Stranded Wingsby JSCDChaptersChapter 1 - Wake up callChapter 2 - Crash LandingChapter 3 - The JungleChapter 1 - Wake up call“Rainbow Dash!” hollered Scootaloo. “You ready to go yet?” One of the windows opened, and a weary-eyed cyan pegasus pony peeked out. “It’s the crack of dawn, Scoot!” said Rainbow Dash, looking down on the orange filly. “Why’d you wake me up so early?” “Don’t you remember?” Scootaloo shouted. “You said you were going to take me to your place on the mountain and teach me all your awesome tricks!” Rainbow Dash yawned. “Yes, but not at 4 o'clock in the morning!” she said sternly. “Pleeeeaaassseee!” Scootaloo begged. “Pleeeaase Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow Dash sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Alright, fine. Just give me 20 more minutes…” Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow and tilted her head to one side. “Okay then, come and find me when you’re ready!” she beamed, and trotted off. “Ugh” mumbled Rainbow Dash. She closed the window, got back into bed, rolled over and closed her eyes. Rainbow Dash flew slowly over Ponyville, scanning the ground below. “Now where did Scootaloo get to?” she said to herself. She had been looking for Scootaloo all day since she got up, but she couldn't find her anywhere. She landed softly beside Sugarcube Corner, where Pinkie Pie was lying on the grass, enjoying the sun. ‘Maybe Pinkie knows where Scootaloo is?’ Rainbow thought. “Uh, hey Pinkie Pie” Rainbow Dash said as she walked up to her. “Oh hey Dashie!” Pinkie said enthusiastically as she jumped up to greet her. “You’re looking for Scootaloo!” Rainbow Dash raised her eyes. “Uh, yeah, how did you know? Pinkie Pie smiled. “She came in a couple of hours ago saying that she wanted something to pass the time while she was waiting for you to get up, so we decided to make up songs for Hearth’s warming!” Her smile turned into a frown. “Some of them didn't work too well…” She sat back down again. “Funny it hasn't snowed yet, huh?” “Yeah, so, um, where is she?” Rainbow replied. “Oh! She’s inside, still thinking…” she yawned and rested her head on her hoof. Rainbow turned and walked inside, where Scootaloo was sitting at one of the tables. She jumped up when she saw Rainbow Dash enter. “Hey Rainbow Dash!” she said happily. “You ready to go now?” Rainbow Dash chuckled and ruffled Scootaloo’s hair. “Yes, I’m ready to go now” she said. “Sorry I’m a bit late, I, erm, overslept a little.” “I don’t mind at all Rainbow Dash!” shouted Scootaloo. “This is going to be awesome!” Rainbow Dash smiled. “Well, we better get going if we want to get there before it gets dark” she said as they walked outside. “There’s plenty of food and supplies in my cabin so we won’t need to bring anything.” Rainbow Dash looked up at the clear blue sky. “This is perfect weather to fly in” she said cheerfully. She looked back at Scootaloo “Okay Scoot, you ready to go?” Scootaloo nodded with a big smile on her face. “Where did you say you were going again?” Pinkie interrupted from her patch of grass. Rainbow Dash turned and looked at Pinkie. “I’m taking Scootaloo to my place up in the mountains, so I can see if I can teach her how to fly, and show her some of my tricks.” “Oh cool!” Pinkie replied. “How long are you going for?” “Only until tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash said as she scratched her ear. ”We were thinking about going for a few days, but it just seemed a bit excessive for a newbie like Scoot.” Scootaloo smiled. “Okay! Make sure you come and tell me all about the fun you had as soon as you get back!” Pinkie shouted. “Sure thing Pinkie.” She looked back at Scootaloo. “Okay Scoot” she took Scootaloo in her arms and got ready to take off. “Remember to hold on tight!” Rainbow Dash shot off from the ground, soared high into the sky, and flew off north, a trail of rainbow left in her wake. “HAVE FUN!” Pinkie Pie shouted after them. Scootaloo was speechless. The world was flying past before her eyes. They flew over Ponyville, over the Everfree Forest, over places that Scootaloo had never seen before. The experience was overwhelming. Further and further away they flew. She saw huge lakes, majestic ground formations and glistening ice sheets. They flew on for what seemed like an age. “How you holding up Scoot?” Rainbow asked. “This is awesome!” Scootaloo beamed. All of a sudden she could not see the ground anymore, as they flew into a dark cloud. Suddenly she felt sharp jerk to the right. “Hold on Scoot, we’re just encountering some turbulence, nothing serious” Rainbow said as she sped on. The sky was beginning to darken and it had started to rain. “This isn't right” said Rainbow Dash. “It can’t be this dark already” There was another jerk, this time harder, and to the left. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, who looked very worried. Nonetheless, Rainbow continued to fly through the ever-darkening clouds. They felt a few more hard bumps and jerks. “Sorry Scoot, I can’t do anything about the bumps, but don’t worry, we’re nearly there” Rainbow said anxiously. Even after Dash’s reassurance, Scootaloo could not contain the feeling that something was terribly wrong. ‘Maybe I should ask Rainbow Dash if we can go home and do it another day’ she thought to herself. But she couldn’t ask her to turn around now; Rainbow Dash had already given up a large piece of her spare time for them to go on this trip. Scootaloo chose to remain silent, but she still felt anxious about the turbulence. She looked up at Rainbow Dash again, but this time she had a horrified look on her face. Scootaloo’s stomach tightened. “Um, Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, afraid. Suddenly a powerful gust of wind knocked them off course. They span through the air, hurtling towards the ground. Scootaloo cried in terror, closed her eyes and held on for dear life. Rainbow Dash tried to regain control, but the sheer force of the wind had knocked the breath out of her and they fell through the air, helplessly. She held Scootaloo as tight as she could and curled her entire body around the terrified filly as the ground loomed closer and closer. Chapter 2 - Crash LandingScootaloo woke up. She expected to be in bed, waking up to the smell of breakfast cooking. She could almost smell the delicious scent of pancakes wafting up through her bedroom window. “Ugh, my head” she moaned. She slowly opened her eyes. It’s dark, wet, and something heavy was on top of her. The first thing that crossed her mind is ‘Rainbow Dash.’ Scootaloo starts to remember all the events from before she woke up; the talking, the flying, the turbulence, and falling. Where was she? Scootaloo struggled to crawl out from whatever it was on top of her, slowly pushing her way under the weight until she finally managed to crawl out and pull herself free. She stood up and looked around. She was in a tiny clearing, surrounded by an immense forest of pine trees. In the distance she could see a small mountain. There was a little stream flowing down over a hill a few feet away from her. She looked up; the sky was pitch black. ‘How long was I unconscious for?’ Scootaloo thought to herself. She turned to see Rainbow Dash laying awkwardly on the ground. That’s what was pinning her down; she was stuck underneath Rainbow Dash. One of her wings had been severely twisted. Her eyes were closed, her snout was bloody. She didn't move. Scootaloo’s heart shattered into pieces. She just stood there, refusing to believe the sight before her eyes. No, no, no, this can’t have happened. Not Rainbow Dash. Please…not Rainbow Dash. She couldn't be... Tears welled in the little filly’s eyes as she gazed upon the unmoving pegasus. No… oh Celestia please no... “Rainbow Dash?” she cried. She carefully placed her hooves on Rainbow’s chest and shook her gently. “Rainbow Dash?” she cried again, tears streaming down her face. She shook Rainbow’s body and nuzzled her cheek with her snout. “Rainbow please wake up” she cried. This couldn't be true. She wrapped her hooves around Rainbow’s neck and buried her face in her mane. “Please don’t leave me” she sobbed. Scootaloo woke up to the sound of small birds chirping loudly in the distance, the stream flowing steadily down into the valley and the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. She wanted to wake up back in Ponyville, with all this being just a bad dream. She wanted to see Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom again, and go on their crazy adventures and have fun together as they always did. She ever so slowly opened her eyes. Rainbow Dash hadn’t moved. She tried to fight back the tears, but it was no use. She looked away, trying not to think about it. But could she not think? Her idol, her best friend… the pony that inspired her….. She couldn't take it. “What am I supposed to do without you Rainbow Dash?” she cried. She held on tight to Rainbow Dash, refusing to let her go. “I can’t go on without you…” she sobbed. Rainbow Dash stirred. Scootaloo loosened her grip. “Rainbow Dash?” she sniffed. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes to find a tear-stricken Scootaloo wrapped around her neck, staring at her in disbelief. Before Scootaloo could even make a sound, Rainbow Dash pulled her into the biggest hug in all of Equestria. Scootaloo couldn't believe it. “Rainbow Dash!” she said with glee. She started to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy. “I thought I’d lost you…” Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, she was crying too. “I thought I was a goner then Scoot” she said through her tears. “But what matters is that you’re okay” she said, smiling. They held themselves together in each other’s hooves for a moment, and finally broke off the embrace. Rainbow Dash tried to stand up, but cried out in pain and fell back to the ground. “Aah! M-my leg!” she yelled. Scootaloo’s face fell. “What are we going to do?” she asked worriedly. Rainbow Dash looked back at her hind legs. “I-I’m sure it’s nothing” she said, and attempted to stand up again. “One step at a time, ow…Rainbow…ah…Dash” she said to herself. She winced as she tried to take a step forward, but she remained standing. “Heh, you know what they say, no pain no gain! Owch…” There was a pause as she tried to keep her balance on her injured leg. “Okay, I’m up” she said uneasily. Now that she was up, she examined herself. Hooves, flanks, ears, were all in order. But her wings… what had happened to her wings!? Rainbow Dash’s eyes swelled with tears. “M-my wings! What happened to my wings?!” she cried. She couldn't move either of them, or feel them for that matter. Her right wing was horribly twisted, her left wing battered and bruised. She sat down on the ground and sobbed. “H-how are we supposed to get home now?!” she cried. “Oh Scoot, this is all my fault! If I hadn't offered- “It’s not your fault, Rainbow Dash” interrupted Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash raised her head and looked at Scootaloo. “What?” she said, surprised. Scootaloo repeated. “It’s not your fault.” It was unlike Rainbow Dash to break down like this, but Scootaloo knew her better than a lot of ponies, and she wasn’t going to let her feel bad about what happened. Scootaloo may be just a filly, but she wasn't going to act like she was two years old. “You saved my life. When that huge gust of wind blew out of the air, you still held on to me.” She said. “You protected me from the fall. You could have died, and it would all have been to save me. You say it’s your fault, but it’s the complete opposite.” She raised her hoof and gently touched Rainbow’s face. “And for that, I cannot repay you.” Rainbow Dash blushed and looked up at Scootaloo, smiling. “I-I don’t know what to say Scoot…” Rainbow Dash said, wiping her eyes. “That’s the most thoughtful thing anypony has ever said to me…” Rainbow Dash put her hooves around Scootaloo and pulled her into a hug. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash’s bleeding wing and frowned. “Rainbow Dash…about your wings…” she said nervously. Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “Its fine Scoot…” she said sadly. “They just…need some time to heal…” She slowly stood up and looked around for the first time. “Where are we?” she asked, examining their surroundings. “I don’t know, in a big forest somewhere” Scootaloo replied. Rainbow Dash scratched her ear. “Well, our first priority is to get to the cabin. We can stay there as long as it takes until we find out how in Equestria we’re going to get back home” she said, and turned to Scootaloo. “What time is it, Scoots?” she asked. Scootaloo thought for a second. “I dunno, in the morning sometime?” she said. “Well, if it’s in the morning and the sun rises to the east…then to get to my cabin we must go….uh….” she paused for thought. “That way!” she shouted, pointing towards the mountain in the distance. “Come on Scoot, we have a long walk ahead of us.” Rainbow Dash said, and together they began to slowly walk off towards the mountain, towards the source of the stream. Scootaloo’s stomach rumbled. It had been at least a day or so since she last ate, and Rainbow Dash was hungry too. They had been walking for some time now, somewhere around two hours, and it was now midday and they were both exhausted. “Rainbow Dash, can we stop for a minute? I’m so tired…” Scootaloo groaned. “Yeah, I’m pretty tired too.” Rainbow said at she sat down on the grass beside the stream, which had turned into a small, fast flowing river. She lay down, put her hooves behind her head and looked up at the clouds. The sun shone down on her, warming her coat. Scootaloo walked up to the edge of the crystal-clear water and dipped her snout in. She lapped up the water quickly, making loud slurping noises as she did so. Rainbow Dash laughed and closed her eyes. She imagined being back in Ponyville, being with her friends, and generally not being in the middle of nowhere. It was so peaceful and quiet that she started to doze off. But it was not to last, as she was brought out of her snooze by something tapping her on the shoulder. It was Scootaloo, and in one of her hooves was some sort of bag made out of leaves and reeds, complete with a strap. “What’s that?” Rainbow Dash asked, sitting up to examine the item. “It’s a water carrier!