Familiar Skies: Part 1

Fluttershy

The first thought to enter Fluttershy's mind as she awoke was that one of her legs was numb. She shifted and pulled her leg out from underneath her. As she felt her leg tingle and come back to its senses, her mind began to awake further. She felt the soft, dry grass beneath her, and reveled in the smell of a freshly rained-on forest. It was one of the most delightful scents she had ever witnessed, so fresh and so calming.

The bold scent, of wet pine and moistened dirt, is what jolted her fully awake. The scent all at once reminded her where she was and how she wound up there. Her large teal eyes shot open, and she stood up quickly, looking frantically around her. The few animals that had gathered by also sat upright, looking at her with startled expressions.

She was in the same small patch of grass as before... that made sense; where else would she be? A small part of her had hoped, while she slept, that all she'd experienced that day was a bad dream, and she would wake up in her soft cloud bed. Even as nice as it was to meet all these furry creatures, she was so far from home. Flying all that way back... scared her.

Fluttershy stood up on shaky legs and took an uneasy step. Her numb leg was still tingling its way back to functionality. She continued to look around her, and realized her fading vision was because the forest was steadily growing darker.

"Oh NO!" She thought, seeing the last shimmer of sunlight passing over the tops of the trees. Like a timer ticking down for her chance to return home.

She began galloping through the forest. She wasn't sure where she was going. At times, she would stop and try to see where the sunlight was coming from, as if it were a signal to find home again.

The sun seemed to mock her with its descent. She swore it was moving faster than any other sunset she'd ever seen. Before long, the forest was shrouded in deep purples and blues. Fluttershy could hardly see where she was going. She flapped her wings, though the small bit of air she gained didn't help in the slightest. If anything, it seemed to slow her down.

Fluttershy yelped as a thick, stray branch caught her hoof, and she slammed into the greenery below. She lay still for a moment, and fought back tears. She didn't think she was hurt... but that didn't matter to her in the moment. She curled her legs around her and gave a weary look up.

Through a gap in the leaves above, Fluttershy saw a bright sky, still touched by the warmth of the sun. Pinks, oranges, and purples displayed themselves proudly, painting the sky in a wonderfully colorful sunset. The forest, with its endless trees and immense shrubbery, was cast into darkness before the rest of the world. What had once seemed so mystical and alluring before, now seemed intimidating and unkind.

Fluttershy whimpered, and at last let the tears fall. They fell heavy, darkening the plants and dirt below her. They fell on the petals of wildflowers, dripping on them like fresh dew. She shivered as an evening breeze blew through the forest.

After a moment more of crying, Fluttershy sniffled and lifted her head once more to the sky. The scenery above was now a deep purple, speckled with stars. She lifted a hoof and gently wiped away some tears. Even in this moment of fear and despair, she could acknowledge how truly beautiful nature was. As her eyes fell back down to the earth, she froze. Her skin turned chilly and prickly, and every muscle in her stiffened.

Sitting, just a few paces ahead of her, was an animal. Like all the other ones she'd seen today, she didn't know what it was, but it didn't resemble the smaller ones she'd seen. It had a narrow snout, ending in a small black nose. It had pointy ears, of which were perked, and pointed in her direction. And even in the dark, Fluttershy could see it had a vibrant orange coat, with a patch of white fur that traveled from its mouth, down to its chest and stomach.

The large golden eyes of the animal stared at her. At first, it didn't move. Fluttershy was both impressed by, and concerned about how still it sat. She hoped desperately that it would not decide she looked like food. After a moment more of lingering stares, it stood and slowly began approaching Fluttershy.

She felt a chill of fear roll over her once again. She didn't want to get hurt... or worse. She didn't know ANYTHING about these creatures! She was already so scared, and so lost!

As thoughts of panic ran through her head, Fluttershy paused mentally. She quelled the panicked voice in her head, for just a moment. She looked at the animal- really looked at it. She glanced at it's eyes, which were still locked on her. She noticed its slow, deliberate movements. How easily it stepped over brush and twig. Its fluffy tail, swishing gently over the tips of grass.

Somehow, someway, she felt suddenly calm about it approaching her. Despite the potential danger she was in, and despite the fear that she'd just been in, only seconds prior, she felt- or rather KNEW that this animal posed no threat to her.

