Anonberich Von Mussberg, Witch Hunter

Her shimmering-blue shield could only hold out for so long, and that time was quickly dwindling.

Starlight Glimmer, student to the comatose Princess of Friendship, maintained the magic bubble as long as she could, as the light spiraling from her horn formed into the translucent orb that surrounded herself, and the others. Weary from effort and worry well worn on her face, she glances back and forth in panic. The dense fog roils around the edges of her vision, obscuring the distance between the trees.

They were deep in the Everfree. It was a gamble, and it had utterly backfired on them.

Princess Twilight, in a desperate move following the Princesses failure to return her letters, had tried to rebuff the Eclipse that loomed over Equestria by desperate force, lacking other options. The kick-back from trying to move both celestial bodies sent her body, and magic, into shock. Now, she remained indoors in the Castle of Friendship, being watched over by Rarity.

Canterlot had gone silent, the roads between grown dangerous. Shadow-creatures prowled the edges of Ponyville, forcing Ponies to remain indoors, and several of the Elements had already fallen to other issues, like Flutterbat's return and Applejacks attempts to keep her from devouring their main food source. Their options were dwindling, fast.

So, Starlight and Spike made a plan to brave the Everfree, in hopes that Zecora might know of a cure to get Twilight awake again; or at least, help diagnose the issue. Idle hooves would be the end of them, was a point they both agreed on. Once they hit the edge of town, they realized they were being followed; an intrepid Apple Bloom was tired of sitting around, and demanded she be allowed to come along, having snuck out from the Castle after them when Rarity wasn't looking. (She'd been sent to stay with them, during the ongoing Flutterbat incident.) A little too late to send her away, and acknowledging her relationship with Zecora, they agreed.

Though, their gamble might have actually been their end, instead.

Timber Wolves, larger than a Pony and born of gnarled dark wood, their glowing eye-holes billowing an unusual, nightmarish darkness; prowling and circling around the weakening bubble. They would claw and gnaw at it, Starlight flinching, before resuming their growling and pacing. They knew it just as well as the occupants trapped inside; this bubble would not hold. The fog sifts and swirls between the trees, disturbed by the Timber Wolves steps and hops, as if waiting for the inevitable carnage.

Spike leans over Apple Bloom, trying to help staunch the crimson liquid that pours from the claw-mark on her thigh, Apple Bloom stifling back tears. She's trying so hard to be a tough filly, but the marks run deep.
"S-Spike? Ah'm s-sorry, ah shouldn't have come."

"Starlight, we need to do something!" Spike exclaims, glancing back towards her, worry written all over his face.

"I know, Spike, I know! I'm thinking!" She snaps back.

Starlight purses her lips, trying to think of their options. They were closer to Zecora than they were Ponyville... but Starlight didn't know if they could find their path in this dense fog. She wasn't nearly as familiar with the Everfree as the others... but now Apple Bloom got hurt. Buck, Starlight, think. Think! Think, you bucking idiot, you got them into this mess!

The magic in her horn starts to sputter, her concentration waning. She'd had to work it up on the fly, and she hasn't been at her best for a while now. She's getting tired, and the Timber Wolves can tell; the bubble wavers, losing its sheen and getting thinner.

She shares a worried glance with Spike. He's looking to her for reassurance -- but she's not Twilight. She's lead before, sure, but never... good, like she did. Maybe... she can make the bubble burst and throw the Timber Wolves back for a moment; buy Spike enough time to grab Apple Bloom and... there's no way he could carry her fast enough.

She shoves a particularly nasty thought of leaving Apple Bloom deep down, her guilt swelling at even considering such.

Oh Celestia, there was no way they were all getting out of this. She shouldn't have tried to preserve her magic and just teleported them.

One of the Timber Wolves ears twitch, and growls quietly to the other. Their encircling is closing in, getting tighter.

One of them won't stop clawing at the border of the shield, leaving marks against it. An ill sign she wouldn't hold out much longer.

Panic and a drumming heart are deeply set in Starlight's chest. She needs to do something, anything, fast.

A guilty look slowly settles towards Spike and Apple Bloom, her next few breaths trembling.