Off the Beaten Path

Off the Beaten Path
By Sojourner and Piko

Chapter Three:
Water Horse

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Whisper gave a small 'eep' and quickly ducked down behind the tree when she thought she noticed a pair of eyes looking back at her from the trees, glowing yellow against the darkness.

Not another one, please not another one, please not another one....

Nervously, she looked out from behind the tree. The eyes were gone, and the sounds of the forest continued unabated. Whisper quietly crept back into the tree.
"Maybe, I should get some rest too..." She said to herself.

Whisper had been on lookout for the past few hours, and she was almost certain something was prowling around out in the trees beyond her vision. The eyes seemed to be gone, but her fur was standing on end all across her body. Something was there, even if every other sense she had told her otherwise. Whisper continued to listen, straining her ears to hear whatever it was that was sneaking around. But she still heard nothing. Nothing at all seemed out of place, no lack of sound from the other forest creatures, no growls of a successful predator. Soon, she felt her eyes grow heavy.

Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me...

Her breathing became steady and shallow, and she shut her eyes.

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There was a loud crack. Whisper jumped, standing up suddenly and looking around, wide eyed. Was the tree falling apart? The monster really was out there, wasn't it?

"Tree?" Whisper called frantically, staring around wide eyed for her sister. She relaxed when she saw the younger foal looking at her with concern.

"S-sis, I’m thirsty..." Tree said in a pained whimper. she reached a hoof out toward Whisper, her leg bleeding profusely, the back of the hollow invisible in the darkness. Whisper was frightened.

"O-o-of course! We'll get you some water! I'm sure there's a river or a lake or something nearby.... We need to get moving anyway..." It hadn't felt as though it had been long, but sleeping just left them vulnerable. Whisper moved to her sister. "Let's get you up, come on."

Tree tried to push herself up, making small noises of pain as her leg jostled. For some reason, Whisper paused as she was ready to pick up Tree. The darkness seemed to be playing tricks on Whisper. Tree' eyes seemed to be off, something subtle... was it the shape of her pupils? the way they reflected the light...? whatever the case, the dangers they faced staying there pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.

"Come on Tree," Whisper said, "there's a good girl." Whisper tried to help Tree limb onto her back, with her.... Wait, why wasn't her leg splinted? Tree waved a hoof weakly, managing to get herself up. Even her weight seemed off. She was far too heavy. Was she growing weaker from a lack of food, perhaps?

Tree rested her head against the back of Whisper's.

"Tree?" Whisper asked, "where is the splint? Did it fall off, or...?"

Tree gave a weak breath, and in a pained whisper replied, "I don't know..."

Everything told Whisper something here wasn't right, but she shook it off as nothing. "Come on, we'll get you something." She finished helping Tiny Tree get onto her back as she spoke. "And, Sis? I want to apologize for being so mean to you at the work site. I'm just having fun being a big sister, ya know?" Tree gave a nod against her hide that came off as a soft nuzzle, yawning softly. Slowly, Whisper made her way out of the small hollow, sweeping her vision across the area before moving out of the shelter. The wood was still chattering with noise, but it had subsided somewhat. The light had died down somewhat as well, amplifying the contrast between the shadowed and lit areas of the woods.

"Where to go...." In the silence, a small babbling brook could be heard, as if something was amplifying the running waters noise to her. "Rain must have covered the sound..." Whisper moved in the direction of the water. "I think I hear some this way, Tree. Hold tight."

Tree Wasn't moving much, shifting here and there as they made their way along. She was acting strange too... normally, Tree would be rather jumpy, especially in the dark. "Tree, are you okay? You're being far too quiet..." Whisper asked in worried tones.

"J-just sleepy," Tree said as her injured leg twitched, the blood seeming fresh on her coat, despite the fact it should’ve clotted long ago.

"Here we are," Whisper stopped at the edge of a large, beautiful lake. A flowing river on the opposite edge fed its depths. In fact, it was so deep that she couldn't see the bottom.

All that rain must have really made this lake grow!

"There we are, then," Whisper said proudly. At least she managed to find something this time.

Tree went to climb down, bracing herself with her front legs. She stumbled muffling a cry of pain as she came down on her bad leg. She bit down on her lip tightly before limping over to the water for a drink. She paused, leaning over it and looking down, her reflection staring back at her.

"Sis, you shouldn't be trying to walk!" Whisper cried out. How... how was she managing to even stand? The leg had been broken so badly... "Tree?"

Tree started to look pale, her eyes drooping sullenly, and with a splash she fell forward into the water. A few bubbles rushed to surface around the ripples.

"Tree!" Whisper screamed.

I shouldn't ,I, have let , maybe, I need, she’s drowning, where is she I can't see her what do I..?

Whisper frantically dove in after her sister. She could not let her go.

Something grabbed a hold of Whisper. Whatever it was, it was not Tiny Tree. Tendrils grabbed a hold of her hooves as something swam past quickly, leaving a light red trail in the water behind it.

Whisper, startled, let out a surprised gasp: A horrible decision on her part, being underwater and all. The tentacles were grasping at her, pulling her down. She had no air. None...

What... What...... How. Where is.....?

She struggled, pushing at the vines with all her might, wriggling and slicing out with her magic. Anything, nothing mattered excepting getting away; her mind was full of nothing but the desire to flee.

But... What about Tree? I need to get her home, I can't leave her out here, out here to die... We need to get home...

She redoubled her efforts, eyes shining as she struggled harder against her bonds.

With a burst of magic, she managed to break one of the bonds pulling her down. A strange, echoing cry of pain reverberated through the water. She tried even harder, pushing and pushing to get away, but she could feel herself weakening. there wasn't any air in her lungs. she needed to breathe, just one gulp.....

Celestia help, please...

It was a gulp of water as she was out of air, her mind growing heavy as she continued to sink down.

She couldn't think straight....

Anything.... Help... I can't leave Tree all alone....