It has been three days since the Fellowship left Ammolite. Three days of silence. Three days of a chill that has seeped into their bones. Words spoken had been short and to the point, and the steps had been fast. No one can even look in the others eyes, and Apple Bloom in particular has been feeling ill, as though the air they are breathing is a thick poison that has clogged her nose and throat.

Oddly enough, she has not seen the Shadow Foaling, but she can still hear the low humming and giggling fluttering in her ears. With that comes an ache in her wounds and a coldness in her blood that brings pain with every steps. However, she does he best to hide it. She does not wish to be carried. Everybody around her wants to be carried in some way, but they are denied, so why should she get special treatment?

When the sun starts to sink below the horizon, a freezing cold wind rolls in, shaking the branches of a line of thick towering trees with large leaves and rings of bushes. Vines wrap around the trunks and disappear into the canopy, and the Fellowship stops to stare at the site, despite the frigid wind clawing at them.

“The border of the Forest Kingdom,” says Shining Armor while adjusting his grip on Applejack.

“So, this looks evil,” says Flash Sentry flatly.

“It is evil,” says Rarity, her arms folded tight across her chest and her teeth chattering. “We should stay out of that place and follow the trees down.” She looks at Blueblood. “There is a way around this forest, right?”

“There is, but we will surely die from this cold. It is better to risk the forest than to freeze to the ground,” says Blueblood.

“We sure know how to pick them, don't we?” says Braeburn.

“Let's just get this over with,” says Pinkie Pie, her eyes still dark and distant and her mane flat.

She trudges ahead, leaving footprints in the rapidly freezing grass, and the group watches her, frozen in place from shock and chill. After she is almost out of sight, Spike sighs and marches forward.

“Come on. Just remember to be careful,” says Spike. “The deer don't like trespassers, so everypony keep your eyes and ears open.”

Rainbow Dash suppresses a swallow and grips one of her blades tighter. “Eyes open... Got it.”

The rest of the group follows Spike's lead, but when they breach the tree line a sharp pain stabs Apple Bloom's wrist, and she winces and grabs it as she hurries next to the drake's side. There, she quietly looks around the forest, noting how the shriveling leafs have frost sprinkling on them.

And so the group walks in silence. For many minutes no words are spoken, but instead of grief being the cause it is fear. Apple Bloom can feel it all like blankets soaked in freezing water draped over her shoulders. The breathing and beating hearts of the group is like that of terrified animals on the brink of a frozen death, and the wind flowing through the trees shake the branches and deceive the Bearer's eyes and ears of figures in the trees.

“Pinkie, do you see anything?” whispers Spike.

“No,” says Pinkie Pie.

Spike motions Apple Bloom closer to him, which she is quick to comply, and he looks Braeburn.

“How about you, Braeburn?”

“Nothing,” says Braeburn. He looks at Rainbow Dash. “You see anything, Sugar Tail?”

“Please,” scoffs Rainbow Dash, giving the stallion an unimpressed look. “I see everything.”

Then she looks back ahead and stops cold in her tracks with her eyes wide and a silver arrow just inches from her face. Then there are creaks and snaps and dozens upon dozens of silver arrows flicker into view with figures in green cloaks appearing like pieces of the air flaking off. Antlers jut from their thin heads and their long muzzles are covered by pieces of green cloth. Strapped to their back are quivers with many arrows, and on their belts are swords, daggers and small boxes, and their boots are wrapped with thick cloth.

Needless to say the Fellowship stops moving and they all reach for their weapons while Shining Armor charges his horn, save for Spike who is holding out his hands to the group.

“Wait, stop!” says Spike frantically.

“Is that what I think it is?” says Rainbow Dash, her eyes narrowed at the buck in front of her, who just happens to be the tallest and most muscular of everyone in the area.

“You mean the dozens of arrows aimed at us?” says Flash.

Rainbow Dash groans and cranes her head back. “I am so over this!”

“Trespassers, you have two minutes to leave the forest,” says the buck in front of Rainbow Dash.

“But we're ten minutes in,” says Sweetie Belle, who has huddled Scootaloo.

“Then you best start running.”

Fluttershy steps forward, her steps timid and her hands clamped together as her pleading eyes focus on the leader.

“Please, we need shelter and help,” says Fluttershy. “Two of our friends are hurt really bad and they need help.”

The leader looks at Braeburn and Applejack, and the former smiles and waves uneasily while the latter remains still. Seconds later the buck looks at Fluttershy again.

“Fine. I will give you fifteen minutes before we start shooting,” he says.

The group gasps, Rainbow Dash growls, and Blueblood and Shining Armor both flex their hands while Apple Bloom leaves Spike's side to glare up at the buck.

