"Dad!" The kid burst into my room.

"Oh Jesus..." I rolled out of bed, "How is it you wake up before me?"

"Dad come on!"

"I'm comin....just...chill out," I pushed into the hall, using the doorway to keep upright, "Ok...whats wrong?"

"I'm hungry...."

"....your almost thirteen, do you really need me to cook for you still?"

"Well....your awake...."

"Jesus...." I walked past her into the kitchen, "What do you want?"

"Uh....pancakes!"

"....Jesus....wakin me up for pancakes...." I found a pan and some mix, "You gotta figure out how to do this for yourself...."

"I know how....they just aren't as good..."

"Cause ya burn em probably," I poured the batter into the pan.

"Hey! It's hard!"

"Loggin is hard....pancakes are....cake,"

Things were quiet for a bit, "When are you gonna take me with you!"

"Where?"

"Loggin!" She tried to match my accent.

"Never...too dangerous,"

"But-"

"No buts....besides I'm workin with some damn idiots....thinkin goin up a tree with a chainsaw's a good idea,"

"Is that bad?"

"See....that's why you aint comin with me....look let's just finish this," I finally got a chance to focus on the pancakes.

"....alright kid..." I stood up and cleaned off the table, "how early is it..."

"Clock said six," I hurried and found a clock, six forty.

"...alright kid go get ready, If ya hurry I can take ya myself today,"

"Really!?"

"Well if ya hurry!"

"Yes!" She scampered off into her room, "Finally!"

"Jesus kid...I'm gonna be late now," She stepped off the landing avoiding the mud she landed in yesterday.

"Not if you hurry!" She trotted off slightly faster than normal, "Come onnnnn!" She darted off ahead of me.

"Christ kid...you're like the ferals back in Montana, you wanna stop runnin!?"

"But Daaa-" I could see her silhouette stop and fall to the ground.

"Dammit kid...." I started running to her, once I caught up I could see truffle almost unconscious on the ground, "Jesus kid....it's a tree....and you wanna come to work with me?" I picked her up and set her upright, "You ok?"

"Wha~"

"Ya ran into a tree kid..."

"What....tree?"

"Jesus....come on kid," I scooped her up and over my shoulder. once that was sorted I started back down the road.

"Where am I?"

"Goin to school..."

"Dad?"

"Yep..."

"Your taking me to school?" She sounded groggy, understandable considering what just happened, "Awesome..." I felt her jaw hit my back again.

"You really hit that thing hard...." Part of me was proud to have a kid take a hit so well, the other half of me was utterly flummoxed as to how she could run into a tree like that.

"Kid...we're here,"

"Huh~"

"Your pretty early...you gonna be ok?"

"What?" She still sounded out of it.

"....let me see if your teacher's here," I went up to the door and gave a few quick knocks.

"One second!" I heard something heavy hit the ground. The door quickly popped open, "Oh Mr. Harper, how are you?"

"Decent...this'n ran right into a tree,"

"A tree?"

"Yeah I know...she ain't always the brightest," I set her on the ground, she was really damn wobbly.

"Oh my...is she ok?"

"She'll be fine...I just don't really want to leave her waiting outside and I gotta get to work, you mind letting her stay inside?"

"Oh, no it perfectly fine," She backed away keeping the door open.

"Thank ya," I walked in and looked around, "Which desk is hers?"

"Oh...this one," She trotted next to one on the middle left, "If you don't mind me asking...why did you bring her today, usually it's Fluttershy," I set Truffle into her seat. Her head quickly met the desk.

"...well she woke me up early, most of the time I have to get to work, I cant be late, when I'm late people get hurt,"

"I don't understand?"

"I work as a logger near the Everfree, I run the entire operation, without me the fools I hire tend to get things mixed up or they fell a tree in the wrong place, just....they're just dumb..."

"I see...well I won't keep you,"

"Yeah....maybe we can talk more later, I just need to go and make sure no one kills themselves," I gave Truffle a quick kiss on the forehead and hurried out.

"Sorry boys, caught up with some personal stuff!" The crew got up and ready, "Alright, Miter come here," A chocolate brown pegasus walked over, "Follow me," I lead him to a small area with some boards on the ground and a desk, I pulled a small map out and pointed out some areas, "Take some chalk or something mark these trees, here, here, and...here," I pulled a few tags from the desk, "Here, just hang em on the trees,"

"Sure boss," he took them and quickly flew off.

