Onyx ran through the trees, stopping in a clearing to catch her breath, she was a while away from Bridlewood now, hopefully far enough. she panted a bit as she stood there, thinking about what just happened, she wasn’t used to all this drama and action, she just liked taking things are her own pace. Stripes chased her out from her own home, destroying it with fire, weakening the top floor, causing it to collapse. She wish she had known this nasty pony had such strength or tools, she would have chosen another hiding place, one where her home wouldn’t have been destroyed. Or spoken Dapple out of it, since it was his dumb idea. Her heart was racing as she looked back, her leg was stinging in pain, the bleeding had stopped, but it still hurt. Her heart skipped when she spotted the pony approaching her, haves crunching under her hooves.

“I really wish you’d stop doing this.” She said in a soft voice. “But what do you want?” Onyx asked, hiding her fear the best she could. “You just here to assault, or…” She paused for dramatic effect. “Destroy?”

”Oh neigh, neigh much? Besides I do what I was hired to do…” She grinned, creeping closer and closer to her. “Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

”Uh?” Onyx quickly got an idea, throwing a bunch of dirt in the hunter’s eyes, running away as soon as the pony started to wipe the dirt away after yelping in pain. While running and jumping over a log, she gasped as soon as she realised she was no longer moving, despite running as fast as she could, she was going nowhere. Engulfed on a ball of magic, from where? She yelped as she was forcibly thrown onto the dirt, she shakily got up, looking at this jerk. Much to her surprise, she expressed with a gasp. She had a horn now? Stripes, that was her name, right? Was a unicorn this whole time? But the horn? That just seemingly came out of nowhere!

“Well, well well, too scared to fight back? To run? Call for help?” She asked before laughing. “Just a weak, small Onyx. No one cares.” She said, making her look big. Unaware of Onyx’s glowing horn. She was instantly whacked in the face with a stick, twice , allowing her to get up and start running.

“No powers for striped prowlers.” She stated monotonously with a smug smile as she looked back. Not seeing Stripes anywhere, where’d she go? Onyx only shrugged and started running, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she ran. Only to have a surprise attack pulled on her, tackling to the ground against the hard dirt before she was thrown at a large boulder. Letting out a loud grunt on impact, pain running through her body, she flumped on the ground, trying to regain her composure just seconds before Stripes pinned her against it, holding her by the neck and holding her other limb as if to punch her.

“So, we are doing this the hard way, huh?” She asked, snickering. “Now, just come back with me so Gumdrop can use the device on you. Just to check you don’t you don’t have something that belongs to her.” She could see fear in her face, her heart was rapid as she pressed down harder.

“No.” Onyx said bluntly, wincing in pain slightly, a choke noise briefly coming out her mouth, not wanting to witness what comes next. She was not a fan of this the slightest. She was only used to pain that hurt less, but this was feeling like she was in danger, she hated being in danger.

“Considering I overpower you, you don’t really have an option…” There was a pause as Stripes grinned with joy. Just before there was a familiar voice.

”Leave her… Alone!” Dapple exclaimed, digging his hoof against the ground before ramming right towards Stripes. Ramming his horn into her side. making her exclaim in surprise and possibly pain.

“You freak!” Stripe exclaimed, dropping Onyx and heading towards Dapple who froze, she bucked him heard, sending him a few inches in the air and slamming to the ground.

“Daps!” Exclaimed Onyx, surprised he came back and terrified he was hurt. She felt sick to the stomach as she turned back, facing her. How dare she hurt her friend.

“I bet you are the one with those powers, aren’t you. You keep running and fighting back.” There was a pause as Onyx scrambled a few inches, struggling to get to her hooves. Dapple stared with horror as he got up, quickly getting an idea.

”Uh no, she’s not…” Dapple claimed, gulping as he got up. Looking rather scared and battered. “It’s me, I’ve got the powers! Not Onyx!”

“Oh really?” Stripes asked, turning around as Dapple’s horn started glowing. He made some type of illusion with his unicorn magic, or an object he so happened to have. Like gel, to make his hooves shine.

“You can see it! My hooves are glowing with this massive power!” He exclaimed. Gulping as Stripes started getting closer to him. “Uh oh.” He stated before running away as she chased him. Leaving Onyx alone, again, she was reluctant to get any further but she used the rest of her strength to run in the opposite direction. Which only lasted a few minutes before she tripped over a log and rolled down a hill. Landing right in front of the water in a pond. She whimpered as she tried to get up, only to collapse onto the damp soil where the water met the land. She lifted her head to see the bruises and wounds on her body, she was a complete mess. She hoped Dapple was okay. It was very brave of him to do what he did. Her whole body was hurting, dirty and tired. She made her hoof glow faintly, she had healing powers that would be useful right now. She smiled slightly as she touched her foreleg with her hoof. Listening to the relaxing noises as she healed up, ready to travel further and hide. There was no way Dapple would be able to fight her alone, but she had to keep moving, so these powers didn’t get in the wrong hooves. But if lucky, she could just be taking him back to the tearoom where the griffon was. Only to figure out he did not have the light powers. Onyx looked into the water, a little gloomy. So, what now? Was she to run and hide until it all was over? How long would that take? Or was it safe to return now? Maybe not. She knew this place at least, unicorns sometimes came here to swim when it was warm. Seems they hadn’t ran a far into the woods as they thought, or somehow started running another direction that took them somewhere else near it.

