Will of Fire

Chapter 6 - The mighty jungle

By: TheXIIILightning

"Lightning!"

"I'm coming!"

It was now, the moment I was waiting for, I prayed to Celestia it wouldn't come to this, but it looks like She didn't hear me. After a good half hour of flying, even if it felt like hours, the Manticore finally came out of cover and jumped right in front of Sunshine with a massive roar. It was licking it's lips, swinging that sting to it's left and right. Like a cat with a mouse, wanting to have it's fun first.

I was flying with the sword tucked under my stomach, holding it with both my forelegs. After a quick movement with my neck, I grabbed the sword by it's hilt, using my mouth.

I only have one shot at this, I have to make it count. I started my nosedive.

I don't want to kill the poor animal, but I'll do it if I have to.

While I was diving, even with the blur in my eyes from my tears. Everything was in slow motion.

I could feel the wind on my mane, the taste of steel on my tongue. The terrified look on Sunshine's face. And the hunger in that beast's eyes.

I could see it moving in front of Sunshine, with the stinger above his head. A kill it is...

Sunshine braced herself for the impact of the stinger, but I made it there first.

I used the force and speed of my dive to boost my strength. I had aimed for it's head, but the swinging of the stinger towards Sunshine made me change directions at the very last second.

The tip of my sword hit it first, slamming the stinger on the ground. I spat out the sword and slammed the tip of with my right hoof while straightening it with my left one. Then the force of my hind legs pushed the stinger further down, cracking it's shell and allowing the sword to impale it on the ground.

The Manticore gave a cry that was loud and vicious enough to scare even a Royal guard.

"RUN!" I yelled as loud as I could.

Sunshine broke out of her shock, and threw the smoke-bombs towards the Manticore, hitting it square in the face.

I got a bit of air to see if Sunshine got away, I could spot the wagon moving down the road. Damn it, it's still too close!

I stayed a while longer near the Manticore, watching it thrashing around trying to remove my sword from it's stinger. Even if he got out, he won't be able to use it anymore, it's crushed in a way that it would take months to heal.

"Hey! Over here you big pussy! Come and get me!" Damn, that sounded wrong...

I got on ground and started taunting it, I needed him to chase me.

That's because after an entire day of pulling the damn wagon, Sunshine couldn't move as fast as usual. I needed to buy her as much time as I could.

The Manticore started roaring and trying to reach me with it's claws.

"Yeah! You want this juicy flank, don't you!?"

I said while wiggling and slapping my own flank.

"Well, just try and g- *Swisshh* me..."

I looked up, and saw my own sword stabbed in the tree in front of me, with a few strands of my tail stuck between it and the bark. Oh buck me...

Why am I so stupid! Why am I- "WHOA!" I dodged a slash of it's claws. So bucking stupid!?

Well, the Manticore is now chasing me, after almost killing me, with my own sword, when it got it's tail free. I dashed into the forest, hoping the trees would slow it down long enough to stay off it's reach.

Surprise, they didn't.

Well, they didn't in the last hour, so why would they do it now!?

Hey! Don't yell at me! You're the one that came up with the juicy flank thing!

But you're the one who actually said it!

So you're saying it's MY fault!?

Shut up brain, or I'm going to drown you in cider when I... We, get out of this!

Hey. Shouldn't you be- LOOK OUT!

I managed to dodge another blow, this one towards my hind legs. Great, it's not bad enought being chased by a Lion/Scorpion thing from Tartarus itself, now my own brain is against me...

That thing isn't giving up, by now I should be at least a few miles from them. So I'm just looking for any hole in the canopy I can slip through. But looking at the air for so long could ma-

"Ouch, oh buck, BUCK!"

I slipped and fell, but I managed to dodge the Manticore's attack by rolling to the left and bucking it with my right hind leg on it's nose. The sneeze it gave was enough for me to take some air, and dart through the trees, this time flying instead of running.

The good thing about being a Pegasus, it's that you can run until you drop, then fly while your legs rest. It still takes it's toll, but it's better than a second wind. Oh that reminds me, keep breathing. That's the key. Breathe.

The sun is setting, so judging by it's direction, I'm near the edge of the Everfree forest. That's fortunate, I can only last one more hour at best.

If I'm lucky, I can find somewhere to slip through...

Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck...

My wings are almost giving up, and my legs aren't any better.

I managed to last about a hour and half, but right now I can't find anywhere to run off.

The Everfree forest is like a cage, the thick trees keep the animals locked inside so they won't attack the nearest towns. The problem is.

I'm trapped too...

The Manticore seems to be falling behind, I can hardly see him in the dark. I bet I have at least five seconds to look for a way out.

I started hovering, desperately looking for something that can break, dry branches could be a lifesaver... Nothing...
Wait, where is that thing?

I looked everywhere around me, and I couldn't see the Manticore. Maybe it gave up a while ago, and I just kept running from nothing.

But Manticores don't give up on their prey.

Oh No!

I looked at my right just in time, to see it pierce my chest with a claw.

The hit was so strong, that it sent me flying a few feet in the air, through some small dry branches. I could hear them, and my wing snap.

I kept going until I hit the ground and a particularly large stone. My head, my wing, my chest, my everything, was hurting like... Like...

I blacked out.

I woke up to the sound of lightning, roars and scratching.

I slowly got up and looked at my surroundings, the Manticore was still there, madly scratching the enormous trees that were his natural cage.

I looked away and made a effort to escape, moving in the opposite direction.

After 5 minutes of walking, I felt a drop hit my muzzle, I looked up and it was raining.

Quite heavily in fact, why didn't I feel it earlier? Well nevermind...

I sat on the ground and stroke my medallion.

"See Sunshine. I told you I'd make it..."

I blacked out for the second time that night.

End of Chapter 5

Here we go, this is how Lightning got into Ponyville.
Bitch slapped by a Manticore through a bunch of trees.
Now that's what I call a Boss.

Now for the Hype. *Ahem*

Having heard Lightning's story, what will the MANE 6 think of his sacrifice?
Will the mares like his new tailcut?
And more importantly...
Is his flank really THAT juicy?

Find out in the next chapter of...
Will of Fire!