Violent Thoughts

It's been months since he last saw clear skies and the shining sunlight under all these trees but he had grown used to it. Rustles in the bushes and loud screeches haunted him every day and night, giving him nightmares for the days to come by. Yet even though he was in the middle of the Everfree forest, he knew he was safe. He knew that whatever is out there can't reach him. If he could just stay in this small wooden hut, he can be carefree as much as he wanted.

It was on one morning where the yellow pony was walking through a trail to the old ruined castle when he was beset by Timberwolves. Injured and afraid, it was by luck that he found sanctuary in the form of a mare. She wore an old cloak that covered her entire body except her face and least of her legs. The hut was cozy and the mare let him stay the night. The day after, when he was supposed to go back home, he was ambushed again by another Timberwolf and was forced back into the hut.

The mare was kind and let him stay until the Timberwolves have calmed down enough to safely get out of the forest. The stallion agreed, seeing as he wouldn't risk his life to get out of here. The forest mare was nice enough to forage food for exactly both of them even to the protest of the yellow unicorn. The stallion was grateful and one day hoped to make it up for her.

As days passed by, the stallion was afraid of what's happening outside. Every night he would hear scratching on the door frame, yellow eyes staring straight back at him before disappearing into nothingness. He always slept in the farthest corner of the hut. Hiding under one of the mare's spare cloaks. It was not until the first week did he worry about his prolonged disappearance.

It had been seven days since he was last seen at work, at home, or at his friend's house and he was beginning to worry about them. Yet the mare repeated the same warnings and that the Timberwolves have become more frisky than before and that he must stay in her house. The stallion agreed, fearing what would happen if he got caught by one of them.

One night, the forest mare asked him if he could fetch for something in the morning while she was out hunting for food. The yellow unicorn reluctantly agreed but was afraid a beast would get him.

He went out and cautiously looked around for any yellow eyes peeking at him from a distance. He searched for the flower he was supposed to grab for her and it didn't take long until he found it. He gently plucked it off the ground then sprinted back to the hut in fear. He got what he needed, why does he need to stay any longer out here?

When the forest mare returned she brought back a bountiful meal and the two ate up heartily. A lot of laughter was coming from the hut and out into the forest. The silent forest can only blow a gust of wind back at them as no noise can be heard from them.

The days turned into weeks and the stallion was feeling very comfortable with his new life. All alone with the forest mare, eating fruits coming from the trees that grew in this unpredictable forest. Occasionally, the mare would request to grab something from the forest and the stallion would get them for her without question. The items he would bring back were flowers, sticks, and plant fibers.

After nights of chatting, he knew that she had a flower collection in the making before he showed up. Now she can't forage food and collect flowers at the same time so he had to do it. Then they used the sticks for the fireplace to illuminate the hut at night. He never knew what the plant fibers were used for but it was apparent that she needed a lot of them.

It was on the second month when things were... not looking well. The stallion was sent out on another quest to pick up sticks. Wood wasn't an option here in the forest seeing as how he had no knowledge of cutting tools. He found a large pile rather quickly. Usually it took him most of the day to find them and haul them back but this was near the hut. Not letting his excitement blow over him, he picked up the sticks with his telekinesis with a cautious eye around him.

However, the sticks started to glow a neon green. He threw away the rest in his magical grip and backpedaled immediately. There was only one reason they could glow like that and he didn't like the reason at all. The sticks were gently guided by a magical force and one by one they created a paw, then two, then four, a torso, and finally a head. The stallion was already in a dead sprint back to the hut thanks to his foresight.

The stallion bolted back to the hut and locked the door. He hid under another spare cloak and trembled. When night fell, the forest mare was disappointed in him and gave him less food than before. The next day, he was sent out to find the same stuff again and was able to find them without trouble.

For the remainder of the month, it was a frightening experience. The forest mare when they first met wasn't the same as now. She would not talk to him on simple things anymore and leaves him little to eat under the excuse: "I'm sorry I couldn't find anymore food"

At the start of the third month, he took his chances and began a trek out of the forest. A quarter of a year under her care and she still uses the same: "It's not safe out there yet" excuse. He was fed up with her and wanted to go back out there with his friends.