“How can you be so heartless!? We're hurt and need of aide and you go and toss us out like rotten food?” says Apple Bloom.

The circle of deer look at each other, murmur in their tongue, then look back at the group in well rehearsed unified choreography.

“Yes,” says the leader.

“At least they're honest,” says Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo sighs and pinches her brow. “Why am I friends with you?”

“You are now down to thirteen minutes,” says the leader.

“Stand down!” barks a new, sprite voice, and all at once the arrows are lowered, and a deer with a light brown coat and long green hair tied into a ponytail rushes through the trees with a dozen bucks flanking him. They are all wearing the same clothing as the Fellowship's captors and when he is next to the leader his size puts him equal to Spike's, which just happens to be the person he points at. “You look familiar. What is your name?”

“Spike. I'm Twilight Sparkle's assistant,” says Spike.

The news buck looks through the battered Fellowship before focusing on Spike again.

“And where is Twilight Sparkle?” asks the newcomer.

“Killed by a Nightmare,” says Spike.

The newcomer's face falls. “Oh... You have my condolences.”

“Please, we need help,” says Fluttershy.

The newcomer turns to Fluttershy and is about to say something, but his jaw clamps shut and he looks her over from head to toe. Then he approaches her and she takes a step back while Flash and Rainbow Dash glare at him. When he is in front of her, he rubs his chin and tilts his head, prompting her to dip her head so her mane is hiding her face.

“And who might you be?” asks the newcomer with a small smile.

The pegasi grimace, but Rarity sighs lightly.

“How lovely,” she says.

“How dreadful,” remarks Blueblood.

“Fluttershy, Second Princess of the Hurricane Clan,” says Fluttershy quietly in regards to the buck's.

“What a beautiful name for beautiful mare,” says the buck. “I'm Ficus, son of Aspen of the Ruling House Sweettree. Which means I just happen to be a prince, too.”

“Oh, for Faust's sake, Flash do something,” says Rainbow Dash.

“What do you want me to do?” says Flash.

“Stop him from flirting with my sister for starters.”

“No offense, Commander, but in case you haven't seen, the arrows are still ready to kill us.”

“I CAN SEE JUST FINE!”

Some birds fly and the Fellowship and the bucks look at Rainbow Dash, and she in turn looks at them, face red and ears drooped as puffs of air freeze in front of her.

“Well, I can,” says Rainbow Dash.

With that distraction, Apple Bloom approaches Ficus's side and lightly tugs on his cloak, bringing him to look at her.

“Excuse me, Prince Ficus, sir, can you please help us?” begs Apple Bloom, her eyes wide and shimmering in the cold air. “We need medicine and shelter, and two of our friends are hurt really bad.”

Ficus nods and pats Apple Bloom on the head.

“Of course. I'm sure the Lady and our King won't mind your stay for a little bit,” says Ficus.

The leader of the greeting party growls and shoves Apple Bloom aside, and he has to lower his head so he can speak into Ficus's ear.

“My Lord, you know the rules,” says the buck.

“I know the rules, Pine,” snaps Ficus. “But they will be confined and out within the week's end.”

Pine opens his mouth, but in a flash Ficus squeezes his hand around his muzzle.

“Don't speak. Obey,” says Ficus.

Pine growls. “Always.”

“Good.” Ficus shoves Pine away, then looks at Spike. “Apologies for ignoring you, Spike, but your group is free to stay in the provided space and we will get your friends treated. However, for safety reasons we're going to have to restrain her.”

Ficus points at Pinkie Pie, who has at least eight arrows still aimed at her, and Spike balks at her.

“What do you do to people?” asks Spike.

Pinkie Pie shrugs. “I would say something perverted or silly, but I'm not in the mood.” She holds out her wrists and keeps her hands balled into fists. “Which cell will I be getting?”

“Not a comfortable one.” Ficus waves his hand to a couple of soldiers. “Take her away.”

Pine pulls out a pair of cuffs and slaps them on Pinkie Pie's wrists, and another buck clamps a chain on the cuff links.

“No funny business this time,” says Pine.

“I'm not in the mood for funny business,” says Pinkie Pie.

Then she is jerked away and the Fellowship follows the deer through the forest with their footprints being left behind in the thin blanket of snow. However, the cold does not deter Ficus from walking backwards to line up with Fluttershy and flash an easygoing smile.

“So, do you have any arranged marriages planned?” asks Ficus.

Author's Notes:

I was planning on making this chapter longer. Like four times longer. But I didn't think it would be right to delay an update any longer because of certain parts that were not cooperating. It is not much, and I'm sorry, but the next update will be longer with more of that story stuff you guys like.