The shaded guardian

Fluttershy slowly stood up with his help, staring up into his glowing, azure eyes. She held her head low, the intimidating presence of the stallion was overpowering. It was like he had an aura around him, something that made her uneasy and scared of him.  She had just seen what he was truly capable of, she didn't want to upset him in anyway.

The stallion was staring down at her, his emotionless face was hard and unchanging. Fluttershy was perplexed by how incredibly mysterious he was, truly unsure of how to talk or even act with him.

She finally mumbled a few words out, being very quiet as she did "S-Shade.......... I-I'm.... F-" Just as she was about to say her name, Shade spoke for her "Fluttershy..... I actually know who you are..."

Fluttershy looked up at him with wide eyes, her head still hanging low under him "Y-You.... K-Know my n-name?" She was now even more curious about him, wondering how he could possibly known her name. She hadn't ever spoken to him, nor had she seen him before, her mind rushing through the possibilities.

Shade nodded his head, still staring down at her "I have watched you for quite some time now..." Fluttershy now was extremely confused and curious all at the same time. "Y-You have.....?"

Shade nodded his head once more, his very dark mane flowing lightly, yet there was no breeze, his mane always seeming to flow. "Yes... You've lived by this forest for some time now, I've seen you many times"

Fluttershy then knew how he had seen her, yet why did he live in this forest? It was dark, cold, wet, how could anypony possibly live here? "Y-You..... Live here?" She asked in a curious tone.

Shade turned his gaze upon the surrounding forest, observing the darkness and bleakness that was so often attributed with it. "I have always lived here, ever since I can remember......"

Fluttershy turned in the direction he was facing, seeing the darkness of the forest around them. The sunlight came down on both of them suddenly, the clouds moving from the sky. The light came down and warmed Fluttershy's coat, a slight smiling appearing on her face.

The smile soon disappeared as she turned back to him slowly, looking up at him. "Wh-Why.... Did you... S-Save me.....?" Fluttershy asked of him, the question burning in her mind since the battle with the manticore.

Shade looked back to her, his mane still flowing from his head, a breeze still missing. It was an ominous sight indeed, it was strange, yet intriguing to Fluttershy.

"I saw you were about to meet your end with the manticore, I was not going to stand idly by and watch that." Shade said to her with an honest tone in his voice.

Fluttershy looked up to him, raising her head up a little. She was interested by the stallion's answer, she didn't know why he would save her like that, but apparently he was protecting her. Surely she was grateful that he did save her, yet she didn't understand the stallion yet.

"W-Well..... Th-Thank you... S-Shade....." She cracked a smile at him, staring up into his glowing eyes. Shade simply stared back at her, nodding his head to her "It was no problem, Fluttershy.... I wouldn't allow you too fall like that as I stood watch"

She looked up at him with an ever larger smile, not too large though. She was happy that the stallion was actually taking up for her and caring about her enough to save her. It was certainly a brave thing to risk his life for her as he did.

"S-So.... W-Why are you here, S-Shade?.... L-Living here..." Fluttershy asked curiously.

Shade looked back to the forest, his mane whipping lightly faster. "I have always lived here, since I can even remember.... I do not remember my past, nor do I understand where I am from. I know that I am here in this forest as its protector and guardian."

Fluttershy listened to him closely, taking in as much as she could. She was very interested when he said he was the forest's guardian, not completely understanding it. "Wh-What do you mean the guardian of the forest?"

"I was placed here to guard and watch over all that reside in the forest, it was what I was supposed to do..." Fluttershy was still a little confused, but she now understood the stallion, why he was protecting her as he did.

"O-Oh..... I understand...." She began to feel a little more comfortable around the stallion, not feeling as threatened by him as she understood what he was doing. She like to know that such a figure lived in the forest, it was something that she enjoyed seeing.

Shade nodded his head, looking up to the sky, the sun very high in the midday sky. He then looked back to her, staring blankly at her.

Fluttershy's smile then completely fell from her face, her gaze looking down at the ground, looking away from Shade. Although she may have been saved from the manticore, she was still lost far from home, not even knowing where she was.

Shade noticed the disappointed look upon her face, his own concern and curiosity sparked within him. It had been the first time he'd shown real emotion since he'd met her. "Is there something along, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy slowly looked up to him, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I-I...... I-I don't know where I am......." She turned away form him, sniffling in the silence.

Shade looked away from her slowly, looking back into to darkened forest, his face remaining emotionless. A slight breeze whipped by, the same one that was present through all of the events that have transpired so far. Fluttershy felt the breeze, recognizing it.

She didn't know where this breeze came form, only that it came often, and it felt different from all the other winds she felt.

She looked up at Shade who was still staring into the forest, his mane still flowing in the air. It wasn't at the same pace as the wind around her, yet it was still flowing.

Shade then looked back at Fluttershy, tears streaming down her face. Fluttershy had grown incredibly upset, not sure if she'll ever seen her home again, if she'd see her friends, if she'd have her life again. She'd never been this sad, it was as if there was no hope for her at that point.

Shade then spoke up ".........I will lead you away from this forest...."

Fluttershy's ears perked up quickly, looking up to him, the tears starting to fade a little from her eyes "Y-You......... Will?" She asked with the tiniest bit of hope in her voice.

Shade nodded his head slowly, still staring down at her "I will.... It is not your place in this forest...."

Fluttershy, despite her previous feelings, quickly jumped up and wrapped her hooves around his neck, bringing him into a tight hug. She sniffled to herself, her eyes closed, the tears turning into joyful ones.

Her mood was instantly uplifted by him helping her through the forest, her happiness bursted throughout her. It overcame her, thrusting herself at her and hugging him. She didn't care about anything else, his deed of kindness was what stood out in her mind

"Th-Thank you.... Shade...." She said with a larger and joyous smile. Shade slowly placed on of her hooves around her, hugging her lightly back. "You are welcome, Fluttershy....."

Shade's lips then slowly turned up into a very faint smile, it was the very first time he'd shown his emotions. He felt somewhat happy inside, knowing that she was relieved by his help.

The two of them held the hug for a few moments, both bearing their smiles. In the time that Fluttershy had ran into the forest, this was the first time she'd been even remotely happy, the kind deeds of the stallion overwhelming her.

Eventually, the both of them released from the hug, Fluttershy smiling wide up at him, sniffling softly. Shade looked down to her with his slight smile.

Fluttershy's smile and crying calmed a little as she still looked up to him "Shade.... Th-Thank you so much..... I-I don't know what would have happened if...." She looked away

Shade slowly raised his hoof up and turned her muzzled up towards him, his smile still there "You no longer have to worry about that, Fluttershy...."

Fluttershy's smile slowly returned to her, staring up at him '....A-Alright......" Shade set his hoof down on the ground, still slightly smiling at her, nodding his head.

shade then slowly trots past her to her side, looking down at her "How about we leave then, I will show you the way out'

Fluttershy nodded her head to him, her smile still there "Okay then....."

Shade and Fluttershy then trotted into the darkness of the forest, smiling down at each other. Fluttershy had just met this stallion, yet she already felt safe with him. Maybe it was was kindness, maybe his compassion, she didn't know.

All she knew is that this stallion was the reason she's still alive, and the reason she'll be leaving this bleak forest.

They trotted completely away from the patch of sunlight, hope finally being sparked within Fluttershy, something she was in need of through her upcoming journey back to her home...