Triangle

[Early Morning]

Watching the night fade as quickly as the sun did I shook my head in disbelief.

I didn't get any sleep that night. Partially because of what happened the day before and the fact that everything around me made question after question run through my mind. I guess another part of it was I was looking out for my new guest. I was somewhat glad she didn't wake up in the middle of the night, primarily because I didn't want to use the batteries in the lamp I had.

I had recently tried to give her some of the water I boiled, to which she took. When I felt her head it was rather warm. But the rest of her body was just as warm. I noticed this when I first touched her. I didn't seem to get any better or worse. Whether or not she was warm because of a fever or that her kind is just naturally warm, I couldn't say. I hope it was the latter because of my limited medical supplies. It was pretty cold outside, so I covered her with the only blanket I had. While she was safe for now her time was limited. It was good she was taking water but, eventually she needed food. I would also need to change the bandages if it came to that, which I was also limited on.

Shutting the door I turned around to look at the forest. Trying to think on what I could do. My options were not many. Best case scenario she wakes up, hopefully doesn't freak out too much, gets used to my presence, and we could share the food I had. It was non perishable, but I think I could feed her something. I hope.

I traced the edge of the forest, slowly turning my gaze to the right. I noticed on how it almost seemed to curve left. I wasn't prepared to enter that forest unless I absolutely had to. It was also the landmark I could see. The rest was just hills and grass as far as I could see. If only I hadn't run out of gas I could see where that lead and keep an eye on my little friend here.

Maybe I'll just take a little trip. I loaded up on some flares and took a hatchet from the bed of the truck, I strapped it to my belt and put the flare gun in my pocket and followed the trees.

[Fluttershy POV:]

Warmth. Comfortable. Pain.

I don't think I was still in that hollowed out tree anymore. Zecora's hut maybe? Opening my eyes I found out I was wrong. Instead of the wooden walls of her abode I was greeted with this dark grey, leather? Moving my head and shifting my gaze I found I was in a strange confined space. I didn't know how I could describe it, but there was two seats with something in between them. I was laying on what was either a bed or another strange seat. I took up about half of it while the rest was taken up by containers and other strange items. There was more stuff on the floor of the small space that separated the front chairs from the bed I was on. There were also windows on each of the walls. Looking to my right I saw a small opening along the top of one of the windows letting in chilly air.

I tried moving but I felt a surge of pain as I moved my right wing. Wincing from the pain i waited for it to die down before I carefully rolled onto my stomach and slowly pushed myself up to see outside the window to my right. There was a flat black piece, of...flooring? Almost like a mini stage. Looking to my left I saw another piece of this strange home. More storage maybe?

Slowly turning around I looked out of the window that had the small opening. Seeing the edge of the Everfree my latest memories now replaying in my mind. I was on my way to Zecora's place when a pack of timber wolves found me. After I had managed to lose them I couldn't find my way back to the pathway. I wandered for several days before they found me again and chased me to that hollowed out tree. I thought I was done for, but the last thing I remember was hearing a loud bang followed by one of them being set on fire. Then I passed out.

Now I'm here.

So who saved me?

Wait...

Oh no...

Oh I hope some pony is taking care of my animals...

[Protagonist POV]

I turned around and started to walk back. My feet started to hurt and I couldn't leave for too long. I had already went further than I had intended. The trees seemed to never end. It took me at least fifteen minutes to get back. By the time I was able to see the truck again everything looked normal. I kept walking until I noticed something. I didn't think anything of it at first but, I swore I saw movement inside the truck.

I think she is awake.

Walking closer to the point where I could see inside the truck I saw that she was indeed awake. She moved from the back seat to the drivers seat. She was staring at me, her ears up and alert. Never looking away, constant eye on my every movement. Though if I'm being honest, she did have a tired look about her. We just stared at each other for the longest time, neither of us making a move. Eventually, however I was the one to first move. Her ear twitched once, before she turned her head to look at me as I slowly reached to open the door.

To find it locked.

Great, she must have hit the lock button. Now what am I going to do? I really didn't want to break the windows, but if it came to that I would have to. All of the sudden she moved back to her original spot and hid under the blanket. Adorable, but not going to unlock the door. Seeing is how she doesn't want to come out of hiding I just sat down against the front of my car. I moved my knees up to my chest and rested my head on my crossed arms.

For awhile I just sat there, contemplating my choices. Aside from the occasional small gust of wind it was dead silent, which really wasn't a good sign. I think about a half and hour went bye before I stopped looking at the ground in front of me and to the forest.