"Good....alright boys! Three crews, Ash, Lucas, you're leading crews, check your hinges and clear the felling area. Any questions!?" There was a quick roar, "Good, split up and head out, ten men per crew!" There was a quick hustle, Lucas ran by me, I caught him with my arm, "Kid....clean up your act, someone gets hurt out there you're out,"

"...don't worry man...I got this," He pulled away and ran to gather up a group.

"Birch!" The pale yellow pony ran over to me.

"Yes sir!"

"Get two skidders per crew, we're running double time today!"

"Right away!" He hurried off.

"Fuckin love that guy....Alright gentlemen, follow me and let's get started!" A gathered up my veterans and we headed out, "Oh down the river~"

"Alright Pete! Bring it down!" Pete was a monster, a beast of a man. He smacked the wedge into the tree and it quickly fell and slammed into the ground,

"WHOOooo!"

"Good work boys," I went over and helped line up the skidder, "Come on, we ain't done yet!" My crew ran over and helped set the thing onto the skidder, "And...it's good, GET THIS SKIDDER GOING!" I could hear the earthponies straining before the wheels turned and off it went, "And that is why they get the big bucks!"

*HISS...POP* "Oh shit look!" The skidder stopped and I looked up, sure enough a red flare was slowly falling back to earth.

"Aw fuck.....Come on boys! Y'all get the skidder going we ain't on break!" The skidder got started again while everyone else started running to the flare.

"Fuck me..." It was a mess, someone being pulled from under a tree, a broken skidded, and a load of pained moans, "Fuck fuck fuck! Miter," The pegasus ran up to me, "Go notify the hospital, we got a lot of injured," He didn't answer, he just took off, "Someone go get some stretchers!" I looked back at my crew, three people had run off, "We're gonna need a lot, GET GOIN" Anther five quickly joined them, "Right Pete see if you can help them lift the tree off him, Bakers cut them out of the skidder," I handed him my knife, "Hurry up boys we ain't got time for this!" I hurried to check on the boys in the skidder.

"Jesus christ..." I groaned pulling the skidder bindings taut for Bakers to cut.

"I can't belive you let that kid run this crew..." Bakers groaned cutting one of the stallions free, "That kids a fuckin idiot,"

"I shoulda fuck sent Ventulan..." The stallion was freed, "Get him out!" Two men went and pulled him free. I set the skidder back down and we moved to the next in line, "Shit...Get some others cuttin em free!" There was no way we could cut seven stallions free quick enough, "COME ON YOU RETARDS!" The last crew showed up, "You take over!" I pulled a man over and he assumed my position.

I could hear Lucas yelling, "Lift it up dumbass!" I ran over to the pinned man near the crown of the tree.

"Kid get the fuck outta here! Duncan get this dipshit outta here!" Pete yelled shoving Lucas into me.

"Lucas leave! Don't you dare fuckin come back!"

"But I-"

"FUCK OFF!" I pushed him, tripping him over the branches, "YOU'RE FUCKIN OUTTA HERE!" I went back to the man under the tree, it looked like one of the branches was imbedded in the back of his leg, "Jesus...someone get me a chainsaw!" A man ran over and handed me a saw, "Pete once the branch is cut it's gonna fall...you gotta keep him from getting crushed, you two!" A unicorn and a man ran over, "Once I cut this you pull him free! You got twenty seconds...make it count!" They got poised, "Three...two....one!" I brought the chainsaw down and cut the branch free.

The duo pulled him free as Pete let the branch fall, "Sir we got the stretchers and the first aid gear!" Someone ran over to me and set the gear down.

"Pete go help the boys with the skidder, MEDIC!" A man ran over, "Here, I'm gonna pull this out, you patch him up,"

"Sir I don-"

"Give him the morphine and get ready!" He hesitantly injected the man and got ready, "Ok....three....two....ONE!" It took two quick pulls but the branch was pulled free, "Son of a bitch," Blood started pouring out from his leg, quickly the medic wrapped the wound and yelled at me to keep pressure.

"Fucking hell....we need to get him to the hospital quick..."