She remained still as it stepped closer, trying in her own way to mimic the animal's previous stance when staring her down. The animal drew closer, and stopped just in front of her. It remained standing, but lowered its head and began sniffing frantically. Slowly, the animal walked in a circle around Fluttershy. Sniffing at her, and the ground around her all the while.

As Fluttershy understood it, the animal was working things out in its head as it did this. Perhaps putting together what she was, and perhaps even where she came from. It knew she wasn't from around here. She could also tell that as it paced, the animal's guard was being let down. Its fluffy tail wagged again, and it began to prance, rather than walk. She hoped this meant that the animal had, like her, concluded that she meant no harm.

Once the animal circled back around to her front, it sat and looked at her again, with a softer expression this time. More curious, less cautious. Fluttershy felt as though she wanted to say something, though no words came to her. For the first time that day, Fluttershy felt... at peace.

The entire day had been a flurry of emotions and terror. But, despite all that it had brought, the delightful and the frightening, she found solace in this small moment. With the sun completely gone, the night took hold of the forest. She found the dark frightening... but it was also mysterious and even calming. Chirps and calls of various insects were heard, filling the dark with sounds of life.

Interrupting the sounds of the night- a rustling of foliage was heard, from somewhere nearby. She and the animal whipped their heads in the direction of the sound, their ears perking up in sync. Fluttershy couldn't see a thing, but when she turned to glance at the animal beside her, it's eyes seemed fixated on something not too far off.

With swift quietness, the animal lowered its head and began to trot away from Fluttershy. Its steps were quick, but made no noise as it left. Fluttershy felt a sting of panic set in, terrified of being left behind. Without hesitation, she began to mimic the animal's movements, though with some struggle.

She cringed at every small noise she made as she followed the animal, hoping it was heading in a safe direction. Still, her pace of crawling along the forest floor was markedly quieter than the galloping she'd been doing earlier. She tried to keep a similar pace to the animal, though it moved far quicker than she could hope to. Fluttershy winced as her mane and tail were tugged on by the twigs and branches that lie on the ground. Thankfully, none tugged so hard as to stop her in her tracks.

After some time of crawling, and the occasional pause from the animal, which in turn made Fluttershy pause and listen with it, the animal rose to its standing height, and walked more casually. Fluttershy took this as a sign of safety, if only for the moment, and stood up as well, walking alongside the animal. If it had any protest to her walking with it, it gave no indication.

Her fear quelled once more, Fluttershy began to look around her again. She was still in the forest, and from the looks of it, the small field and pond where she'd first found herself were nowhere in sight. Although the darkness could have easily hidden them.

She realized just how confusing the forest was. All of it seemed to look the same at first, but really, it was always different in little ways. She wondered whether she should have taken her chances flying in the rain. But, the reminder of lightning crashing through the storm-clouds quieted that thought.

After some more time of the animal trotting along, it stopped and turned sharply to the left. Fluttershy quickly stopped as well, and followed along this new path. She acknowledged that this animal wasn't really going in any specific direction. It simply traveled where it felt compelled to go. Still, she found comfort in following it.

The two came to a small stream, and the animal leapt over it with ease. It paused on the other side, and tilted it's head as it looked at Fluttershy. She scratched one leg with the other nervously and looked at the stream. It truly wasn't that large of a space to cover, but...

"I-I've never been good at... um... jumping. Or anything athletic, really." She mumbled, her voice even more tender after not being used for several hours.

The animal sniffed and kept trotting along, its fluffy tail wagging as it walked away. Fluttershy whimpered, and looked again at the stream.

"W-well... if that little guy can do it..." She reasoned, steadying her hooves and folding out her wings.

She backed up a few steps, then galloped lightly- and jumped! She saw the ground on the other side of the stream coming towards her. She yelped and flapped her wings sporadically. She awkwardly floated for a moment, then landed on the ground. Glancing behind her, she had cleared the stream and then some. She smiled, feeling just a little bit proud of herself for being able to do that. If she'd been required to do something like that in flight camp, she probably wouldn't have even tried.

Fluttershy turned back towards the animal, who sat on a nearby rock, its head tilted again. She smiled as she walked up to it.

