Chapter 21: The Everfree (Part 2)

Twilight lifted a slab of thick stone that had fallen to the earth and left an indent. There was nothing under it. She sighed and put the stone down. Twilight was sweating and her eyelids were drooping ever so slightly. Spike soon walked up and tugged at her mane. He too seemed beat.

“Hey Twilight, can we take a break?” Spike asked.

The purple scholar looked up at the sun. It had started directly above them when they had begun the search, but it was now only visible through the broken windows and cracks in the wall.

“Well,” she replied, “judging by the shadows, I’d say that it’s almost 7. So, yes Spike, we’re going to take a break. In fact, we need to leave.”

“Thank goodness!” sighed Spike. He let himself fall to the ground. He closed his eyes and stretched. “I’ll just rest here while you gather up the others,” he mumbled.

Twilight smiled and trotted off to do what Spike had suggested.

“Applejack! Hey Applejack!” Twilight shouted as she moved through the old ruins. Soon Applejack’s Stetson appeared around a corner of decaying brick. “Come on, it’s time to go!” Twilight cried.

“But we haven’t found anythin’!” Applejack called back. She rounded the corner and Twilight could tell that Applejack was just as tired as she was.

“It’s ok,” Twilight said. “We’ll just come back tomorrow. Now, can you get Rarity and Fluttershy for me? I’m going to round up Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.”

“I’m on it.” Applejack nodded and then trotted off past Twilight.

Twilight continued her walk. She passed by once great bronze sculptures and once proud towers until she came to the back of the ancient castle where Rainbow and Pinkie were searching. She was about to call for her friends, when Twilight saw a rainbow blur pass in front of her face.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called.

The blur stopped and turned around. “Oh, hi Twilight!” greeted Dash. “Did you find the answer?”

Twilight shook her head. “Nope. I’m afraid not.”

“Drat!” Dash kicked at the ground. “We haven’t had too much luck either.”

“Sorry to hear that,” replied Twilight, “but we need to get going or we’ll be stuck in here past 9.”

“But we can’t leave yet!” Rainbow pleaded. “Come on! We know that the answer is in this castle. We only need a few more minutes. Please?”

“We need to leave,” stated Twilight.

“Please?” Dash gave Twilight her cutest look and blinked her eyes pleadingly.

Twilight sighed in resignation. “Fine. How about you show me what you’ve explored today. You’ll get one more look and we can pick up Pinkie Pie on the way.”

“Done!” Rainbow agreed. She motioned for Twilight to follow her. “Come on! We’ve got a puzzle to solve!”

Dash took off quickly, making it hard for Twilight to keep up. The two reached the far end of the castle. Like the rest of it, most of the ceiling had fallen apart and the walls were in shambles on the ground. Long vines grew up the bricks that remained standing and tall grasses hid the fallen stones.

Twilight noticed places where many hoof prints had patted down the grass. “It looks like we weren’t the only ones to come searching here,” she thought aloud.

“Yeah,” said Rainbow Dash as she took one last look around the room, “I remember Zecora told us that other ponies had come into the Everfree Forest. My guess is that they searched here, but they didn’t have the crystal.”

“That sounds about right,” Twilight agreed. Then, she looked at the quickly falling sun. “Alright Rainbow, we’ve got to move on to the next room.”

Dash nodded and then rushed to the room adjoined to the one they currently stood in. Twilight followed behind, taking notice of the few bricks which told that once, long ago, a door had connected the rooms.

The two mares continued in a similar fashion as they moved through the back portion of the ancient stronghold. None of the rooms they entered seemed to hold a clue to the answer that they were looking for.

“I wonder what all of these rooms were used for?” Twilight pondered as they crossed into a crumbled hallway.

“Beats me.” Dash shrugged. “The only one I could make out was the throne room. And that’s the last room we have to check too.”

Just then, the mares came up to a large arch. Remarkably, it was still standing, though the paint had faded and the brick was chipped and cracked. They passed under the arch and found themselves standing in a very open room. Some of the tiled floor could still be seen among the grasses and dirt. The wall was lined with windows, perfectly aligned with each other, and a few resolute bronze sculptures still retained their basic shapes along the walls.

At the far end of the room sat a single solitary throne. Vines covered it and it was nicked and scratched. The padding had long since been torn out and worn away, but still it stood proudly before the mares.