It was weird thinking of a place outside of the hut. Whether it was back home or just out in the forest. One step out of the hut sent a chill up his spine. It's as if he was walking on some forbidden territory that he really shouldn't be walking on. He breathed in and out and walked down in one direction, hoping to find a dirt path.

There was one thing he noticed while he was out here. The forest was quiet. Too quiet. Unlike when he was back at the hut, it was a cacophony of screeching and growling. Maybe it was the calm before the storm? He hurried in his steps.

That was when he heard something. A rustling of bushes behind him. He looked over his shoulder expecting to see a pair of yellow eyes staring back at him. With a snout made of dark wood and leaves sticking out all across its body. The steady breathing of a beast and the intimidation it reeks.

The stallion didn't realize he had his eyes closed and peeked them open. What was supposed to be the source of his nightmares was replaced by a small rabbit. The rabbit scratched its ears before hopping away. The yellow pony snickered then giggled at the absurdity at what happened. He breathed in a sigh of relief and calmed himself before trekking forward.

He didn't know where he was going but he knew he was going somewhere. He could hear birds tweeting off in the distance and a river of water flowing through a creek. At first, he was startled at the sound of chirping before feeling very nostalgic at the sight of a bird. For months of not hearing a single noise other than death around the hut, the sounds around him felt like heaven.

Then he heard the ruffle of feathers and the chorus was cut off abruptly. Immediately, the lone pony felt tense. Like something was watching him and that's when he heard it. In the distance, a howl of a canine echoed throughout the Everfree forest. The pony's eyes contracted and his fight-or-flight instinct triggering. Right now there was only one thing he could do and that was to flee.

The moment the unicorn began running, the Timberwolf chased after him. It ran faster than him and it would only be a matter of time before the Timberwolf would reach the unicorn. The unicorn tried to use the zigzag maneuver in the hopes of losing the beast. To his horror, the beast was smart and swiped a paw at him. A chunk of his flank was sliced off and the pony skidded on the dirt.

The unicorn was gasping heavily. He felt the blood flow out from his open wound and trickled down his hind legs. A thousand thoughts flooded to his head. He was going to die. He should have stayed in the hut. He should have listened to the mare... He should have...

He woke up back in the hut with his body aching all over. He was on the floor and looked around him. It was near night and the forest mare was nowhere to be seen. Initially he thought that it was all a dream and that he didn't just almost die somewhere in the forest. He tried to pick himself up but felt something wrapped around his neck. He lifted a hoof to touch it and it was rough to touch.

He looked down as much as he could and saw a rope made of... are these the plant fibers he was asked to bring to her? A bloodied up cloth was wrapped on his flank suggesting that, "No, it wasn't a dream". He looked around him more carefully and saw a line of rope tied to a corner of the hut. He was leashed! He tugged at the rope that was constraining him but it was useless. He tried to untie it with his magic and was surprised that no magic field surrounded the tied knot.

What happened to his magic? He brought a hoof up to his horn and felt a slimy goo that covered his whole horn. Trying to remove it bore little to no success. The best he could have done was remove a small amount, too small to dent the slime barrier.

Then the front door opened and a chill went up his spine. His eyes traveled upwards and met an expressionless mare. The mare took one step towards him and he took one behind him. This continued until the stallion's flank hit the wall. The mare drank the terror that he emitted and took sauntered up next to him. She placed a hoof under his chin before taking on an angry face.

"What in Tartarus did I tell you? I told you to not leave!"

"I... I'm sorry"

"Hmph! You should be lucky that no Timberwolf got you" The mare stomped of to her work table. This raised a few questions. If it wasn't a Timberwolf that got him then what did?

"When I say do not leave," The mare turned her head to face the stallion. His face turning into a mortified expression. Her pupils were gone and two glowing yellow eyes remained. "I suggest you follow that rule from now on"