"Did you see?" She asked, her wings fluttering with excitement.

In response, the animal licked its nose. She took that to mean "yes". The animal then dropped down from the rock and began walking towards the base of a massive tree. Fluttershy hadn't noticed, as her attention had mostly been on the animal as they walked, but they'd been under the shade of this tree for quite some time. She looked up and saw it's long, elegant branches, reaching high up and very far out.

The leaves of this particular tree were different from the others she'd seen in the forest. Its branches where long and thin, the leaves hanging down in long streams. They reminded her of a ponie's mane when it gets wet. It seemed that every new thing she came across in this forest was mighty and beautiful.

Looking back at where the animal trotted off to, she saw it stop at the base of the tree and begin wiggling its way underneath. Fluttershy tilted her head as she watched it disappear. Carefully and quietly, she followed the animal. There was a small gap between the tree and dirt, and in that hole was where the animal was now. It had curled itself up and seemed to no longer have interest in whatever Fluttershy was doing.

Fluttershy backed up from the hole, and took a moment to look around, once again taking in the scale of the tree she was under. She decided that if this animal deemed this tree a safe place to stay... then perhaps she would find safety here as well. She backed up further and looked closer at the tree. Its body was bent and twisted in a unique shape. And, not far up the tree, was a small nook that Fluttershy hoped would be just enough room for her. She steadied herself, and took a deep breath.

"Okay Fluttershy... you can do this..." She whispered.

She folded out her wings and began flapping them. She was unsteady, but began to lift off the ground. Slowly. Once she felt all four of her hooves lift off, she began flapping her wings harder. She groaned, feeling her wings growing tired already. She looked up, seeing the nook of the tree not too far away. She strained, and began flying towards it.

She wobbled in midair, scared at every moment that her wings would give out, and she'd fall. Her back began aching along with her wings, and she wanted to give up. Seeing the nook only a few steps ahead of her, she reached out a hoof and touched the bark. Not wanting to fall onto the grass and rocks below, she flapped her wings harder, giving herself the final push she needed.

Finally, both her front hooves grasped the base of the nook. Then a third hoof, and finally, she landed, albeit a bit shakily, on the tree. She sighed in relief and exhaustion, letting herself fall onto the solid bark. It wasn't as comfortable as the clouds she was used to, but it was safe. And for tonight at least, that was all she needed. She hoped that morning light would guide her way back home.

Several days later, Fluttershy was beginning to lose hope of ever seeing Cloudsdale, or her parents again. She had learned many things about surviving in the woods since then, but she still wished to be home. She was worried about her parents and younger brother.

The only bright side to her being lost in this seemingly endless forest was all the animal friends she'd made. The animal she met and followed that first night had left before she'd woken up in the tree. But she had seen him around since then. He would greet her with a polite sniff or wag of tail. Though he never lingered around her too long.

She had met other animals as well. She'd even helped some who were stuck in foliage or who couldn't find food on their own. She'd met some local ducks who lingered by a small pond. She enjoyed seeing them so close; in Cloudsdale, the ducks never flew up into the city and only lingered below or outside it. She especially enjoyed holding the ducklings and watching them swim.

She met more of those small, fluffy animals with long back legs and large ears. They seemed to recognize her, and would hop up around her, though only if the larger, orange animal wasn't present. In the absence of other ponies to talk to Fluttershy began telling the animals about her life. She told them all about her younger brother and her parents. She told them about the young rainbow-haired filly who'd stood up for her that day in camp.

On this particular afternoon, Fluttershy was lying in the grass beside the animals with big feet and long ears. She was lounging in the grass on her back, her legs swinging in the air as she told them about how fun, but also how scary it was to meet them all, that first day.

"I just..." She wondered aloud, looking up past the gaps in the trees to the sunny blue sky above. "I just wish I knew how to get back home."

One of the animals beside her made... a noise of some kind, a squeak of some sort. And yet, despite it's nature, she responded.

"Well, I suppose if I could just find that little field and pond again, then I could find my way back home from there... maybe." She replied.

She returned her attention to the sky... then paused. Had she understood the noise it had made? Fluttershy looked again at the animal. Its bright blue eyes stared back at her, and its tiny pink nose twitched. She might've thought she was going crazy.