Twilight gazed around in awe. She tried to imagine what it must have looked like before the castle fell. Surely it was a place of unrivaled beauty where a kind ruler sat long ago. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, was busy doing a quick once-over as she flew around the room.

“Nope,” huffed the pegasus. “Nothing. Alright Twilight, I’m ready to go now.”

Dash’s voice broke Twilight out of her thoughts. “Huh? Oh yeah. But, where’s Pinkie Pie? We searched every room and never ran into her.”

“Oh! That’s right! Pinkie’s in the garden.” Dash slapped herself on the head. “Come on! This way!” She took off, leaving Twilight in the dust yet again.

Twilight barely managed to keep up, but after turning around a few corners and heading down the old hallway she came to a stop. Before her lay a large open space at the very back of the ancient palace.

It must have been a gorgeous garden at one point, but now weeds and tall grasses grew from the fertile ground and vines had entrenched themselves on a fallen statue of an alicorn. Twilight looked to her left and saw a massive tree stretching high into the heavens. Its roots had grown over large chunks of fallen wall. It was the only tree remaining in the entire garden. Finally, her sight came to rest on a pink pony at the farthest end of the garden. Pinkie Pie was busy sniffing a large stone fountain. The fountain was empty and dry. Rainbow Dash and Twilight walked over to their friend.

“Pinkie Pie!” called Twilight. “Did you find something?”

The two reached Pinkie just as she was scraping a hoof across the inside of the old fountain. She licked her hoof and smacked her lips a couple of times.

“Yep,” Pinkie said in absolute seriousness, “it’s definitely a fountain.”

Dash planted a hoof into her forehead.

“Well, yes it is,” Twilight agreed. “And it’s really old too. I don’t think that it’s seen more than rainwater in maybe hundreds of years.”

“Come on Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said. “I told you that you wouldn’t find anything out here. It’s not part of the castle.”

“Sure it is!” Pinkie declared. “It just happens to be outside instead of inside.”

“Part of the castle or not,” Twilight said. “We’re already behind schedule by about half an hour. We need to leave.”

“Ok.” Pinkie agreed. The three walked out, but Pinkie turned around and waved. “Bye castle garden! See you tomorrow!”

Dash rolled her eyes.

The three quickly made their way back to the others. Everyone reported that they had searched both high and low, but not a trace of the elusive answer was to be found.

“I suppose that means we’ll simply have to come back and look again,” Rarity concluded reluctantly. “And I was really hoping we could find it tonight too. I’ve never particularly liked the Everfree Forest.”

“Sorry, but you’re right,” Twilight agreed. “We will need to come back until we find the answer. But we need to get a move on. If we don’t hurry then we won’t make it out of here at 9 like Zecora warned us.”

“Then let’s get a move on y’all.” Applejack turned and started a quick march back across the old wood bridge.

The others followed and kept up with her pace. However, the ponies were tired from their long walk to the castle and also from their constant searching. Soon they began to slow down without even realizing it. Nevertheless, onward they pressed as the sun gradually sunk.

* * * * * * * * *

The Forest became ever darker, without even a hint of sunlight left to glimmer through the branches. But what unnerved Fluttershy the most was that the Forest, while mysteriously quiet during the day, was starting to come awake. The sounds of scuffling paws could be heard passing through thick bushes and the chirps of nighttime bugs began to stir the air. The other ponies seemed not to notice much, seeing as how exhausted they were, but Fluttershy flinched at every twig that snapped. However, whatever was making the noises managed to stay just out of sight.

“Annnndddd…nine o’ one!” Rainbow Dash announced right in Twilight’s ear. The cyan pegasus glanced this way and that, but could see nothing out of the ordinary. “See Twilight? We’re going to be fine.”

Twilight turned to face Dash. “We still have about half an hour before we reach Ponyville…but I think you’re right. It looks like we’re in the clear. The most dangerous stuff is located further into the Everfree.”

“And we didn’t even run into a trace of Poison Joke!” Dash turned to Rarity and smirked.

“I still say that one is better safe than sorry,” retorted the white mare.

A bush to the party’s right ruffled ever so slightly and Fluttershy turned her head toward it. The others hadn’t noticed.

