Chapter 1: Turmoil

"Come on, come on!" Grass Tuft said excitedly. She bounced impatiently on the tips of her hooves as she waited for her sister to finish preparing.

"Alright, alright, Tuft," said Willow Plains. "I'm coming!" She closed her pack and secured the door behind her. "Let's go!"

The two sisters walked off together towards their destination. Tuft rushed up ahead as Willow walked behind her. They were heading for the Ghastly Gorge to find more herbs for their stock. It had been weeks since their last herb-gathering trip, and many things were running out. Willow ran a business of herbs and medicines. She sold many things such as headache medicine, balms, and broths. It wasn't a very big business, but it sold well enough for Willow and Tuft to be able to afford food and other material needs. They didn't need very many things to keep them afloat.

Tuft was exploring around the area, looking under every rock and around every tree. Tuft would explore every time they came out, but she never knew what she would find, as the plant-life was always changing. She found purple mushrooms at the base of a tree that she had never seen before, and glowing moss under a rock. Many of the plants she saw weren't there the last time they passed by the area. Even the trees were different. With every new discovery, Tuft's spirits grew higher and higher. "Whee!" Tuft yelled, as she hopped and skipped around.

Willow shook her head. She didn't understand Tuft's sheer enthusiasm for everything she did. Willow was never as energetic as her younger sister. She was always more calm, collected, and responsible, even when they were little. While Tuft had enjoyed playing outside, Willow had always preferred to stay inside, helping with chores and learning the family trade. She excelled at making medicines, and was always able to remember everything about every plant she learned about. Tuft, though, was too young and carefree to care about things such as the family business. She would rather care for every plant she saw, regardless of what plant it was, or whether it was harmful or helpful. Whether they used or cared for plants, though, their parents loved them both equally.

Their parents had always spent a lot of time with them both. Willow was old enough to remember their parents well, but Grass Tuft only had the slightest of memories. Their parents had disappeared when Tuft was only three, and Willow was six. Thirteen years have passed, and the two sisters hardly mention their parents anymore. They have gotten used to a routine life by themselves. It was not with out excitement, though. There was the occasional great sell to celebrate, or new plant species to categorize. After all, they did live between Ghastly Gorge and the Everfree Forest. New species were common near the uncontrollable Everfree. Whenever Tuft and Willow passed by it, it seemed to shift towards them, pushing certain plants closer to the two, as if trying to show off its new creations.

When they reached the edge of Ghastly Gorge, they stopped to look for the herbs they needed. Looking for herbs was always a fun thing to do. At least, it was to Grass Tuft. She would bounce from place to place, asking Willow about everything she saw. She liked every plant, regardless of whether it was fuzzy or thorny, green or orange. Tuft was never the one to group plants into different categories. She thought of all plants the same, just like how all ponies were the same, regardless of race or color.

Willow Plains had a different point of view. Whenever she found a new plant, she always had to find out its appearance and usefulness as an ingredient. She had a detailed journal for every plant that grew in the area. Not a single plant could escape Willow's scrutiny. Willow had an entire shelf of books that categorize plants by now. She was soon to give up on trying to sort them all, as some of the plants only appeared for short periods of time. After a day or two, she never saw them again.

Willow always picked herbs with a professional efficiency. She always knew where every plant grew, and how to pick it properly. Tuft would always mess around and only pick the herb they were looking for when she happened upon them. As a result, Willow ended up with about three times as many herbs as Tuft picked. It didn't matter to Tuft though. She just liked to see how many different plants she could find.

When they were finished gathering herbs, they loaded them up into Willow's pack, and set off for home. Willow was satisfied with the day's work. These herbs would last them for a couple more weeks. Tuft bounced ahead, humming as she trotted home. Willow kept up with Tuft, but moved several feet behind her. There was no rush to get home. Willow thought about what she should prepare for dinner. Luckily, when the two were gathering herbs, Willow found a small, blue plant that tasted absolutely wonderful. She would make a soup out of it, she decided. They deserved the best after today's work.

The trees were thinning as they got closer to their home. They would be able to see their hut over the next hill. As they passed through the wild grasslands, Grass Tuft suddenly felt a little rumble under her hooves. She paused. Earthquakes never happened in this area. A second rumble shook the earth, stronger than the last. "Um... Willow?" she asked, "What was that?" She looked back at her sister, and grew cold inside.

Her sister's face was as ashen, noticeably paler under her fur. She was trembling, and her lips were pressed tight. Willow gulped. She had hoped this time would never come. She had hoped the words of the princess were wrong. But it had been foolish to hope that any prophecy would be wrong because she willed it so. "Tuft," she said in a very small voice, "you have to get away from here."