Getting up and walking over there I stuck to the edge to gather some things needed to make a fire. Walking back I started a fire and took one of the rations. Bringing the water to a boil in the smaller container I ate from I put the rice in and waited for it to finish. When I was about half way done, I paused as I was sure I was hearing things. Slowly turning to my left, I kept a grip on the spoon that was still in my mouth. For a minute or so I heard nothing, but as I heard the sound of the car door opening, then a small grunt from her as she pushed it further open, followed by the sounds of her climbing down. I was bewildered as she slowly came into view.

At first I thought she was staring at me, but turns out it was the rice. Hearing a loud grumble come from her I slowly set the bowl down in front of her. She hesitates as she crept forward towards it. When she was within reaching distance she looked at me once more before she started to eat. I just slowly let go of the spoon still in my mouth, watching her. I was still trying to get over the fact that she was able to unlock and open the car door. She clearly had enough intelligence to perform tasks like that. How much intelligence she had was still a mystery. I still was questioning if she could speak or was just able to mimic human sounds.

When she finished she looked up at me. I blinked, to which she responded with a blink. I slowly got up and poured some water from the pot into the bowl, to which she drank from. As she was preoccupied I slowly got up, taking the cooking grate I walked around to the side opposite the drivers side and put it back into the bed of the truck. Taking the spoon out of my mouth I stored that before taking out my water canteen. Slowly walking back I peeked to see she was now staring at me, that same alert expression. I slowly walked and sat down in my previous spot and filled the canteen with the remainder of the water. Taking a sip from it I put the cap back on and set it down. I looked over to her to see she had softened her expression and sat down on her haunches.

"So, what's your story?" I asked. Not really expecting a response.

[Rainbow Dash POV]

Last time I saw her she said she was heading to Zecora's hut to pick up something. However when I arrived Zecora said she had never arrived. Something happened to her. The fact that she would leave her animals for this long without getting some pony to watch them wasn't like her. No something happened.

I must have scoured the pathway leading from her house to Zecora's hut a dozen times before I noticed something. Disturbances in the bushes, broken twigs. This lead me to find hoof prints in the dirt. It was the dried blood I saw against the bark of a tree that made my heart skip a beat. She was in danger, or-

No I can't think about that. I won't. She had to still be alive. Besides it probably wasn't her blood, right? I followed any other clues I could find. Hoof prints, and broken twigs, as well as more blood. I had to stop myself from following the trail in fear of being lost myself. I went back to my friends to get help.

When we picked up the trail from where I left off it just cut off. We searched and searched, but Twilight suggested we pick up the search in the morning. I protested the idea, but she told me that if we put ourselves in danger we wouldn't be able to help her, or find out what happened to her.

The last part made my blood boil. Even though I knew where she was coming from how could she say that? How could she think of the possibility of her being dead? One thing that played a part was how she said it. I didn't push it further, I just accepted what she said. One thing about Twilight I learned over my time I knew her was that once she made a decision she wouldn't budge unless there was some logical alternative.

I stayed over at Fluttershy's place to watch over her animals. I got an hour or sleep that night. I know Fluttershy wasn't weak, but surviving the Everfree? There was a reason most avoided that place. There was stories of creatures more hardy than ponies like griffons and minotaur's going missing and never returning. She couldn't be dead, she just couldn't. I refuse to believe it.

I'll pick up the search where it left off, I can't keep waiting like this.

[Protagonist POV]

I stared as I watched as her mouth moved. I didn't understand what she was saying, but it definitely looked like she was speaking.

It started when I spoke, her ears perked up and she stared at me. That's when she started to make those noises. She looked like she was trying to tell me something. I just shook my head when she stopped talking. Then that was it. No more talking from her. So for the rest of the day she rested in the back seat while I tried to make a plan. I was able to carry some equipment, plus a tent and maybe three days of rations if I packed it right. The best thing I could come up with was following the trees. Keeping a safe distance. Those things haven't shown themselves but if they caught wind of easy prey lurking not too far from the forests border, we would be screwed.

I walked back and looked into the window to see the Pegasus sleeping under her blanket. I put everything I got out away, afterwards I entered the drivers seat as quietly as I could and got comfortable. Locking the doors I put the flare gun within reaching distance just in case. Closing my eyes I slowly but surely drifted off to sleep soon after it switched from day, to night.