“Whoa!” Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of her face and scrunched her nose. “Spike, try and hold it in next time. That smells nasty.”

“What?” replied Spike. He then took a whiff of the air and started to gag. “Ugh! That wasn’t me!”

“Huh?” Dash stopped and turned around. The others also stopped. “Well then, who was it? Come on. Fess up.”

All Rainbow Dash got in response was some shrugs and shaking heads. Suddenly, Fluttershy gasped. The yellow pegasus began to shiver and shake as she pointed directly behind Rainbow Dash.

“G-G-Girls…w-what is that?”

They all turned to look where Fluttershy was pointing and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring at them from the darkness of the path ahead.

Spike’s eyes went wide and he gasped. “Timberwolf.”

The timberwolf stepped forward. The ponies could now see the barky hide of the magical wolf. He growled and showed them his sharp, wooden teeth. His rancid breath filled the air. The Royal Treasure Seekers stared on with wide eyes, but Rainbow Dash charged forward. With a battle cry and a powerful kick of her hind legs, the timberwolf collapsed into lifeless sticks. The surprise attack was a success.

Rainbow waltzed back to the group with a huge grin on her face. “Piece of cake. Now come on, we need to keep moving.”

Dash trotted forward a few steps, but quickly realized that the others were not following her. She turned back around. The others had huddled together, back to back, and were looking all around.

“What’s the matter? I took care of the timberwolf, now let’s go!” Dash urged with a wave of her hoof.

“Uh…RD…” Applejack said without turning her gaze from the dense Forest foliage. “Timberwolves always hunt in packs.”

Rainbow Dash turned to look where Applejack was watching. Suddenly, the brazen pegasus seemed to lose her nerve. Staring at her from behind the dark trees were three more pairs of glowing eyes. She turned her head to the left and saw more and more eyes. Everywhere she looked, the glowing spheres were watching her.

“Rainbow! Get over here!” Twilight called through gritted teeth.

Dash understood and slowly, ever so slowly, made her way back to the safety of her friends. The glowing eyeballs followed her every movement, yet the wolves remained hidden in the shadows. It was as if they were waiting for some unknown signal before they struck.

Rainbow Dash merged into the tight circle her friends had created. Now all seven were pushed up against each other’s backs and fearfully watching the glowing specks. Neither side seemed willing to make a move. The long seconds ticked on. Fluttershy shivered, Spike tried to keep his cool, and Rarity fell into a cold sweat.

“Alright,” Applejack finally whispered into the tense silence, “it doesn’t look like they’re attackin’ yet. Let’s all take a small step forward on the path and see if anythin’ happens.”

The others nodded slowly. Then, still in formation, they inched forward on the path. The timberwolves growled, which made the ponies cringe, but they didn’t move to attack. The Royal Treasure Seekers let out a collective sigh and then took one more small step forward. Again, the wolves growled but refused to move.

“Alright y’all. It looks like we’re gonna be ok. We’ll jus’ keep easin’ along the path until we reach the edge of the Forest. Then we’ll book it into Ponyville as fast as our legs’ll carry us,” Applejack said.

“R-Right,” squeaked Fluttershy.

Step by painstakingly slow step, the group inched ever closer to Ponyville and to freedom. However, their hopes were soon dashed to pieces when a lone timberwolf walked onto the path, blocking their movements.

The timberwolf seemed slightly larger than most and his hide was not the same brown oak wood as the rest. Instead, it was a pale white birch. His eyes were also glowing red instead of the green color of the other wolves. The ponies halted before this wolf.

“Shoo!” urged Applejack. “Go on, git!” She motioned with her head and glared at the aggressive wolf.

Instead, the white wolf calmly strolled back and forth along the path. He eyeballed the foolish group before him and then came to a rest in the dead center of the trail. The timberwolf puffed his chest out and cocked his head high into the sky. He let loose a howl which made the Royal Treasure Seekers shiver and quake.

“Ah…girl-…um…ehhh…” Twilight spoke in a speechless jumble. She was pointing a shaky hoof at the path behind them. “Th-the t-timberwolf…”

The timberwolf that Rainbow Dash had bucked to the ground now shook and quivered. His branches began to reform. They snapped back together and the wolf popped a crick in his neck before turning a harsh eye to glare at the ponies.