"Why?" Tuft hesitated. She had never seen her sister like this. What could it possibly be?

"Just go!" Willow commanded. Suddenly, the ground around them burst, and dark shapes flew from deep within the ground. They shot up, spreading wings and opening clawed hands, their eyes glowing a deep, dark red.

"GO!" Willow screamed. Tuft shot away, back towards their cabin. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she started to panic. No, she thought. She shook her head. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew she had to trust her sister. She looked behind her, and saw Willow dashing towards her. The dark figures were getting further and further away. We got away! Tuft felt relieved. She slowed and looked back to allow her sister to catch up, but then the ground beneath her sister shattered and Willow was caught in claws that were hard and black. She was lifted up into the air, pack of herbs just barely hanging on to her body.

"Don't worry about me!" Willow screamed. "You have to warn Princess Celestia! Tell her the Arcanim have awoken! Go, leave me!" Tuft's eyes were wide as she tried to make sense of her sister's request. Princess? Arcanim? The claw tightened its grip, then sank beneath the ground. Rubble filled the hole, sealing the beast and Willow inside.

"No!" Grass Tuft turned, poised to run right back amongst the beasts, but managed to stop herself. I must warn the princess, she thought, for my sister! Tuft turned, and sprinted for the forest.

---

Tuft felt scared. She had never been deep in the Everfree Forest before. She was jumpy, startled by every wind-swept branch, every call in the darkness. The cold seeped through her like a ghostly hand, clawing at her heart. Why me? she thought. Why did I have to get into this situation? She walked along, wallowing in misery, and wondering what she was going to do. But then, a low rumble sounded from behind her. She froze. Her eyes widened as she felt a hot breath blowing down her back. Slowly, she turned around, finding herself face to face with a giant manticore.

She screamed and ran, as fast as she could, the manticore snapping at her heels. She jumped over root after root, ducked under brach after branch, but the manticore just kept coming. Turning, twisting, leaping across gullies and ditches, trying desperately to find somewhere to hide, Tuft fled from the manticore behind her. She looked behind her to see how far the manticore was, then tripped over a small root. She fell into a small hole, briefly winded as she twisted to look upwards. A roar sounded, and she threw her forelegs up in front of her face as the manticore pounced. It flew upwards and—Crack! Another pony had come down from nowhere, slamming the manticore with his back hooves. The manticore flew back, hitting a tree, and lay stunned.

"Get up! We have to get out of here before it wakes up!" Extending his hoof, the mysterious earth pony helped Grass Tuft up. She hesitated, then followed him to an open clearing. Grass Tuft looked around. There was a small camp set up in the middle of it, surrounded by what looked like traps. "Are you okay?" Mystery Pony asked. He looked at her, checking for injuries.

"I-I'm fine, really," Tuft answered. She was still dizzy from the chase and the shock. "Who are you?" She didn't know whether to be grateful or bewildered.

"My name is Forest Hunter. You can call me Hunter." He smiled, seeming to find amusement in her confusion. "What's your name?"

"I'm Grass Tuft. I go by Tuft." She sat down at looked more closely at her surroundings. There was a tent beside a small pit surrounded by stones. A stack of sticks and large pieces of wood lay beside the pit. "Is this your camp?"

"Yup. This is where I stay during the night. Of course, I could always move." He walked over to the circle of stones near the middle of the camp. He stacked wood inside it, then used a flint and tinder to build up a fire. He dragged two larger pieces of wood over to the fire, and offered Tuft a seat. She walked over to the seat Hunter had indicated, and settled down.

"So, do you just live in the Everfree Forest?" Tuft asked. "I mean, it can't be the only home you have, right?"

"Actually, I is my only home. I don't usually see anyone else around here, though. What are you doing in the Everfree Forest?" He looked confused. "Hasn't anyone told you how dangerous it is?"

"Well, I could say the same thing about you! You actually live here!" Tuft countered. She was surprised to find out anyone lived in the Everfree Forest. How does he manage to survive? Without a single scar or scratch, too! "How do you manage to stay unharmed in the middle of the Everfree? Surely something attacked you at some point!" she pressed. Hunter sat up straight.

"I actually know how to deal with all of the bad things deep in this forest. You don't. You would have been killed if it weren't for me. You owe me the reason you needed rescue in the first place, at the very least. So, tell me!" He scowled at her. Who was she to doubt his ability to protect himself? She seemed awfully ungrateful. After all he had done for her! "Well?"