Dapple ran for his life, he couldn’t hide. He already tried that, she could find him easily. Also, hiding was a bit harder, she was on his heels, he’d have to lose her first. Hopefully he could keep her occupied long enough for Onyx to be safe and the griffon to fail her mission. He did not stop galloping, he jumped over logs and past trees, occasionally doing a turn. He’d know the way back home, hopefully. He can’t be that far from Bridlewood, right? he yelped in pain, almost tripping over as he scratched his side on a branch he ran past. It was sticking out, he didn't see it, but a warning would have been nice. He ignored the stinging pain as he galloped through the forest. Until his heart stopped, he skidded to a complete stop. Right on a ledge, inches from falling in a rapid, violent river. He gulped as Stripes chased after him, holding a rusty old axe. “Well well well, we meet again…” He gulped, stepping back, rocks crumbling from the ledge.

“Where are you gonna run? Where are you gonna hide?” Stripes asked, seeing as Dapple shook. Scared. “I know you don’t have the glowy powers. Master Gumdrop already figured that out and showed me a photo a day ago! I’m just getting you out of my way.

”Y-you are not getting her powers!” Dapple shouted.

”What are you gonna do to stop me?” Stripes chuckled, dragging the axe along the ground, stopping right where the ledge started. Only about three or four metres away from Dapple.

“Anything!” He exclaimed, “Just stay away from her!” He ran at her, only for her to grab him around the neck in her magic. He chocked and wheezed. He could still breath well, but it felt like he was being strangled, despite the fact he was not. He looked down to the ground, the ledge was muddy and slippery, but there were a few tufts of grass. That could not possibly help him could it? Or maybe… As she rambled on about something about power, or whatever. He focused on a patch of dirt, levitating it in his magic. Throwing it straight in her eyes, making her scream as she stepped back, throwing Dapple. Shivers went down his spine as his hind legs went over the edge, that was way too close! But at least she was distracted, or so he thought. She growled as she wiped the mud away, raising a hoof. It started to glow slightly as it became bigger, more muscular. Stripes was not a pony for sure, no pony could do that! It was almost like slow motion when she punched the ledge with her muscular, grown hoof. Dirt flying in the air as cracks went through out. All Dapple could do was gulp in fear and dp what he thought would work. Just before the cracks reached his location and the ledge completely shattered, he leaped as strongly as he could, as far as he could. Just barely reaching the edge where Stripes was standing. His heart dropped when he slipped back quickly grabbing on with both forelegs as tight as he could. Trying to lift himself up before slipping. He shuddered as he looked down. Jaggered rocks poking out the viscous water. As angry as a hungry monster, like into a mouth of a hungry dragon. The water roared, sending up sprays of mist as it hit anything. ”Stripes!” Shouted Dapple, slipping a bit more. His heart racing. “P-please help me up, I don't want to die.” He panted, heart racing. “I-I’ll do anything for you!” He shouted. He yelped as his hind leg slipped when he tried to rest it on a ledge.

”Really? Anything?” Stripes smirked. “Anything you say?”

“Y-yes! J-just help me up!” He begged. Not planing on helping her too much. It would be a bit jinxie to break a promise, but he wasn’t promising her a thing. He could just help her with one small thing and the deal is done.

“Hmmm… I guess I could…” Stripes smirked. Hearing a sigh of relief as he was lifted up in her magic. “So you say you’d help me? Why should I believe you?”

”Uh…” Dapple froze not knowing what to say to save himself. “You spare me and I’ll help you with one thing.”

Stripes laughed loudly, worrying Dapple more who started to sweat in panic. His heart going faster as he watched her laugh. Not sure to laugh too or if there was something else going on. “I work alone.” She said bluntly. What happened next happened so fast, he did not have time to process it. His heart stopped as she threw him out. He hopelessly reached out towards her as he fell closer and closer to the ranging water. Crashing into to river with a large splash, not surfacing as she overlooked the rushing water with a chuckle. “That’s what you get if you mess with me.” She spat before walking back. A small green drone following her. “I’m sure they’ll love to see this victory. Night, night!”