“Whoa!” Pinkie Pie said. “I wish I could do that!”

The newly reformed wolf slowly walked up to the group and circled them over and over again. He sniffed them and snarled in their faces. The ponies didn’t dare move a muscle. Finally, the wolf came to rest by the side of the white one.

The white wolf nodded his head. Then, the remade timberwolf showed the Royal Treasure Seekers a wicked, toothy grin. He raised his head into the sky and howled three times. On the third cry, the other wolves joined in. They howled long and hard, a piercing and discordant screech that shook the very bones of all who were unlucky enough to hear it. Rainbow Dash gulped.

Then, as if on cue, the howling stopped and the wolves all walked forward until they completely surrounded the seven travelers. There was no way around the wicked creatures.

“Fluttershy,” pleaded Twilight, “now would be a really great time to use the Stare.”

The wolves began to inch closer to the mares, some of them were smiling and others were snarling. The white wolf stood his ground, however, and watched.

“B-But I can’t!” Fluttershy stuttered. “I can’t control it.”

The reanimated wolf licked his lips and his eyes bore into Rainbow Dash.

“Well try anyways!” shouted Rainbow.

“Ok…here I go.” Fluttershy forced her body to stop shaking. She then gave the sternest look she could muster to one of the wolves edging closer to her.

The timberwolf halted and his grizzly smile faded as he looked deep into Fluttershy’s eyes. The effect did not last long, however, as the wolf simply shook his head, blinked his eyes, and then continued to walk forward.

“I-It didn’t work!” shrieked Fluttershy.

“Then-Ahh!!!” Rainbow Dash yelled and flinched.

The reborn wolf had lunged forward, aiming for Dash’s throat. The other wolves followed suit, leaping at the others with teeth barred.

“AHHH!!!!!!” screamed the Royal Treasure Seekers. They closed their eyes and cringed. But the horrible end did not come. The timberwolves collided with a shimmering yellow barrier mere inches from the ponies’ faces. Off bounced the wolves, who then slammed into the ground and slid through the dirt.

““My magic will protect the seven teams until the end of the hunt. Let this be a warning to you!” shouted Sun Cloak forcefully.

The wolves were stunned. A few yelped and ran back into the safety of the dark woods, but most were too shocked to move an inch. They stared for a long time at the magnificent golden barrier. The ponies all breathed out a sigh of relief. The party’s little ruby was now aglow in the dim woods. Its familiar tune hummed and calmed their nerves.

“Thank goodness.” Rarity wiped the sweat from her brow. “Sun Cloak, you’re not a moment too late.”

“He could have showed up a few moments earlier if you ask me,” grumbled Rainbow Dash. She looked out of the translucent barricade and glared at the reanimated wolf. The wolf stared back and growled. Dash stuck her tongue out.

The timberwolf did not like Rainbow’s taunting one bit. He snarled and then flung himself against the yellow shield. He scratched and clawed and battered the yellow wall, but it did not yield. Then, the wolf began to bite the bubble. It made a terrible screeching noise.

“Since you will not listen to reason I am forced to put my warning into action.” Sun Cloak’s voice once again echoed through the dark Forest.

Suddenly, powerful sparks began to leap off of the yellow barricade. The sparks shot straight into the timberwolf’s mouth and surged through his woody body. The wolf shook and trembled against the great power until he could no longer take it. First one stick dropped, and then another, and yet another until his entire form was lying lifeless on the Forest floor.

The Royal Treasure Seekers gasped and the other wolves took a fearful step away from the golden wall. All across the surface of the bubble, sparks of yellow lightning could be seen leaping to and fro. It was truly a sight, to behold Sun Cloak’s power.

The once fearsome looking wolves now appeared frightened. They continued to back away, and many looked almost ready to run with their tails tucked between their legs. One turned and bolted, but was stopped when his body was slammed into the dirt. The white wolf had pinned him against the forest floor and his strong forelegs held him in place as the coward squirmed and writhed.

The white one barked and glared at the entire lot of timberwolves. The timberwolves stopped backing away and instead began to form behind the white wolf. The white creature then released his hold on the coward, but made sure to growl at him. The scared wolf quickly formed behind the others.

The electrified timberwolf started to tremble and his hide once again formed into a solid being. He shook himself and then fell in line with the other, head down to the ground. The ponies watched as the white wolf started to circle the yellow barrier. The other wolves stayed put.