Tuft looked down at the ground. "Well..." she murmured. "I-I had to to something. Something... important." She pushed stones away with her hooves, and wouldn't meet his eyes. Hunter narrowed his eyes. What was she hiding? He would get it out of her, one way or another. But first, sleep. He got up, and walked towards his tent. "It's getting late. You had better get some rest. In the morning, I'm going to come with you." And with that, he slipped into his tent, and sealed the entrance.

Tuft was confused by the abrupt change in demeanor. "O-Okay," Tuft replied. Tuft was about to lay down, but suddenly realized something. Wait, come with her? "Wait!" she called. "Who said anything about coming with me?" But all she got in reply was a snore.

---

Tuft was shaken awake at dawn, just as Celestia's sun was starting to rise over the horizon. Hues of orange and pink stained the sky, and few birds chirped out their morning song. "Time to go," Hunter said. "Get a move on." Tuft shook her head, still groggy from the effects of sleep.

"Wait..." She stood up, taking in her surroundings. She forgot where she was for a moment, but then it all came back to her. The beasts, Willow, the manticore. Forest Hunter. She shook her head again, then noticed to position of the sun. "Wait, why are we going so early?"

"Well, I'm guessing your destination isn't in the Everfree," he said, still packing up his possessions. He put them all into several saddlebags, tying them securely to one another. "We have get moving soon if we want to get out of the Everfree by sunset." He slung his saddlebags over his back and started walking into the trees.

"How do you even know which direction I want to go?" Tuft asked.

"Well, this was the direction you were going when the manticore was chasing you, so I'm guessing this was the direction you were going before you were running for your life," he replied. He smirked at her and continued in his way. "Plus, this is the way to Canterlot. You were repeating it in your sleep, so I'm assuming that it is your destination." Tuft felt her face grow hot.

"Why were you listening to me sleep? Isn't that stalker behavior?" she replied hotly. "Are you just that much of a loner?" She had never felt more embarrassed.

"I didn't need to listen to you sleep, Tuft. You talk so loudly in your sleep I could hear you through three layers of fabric! It's not my fault if you decide to tell everyone around you what you're thinking when you're sleeping." Hunter chuckled. "You're only making things worse for yourself by bringing the topic up."

Tuft scowled. She pushed past him, nose in the air, and ignored him from then on. Hunter smiled, watching her nurse her damaged pride. Tuft seemed so childish and innocent. But then, his smile faltered as he recalled the other things he had heard from her in the depths of the night. If he was given the choice, he would have not chosen to hear it again.

Grass Tuft and Forest Hunter walked steadily towards the edge of the forest. An awkward silence stretched between them as Tuft tried to pretend Hunter wasn't there, and Hunter did the same. The silence strained between the two ponies, seeming to pull tighter and tighter, suffocating them as it constricts around their necks, like nooses on the gallows. Eventually, Tuft could no longer stand the oppressive atmosphere that seemed to permeate the air. "Umm..." she started. "Well..." She grasped for something to say. "Why did you decide to follow me? What do you want to do?"

Hunter was surprised at the question. He took a moment to consider the issue. "No reason particularly. I just needed a change of pace, something to do." And find out what the hell is going on, he thought. Hunter looked over at Tuft. Her brown, disheveled mane swung back and forth as she walked, the sun shining on her dark grey coat. Tuft glanced back at Hunter, and for a second, their eyes met. They gazed onto one another's eyes, and slowly, a blush formed on Tuft's face. The red tint was barely noticeable under the cover of her coat and mane, but it only grew darker as they continued to stare into the other's eyes. Tuft started, then turned her head away suddenly, as if Hunter's gaze had burned. Hunter looked down, an uncomfortable silence stretching once more between them. Hunter seemed unable to get the image of Tuft's emerald eyes shining at him, glowing in the sunlight, out of his head. They captivated him, and he felt as if a swarm of butterflies had exploded in his chest. He cleared his throat. "Well, anyway..." he started. He racked his mind for anything to talk about, but his mind had gone blank.

"Umm..." He opened his mouth once more, attempting to restart the conversation, but the words caught in his throat. He decided to simply focus on his hooves, taking one step after another. His hoof came down, and he all of a sudden felt the forest floor give a little beneath it. Hunter stopped, then realized what was happening. "Tuft, wait, stop!" He jump towards her, intending to knock her out of the way, but it was too late. The ground collapsed, and both Tuft and Hunter fell into darkness.