The Book Of Shadow

I was sleeping in my newly made bed when I hear a noise outside. I got up and decided to check it out. Somepony knocked at my door, which startled me. Normally no pony would even dare step this far out into the forest. When I open the door, I see a filly zebra. She looked soaked, she probably was walking through the river near my den to get here. She was carrying a lot of bags with her as well. She looked up at me and gave me a small smile.

"C-c-can I c-come in, if i-its not a b-burden?"

I stepped aside and gave her a warm smile.

"Welcome to my abode. If your cold, just sit next to the fire."

She nodded her thanks and walked inside. She placed her luggage down and sat next to the fire. After a few minutes she got warmed up. She looked up to me and gave me a confused look.

"What are you doing out here, do you not have a home somewhere?"

I leaned back a bit. "Well, I'd like to know your name first if that's alright. I'm Shadow Nova."

She nodded. "I am Zecora. I am a traveller."

I cocked my head to the left in confusion.

"Where's your home then?"

She looked down to the ground in sadness.

"I do not know."

I looked at her with pity.

"Orphan?"

She nodded weakly and curled up in a ball next to the fire. I got up and headed out the door. I turned my head around.

"Sleep in my bed. I will go out and find you another home. I don't have the best kind of food to feed you, so you may have to go into Ponyville later and buy some. Or steal it."

I exited the den without hearing another word from her. I wandered through the forest for what seemed like years, until I found a gigantic tree. There was a small hole leading inside. I poked my head in to see it was hollow.

"Perfect. Alright Kaor, I need some assistance."

I became possessed by Kaor and we begun our work.

After a few hours I returned to my den. I walked inside and saw Zecora curled up in my bed. I smiled and silently dawww'ed at the sight. I walk over to her and started to shake her.

"Zecora! Zecora!"

She groaned and looked up at me with a gentle smile.

"Follow me, bring your bags. I have a surprise for you."

She got up and picked her bags up and started following me through the Everfree. I knew the layout like the back of my hoof, so I wouldn't get lost. I was afraid she wouldn't keep up and get lost, so I tried slowing my pace. When we arrived at the hollowed out tree, it looked more like a hut now. There was a door and some windows to go. She stared in amazement for a while, before grabbing me in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much, Shadow! My spirits are no longer low!"

I kind of figured that rhyming was her thing, so I didn't ask about it. She ran inside and started placing her things down. She had a lot of things. She pulled a cauldron out of her biggest bag and placed it in the middle of the room. I leaned against the door frame with a smile. Helping others is what I do. I turned around and started heading home.

"Wait!"

I turn around to see Zecora running up to me. She blushed, then she kissed me. After that she giggled and ran off home. I stood there for a while, trying to comprehend what just happened. I turned around and headed home. I jumped onto my couch and sat there for a while.

"I know exactly what I need to do. Go out and map the Everfree out for her! She needs to know her way around."

I went out and started mapping out the entire Everfree Forest.

Shadow stood up.

"Okay, I'l tell you all more next time."

Pinkie was suddenly right up in his face.

"Omygosh! You helped Zecora out!? We're all friends with Zecora! We should meet up sometime!"

Shadow laughed. "I see her everyday. We talk and then she goes back to her hut I made for her. Later, girls."

Shadow left the bakery and headed home. On his way he took notice once more of Spectra's statue. He saluted and continued on towards his home. He gets inside and grabs the Cockatrice meat out of the ice box. He puts the meat inside the pot to cook.

"What's that?"

Shadow jumps and turns himself invisible, his special talent of stealth helps out a lot. He looks back to the doorway to see Applebloom. Shadow sighs and turns visible again.

"Dinner. Applebloom, you really should head home. It's dangerous out here."

Applebloom looked at Shadow sadly.

"But why can you go inside tha forest? What makes you so special?"

"I have a demonic war general inside me. You don't. Ah, horseapples."

Shadow looked outside to see it was midnight.

"Celestia damnnit, Applebloom. Looks like you have to stay here tonight."

Applebloom jumped up and down. In mid jump, her hat fell off her head and rolled over to Shadow. He looked down at it with sad eyes.

'Spectra, we all can't wait for you to come back.'

Shadow picked the hat up and put it on Applebloom's head.

"Do not lose that hat. It was given to you by a great stallion. You'll sleep in my bed, Applebloom. I've gotta go meet up with somepony."

Applebloom nodded and crawled into Shadow's bed. Shadow exited the den and walked towards the river near his house. He stopped just in front of it.

"Oi, mate! I don't feel like getting wet today!"

Suddenly, a giant sea serpent appears from the water depths.

"Oh! Shadow, going to a little meet up with Zecora again?"

Shadow nodded. "We do it on every new moon, don't we?"

The serpent nodded. "Alright. Hop on!"

Shadow jumped across his back and onto the other side of the river. Shadow turns and bows.

"Thanks, mate."

"Any time, Shadow."

The serpent dived back into the water and Shadow turned and went on his way to the Everfree Castle. When he got there, Zecora was waiting for him.

"Ah, Shadow friend. It is good to see you again."

Shadow shook his head. "That was a terrible rhyme."

Zecora laughed as Shadow sat next to her.

"So, Spectra still has yet to recover. I miss him, Zecora. He was as good a friend to me as you are."

Zecora nodded. "Patience is the key, until then try and be happy."

Shadow smiled and looked around the old castle.

"Aeb! Aeb, ya here!?"

"Shadow? Hang on! I almost forgot!"

Shadow heard a weird noise, then he saw Aeb come out from a different room.

"Hey, buddy! Come here!"

Aeb ran up to Shadow and gave him a noogie. He released him and Aeb sat next to Shadow. The trio of friends just sat there for a while, until they eventually fell asleep on the cold stone floor of the castle.