“There’s no way those timberwolves can get in here!” shouted Spike. “Uh, right Twilight?”

“As long as Sun Cloak’s shield holds, we’ll be fine,” Twilight replied.

At last, the white leader seemed content. He stopped circling and marched back to the front of his pack. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the ponies behind their barricade.

“What’s he waiting for?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“I think he’s going to sit there until the shield goes down,” said Fluttershy.

But, the white wolf lifted his head into the sky. The rest of his pack did the same. Then, the ferocious leader smiled evilly before letting forth a powerful howl. Soon he was joined by the entire force of the pack behind him.

A terrible cacophony of howling and moaning split the skies. The murderous noise clanged against the warm thrum of Sun Cloak’s ruby. The mares covered their ears as the howl roared louder and louder. The sound threatened to drown the very Forest itself.

Then, the unthinkable began to happen. The shield began to waver. First, the electricity shorted out. Soon after that, the protective bubble started to fade. The ruby itself began to vibrate erratically until its internal glow popped in and out of focus.

“Ooo. It’s like a Hearth Warming Eve light!” Pinkie pointed at the spazzing crystal.

“Not good! Not good!!!” shouted Twilight.

The white wolf continued his terrible cry, but urged the others toward the ponies with a flick of his tail. Some timberwolves continued to howl with their leader, but many licked their lips and walked toward their prey. Within a matter of seconds, the ponies were surrounded and their shield was fading fast. It would only be a matter of time before it was gone completely.

“T-Twilight! Do somethin’!” shouted Applejack.

“Hold on!” Twilight yelled back. “Let me think!”

“We’re gonna have to fight our way out,” stated Rainbow Dash with determination. She snorted and prepared to charge.

“Th-There’s no way we can fight that many of them!” Fluttershy shivered.

“I’m not overly fond of scuffles,” Rarity said. She appeared oddly calm for the situation. “But if we must fight, then so be it. Bring. It. On.”

“Well girls,” Pinkie Pie said. She grabbed some mud and slathered it under her eyes like war paint. “It looks like it’s time to organize a chorus line. ‘Cause there’s going to be a lot of kicking.”

“J-Just tell me when it’s over,” stammered Spike. He was clutching Fluttershy and both of them were shaking with fear.

The timberwolves growled and circled the ever dimming shield. Finally, their moment came. The shield dissolved into nothingness and they all struck as one.

“RD,” whispered Applejack. “It’s been nice knowin’ ya’.”

A single, bitter tear fell from Rainbow Dash’s eyes, but the pegasus stood firm and resolute. The mares turned and wound up for a powerful buck, but there were far too many wolves to be stopped with only a single attack.

“ENOUGH!!!” roared Twilight above the terrifying howls. Her horn suddenly ignited into a fiery purple blaze. Instantly another barrier formed around the group, but this one was a shining lavender color. Once again the wolves bounced harmlessly away and were sent sprawling into the dust.

“Twilight?!” yelled Applejack. She cocked her head around to look at her friend.

Twilight’s eyes were closed tightly shut. She was obviously putting forth a great deal of power and effort to keep the large blockade up.

“Sorry…” grunted Twilight through clenched teeth, “but this is…all I could come up with.”

The timberwolves were now furious. Such measly prey should not be giving them so much trouble. They quickly picked themselves off of the ground and immediately began to bombard the lavender barricade with fangs and claws and teeth. Twilight grimaced with each blow against the bubble.

“Will the shield hold?” Fluttershy asked Twilight.

“I’ll hold it as…long as I can but…it won’t hold…forever,” Twilight replied.

“Isn’t there anything else you can do?” Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight’s face and pleaded. “How about teleportation?”

“I can only…teleport where I can see. And the Everfree is…too dark,” Twilight huffed. Rainbow Dash released her grip and began to pace back and forth nervously. “Besides…” Twilight continued. “I’m exhausted from all of the walking and…searching we did today. I just don’t…have enough in me to teleport…all seven of us.”

“So that rules out magic gettin’ us out of this.” Applejack kicked up a small dirt cloud.

“I’m sorry I can’t do…more.” Twilight grimaced. Another wave of timberwolves had begun to beat upon the shield; small cracks were forming on its pristine surface.

