Queen of the Diamond Dogs

Deep in the monster-infested wilds of the Everfree Forest, six brave adventurers forged a path through the undergrowth. Not many ponies would dare to venture to such a dangerous place, but these were no ordinary ponies. These were the Elements of Harmony, a bold party of adventurers who laughed in the face of danger!

This deep in the forest, the thick canopy kept the forest floor in a perpetual state of murky gloom, but the party's beautiful sorceress, Rarity, lit the way with a crystal-tipped wand. They had been hiking all day, searching for a nearby dungeon. Zipping back and forth from the front of the group to the back with lightning-fast speed, their rainbow-haired rogue voiced her discontent. "Seriously, Twilight? You want us to clear a dungeon filled with Diamond Dogs? You don't think that's just a teensy bit beneath our skill level?"

Dash twirled her enchanted throwing knives in the air. While Applejack, a fighter, was their party's only tank, they were more than up to the task of bashing some Diamond Dogs. While the monsters flung themselves uselessly against Applejack's shield, everypony else would blast the rotten curs with ranged attacks, hurling spells and shooting missiles.

Twilight adopted her typical wizardly "I'm going to lecture you now" posture as her pseudodragon familiar, Spike, clambered onto her shoulders. "It doesn't matter whether we're over-levelled, Rainbow Dash. We're doing this to help the villagers, not because it's a challenge. These Diamond Dogs have been kidnapping mares from the village for weeks, no doubt to make them toil in their jewel mines! It's our duty as adventurers to defend the weak and helpless throughout Equestria. That's what the magic of friendship is all about!" Pinkie Pie strummed a heroic chord on her lute to underscore Twilight's speech.

Fluttershy, the party druid, practically hid in the confines of her cloak as she worried, "Oh, maybe if we just ask politely, they'll give the kidnapped mares back! I'd hate to have to fight anycreature."

Rarity scoffed, "Fluttershy, you're much too forgiving! These horrid beasties are going to get what's coming to them. No doubt those brutes have been simply monstrous towards these poor damsels in distress!"

"You don't know that, Rarity! Maybe they just wanted to have a party with them and were too shy to ask," Pinkie Pie chirped, skipping ahead of the rest of the party while strumming her lute.

After a few more minutes of hiking, the party picked up a trail. They followed a set of paw prints to a dank, dreary dungeon. A rocky cave entrance was sculpted to look like the hungry jaws of a dog. Applejack hefted her war hammer and shield, testing their balance. She had no doubt that the Diamond Dogs and the missing maidens would be inside.

Twilight Sparkle organized the party as she usually did before they raided dungeons. "Applejack, you stay in front to keep the enemy away from us! Rainbow, Pinkie, you keep behind her and use your knives and bow. Rarity and I will stand further back and give magical support, and Fluttershy…"

The whole party looked at the druid as she cowered behind a rock.

"Um...Fluttershy will take up the rear."

It was a perfect formation for clearing a dungeon of monsters. Without magic of their own, the Diamond Dogs would be powerless. Everypony took up their positions and readied their weapons. Applejack confidently puffed her armored chest out as the party followed her into the dungeon.

"These monsters don't have a chance!"