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “You fill it with water, and you can take it with you!” she demonstrated by submerging it into the river, bringing it back up full of water and slinging it round her shoulders. “See?” “Wow! Where did you learn to do that?” said Rainbow Dash. “We learned how to make bags in crafts at school with straw, so I thought: why not make one which was more useful?” explained Scootaloo. “So I came up with this!” she grinned. “That’ll be really useful when we need water and we’re not near a stream” said Rainbow Dash, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane. “Good job!” Rainbow Dash sat up and examined her hind legs. The pain had almost gone, and there were no bruises or anything of the sort on them at all. She smiled as she stood up and walked down to the waterside. She drank slowly, taking huge gulps at a time. She finally pulled her snout out of the water and took a deep breath. “Whew, I needed that” Rainbow said, panting. She suddenly heard a fast clopping of hooves behind her, and she turned to see Scootaloo running towards her with a devious grin on her face. Before Rainbow Dash could react, Scootaloo crashed into her and sent them both flying off the riverbank and into the water with a big splash. Rainbow Dash emerged from the water first, closely followed by Scootaloo. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Whaddaya do that for you silly filly?” Rainbow Dash giggled, and used her hooves to send a wall of water speeding towards Scootaloo. Scootaloo could only watch as the wave hit her in the face, spraying water everywhere. Rainbow Dash went into a fit of laughter, which was promptly interrupted by another wave being sent straight back at her. It hit Rainbow in the side of the face and some of the water flew into her mouth, causing her to splutter as Scootaloo continued to splash her mercilessly. “You’re...gonna….get it…Scoot!” Rainbow Dash said between gurgles. She ducked under the water to avoid Scootaloo’s assault, and she came crashing back up to send a tsunami flying towards the orange filly. Scootaloo held her breath as the wave engulfed her, throwing water everywhere and soaking absolutely everything. Both the soaked ponies climbed out of the water, dripping and laughing hysterically. They walked back up the riverbank and sat back down on the grass together. They sat there in peace, sopping wet, just listening to the quiet tweeting of the birds in the trees and the steady flow of the river heading off away from them. Rainbow Dash put her hoof around Scootaloo. “You know Scoots, I reckon we can still have fun while we’re here, we just have to look after each other and keep our heads up” she said happily. “Yeah! This could turn out to be a really fun trip!” Scootaloo exclaimed. They sat there together for a little longer, just savoring the peace and each other’s company. Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “Well, we better get going Scoots; we've only got a bit to go before we reach the mountain” said Rainbow Dash. “Okay, but I’m really hungry…” Scootaloo replied. “Yeah, I’m hungry too, Scoot. But I’m sure we’ll find something along the way” Rainbow assured. Both pegasi stood up, and together and started walking towards the mountain once again. Chapter 3 - The JungleAs the two tired ponies walked on, the dirt path slowly disappeared and the forest turned into a dense jungle. They struggled to push through the deep foliage, becoming increasingly tired with each step. Scootaloo couldn’t keep on going. How far had they gone? It felt like they had been walking forever and it was beginning to get dark. She stopped and rested her back against a large tree, panting after pushing through the jungle. Rainbow Dash sat down a few feet away on the grass and examined her wings, while Scootaloo drank slowly from the water carrier she had around her back. Rainbow Dash could faintly feel her wings, but she couldn’t move them more than a couple of centimetres without wincing in pain. She looked over at Scootaloo. “Hey, Scoot, pass us some water, I’m so thirsty” she said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Scootaloo passed Rainbow Dash the water carrier and she drank slowly. “I don’t know if I can go any further Rainbow Dash, I’m so tired and we have been walking for hours…” Scootaloo said. Rainbow Dash took the water carrier away from her lips and set it down next to her. “Yeah, I’m really tired too...but we have to find some food…” she said. She lay down and rested her head on her hoof, and they sat there in the quiet for a while. Scootaloo’s ears pricked up. What was that sound? She held her breath and listened very carefully. A gentle breeze blew through the jungle, rustling the leaves quietly. She convinced herself it was nothing. But there it was again! It couldn’t be nothing. She looked over at Rainbow Dash, who had her eyes closed. “Psst, Rainbow Dash” Scootaloo whispered. Rainbow Dash stirred and opened her eyes. “Huh? What?” “Do you hear that?” Scootaloo said. “Hear what?” Rainbow Dash replied. She listened carefully. She could hear it now, something rustling in the distance. “Actually, yeah, I can hear it” Rainbow said. It slowly became louder, and clearer. It sounded like something slashing through the jungle, and was coming from the north, towards the mountain. She waited to see if the sound would fade out or stop completely, but it just kept becoming louder and louder. It was very close now, whatever it was, and it was heading straight for them. Rainbow Dash stood up. “Hello?!” she shouted into the jungle. “I can hear you, show yourself!” The leaves before the two pegasi shook violently, and Scootaloo watched as a dense section of the foliage was hacked into pieces in front of them. Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what had emerged from the jungle. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Rainbow Dash squeaked in delight. Standing before her, wearing a dark green jacket, pith helmet on head, and machete in hoof, was Daring Do. She sheathed her machete, and turned to the cyan blue pegasus, who had her mouth open in suprise. Daring do raised her eyes. “What, who were you expecting? Celestia?” she said with a grin. “Y-your Daring Do!” Rainbow Dash said in disbelief. “Yeah, I am. How did you know that?” Daring Do replied, tilting her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” Before Rainbow Dash could reply, Daring Do gasped. “Your wings!” she said worriedly. “What happened to your wings?!” Daring Do ran over to her and examined Rainbow Dash’s twisted wings. “Oh my, let me help you” she said. “Lay down.” Rainbow Dash did so, and lay down on her side. Daring Do pulled out a small roll of bandages from her jacket pocket and knelt down next to her. “Can you feel them at all?” she asked. “A bit, I can only move them about an inch or it hurts a lot.” Rainbow Dash said, still trying to grasp the fact that Daring Do was in fact real, and not a fictional character. “Okay, this is gonna hurt, but try your best not to move okay?” Daring Do said. Rainbow Dash nodded. “Okay, here we go.” Daring Do started unravelling the bandages and wrapping them around Rainbow’s wings at the same time. Pain shot through Rainbow Dash’s body. Her face contorted in pain and she tried not to cry out as Daring Do continued to bandage her left wing. “Okay, almost done” she said. The searing pain continued for a few seconds before it stopped completely. Daring do cut the bandage at the end with her teeth. “Okay, now turn over; I have to do the other wing too.” Rainbow Dash turned over and Daring Do prepared to bandage her other wing. She anticipated the pain, so this time it wasn’t as bad. After a couple of moments it was finished, both her wings were bandaged and she could stand up again. “Thanks.” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her wings. “No problem, uh…what did you say your name was?” Daring Do asked. “I didn’t.” Rainbow replied. “I’m Rainbow Dash and this is Scootaloo.” Rainbow Dash pointed to the orange filly sitting down beside a large tree. “Well, hello there Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, pleasure to be in your company” Daring Do said, taking off her hat and stroking her mane. “So what are you two doing all the way out here with no gear?” “Well, it’s kinda a long story” Rainbow Dash said. “We crash landed here like…I can’t even remember how long ago it was, but we crashed here after a massive storm knocked us off course.” “Yeah, same thing that got me and my wing” Daring Do said, looking back at her own right wing. “You gotta watch out for those.” She looked up at the sky, which was becoming darker by the minute. “I would like to talk more, but it’s getting dark, and trust me, you don’t wanna be out here in the jungle when that happens. I have a camp just a few minutes from here, you’re welcome to stay if you like.” “Wow, that would be great!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Good, now follow me, and don’t get lost!” Daring Do said with a smile. “Okay, come on Scoot.” Rainbow Dash said, turning to follow after Daring Do. “Scoot?” No reply. Rainbow turned around, looking back to the tree where she last saw Scootaloo, and there she was, eyes closed, asleep, and snoring quietly. Rainbow Dash smiled and walked over to her. “D’aww. She’s tired herself out” she said. She carefully picked up Scootaloo, lifted her slowly onto her back and walked into the jungle. She caught up with Daring Do and started walking beside her. “So, how do you know my name?” Daring Do asked. “Well, I’ve read a book about you.” Rainbow replied. Daring Do looked surprised. “No way! No one has ever written a book about me!” “Well, they must have, because I’ve read it.” “REALLY!?!” Daring do said excitedly, jumping up into the air. “What did it say?!” “They were about the adventure you had in the quest for the sapphire stone!” Rainbow said. “Oh my gosh! I remember that so well! I wonder how they even know about me?!” said Daring Do with a huge grin on her face. “Well, maybe I could get you a copy when we get outta this jungle…” Rainbow said, scratching her ear. “You would do that! Aww thanks!” Daring Do said happily. “Oh look, we’re almost there.” The thick jungle spread out into a small grassy clearing, surrounded by large leaves and vines. There was a large khaki-coloured tent in the middle complete with an awning, campfire and log seats. Rainbow Dash carefully set Scootaloo down on the grass next to the campfire, where she stayed, sound asleep. Daring Do ran into her tent briefly and returned with a couple of apples. “Here” she said, tossing two of them to Rainbow Dash. “You must be starving!” Rainbow Dash caught one of the two, the other slipped out of her hooves and fell, knocking Scootaloo on the head. Scootaloo woke up and rubbed her head. “Oww….” Scootaloo groaned. “Oops, sorry Scoot” Rainbow said, biting into the apple. Scootaloo grabbed the apple of the floor and started munching. In just a few seconds the entire apple was gone, and Scootaloo burped loudly. Rainbow Dash and Daring Do laughed. “Woah, Scoot, slow down!” Rainbow Dash said. “I was soooo hungry!” Scootaloo said, before lying down and closing her eyes again. Daring Do sat down on the log opposite Rainbow Dash. “So” she started, taking off her hat and placing it next to her. “What were you doing here? Where were you headed before you crashed?” “Well, I decided to ask if Scootaloo wanted to come up to my mountain cabin with me for a few days, like a holiday.” Rainbow replied, throwing the apple core behind her. “And, as you know, it didn’t exactly go to plan.” Daring Do nodded her head. “That’s why this place is so overgrown. I mean, nopony even comes here! That storm has just appeared and I don’t know when it’s going to go away. The only other way here is to walk, and that takes forever.” She paused for a moment. “Did you tell anypony that you were coming here?” “Only one pony, and I told her that I was going for a few days so I don’t think she’ll know we’re stuck here until tomorrow, or maybe the day after.” Rainbow said. “Well, you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Hell, I’m here pretty much here all the time!” she said enthusiastically. “Yeah, about that. What exactly are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’ve been here for about two months now. I’ve been searching for a rare artefact that was in some sort of mountain cave, and the entrance was a hole somewhere in the jungle. I’ve been looking for it since, but I haven’t found it yet.” Daring do said. “I was searching for it just before I heard voices. I started coming towards the sounds, and that’s how I found you and your sleepy friend.” Rainbow tilted her head. “Wow. I don’t know if we would have survived if you hadn’t found us…” Daring Do smiled. “Aw, it was nothing. Just lucky you were around this area and not anywhere else. There’s nopony else around here for miles!” “So how do you live out here? Your supplies must run out at some point.” Rainbow asked. “I’m a great explorer; I know what plants I can eat and what I can use as medicines and such. Those apples actually came from a tree not far from here. It doesn’t really look like much of a tree, more of a bush, there’s so much thick vegetation here you have to cut through.” Daring Do explained. “But I know the way around here like the back of my hoof, and I’ve marked places I’ve been by drawing a cross on trees with my machete. Where I found you was a place I haven’t been before, I might go back there tomorrow and see what I can find.” “Well, maybe me and Scoot could help you search, we owe you that much at least” Rainbow Dash, said looking at the sleeping filly. “That’s appreciated, but are you sure you’re up for it? It can be very dangerous in the jungle” Daring Do said. “Are you kidding!? Danger is my middle name!” Rainbow Dash shouted, grinning. “Well, uh, you might want to wait until your wings heal…” she said, looking at Rainbow’s wings. Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “Oh yeah…” “Keep your head up Rainbow Dash; I’m sure it won’t be long before they do. Mine healed pretty quickly when I crashed looking for the sapphire stone.” Daring Do assured. “Well, I hope so…” Rainbow replied. She yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes. “You can sleep in my tent for tonight, I have a spare but I wasn’t expecting visitors and it’s already too dark to put up another one.” Daring Do said. Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “But where will you sleep?” she asked. “I’ll sleep out here by the campfire. As long as I put enough wood on it to last the night I should be fine. I’ve been through worse, anyway.” Daring Do winked. “Thanks for all your help” Rainbow Dash smiled. Rainbow Dash carefully stood up and picked the sleeping Scootaloo, carried her into Daring Do’s, tent which was bare, apart from an oil lamp hanging from the ceiling and blankets covering the floor. She set the orange filly down on the blankets softly. Daring Do placed a few more logs on the fire, causing it to crackle and spit like a ferocious beast. She curled herself up next to the warmth and closed her eyes. “Goodnight Rainbow Dash!” Daring Do called from outside. “Goodnight!” Rainbow called back. Rainbow Dash lay down next to Scootaloo and put her hoof around her. She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 1 - Wake up call“Rainbow Dash!” hollered Scootaloo. “You ready to go yet?” One of the windows opened, and a weary-eyed cyan pegasus pony peeked out. “It’s the crack of dawn, Scoot!” said Rainbow Dash, looking down on the orange filly. “Why’d you wake me up so early?” “Don’t you remember?” Scootaloo shouted. “You said you were going to take me to your place on the mountain and teach me all your awesome tricks!” Rainbow Dash yawned. “Yes, but not at 4 o'clock in the morning!” she said sternly. “Pleeeeaaassseee!” Scootaloo begged. “Pleeeaase Rainbow Dash!” Rainbow Dash sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Alright, fine. Just give me 20 more minutes…” Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow and tilted her head to one side. “Okay then, come and find me when you’re ready!” she beamed, and trotted off. “Ugh” mumbled Rainbow Dash. She closed the window, got back into bed, rolled over and closed her eyes. Rainbow Dash flew slowly over Ponyville, scanning the ground below. “Now where did Scootaloo get to?” she said to herself. She had been looking for Scootaloo all day since she got up, but she couldn't find her anywhere. She landed softly beside Sugarcube Corner, where Pinkie Pie was lying on the grass, enjoying the sun. ‘Maybe Pinkie knows where Scootaloo is?’ Rainbow thought. “Uh, hey Pinkie Pie” Rainbow Dash said as she walked up to her. “Oh hey Dashie!” Pinkie said enthusiastically as she jumped up to greet her. “You’re looking for Scootaloo!” Rainbow Dash raised her eyes. “Uh, yeah, how did you know? Pinkie Pie smiled. “She came in a couple of hours ago saying that she wanted something to pass the time while she was waiting for you to get up, so we decided to make up songs for Hearth’s warming!” Her smile turned into a frown. “Some of them didn't work too well…” She sat back down again. “Funny it hasn't snowed yet, huh?” “Yeah, so, um, where is she?” Rainbow replied. “Oh! She’s inside, still thinking…” she yawned and rested her head on her hoof. Rainbow turned and walked inside, where Scootaloo was sitting at one of the tables. She jumped up when she saw Rainbow Dash enter. “Hey Rainbow Dash!” she said happily. “You ready to go now?” Rainbow Dash chuckled and ruffled Scootaloo’s hair. “Yes, I’m ready to go now” she said. “Sorry I’m a bit late, I, erm, overslept a little.” “I don’t mind at all Rainbow Dash!” shouted Scootaloo. “This is going to be awesome!” Rainbow Dash smiled. “Well, we better get going if we want to get there before it gets dark” she said as they walked outside. “There’s plenty of food and supplies in my cabin so we won’t need to bring anything.” Rainbow Dash looked up at the clear blue sky. “This is perfect weather to fly in” she said cheerfully. She looked back at Scootaloo “Okay Scoot, you ready to go?” Scootaloo nodded with a big smile on her face. “Where did you say you were going again?” Pinkie interrupted from her patch of grass. Rainbow Dash turned and looked at Pinkie. “I’m taking Scootaloo to my place up in the mountains, so I can see if I can teach her how to fly, and show her some of my tricks.” “Oh cool!” Pinkie replied. “How long are you going for?” “Only until tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash said as she scratched her ear. ”We were thinking about going for a few days, but it just seemed a bit excessive for a newbie like Scoot.” Scootaloo smiled. “Okay! Make sure you come and tell me all about the fun you had as soon as you get back!” Pinkie shouted. “Sure thing Pinkie.” She looked back at Scootaloo. “Okay Scoot” she took Scootaloo in her arms and got ready to take off. “Remember to hold on tight!” Rainbow Dash shot off from the ground, soared high into the sky, and flew off north, a trail of rainbow left in her wake. “HAVE FUN!” Pinkie Pie shouted after them. Scootaloo was speechless. The world was flying past before her eyes. They flew over Ponyville, over the Everfree Forest, over places that Scootaloo had never seen before. The experience was overwhelming. Further and further away they flew. She saw huge lakes, majestic ground formations and glistening ice sheets. They flew on for what seemed like an age. “How you holding up Scoot?” Rainbow asked. “This is awesome!” Scootaloo beamed. All of a sudden she could not see the ground anymore, as they flew into a dark cloud. Suddenly she felt sharp jerk to the right. “Hold on Scoot, we’re just encountering some turbulence, nothing serious” Rainbow said as she sped on. The sky was beginning to darken and it had started to rain. “This isn't right” said Rainbow Dash. “It can’t be this dark already” There was another jerk, this time harder, and to the left. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, who looked very worried. Nonetheless, Rainbow continued to fly through the ever-darkening clouds. They felt a few more hard bumps and jerks. “Sorry Scoot, I can’t do anything about the bumps, but don’t worry, we’re nearly there” Rainbow said anxiously. Even after Dash’s reassurance, Scootaloo could not contain the feeling that something was terribly wrong. ‘Maybe I should ask Rainbow Dash if we can go home and do it another day’ she thought to herself. But she couldn’t ask her to turn around now; Rainbow Dash had already given up a large piece of her spare time for them to go on this trip. Scootaloo chose to remain silent, but she still felt anxious about the turbulence. She looked up at Rainbow Dash again, but this time she had a horrified look on her face. Scootaloo’s stomach tightened. “Um, Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, afraid. Suddenly a powerful gust of wind knocked them off course. They span through the air, hurtling towards the ground. Scootaloo cried in terror, closed her eyes and held on for dear life. Rainbow Dash tried to regain control, but the sheer force of the wind had knocked the breath out of her and they fell through the air, helplessly. She held Scootaloo as tight as she could and curled her entire body around the terrified filly as the ground loomed closer and closer.
Chapter 2 - Crash LandingScootaloo woke up. She expected to be in bed, waking up to the smell of breakfast cooking. She could almost smell the delicious scent of pancakes wafting up through her bedroom window. “Ugh, my head” she moaned. She slowly opened her eyes. It’s dark, wet, and something heavy was on top of her. The first thing that crossed her mind is ‘Rainbow Dash.’ Scootaloo starts to remember all the events from before she woke up; the talking, the flying, the turbulence, and falling. Where was she? Scootaloo struggled to crawl out from whatever it was on top of her, slowly pushing her way under the weight until she finally managed to crawl out and pull herself free. She stood up and looked around. She was in a tiny clearing, surrounded by an immense forest of pine trees. In the distance she could see a small mountain. There was a little stream flowing down over a hill a few feet away from her. She looked up; the sky was pitch black. ‘How long was I unconscious for?’ Scootaloo thought to herself. She turned to see Rainbow Dash laying awkwardly on the ground. That’s what was pinning her down; she was stuck underneath Rainbow Dash. One of her wings had been severely twisted. Her eyes were closed, her snout was bloody. She didn't move. Scootaloo’s heart shattered into pieces. She just stood there, refusing to believe the sight before her eyes. No, no, no, this can’t have happened. Not Rainbow Dash. Please…not Rainbow Dash. She couldn't be... Tears welled in the little filly’s eyes as she gazed upon the unmoving pegasus. No… oh Celestia please no... “Rainbow Dash?” she cried. She carefully placed her hooves on Rainbow’s chest and shook her gently. “Rainbow Dash?” she cried again, tears streaming down her face. She shook Rainbow’s body and nuzzled her cheek with her snout. “Rainbow please wake up” she cried. This couldn't be true. She wrapped her hooves around Rainbow’s neck and buried her face in her mane. “Please don’t leave me” she sobbed. Scootaloo woke up to the sound of small birds chirping loudly in the distance, the stream flowing steadily down into the valley and the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. She wanted to wake up back in Ponyville, with all this being just a bad dream. She wanted to see Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom again, and go on their crazy adventures and have fun together as they always did. She ever so slowly opened her eyes. Rainbow Dash hadn’t moved. She tried to fight back the tears, but it was no use. She looked away, trying not to think about it. But could she not think? Her idol, her best friend… the pony that inspired her….. She couldn't take it. “What am I supposed to do without you Rainbow Dash?” she cried. She held on tight to Rainbow Dash, refusing to let her go. “I can’t go on without you…” she sobbed. Rainbow Dash stirred. Scootaloo loosened her grip. “Rainbow Dash?” she sniffed. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes to find a tear-stricken Scootaloo wrapped around her neck, staring at her in disbelief. Before Scootaloo could even make a sound, Rainbow Dash pulled her into the biggest hug in all of Equestria. Scootaloo couldn't believe it. “Rainbow Dash!” she said with glee. She started to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy. “I thought I’d lost you…” Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, she was crying too. “I thought I was a goner then Scoot” she said through her tears. “But what matters is that you’re okay” she said, smiling. They held themselves together in each other’s hooves for a moment, and finally broke off the embrace. Rainbow Dash tried to stand up, but cried out in pain and fell back to the ground. “Aah! M-my leg!” she yelled. Scootaloo’s face fell. “What are we going to do?” she asked worriedly. Rainbow Dash looked back at her hind legs. “I-I’m sure it’s nothing” she said, and attempted to stand up again. “One step at a time, ow…Rainbow…ah…Dash” she said to herself. She winced as she tried to take a step forward, but she remained standing. “Heh, you know what they say, no pain no gain! Owch…” There was a pause as she tried to keep her balance on her injured leg. “Okay, I’m up” she said uneasily. Now that she was up, she examined herself. Hooves, flanks, ears, were all in order. But her wings… what had happened to her wings!? Rainbow Dash’s eyes swelled with tears. “M-my wings! What happened to my wings?!” she cried. She couldn't move either of them, or feel them for that matter. Her right wing was horribly twisted, her left wing battered and bruised. She sat down on the ground and sobbed. “H-how are we supposed to get home now?!” she cried. “Oh Scoot, this is all my fault! If I hadn't offered- “It’s not your fault, Rainbow Dash” interrupted Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash raised her head and looked at Scootaloo. “What?” she said, surprised. Scootaloo repeated. “It’s not your fault.” It was unlike Rainbow Dash to break down like this, but Scootaloo knew her better than a lot of ponies, and she wasn’t going to let her feel bad about what happened. Scootaloo may be just a filly, but she wasn't going to act like she was two years old. “You saved my life. When that huge gust of wind blew out of the air, you still held on to me.” She said. “You protected me from the fall. You could have died, and it would all have been to save me. You say it’s your fault, but it’s the complete opposite.” She raised her hoof and gently touched Rainbow’s face. “And for that, I cannot repay you.” Rainbow Dash blushed and looked up at Scootaloo, smiling. “I-I don’t know what to say Scoot…” Rainbow Dash said, wiping her eyes. “That’s the most thoughtful thing anypony has ever said to me…” Rainbow Dash put her hooves around Scootaloo and pulled her into a hug. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash’s bleeding wing and frowned. “Rainbow Dash…about your wings…” she said nervously. Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “Its fine Scoot…” she said sadly. “They just…need some time to heal…” She slowly stood up and looked around for the first time. “Where are we?” she asked, examining their surroundings. “I don’t know, in a big forest somewhere” Scootaloo replied. Rainbow Dash scratched her ear. “Well, our first priority is to get to the cabin. We can stay there as long as it takes until we find out how in Equestria we’re going to get back home” she said, and turned to Scootaloo. “What time is it, Scoots?” she asked. Scootaloo thought for a second. “I dunno, in the morning sometime?” she said. “Well, if it’s in the morning and the sun rises to the east…then to get to my cabin we must go….uh….” she paused for thought. “That way!” she shouted, pointing towards the mountain in the distance. “Come on Scoot, we have a long walk ahead of us.” Rainbow Dash said, and together they began to slowly walk off towards the mountain, towards the source of the stream. Scootaloo’s stomach rumbled. It had been at least a day or so since she last ate, and Rainbow Dash was hungry too. They had been walking for some time now, somewhere around two hours, and it was now midday and they were both exhausted. “Rainbow Dash, can we stop for a minute? I’m so tired…” Scootaloo groaned. “Yeah, I’m pretty tired too.” Rainbow said at she sat down on the grass beside the stream, which had turned into a small, fast flowing river. She lay down, put her hooves behind her head and looked up at the clouds. The sun shone down on her, warming her coat. Scootaloo walked up to the edge of the crystal-clear water and dipped her snout in. She lapped up the water quickly, making loud slurping noises as she did so. Rainbow Dash laughed and closed her eyes. She imagined being back in Ponyville, being with her friends, and generally not being in the middle of nowhere. It was so peaceful and quiet that she started to doze off. But it was not to last, as she was brought out of her snooze by something tapping her on the shoulder. It was Scootaloo, and in one of her hooves was some sort of bag made out of leaves and reeds, complete with a strap. “What’s that?” Rainbow Dash asked, sitting up to examine the item. “It’s a water carrier!