(In the Everfree Forest)
"Applejack, are you sure this is a good idea?" Asked Twilight.

"He's my brother Twilight. You ain't stoppin me. Whether or not my ma believes, I need to have faith. If y'all don't, than y'all can leave. But I'm bringing him home."

"That's not what I meant. I just mean it might be dangerous, we should be careful."

"Twilight has a point Dear, we don't want to end up being attacked." Said Rarity.

"You mean like how we're about to?" Pinkie said as her usual cheerful self.

SNAP

They all paused.

"Do y'all smell that." Asked Applejack.

"Yup!" Answered Pinkie cheerfully.

They started to look around, worried. Seeing glowing green eyes in the shadows, but one looked different. Seven timberwolves with a young pony colt came out of the bushes growling and snarling at the six ponies.

"Don't worry A.J. We'll take care of the timberwolves while you take care of your brother." Said Rainbow.

"You mean I'll talk to him while ya'll distract them." Replied Applejack.

"That's what I just said."

"Not really, and usually I'm the pony that gets corrected like that." Said Pinkie.

"Pinkie you-."

"If you two don't mind, WE Could USE SOME HELP OVER HERE!" Rarity called, yelling at them.

Rainbow and Pinkie turned their heads to see their friends were already fighting the timberwolves.

Rainbow flew, slamming a timberwolf and herself into a tree. Dizzy, Rainbow shook her head, ready for more.

Focusing back on the task at hoof. Applejack went looking for her brother. Spotting him in the commotion, Applejack ran over to him. Her brother spotted her coming and ran deeper into the forest. "Wait! Please stop!" She shouted.

It was so dark, Applejack couldn't see. She didn't realize he was creeping up from behind her. He attacked, knocking her down scraping at her face. Despite having hooves they were just as sharp as timberwolf claws.

Applejack kicked him off her and started running with her brother chasing after her.

Applejack could see the Castle of the Two Sisters up ahead. She ran across the bridge, with her brother still chasing not far behind. The bridge snapped. “No!” She yelled, reaching out her hoof grabbing him. While pulling him up, her brother pulled himself higher, biting her leg that was holding him. The reaction caused Applejack to let go, causing him to fall into the moat.

Staring down into the bottom of the abyss, Applejack watched, hoping for movement. She was trapped, unable to help her brother who might still be alive down there.

Applejack just sat there, tears pouring down her face, unable to do anything.

She heard hoof steps heading her direction. "Applejack, are you okay?" Twilight called out sounding worried. Applejack looked up with tears in her eyes seeing her friends coming.

Stopping at the end of the bridge, they saw Applejack's condition. Twilight used her magic to repair the bridge and was ready to head over to comfort her.

Applejack ran across the bridge and into the moat before anypony had a chance to react. She stopped infront of her brother lying there in a pool of blood, not moving.

Her friends all stopped behind her in shock of what has occurred. They all looked at each other, not sure what to do or say.

Finally Rarity spoke up. "Girls, maybe it's best we let her be for now."

"WHAT!" Rainbow rejected.

"I think Rarity is right Rainbow, we should give her some space." Said Twilight.

"But... Okay." Rainbow gave in.

They all turned back to Fluttershy's cottage, leaving Applejack with her brother.

Hours passed and everypony was waiting for Applejack to return.

Finally, the door opened, everypony turned to look at Applejack who walked in with her brother she was carrying on her back.

She carefully placed him on the couch. Buttercup walked up next to her. "I'm sorry I couldn't leave him, I couldn't save him." Applejack said, crying. Buttercup pulled her into a deep hug, letting her cry onto her.

After staying like that for a few hours, they both headed to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack still carrying her brother.

Apple Bloom was working closest and noticed them coming, her eyes widened at the shock of seeing her mom. "MOM!" She cried out, dropping everything and running to them. "BIG MAC, GRANNY SMITH, IT'S MOM, SHE'S ALIVE!"

Big Mac and Granny Smith both walked out of the barn to see what she was yelling about. Both could not believe what they were seeing. They started running over to where Apple Bloom was headed and where Applejack and Buttercup were at.

Apple Bloom stopped in front of them, happy. "I can't believe it, you're alive! I, I I... I Just can't, you're alive!" Apple Bloom said, pulling her mother into a big hug.

"Well if I didn't need glasses, I sure do now, or are you really Buttercup?" Asked Granny Smith.

"Eeyup." Big Mac confirmed.

"Of which one? You need to be more clear when somepony asks a question like that." Granny Smith asked, playfully annoyed.

Both Apple Bloom and Buttercup chuckled at that. Applejack didn't react.

Finally, Apple Bloom noticed the pony on Applejack's back. "Hay Applejack, who's that?" She said, looking trying to get a better view.

Applejack looked behind herself, sad, then turned back to Apple Bloom. "That's your brother."

Apple Bloom was confused. "Uh? But I only have one brother.?"

"I'm sorry everypony, but we..." Buttercup turned to Applejack. "I, need to tell you everything, about what happened to me... and your father." They all headed inside for Buttercup to tell the rest of her family a long story, about that day and of her son.

(At dinner)
"So all that really happened?" Asked Apple Bloom.

"Yes." replied Buttercup.

"And my brother...?"

"I failed him." Said Applejack.

Everypony turned to look at Applejack.

"Now, what do you mean you failed him?" Asked Granny Smith.

"I failed him as an older sister."

"Now, Applejack, you haven't failed anypony." Said Granny.

"And Ma said he was a lost cause." Said Apple Bloom.

"Eeyup." Confirmed Big Mac.

"He was only that because I failed to save him! I could... I know, I could have saved him." Yelled Applejack, with tears starting to well up.

"Or you could have died trying." Said Big Mac.

"Yah, then you'd be blamin yourself in death that you not only failed him, but also failed us." Said Apple Bloom.

"APPLE BLOOM!" Yelled Granny Smith. "But, she is right Applejack. Don't beat yourself up over what could have been. But, right now let's be happy now that Buttercup is home, and in time we'll have a funeral for ya'll brother to celebrate the pony he was."

Buttercup smiled.

Author's Note

Sorry it took so long, I originally only needed a break do to having written that many stories, including 12 others that are ether not finished, I only the title or only the description of. And with the trouble I was having with Chapter 1 of “Applewood”, I just needed a break, but then I just kept getting distracted and just kept putting it off.