can handle it...can we?" She turns to the others.

"I don't...know." Lightning answered. She glares at the dog. "Hm. You know, I'm still going to crush you for everything…"

Both Fluttershy and the cub turn to Lightning in shock. But Lightning then asked.

"But, before I do...Are there any more of those berries…?"

The puppy looked at her in confusion.

~Later, the creature showed everyone around the forest and up top a medium-sized mountain. They were walking across a narrow part of the mountain and on top a slope with their backs against the wall. The creature then stopped and pointed to some more Wuloric berries below them on a cliff. Lightning smiled crookedly and slid down to get them.~

"Wuloric berries can only be found in this forest, implying the name, but are still very rare. Be glad me found some more." The dog said.

"Lightning, why do you need more berries?" Rarity asked her, trying to stay close to the rocky wall.

Lightning turns to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, you said these berries heal the sick and injured, right?"

"Mmm-hmm." She nodded.

"So, I figured they can help me with my head! It's been bulging and making my eyes blurry for hours…" She groaned.

~Lightning begins to shuffle to the berries while the others watch her. However, Rarity leans too far forward and ends up slipping and she begins sliding down the mountain, screaming.~

"Rarity!" Everyone screamed.

Rarity screams in fear and it alerts Lightning.

"WHOA!"

~Lightning swiftly shuffles away from the berries and grabs Rarity's shirt before she plummeted down the mountain. Lightning was dragged down a bit, but she grasps on the edge of the cliff. Both girls were now hanging on the edge but were unharmed.~

The fashion girl looked up at Lightning in relief. "Lightning, you saved my life."

"Well, I would have done it for anyone…" Lightning replied simply. "A-and-haha-my fast reflexes kick in so-"

"Thank you."

~Lightning smiles at Rarity before they are lifted back on the cliff by Twilight's magic, Pinkie hugs both Lightning and Rarity and smiles hugely at them.~

"Girls, You're ok!" She cheers.

"Thanks to Lightning…" Rarity pointed.

Lightning smiled at Rarity again. "Hm…Hey, where did the creature go?"

"To get the berries."

~Everyone looks down to see the creature with the berries in its mouth.~

It smiled at the girls. "Should have let me finish my sentence. Me would get the berries. You stay."

Lightning looked skeptical. "Right, thank you...-actually we never got your name, what's your name?"

"Yeah! You must have a name!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Yes, we can't keep calling you a creature all the time…" Twilight added.

The dog stayed silent for a while then spoke sadly. "Me...has no name...or home."

"What?" Fluttershy questioned.

"Me never named." It repeated.

"Oh…" Fluttershy tilted her head sadly.

"Wow…" Lightning softly whispered.

"Just call me 'dog' or 'critter' until me get a name." The dog sighed.

Lightning shrugged. "Hm…"

"Maybe we can name you…" Fluttershy suggested.

"Huh?"

~Fluttershy smiles and picks up the critter in her arms. Holding it like a baby, she rubs its nose with her finger.~

"If we can name you, we can comfort you and take care of you." The butterfly girl said.

"Um...yeah...haha, Flutters, once you name it, you start getting attached to it!" Lightning laughed angrily.

"That's why you're going to name it."

"What?"

~Fluttershy smiles and hands the critter over to Lightning. She holds it in disgust and confusion and the critter looks with discomfort.~

"What do you mean?"

"If you name it, Lightning, maybe you can learn to get along. And you can get attached to it…!" Flutters explained.

"Me don't need to be taken care of." The creature denied. "Me managed to survive here for years."

"But, you do seem so lonely…" Sunset answered sadly.

"So?"

"You could use a friend." Fluttershy smiled.

"And you think I should be his first friend?" Lightning asked. She then starts fake laughing. "Ha. ha. This blue cub thing has spirited away my best friend!"

"Me said me was sorry!" The dog argued.

"And got us lost in the wilderness,...far from home!"

"Forgive him, Lightning." Twilight spoke out. "After all, he did help heal Spike."

"And saved ya and Fluttershy from that beast." Applejack added.

Lightning stared at the girls then sighed. "True. Hm...Fine. But, if I have to name it I'll need to think. But, can we also not do it when we are standing on a dangerous cliff…!"

~Everyone looks down to see themselves still pressed up against the wall and tip-toed over the rocky slope of the mountain, holding on the rocks wedged in the walls too.~

"Of course." Twilight responded simply.