Ch.9 - The Fear of Shadow

Treebeard trekked through the Everfree forest, his massive strides gaining unparalleled headway as he moved northwest. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo remained perched in his leafless and mossy branches — helplessly lead along to whatever the ancient Ent had in store for them.

"O — Rowan fair, upon your hair hooww white — the blossom — lay!

O — Rowan mine, I saw you shine upon a summer's day,

Your rind so bright, your leeeaves so light, your voice sooo — cool and soft:

Upon your head hooww golden-red the crown you bore ahhloft!" recited Treebeard, his timeworn, but passionate, voice strained after millenia of silence. He reached for his chest, his great hands folding over where his heart would be.

"Such beautiful verse," remarked the Ent.

Scootaloo yawned, the gentle rocking of Treebeard and the softness of his voice threatened sleep upon her like a lullaby to a newborn foal, only unsuccessful for the slightly bothersome light which filtered through the forest canopy and her eyelids. Nevertheless, she laid her head against the Ent's moss-covered side, contented in closing her eyes and hoping that Treebeard's delicate voice would lull her to sleep.

"Is it much farther?" asked Sweetie Belle, her head propped on her elbow, the prospect of sleep alluring to her as well

Treebeard turned to Sweetie Belle. "Burárum. Don’t be hasty — You might call it far, perhaps. My home lies deep in the forest near the rooots of the mountain. I told Twilight I would keep you safe. And safe is where I’ll keep you. I believe you will enjoy this next one too. It’s one of my own compositions." He gave a small cough, clearing his throat. "Right."

Now Sweetie Belle fully settled into Treebeard's mossy trunk, laying her head against him and closing her eyes, waiting for the lull of Treebeard's poetry to put her to sleep.

"Beneath the roof of sleeping — leeeaves

And the dreams of trees — unfold

When woodland halls are — green and coool

And the wind is in the West

Come back to me

Come back — to meee

And say my land isss best," finished Treebeard with a nod of his head. He turned to the fillies and saw they were fast asleep.

"Oh," he whispered, remaining silent thereafter as he continued to plod along through the Everfree, heading towards the Unicorn Range.

***

At the roots of the Unicorn Range, hidden deep within the remnants of the forest there, Treebeard stopped. Moonlight shone down from the heavens, illuminating a perfect resting place for the fillies perched on his branches. With his great hands he grabbed them, gently lowering them into their shining cradles. The fillies squirmed upon touching the ground, moving to positions of better comfort. They stopped twitching, finally contented with their sleeping arrangements as evident from the smiles on their unconscious faces.

"Sleep, little ponies," whispered Treebeard. "Heed no nightly noise. Sleep till morning light."

The Ent turned from the sleeping fillies, staring intently into the pitch-black expanse of the forest which surrounded him. "I have business in the forest. There are many to call, many that must come." His tone was serious. But here, his seriousness ended, replaced by sadness. "The Shadow lies on all forests. And I fear that the Withering of All Woods is drawing near."

Treebeard departed into the forest, his footfalls heavier than usual. There are many to save, but so little time to save them. What hope is there for the forests of the world when there are so few of us Ents left to protect them?

Twilight Sparkle stood on the precipice of a small cliff, sitting on her haunches and looking out into the distant landscape, a landscape dominated by the Smokey Mountain. Great plumes of ash and smoke gushed forth from the titanic mound of rock, threatening to cover the sky with inky darkness, while shoots of lava colored the clouds in a blood-red sheen.

Rainbow Dash rose from the fireside, the receding flame inspiring no want of sleep, especially as the Smokey Mountain created an overbearing unease. She walked over to Twilight by the cliff's edge, glancing back to see both Rover and Pinkie Pie sleeping soundly. The Pegasus stepped beside Twilight and stopped; she too sat on her haunches, her focus trained on the distant mountain.

Twilight spoke, "The veiling shadow that glowers in the north takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-dûr, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumor has reached him: the rightful ruler of Ponykind has arisen."

Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash and found the Pegasus already looking to her. "Sauron fears you, Rainbow Dash. He fears what you may become."

Rainbow Dash turned back to the Smokey Mountain, contemplating Twilight's words. The Alicorn also turned to look back at the active volcano. "And so he will strike us hard and fast. He will use the armies of Isengard to destroy everything to the south of Canterlot. War is coming. Appleloosa must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge: Appleloosa is weak and ready to fall. Their Mayor is most likely an agent of Sauron."

"And of Nightmare Moon? Doesn't she command Isengard's armies?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight sighed, a sadness overtaking her. "True. I had hoped that Nightmare Moon would have just been a lost soul in the service of the Dark Lord, somepony that could easily be converted to the side of good. But I fear that she is too deep within the ranks of the enemy for even our friendship to save her."

"You make it sound as if there's no point holding on to hope."

Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash to find the Pegasus looking at her. "Never. Hope is always something we should hold onto."

"But what hope is left? The enemy grows where our strength fails, and Ponykind has become weak." asked Rainbow Dash.

To answer the Pegasus' query, Twilight smiled and looked up at the stars. "As long as the stars shine, and the all-consuming darkness of Sauron does not take them, we still have hope that we may win this war."

Rainbow Dash turned back to the fire, gazing on her two sleeping companions. "They're stars too," she said, turning back to Twilight, who also looked to the pair.

"Yes. Yes they are."

A silence seethed between the two. They once again stared off into the abyss towards the Smokey Mountain, watching it fume with the sadistic pleasure of Sauron. But eventually, Twilight broke the silence.

"But no matter how great our enemy becomes, we still have one advantage," Twilight and Rainbow Dash locked eyes again, "The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards the Unicorn Range in the hooves of a filly. Each day brings it closer to the fires of the Smokey Mountain. We must trust now in Apple Bloom. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of her quest."

With their gazes locked, Twilight noticed the worry which overtook Rainbow Dash. The Alicorn placed a reassuring hoof on her companion's shoulder. "Do not regret your decision to leave her. This is a quest she must finish alone."

"But she isn't alone," remarked Rainbow Dash. "Spike went with her."

Twilight withdrew her hoof and smiled. "Did he? Good." She looked up to the stars. "Very good."

Number one assistant indeed.