Onyx was sitting on the other side ot the pond, leaning against a rock, sitting on the damp dirt, ready to venture further in. Dapple was not the fastest runner, but there was no sign of either of them, so if he was still running, then they must be pretty far by now. She had made sure to hide her hoof prints as she moved, even if she had only walked around to one side of the pond to another. What was stopping her? Monsters, it was known that monsters lived a few metres beyond the pond, never coming close, but there were rumoured sightings, so unicorns only came around during the day in summer, as it as decided the monsters were asleep at that time, or at least only hunted at night. She had actually written a poem of the monster herself, it was reportedly large and had a large horn, along with spikes. Unicorns had dubbed it the ‘Spine Back.’ She looked down at her hooves at a sharp stick carved into a spear, would this be enough to protect her if she came across it, she hoped so. She walked along the pond, standing on a rocky ledge before galloping into the woods, hearing nothing besides her hooves crunching on the fallen leaves, then she stopped in her tracks, seeing something dashing past her, glowing. She worriedly glanced around, did she run so deep that she ran into a monster’s territory? She didn’t seem to have ran that far in, but she just stood there, it was darker here, surely this ‘Stripes’ guy can’t be good at everything, surely she does not have night vision? Onyx took a few steps forward, leaves crunching under her hoof, until one didn’t crunch on anything, sending her face-first down a ditch, so so it seemed, she was now unable to see what was in front of her. As she sat there, she thought about all the poetry she could make from this experience, trying to remain calm about the situation. Stuck in a dark place, yeah, perfect moment to stay chill. She was a chill, calm pony, not an anxiety filled equine. So she climbed out of the ditch she assumed she was in and looked around, only taking a few steps before she heard a low growling to her right, she eyed the source with a gasp. A unicorn shaped monster, towering over her, a dark shade of grey-blue with a purple mane and white socks eyeing her down, stomping the ground with its dark navy blue hooves. The eyes were glowing red and its body was covered in crystal-like spines, resembling an echidna’s.

“Onyx!” The beast roared.

“What?” Onyx stood there, looking like a mouse who had just ran into a cat. How’d this monster she never saw before knew her name? Whatever, it was Likley a good idea to run. She had a head start, galloping back the way she came from, wishing she had never gone that way. As her surround started getting lighter, the beast stopped and ran back where it came, but she kept running. “Count on Onyx Sonnet being-Wuh!” She exclaimed, forgetting about the rocky ledge from earlier, ending up with a sudden drop that ended with a splash. After she surfaced, she simply floated on her back, letting out a sigh. “Just my luck.” She whispered, the water being somewhat soothing in a way as she simply let herself float around, calming herself down and letting herself take a breather, closing her tired eyes and just relaxing, hoping no one would destroy it anytime soon. Adventure was never really her thing, maybe she’d write the occasional poem that had slight adventurous tone, but she wouldn’t go on some crazy quest herself. She rather sit down with some tea and write the poem, the only thing uplifting was she could write a poem about how she was feeling. Fear striking like an arrow, or how that strange monster knew her name. She let out a huff, wondering what Dapple was doing now, having a dreadful feeling she shook off once she thought about him, then suddenly there was a snap of a twig, making her ears perk up as she readjusted her position, standing on some rocky ground in the pond, looking around, then she saw it, Stripes looking to the side, walking towards the pond. With some quick thinking she dived into the deeper water, holding her breath as she looked up, heart now racing again as she saw her silhouette overlooking the pond, not moving and just staying there, she gulped hoping not only she didn’t see her, but also hoping she’d go away soon. She tried to make as little movement as possible, staying calm as she glanced at the fish swimming around and back up, to see Stripes was still there. What was she just staying there for? Surely she’d go looking elsewhere, right, this was like taking forever. The burning pain starting in her lungs within half a minute was not welcome at all, it only made her hope she’d leave sooner, a minute feeling like an hour as she sat there, her lungs hurting more as a tight feeling started in her chest. She groaned as she put her hoof on her chest, hoping to hold on for just a bit longer. She couldn’t breathe underwater! To make things worse, she watched as a few bubbles of air exit her mouth, she needed those! What felt like forever went by until the silhouette vanished, she looked up, hoping it was really gone, but judging by her lightheaded body, she needed air now! So she gave in and reached for the top, taking in the first breath of air she could, taking in deep breathes and regaining her calm composure after a while, noticing Stripes had moved on, she was back on the run. She quickly climbed out the water, coughing, soaked through, dripping and feeling lost. After a few steps she sat down and thought about her next poem as she wrung excess water from her soaked beret, that thing sure held a lot more water than it seemed. After putting it back on, she looked out into the distance as she walked along, in the opposite direction of where Stripe’s tracks appeared to be going.

“Soaked to the bone

On the run, all alone

One mistake and fate is sealed

On the run, when will the hunter yield?

When can I go back home?

How long will I be alone?”

She mumbled as she trudged along, staying alert, wondering some things, if Stripes was here, where was Dapple now? Her stomach ached, she could not shake the feeling something terrible happened again. Surely he simply lost sight of her, or maybe he was planning something! He was fine, she assured herself, taking a deep breath in and continuing her journey, but not heading into that dangerous area from before, who the heck was that monster? Not anything to do with Gumdrop, that’s for sure, its existence was rumoured when she was about twelve, at least five years ago. She kept, moving until she froze in her tracks, hearing a voice.

”I guess you have made that mistake!”

Author's Note

Made just for fun using the ponies cropped from show images and Stripes lurking in the bg