“Twilight, you’re doing as much as you can,” Applejack thanked her friend. “You’ve given us some time to find a way out of this pickle.”

Rainbow Dash smacked her head as she trotted back and forth. “Come on brain! Think! Think!Think!Think!Think!”

Larger crevices were starting to form on the shield and sweat from Twilight’s brow was plopping to the ground in large droplets.

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” shouted Fluttershy. A snout of one of the timberwolves had pushed its way through a particularly large crack and was trying to bite one of the shy pegasus’ wings. She leaped closer to Twilight.

“Girls…” said Twilight. Her voice seemed unnervingly quiet. “…I…can’t keep it up much…longer.” Her legs were trembling. No, her entire body was trembling. Large spurts of sparks were also flying off of her horn.

“But we don’t have a plan yet!” cried Rarity.

“Then I guess it’s back to Plan A,” replied Rainbow Dash. She growled back at the timberwolves and prepared for a fight. Rarity’s face fell, but she too grounded herself and prepared for combat.

“Let’s show these sticks who’s boss!” Pinkie cried.

Twilight grunted and collapsed on the ground. Her horn had stopped glowing and she was covered in sweat. She was still breathing, but appeared unconscious.

“Twilight!!!” yelled Spike. The dragon rushed to her side and gently brushed her mane. She did not open her eyes.

“Everypony!” roared Applejack. “Surround Twilight. We ain’t gonna let those wolves get close to her.”

They did as told and surrounded Twilight. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity stood watch while Fluttershy checked for a heart beat. Spike kept brushing her mane. A tear welled up in his eye.

“She’ll be ok,” Fluttershy told Spike. “She’s breathing normally and I hear a steady heart beat.”

“But first we’ve got to make it out of here!” Rainbow Dash yelled back. She sent a timberwolf flying through the air. The beast collided with a tree and crumbled into nothing more than a pile of twigs.

Applejack lashed out and took down two wolves, one with each leg. Pinkie Pie jumped on a wolf’s head. He collapsed and a pixilated 100 flashed through the air briefly. Rarity gave a wolf a sharp hoof to the mouth. “Back! You ruffians!” she shouted.

“Spike! Fluttershy!” called Rainbow Dash as she gave a wallop to another wolf. “We need your help!”

Spike and Fluttershy looked up from Twilight and glanced all around. Piles of sticks and twigs littered the Forest floor. Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were all breathing hard, but had fortunately only taken some minor injuries. Still, rows upon rows of ravenous green eyes peered at them from the darkness. It looked almost endless.

Then, the white wolf gave a sharp bark. The wolves formed behind their leader once again. The ponies remained in their battle formation, but were glad to take a quick breather as they waited. The horrid howling from before quieted until not a wolf was making so much as a peep.

All eyes, both pony and timberwolf, were locked on the white leader. He snarled and bore his threatening red pupils into each and every one who had dared to defy him and his pack. The piles of lifeless sticks around the ponies all started to shake as one. Slowly, the sticks began to reform themselves.

“What do we do now?” Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack.

Applejack was speechless. Spike spun around, but couldn’t believe his eyes. The Forest floor seemed to be coming alive with floating sticks as far as the eye could see. Each and every wolf taken down by the ponies was coming back to life and he was helpless to stop it. He crashed to his knees in despair.

“Look out!” cried Pinkie suddenly. She pointed at the white wolf and all eyes turned to look.

The leader surged forward in a blur of speed. Applejack was standing directly in his way, and he didn’t look amused. The ferocious wolf let forth a battle howl and then leaped into the sky.

Applejack prepared to take down the big brute. Her hind legs shot out with precision and might, but the wolf was expecting the attack. That’s why he had not been aiming for Applejack, but for the pony who was standing behind Applejack. Applejack had miscalculated the wolf’s trajectory and both legs missed their target. The wolf snickered as his claws swiped at the unprotected back of the unsuspecting pony.

“AAAHHHHH!!!!” shrieked a white unicorn.

“RARITY!!!” shouted Spike in horror.

Rarity bucked hard and the timberwolf was sent flying off of her back. However, he landed on all fours and slid neatly through the leaf covered Forest floor, still smiling.