"...I'm sorry. Um, did you say... something?" She asked, weary of even asking the question to begin with.

The animal chirped again, its small nose twitching faster. It baffled her. Fluttershy knew it had only made a noise, it hadn't really said anything. But she understood it, the intent of the noise it had made.

"Um..." She replied, unsure of what to do with this discovery.

Fluttershy rolled over and sat up, still looking at the small animal. She and it sat in silence for a moment longer, simply staring at each other. The animal scratched its ear, still eyeing Fluttershy.

"So... um. Do you- or would you, happen to um... know where that little field is?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly.

The animal stopped scratching its ear and squeaked again, this time thumping one of its back legs on the ground.

"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "I mean, um really?"

The animal thumped its foot again.

"Oh, okay." Fluttershy lightly scraped her hoof on the ground. "Do you think that maybe, um, you could take me there?"

She looked solemnly to the side, avoiding the large blue eyes of the animal.

"I've just been so lost, and I don't even know where I am." She glanced at the other small animals that were grazing in the grass nearby.

"I really have enjoyed spending time with you all... but I really need to get home. I-I miss it." The last few words came out strained, and Fluttershy felt her voice begin to crack.

The animal twitched its nose, and without another sound, began bounding off. Fluttershy followed, galloping to keep pace. The animal wasn't moving as fast as it was capable, as Fluttershy learned that these particular ones could run very fast if they wanted to. She appreciated it running at a slower pace for her to keep up with.

The animal leapt over branches and fallen logs. It bounded through shrubbery and trampled over ferns. Fluttershy followed suit, copying the animal's movements rather closely. Her ability to adapt to their methods of movement and lifestyle was what kept her safe and fed in the forest.

Gaps in the tree leaves speckled her coat with spots of sunlight, temporarily warming her as she dashed through the cool, shadowed forest. In the distance, she began to see a sunlit field, a bright green signal drawing her ever closer. Just as they reached the border between the shaded forest and brightly lit field, the animal skidded to a stop.

It stood and sniffed the air, and turned its large blue eyes towards Fluttershy. She too came to a stop on the border of shade and light, and slowly leaned her head forward. Sunlight delicately touched the tip of her snout and shimmered on her pink hair.

The field looked the same, at least as far as she could tell. The same small pond glistened in the afternoon sun. Vibrant flowers were scattered about, freckling the grass in pinks and yellows. Sans the animals that had been there the first day she arrived, the field looked just as inviting and colorful as she remembered.

Fluttershy would have let herself get swept up in the beauty of it all again, if she had not been determined to make it home. And speaking of...

Fluttershy looked up at the blue afternoon sky, hoping to see the silhouette of Cloudsdale at least close by. Surely it would still be floating above... right?

The only clouds she could see were small, thin ones, that couldn't have housed any pegasus. She couldn't see a single pony in the sky... or on the ground. Her heart began thumping in her chest, and she could feel tears beginning to form. She dashed from the edge of the forest out into the field.

She whipped her head around in every direction, looking for any sign of Cloudsdale. She whimpered as tears stung her eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn't see anything. Her home wasn't anywhere in sight.

They couldn't have left already! She was still here! They had to know she was still here... didn't they? Did they even notice she'd fallen out of camp? Did they know she was all the way down here?

Did they know they left her?

Fluttershy whimpered again, and let the tears fall freely. She had finally made it back to where she got lost... Only to find they'd abandoned her anyway. Surely her parents were looking for her. But how would they know to look for her here? No-pony knew she was here, on the ground. She was alone.

Fluttershy was startled from her cries when she felt something brush one of her legs. She looked down to see the small animal, who was currently nestled in the grass by her leg.

Maybe she wasn't entirely alone. These animals had been very kind to her since she'd been lost. They'd shown her how to survive, and she'd helped in turn.

Fluttershy lay down in the grass beside the small animal, and sighed deeply, the last tear running down her cheek and leaving a warm trail on her face.

"I... I don't know how to get home." She sighed, looking up again at the sky.

"But... but I promise I'll help take care of you." She continued, looking at the small, fluffy animal, and lifting a hoof to pet it's back.

"A-and maybe, we can take care of each other. At least... for now."