"Fuck me....you, over there, help me out!" I got him to take my place, "Help me get him onto a stretcher!" It took a some strange maneuvering but he was safely on the stretcher, "Medic stay on him, someone take the other side!" Someone quickly took it up and we started back into town. We passed the skidder, everyone was freed and headed out, "Ventulan! Dismiss everyone once the injured are gone!"

"Right," We just hurried into town.

"Get them inside!" I ran up to the doctor, "Dear Luna this is terrible,"

The medic looked up, "He needs to get into surgery now! If not he's gonna lose this leg!"

"Fine! This way!" We ran into the front of the hospital, a load of men and ponies were sitting in the lobby or lined up on the ground. The doctor lead us to a hall with a marked ER, "Set him down and we can take care of it!" We complied and quickly walked out.

I found Birch in the lobby, "Celestia....this is bad....this is really bad...."

"Fucking Lucas....I shoulda fired that kid, I thought if I kept him in a position without tools he'd be fine..." I said as we walked outside, "Fucking shit!"

"We're down a skidder...down a crew....are..are we still gonna cut tomorrow,"

"..We have to....got deadlines....do me a favor...go check the site, make sure everyone is accounted for or dismissed,"

"Sure..." He trotted off.

"Dammit...." It was late my now, "Oh shit...the kid!" I started off towards the school.

"Kid!?" I burst into the school house.

"Daddy!" She ran over to me and wrapped her hooves around my neck.

"We heard about what happened, are you alright?!" The teacher walked over, "You're covered in blood!"

"Dear god...kid I'm sorry...." I wrapped my hand around the back of her head, "I'm fine....blood ain't mine,"

"But-"

"A tree skewered one of my workers....we got him to the hospital," I lifted the kid up, keeping her supported my by hands, "Sorry if I don't tell ya about it, I need to get her home," I started out the door.

"Of course....stay safe!"

"Easy kid," I set her down into her bed, "Just take a quick nap..."

"But..."

"No buts...you don't look too good,"

"I thought you left me alone again,"

"Never kid....I'd never do that,"

"I know...I just..."

I tucked her in, "Just relax kid...I need to go talk with somebody...stay here, you get hungry theirs cereal on the table, thirsty theirs juice,"

"Dad...please...." She grabbed my pantleg, "Please don't go,"

"Sorry kid...I wont be long I promise," I pulled her hoof off and set it back next to her, "I just need to....make sure about somethings,"

"....just hurry....please...." She watched me as I left, "Bye daddy...."

*Bang Bang* "Fluttershy!"

"Duncan!?" I heard hooves on ground, "Duncan...I saw the ponies...are you ok?"

"Fine...listen I need to ask you a favor...can I come in?"

"Oh...of course,"

I walked in and stopped in the entry, "I need to ask you two favors...one...should something like this happen again...can you pick up the kid from school?"

"Of course,"

"And second....if....if I end up....gone...find my family, I'll give you their number, their dress, just...just promise that if I'm gone you'll get the kid to my family, I don't want her to go back to being....without a family,"

"Oh....I-"

"Please, I don't plan on letting it happen...but I just want to be sure, the kid's lost a lot...I don't want to take away what I gave her,"

"....yes...I'll do it,"

I gave a deep exhale, "...thanks...really, I know that was kinda heavy...."

"You're....being realistic..."

"I know...and I'm sorry for asking this, but you know her better than most,"

"I understand...you should probably get back to her...."

"Yeah...I just wanted to...figure things out,"

"It's fine...be safe,"

"Kid?"

"Dad!?" She ran from the kitchen and wrapped herself around my leg, "You're back!"

"I just took care so some things....you like Fluttershy right?"

"Yeah...why,"

"....no reason,"

"You're not gonna be her special somepony are you?"

"What? No...."

"ok....just wondering,"

"Kid shouldn't you be in bed?" I said scooping her up again.

"But it's so early..."

"You woke up early...tell ya what...I'll read ya to sleep,"

"Really?"

"Why would I lie?"

"....well you said you'd be safe..."

"I was safe...I had to save others....the guy who was in charge did something stupid, got a lot of people hurt. He's not coming back...."

"Did you kill him?"

"No...nothing like that...be better if he just left this place though..." I set her down in her bed, "Anyways....how about Daring Doo?"

"Yeah..." I grabbed one of her books and pulled it open.

"Daring Doo and the lost kingdom..." Next Chapter: Wednesday Estimated time remaining: 8 Minutes