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “You fill it with water, and you can take it with you!” she demonstrated by submerging it into the river, bringing it back up full of water and slinging it round her shoulders. “See?” “Wow! Where did you learn to do that?” said Rainbow Dash. “We learned how to make bags in crafts at school with straw, so I thought: why not make one which was more useful?” explained Scootaloo. “So I came up with this!” she grinned. “That’ll be really useful when we need water and we’re not near a stream” said Rainbow Dash, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane. “Good job!” Rainbow Dash sat up and examined her hind legs. The pain had almost gone, and there were no bruises or anything of the sort on them at all. She smiled as she stood up and walked down to the waterside. She drank slowly, taking huge gulps at a time. She finally pulled her snout out of the water and took a deep breath. “Whew, I needed that” Rainbow said, panting. She suddenly heard a fast clopping of hooves behind her, and she turned to see Scootaloo running towards her with a devious grin on her face. Before Rainbow Dash could react, Scootaloo crashed into her and sent them both flying off the riverbank and into the water with a big splash. Rainbow Dash emerged from the water first, closely followed by Scootaloo. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Whaddaya do that for you silly filly?” Rainbow Dash giggled, and used her hooves to send a wall of water speeding towards Scootaloo. Scootaloo could only watch as the wave hit her in the face, spraying water everywhere. Rainbow Dash went into a fit of laughter, which was promptly interrupted by another wave being sent straight back at her. It hit Rainbow in the side of the face and some of the water flew into her mouth, causing her to splutter as Scootaloo continued to splash her mercilessly. “You’re...gonna….get it…Scoot!” Rainbow Dash said between gurgles. She ducked under the water to avoid Scootaloo’s assault, and she came crashing back up to send a tsunami flying towards the orange filly. Scootaloo held her breath as the wave engulfed her, throwing water everywhere and soaking absolutely everything. Both the soaked ponies climbed out of the water, dripping and laughing hysterically. They walked back up the riverbank and sat back down on the grass together. They sat there in peace, sopping wet, just listening to the quiet tweeting of the birds in the trees and the steady flow of the river heading off away from them. Rainbow Dash put her hoof around Scootaloo. “You know Scoots, I reckon we can still have fun while we’re here, we just have to look after each other and keep our heads up” she said happily. “Yeah! This could turn out to be a really fun trip!” Scootaloo exclaimed. They sat there together for a little longer, just savoring the peace and each other’s company. Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “Well, we better get going Scoots; we've only got a bit to go before we reach the mountain” said Rainbow Dash. “Okay, but I’m really hungry…” Scootaloo replied. “Yeah, I’m hungry too, Scoot. But I’m sure we’ll find something along the way” Rainbow assured. Both pegasi stood up, and together and started walking towards the mountain once again.
Chapter 3 - The JungleAs the two tired ponies walked on, the dirt path slowly disappeared and the forest turned into a dense jungle. They struggled to push through the deep foliage, becoming increasingly tired with each step. Scootaloo couldn’t keep on going. How far had they gone? It felt like they had been walking forever and it was beginning to get dark. She stopped and rested her back against a large tree, panting after pushing through the jungle. Rainbow Dash sat down a few feet away on the grass and examined her wings, while Scootaloo drank slowly from the water carrier she had around her back. Rainbow Dash could faintly feel her wings, but she couldn’t move them more than a couple of centimetres without wincing in pain. She looked over at Scootaloo. “Hey, Scoot, pass us some water, I’m so thirsty” she said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Scootaloo passed Rainbow Dash the water carrier and she drank slowly. “I don’t know if I can go any further Rainbow Dash, I’m so tired and we have been walking for hours…” Scootaloo said. Rainbow Dash took the water carrier away from her lips and set it down next to her. “Yeah, I’m really tired too...but we have to find some food…” she said. She lay down and rested her head on her hoof, and they sat there in the quiet for a while. Scootaloo’s ears pricked up. What was that sound? She held her breath and listened very carefully. A gentle breeze blew through the jungle, rustling the leaves quietly. She convinced herself it was nothing. But there it was again! It couldn’t be nothing. She looked over at Rainbow Dash, who had her eyes closed. “Psst, Rainbow Dash” Scootaloo whispered. Rainbow Dash stirred and opened her eyes. “Huh? What?” “Do you hear that?” Scootaloo said. “Hear what?” Rainbow Dash replied. She listened carefully. She could hear it now, something rustling in the distance. “Actually, yeah, I can hear it” Rainbow said. It slowly became louder, and clearer. It sounded like something slashing through the jungle, and was coming from the north, towards the mountain. She waited to see if the sound would fade out or stop completely, but it just kept becoming louder and louder. It was very close now, whatever it was, and it was heading straight for them. Rainbow Dash stood up. “Hello?!” she shouted into the jungle. “I can hear you, show yourself!” The leaves before the two pegasi shook violently, and Scootaloo watched as a dense section of the foliage was hacked into pieces in front of them. Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what had emerged from the jungle. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Rainbow Dash squeaked in delight. Standing before her, wearing a dark green jacket, pith helmet on head, and machete in hoof, was Daring Do. She sheathed her machete, and turned to the cyan blue pegasus, who had her mouth open in suprise. Daring do raised her eyes. “What, who were you expecting? Celestia?” she said with a grin. “Y-your Daring Do!” Rainbow Dash said in disbelief. “Yeah, I am. How did you know that?” Daring Do replied, tilting her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” Before Rainbow Dash could reply, Daring Do gasped. “Your wings!” she said worriedly. “What happened to your wings?!” Daring Do ran over to her and examined Rainbow Dash’s twisted wings. “Oh my, let me help you” she said. “Lay down.” Rainbow Dash did so, and lay down on her side. Daring Do pulled out a small roll of bandages from her jacket pocket and knelt down next to her. “Can you feel them at all?” she asked. “A bit, I can only move them about an inch or it hurts a lot.” Rainbow Dash said, still trying to grasp the fact that Daring Do was in fact real, and not a fictional character. “Okay, this is gonna hurt, but try your best not to move okay?” Daring Do said. Rainbow Dash nodded. “Okay, here we go.” Daring Do started unravelling the bandages and wrapping them around Rainbow’s wings at the same time. Pain shot through Rainbow Dash’s body. Her face contorted in pain and she tried not to cry out as Daring Do continued to bandage her left wing. “Okay, almost done” she said. The searing pain continued for a few seconds before it stopped completely. Daring do cut the bandage at the end with her teeth. “Okay, now turn over; I have to do the other wing too.” Rainbow Dash turned over and Daring Do prepared to bandage her other wing. She anticipated the pain, so this time it wasn’t as bad. After a couple of moments it was finished, both her wings were bandaged and she could stand up again. “Thanks.” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her wings. “No problem, uh…what did you say your name was?” Daring Do asked. “I didn’t.” Rainbow replied. “I’m Rainbow Dash and this is Scootaloo.” Rainbow Dash pointed to the orange filly sitting down beside a large tree. “Well, hello there Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, pleasure to be in your company” Daring Do said, taking off her hat and stroking her mane. “So what are you two doing all the way out here with no gear?” “Well, it’s kinda a long story” Rainbow Dash said. “We crash landed here like…I can’t even remember how long ago it was, but we crashed here after a massive storm knocked us off course.” “Yeah, same thing that got me and my wing” Daring Do said, looking back at her own right wing. “You gotta watch out for those.” She looked up at the sky, which was becoming darker by the minute. “I would like to talk more, but it’s getting dark, and trust me, you don’t wanna be out here in the jungle when that happens. I have a camp just a few minutes from here, you’re welcome to stay if you like.” “Wow, that would be great!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Good, now follow me, and don’t get lost!” Daring Do said with a smile. “Okay, come on Scoot.” Rainbow Dash said, turning to follow after Daring Do. “Scoot?” No reply. Rainbow turned around, looking back to the tree where she last saw Scootaloo, and there she was, eyes closed, asleep, and snoring quietly. Rainbow Dash smiled and walked over to her. “D’aww. She’s tired herself out” she said. She carefully picked up Scootaloo, lifted her slowly onto her back and walked into the jungle. She caught up with Daring Do and started walking beside her. “So, how do you know my name?” Daring Do asked. “Well, I’ve read a book about you.” Rainbow replied. Daring Do looked surprised. “No way! No one has ever written a book about me!” “Well, they must have, because I’ve read it.” “REALLY!?!” Daring do said excitedly, jumping up into the air. “What did it say?!” “They were about the adventure you had in the quest for the sapphire stone!” Rainbow said. “Oh my gosh! I remember that so well! I wonder how they even know about me?!” said Daring Do with a huge grin on her face. “Well, maybe I could get you a copy when we get outta this jungle…” Rainbow said, scratching her ear. “You would do that! Aww thanks!” Daring Do said happily. “Oh look, we’re almost there.” The thick jungle spread out into a small grassy clearing, surrounded by large leaves and vines. There was a large khaki-coloured tent in the middle complete with an awning, campfire and log seats. Rainbow Dash carefully set Scootaloo down on the grass next to the campfire, where she stayed, sound asleep. Daring Do ran into her tent briefly and returned with a couple of apples. “Here” she said, tossing two of them to Rainbow Dash. “You must be starving!” Rainbow Dash caught one of the two, the other slipped out of her hooves and fell, knocking Scootaloo on the head. Scootaloo woke up and rubbed her head. “Oww….” Scootaloo groaned. “Oops, sorry Scoot” Rainbow said, biting into the apple. Scootaloo grabbed the apple of the floor and started munching. In just a few seconds the entire apple was gone, and Scootaloo burped loudly. Rainbow Dash and Daring Do laughed. “Woah, Scoot, slow down!” Rainbow Dash said. “I was soooo hungry!” Scootaloo said, before lying down and closing her eyes again. Daring Do sat down on the log opposite Rainbow Dash. “So” she started, taking off her hat and placing it next to her. “What were you doing here? Where were you headed before you crashed?” “Well, I decided to ask if Scootaloo wanted to come up to my mountain cabin with me for a few days, like a holiday.” Rainbow replied, throwing the apple core behind her. “And, as you know, it didn’t exactly go to plan.” Daring Do nodded her head. “That’s why this place is so overgrown. I mean, nopony even comes here! That storm has just appeared and I don’t know when it’s going to go away. The only other way here is to walk, and that takes forever.” She paused for a moment. “Did you tell anypony that you were coming here?” “Only one pony, and I told her that I was going for a few days so I don’t think she’ll know we’re stuck here until tomorrow, or maybe the day after.” Rainbow said. “Well, you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Hell, I’m here pretty much here all the time!” she said enthusiastically. “Yeah, about that. What exactly are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’ve been here for about two months now. I’ve been searching for a rare artefact that was in some sort of mountain cave, and the entrance was a hole somewhere in the jungle. I’ve been looking for it since, but I haven’t found it yet.” Daring do said. “I was searching for it just before I heard voices. I started coming towards the sounds, and that’s how I found you and your sleepy friend.” Rainbow tilted her head. “Wow. I don’t know if we would have survived if you hadn’t found us…” Daring Do smiled. “Aw, it was nothing. Just lucky you were around this area and not anywhere else. There’s nopony else around here for miles!” “So how do you live out here? Your supplies must run out at some point.” Rainbow asked. “I’m a great explorer; I know what plants I can eat and what I can use as medicines and such. Those apples actually came from a tree not far from here. It doesn’t really look like much of a tree, more of a bush, there’s so much thick vegetation here you have to cut through.” Daring Do explained. “But I know the way around here like the back of my hoof, and I’ve marked places I’ve been by drawing a cross on trees with my machete. Where I found you was a place I haven’t been before, I might go back there tomorrow and see what I can find.” “Well, maybe me and Scoot could help you search, we owe you that much at least” Rainbow Dash, said looking at the sleeping filly. “That’s appreciated, but are you sure you’re up for it? It can be very dangerous in the jungle” Daring Do said. “Are you kidding!? Danger is my middle name!” Rainbow Dash shouted, grinning. “Well, uh, you might want to wait until your wings heal…” she said, looking at Rainbow’s wings. Rainbow Dash’s face fell. “Oh yeah…” “Keep your head up Rainbow Dash; I’m sure it won’t be long before they do. Mine healed pretty quickly when I crashed looking for the sapphire stone.” Daring Do assured. “Well, I hope so…” Rainbow replied. She yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes. “You can sleep in my tent for tonight, I have a spare but I wasn’t expecting visitors and it’s already too dark to put up another one.” Daring Do said. Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “But where will you sleep?” she asked. “I’ll sleep out here by the campfire. As long as I put enough wood on it to last the night I should be fine. I’ve been through worse, anyway.” Daring Do winked. “Thanks for all your help” Rainbow Dash smiled. Rainbow Dash carefully stood up and picked the sleeping Scootaloo, carried her into Daring Do’s, tent which was bare, apart from an oil lamp hanging from the ceiling and blankets covering the floor. She set the orange filly down on the blankets softly. Daring Do placed a few more logs on the fire, causing it to crackle and spit like a ferocious beast. She curled herself up next to the warmth and closed her eyes. “Goodnight Rainbow Dash!” Daring Do called from outside. “Goodnight!” Rainbow called back. Rainbow Dash lay down next to Scootaloo and put her hoof around her. She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
