The Lord of the Ponies: The Friendship of Equestria

Ch.19 Flight to the Forest

Apple Bloom regained consciousness, and inhaled a sharp breath of the cool, night air; copious sweat drained into her mouth. Her vision was blurred, and a black ring enclosed the outer rim of her eye. Through her narrowed faculty, she perceived the stone form of a gigantic bear, reared up for the kill. Spike, the purple dragon, intruded into her line-of-sight.

"Look, Apple Bloom. It's Granny's Ursa Minors.," remarked Spike. His scaled hand felt the forehead of his poisoned companion, then promptly recoiled, shocked at the lack of heat Apple Bloom's body emitted.

"She's going cold!" announced Spike; the dragon turned towards Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash stood far from the group, silent, scanning the dark forest for a glimpse of their pursuers. Only Apple Bloom's shallow breaths echoed through the Everfree. Sweetie Belle, like Spike and Scootaloo, sat beside the ailing Apple Bloom; she turned towards the cyan Pegasus.

"Is she going to die?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie's question drew Rainbow Dash's attention, and like her insensitive self, she gave the honest truth, "She's passing into the Shadow World. She'll soon become a Wraith like them."

Rainbow's head twitched towards the dark recess' of the forest, implying them to be the Nazgul who recently chased the party of ponies into the Everfree Forest.

Upon hearing Wraith, Apple Bloom screeched. Then, in the pitch forest, other shrieks rose to accompany their newest addition.

"They're close," remarked Scootaloo.

"Spike, do you know the Athelas plant?" Rainbow suddenly beckoned to the draconian nurse, who stared back at her in bewilderment. Only Spike's blinking eyes hinted towards his verve.

"Athelas? Wait, let me check." Spike sprang back into conscious, and set himself upon Apple Bloom's saddle bag. Rainbow wasn't known for her patience, but she afforded the dragon sparse seconds as he shuffled through the travel pack. He quickly pulled out a book: The Equestrian Guide to Flora and Fauna. Spike rifled through the pages, and seeming dissatisfied, he turned to Rainbow Dash.

"Sorry, no Athelas,"  responded Spike.

"How about Kingsfoil?" asked Rainbow Dash. Spike, again, stole through the tome's pages. He stopped on a page, and pointed a claw at the illustration of a low-hanging weed with glowing blue buds.

"Here it is. Kingsfoil... it's a weed," announced the triumphant dragon, seemingly forgetting he had just wasted precious seconds that may have determined the salvation of Apple Bloom.

"Yes, we must find some. It may slow the poison. Hurry!" ordered the impatient Pegasus. The two companions fled into the forest, searching for the possibly beneficial herb.

***

The starless night aided the dragon and Pegasus as they searched the forest floor for the glowing blue which proffered the plant they so desperately needed. While Spike searched at ground level, Rainbow glided below the canopy, and hastily scanned the lowest level of the Everfree. She eventually found the glowing buds of the Athelas, and dropped down towards the weed.

Rainbow took the root of the plant into her mouth, and prepared to pull, when she heard the silken voice of her timid Pegasus friend, "Oh... um... hi, Rainbow Dash."

***

Apple Bloom's head fell to the side, her body unable to procure the energy necessary to keep her neck suspended. In her position, she was forced to witness the lovely form of the approaching Pegasus. Her golden coat radiated sterling light, which was like acid to the corruption which coursed through Apple Bloom's veins. The light dimmed, revealing the apologetic countenance of Fluttershy.

"Um... hi, Apple Bloom. How are you doing?" a *squee* could be heard as Fluttershy smiled reassuringly at the desperately ill Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom croaked, then turned her head to the other side, unable to withstand the grace present before her.

"Oh, that's okay. If you don't want my help, I'll just be going." The sullen yellow Pegasus abducted her wings, ready for take-off. Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on Fluttershy's wing, which caused the yellow Pegasus to set herself down

Rainbow galloped to where Apple Bloom lay. She chewed a stalk of the Athelas weed, and placed the salivated stub on Apple Bloom's wound. Apple Bloom sat up, choking as the herb stalled the agonizing spread of the Morgul poison.

"She will not last long. We must get her to Zecora's before she fades."  Rainbow lifted the limp Apple Bloom onto Fluttershy's back.

"We will draw their attention as long as we can, but you must race as fast as you can to Zecora's. The Nazgul will soon realize that Apple Bloom is not with us, and will take off after you," warned Rainbow Dash. She then placed a kiss on Fluttershy's lips.

"Just in case we don't see each other again," said Rainbow, before Fluttershy took off into the forest, in the direction of Zecora's cottage.

"What are you doing?! Those Wraiths are still out there!" Spike gestured to the forest, shocked as to why Rainbow let Fluttershy be burdened with Apple Bloom, and sent into the Everfree Forest... alone.

"Because, Spike..." responded Rainbow, "...we're going to be bait."

***

It wasn't until daybreak when the Nazgul trailed the burdened Fluttershy.

The forest near Zecora's was sparse, which eased her passage to Apple Bloom's salvation. Fluttershy noticed a black form which flitted between the trees, approaching at an accelerated pace. The Ringwraith found itself beside Fluttershy soon enough, and then another, and another, and another, until all nine Nazgul were trailing her.

Usually, Fluttershy's fear caused the complete interruption of her locomotion, but today, it pushed her further. She was able to maintain a steady lead over the galloping Nazgul, even though she was smaller and burdened with the terminal form of Apple Bloom. Screeches permeated the placid forest as the Nazgul savored the kill to come.

Fluttershy found herself on the trail to Zecora's Hut, which was straight and clear of trees. While this eased her passage further, it allowed the Nazgul to regroup into a cloaked mass of approaching darkness. The path led to a patch of Poison Joke, which Fluttershy, without hesitation, leapt over, assisted by her wings. The Nazgul discontinued themselves, unwilling to chance contact with the wrathful plant, afraid of what effects its 'joke' may have on them.

Fluttershy turned towards the hesitant Nazgul, who screeched from the far side of the patch.

"Give us the Earth Pony, Pegasus," ordered the Ringwraith, its voice raspy.

"I'll keep Apple Bloom, if you don't mind," asserted Fluttershy, which was accompanied by a squeal of delight as she congratulated herself on her assertiveness.

The Nazgul would not stand for her impertinence. They drew their blades, which reflected blinding sunlight into Fluttershy's eyes. They approached slowly, marching through the patch of Poison Joke. Soon, blue spots were discernible on their legs, and screeches erupted from them. They dropped their blades and covered their 'ears', unable to tolerate the  deafening noise they were forced to produce.

"It hurts," screamed one of the Ringwraiths.

"Why am I so loud?" questioned another.

"So this is what it feels like," remarked another.

The defeated Nazgul retreated from the Poison Joke, still screeching as they left the Everfree to recuperate. Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, now they were safe from the Nazgul threat.  Suddenly, Apple Bloom flopped off her back, and fell to the ground, choking as the Morgul poison took hold of her spirit. Fluttershy embraced the fallen Apple Bloom, drawing her into her chest, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"No, no! Don't leave Apple Bloom. Not now!" pleaded the crying Pegasus. Apple Bloom heard none of it, for the poison had taken its toll on her, and now left her on the brink of the Void, utterly unaware of the Equestrian world.

Fluttershy gripped Apple Bloom harder, hoping above all possibility that there was some way to save the little filly.

"Is that Fluttershy I hear? What is wrong my dear?" asked Zecora.