Four hours
It was four more hours until the shift change and Sparrow Feather could go to bed. She had started nodded a full two hours ago. One could hardly blame her in her position. She sat in a small shack located next to the gate to Luna Falls. It was the eight hour in a twelve hour night-shift. In that time, not a single bush had stirred. The air was thick with the approaching winter. The pegasus had all departed to the North to retrieve their clouds. Soon, the town would be blanketed in a thick layer of snow for the next four months. Still, there didn't have to be snow to express the chill. Her breath came out in thick clouds with every breath.
There was the sound of hoof falls in the brush. Her ears perked up in the direction. The forest surrounding the town was filled with various creatures. The ponies of Canterlot might think they know every creature under Celestia's sun, but the Night Guard knew better. The forest was host to things no pony should ever witness. That was why she stood there that night. A pony came out of the forest and walked up the path to Luna Falls. It had a white mane and a purple mane, and it wore a cloak.
Sparrow didn't like when a pony hid her face. It made her nose twitch. She watched intensely as it made its way up the road at a slow pace. No, it couldn't be a pony. No pony walked these forests at night alone. It came to the clearing before the palisade before Sparrow decided to reveal herself.
She grasped her spear and walked into the open.
"Halt, who goes there?"
It looked at her from the depths of the cloak, then began to walk forward.
"I said "Halt!" She pointed the spear at it. "Identify yourself, pony!"
The creature ignored her. It's pace began to quicken.
"I'll warn you once more, monster, leave this place." She readied her spear. There was an alarm bell in the shack. Sparrow backed slowly towards it, never letting her eyes leave the creature.
The creature threw off the cloak. Sparrow eyes widened.
"Sparrow, it's me. Help! There's something in the forest! You've got to come with me!"
"You sick...that's it!" Sparrow charged. Her wings picked her up off the ground as she picked up speed.
She leveled the spear with the creature's heart. She kicked up more speed. The wind buffeted her eyes. It caused Sparrow's eyes to water.
The creature stood its ground. Its eyes were locked on hers.
She was ten meters.
Seven
Five
Two
Her body was jostled by the impact. The creature slumped over the spear. Black blood ran down the shaft. The head of the spear was clean through the creature. Before her lay the dead body of her brother, taken by the forest.
Sparrow panted. She slowly lowered the beast as the adrenaline fueled strength drained from her limbs. She sat upon the ground and stared up at the moon. It followed its lonely path above the peaks. The light sparkled off the water of the falls.
A drip of water fell on her head. She reached back to the source. There was a thick substance that caught in her mane. She pulled her hoof to her face to see the source.
On her hoof, she saw the dark blood. Her eyes widened. There was a sharp pain in the back of her neck. She fell forward. Her spear stuck through her throat. Her own blood ran down the shaft mixing with the monster's. She struggled to breath, but could only manage a weak whistle as blood bubbled from her wound. The moon shone above the falls as Sparrow Feather bled out.
Three hours later, the replacement for Sparrow arrived to find the pony lounging in the shack. The pegasus tapped Sparrow on the shoulder. She jumped up in surprise.
"Got you! Hey, I'm here to relieve you. Any thing happen last night?"
"Oh, hey. Nope. Everything was real quiet."
"That's good."
"Yeah. Boring, but better than having to deal with those headaches."
Sparrow stretched and yawned
"Gah, I'm tired. Well, I'm going to take off. Have a good day."
"You too, sleep well."
"Oh, I will."