Rarity winced in pain and collapsed to the ground. Red trickled from the wound inflicted by the cruel wolf. Her thick garment had been ripped to pieces and blood now soaked into her beautiful cloth.

Spike rushed to her side. “Rarity. Are you alright?”

She grunted and writhed on the ground.

“Spike!” cried Applejack. “Move her by Twilight. Fluttershy, protect them.”

Tears fell down Spikes cheeks every time he tugged Rarity along the ground. Fluttershy stepped up to take Rarity’s place. She was shaking, but her gaze was firm and even. The white wolf showed her a grizzly grin. Then, he cocked his head into the sky and howled loud and clear.

The rest of his pack howled back, and began to move toward its prey. Wolves from every side and angle leaped into the fray. They bombarded the ponies like an ocean wave, but the mares held fast. Kick after kick, blow after blow, they fought tooth and nail. Piles of twigs began to heap up around the ponies, but they couldn’t keep defending forever.

Then, something in Fluttershy snapped. She grew unimaginably still and her eyes blazed like a furnace. “Go back to the shadows from which you came!” she screamed. Her gaze flashed all around. Any timberwolf unfortunate enough to catch even the slightest glimpse of her Stare immediately began to tremble in uncontrollable fear. They bolted from the scene, abandoning even their fearsome leader.

The white wolf barked sharply at the cowards, and even tackled one to the ground. But he squirmed out and ran off, yelping like a frightened pup. The white one was now enraged. He turned his gaze upon Fluttershy and their eyes locked.

Blazing red eyes stared into Fluttershy’s crystal blue ones. The wolf snarled and Fluttershy bore into his very soul. “Back!” yelled Fluttershy angrily. The leader barked his defiance and stood his ground. Stare met Stare, but neither side was willing to budge. The few timberwolves lucky enough to not be caught by Fluttershy’s gaze regrouped behind their leader.

Suddenly, the white wolf decided that he had seen enough. He charged at Fluttershy, blood red eyes blazing in the cool shade of the Everfree. Fluttershy kept her Stare fixed upon him, but the heartless beast could not be turned.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash turned her head toward her friend. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

The wolf leaped, fangs unsheathed and maw open. Fluttershy stood her ground.

“NO!!!” came a fearsome roar from behind Fluttershy. “You’re not going to hurt my friends again!!!!” Suddenly, Spike hurled himself into the battle. His small body collided with the white wolf’s and both crashed to the ground.

Fluttershy’s lip trembled and released a thankful gasp. However, the fire in her eyes was now gone. The remaining wolves moved forward to attack once again, but Fluttershy fanned her wings out high above her head. “You’ll not touch my friends!” she shouted at the ravenous beasts. The other mares moved to Fluttershy’s side and prepared for round three.

Spike and the white wolf tussled on the ground. They rolled and struggled to pin each other. The wolf bit and clawed at Spike, but his thick scales took the blows with ease. Spike whacked the beast with his sharp tail and scratched with his own claws.

However, the wolf would not relent. Even with chipped bark he fought on, pressing his greater mass against the tiny dragon. Finally, the timberwolf toppled Spike and held him by all fours, pinning Spike to the ground. In a moment of panic, Spike breathed forth a flurry of small green flames.

The timberwolf dodged a few, but then began to laugh. He let the green fire hit him square in the face and only laughed! Not a single twig on his head was singed, not even a leaf. Spike looked at the beat, dumbfounded. The wolf barked a command, and soon four more timberwolves were on Spike, holding his tiny frame against the ground.

“Let me go!” screamed Spike. “Let me go!” He squirmed and writhed, but couldn’t get free.

The white wolf released his hold on Spike and turned his attention back to the mares. They were so busy holding off the assault from the rear that they didn’t even see the white creature approaching from their side.

“Rainbow Dash! Look out!!!” yelled Spike.

Dash turned her head just in time. The white beast was already mid air, but Rainbow was ruler of the skies. Dash flew up and met him in the air. In a flurry of kicks and punches, Rainbow sent the despicable creature hurtling back. He crashed in a bush well off to the side of the Forest path. He emerged and shook himself.

“Girls,” huffed Applejack. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. They jus’ keep comin’!”

As if to prove her point, the piles of defeated timberwolves began to reform into their solid forms again. The white wolf also circled back to the front of his pack and started to rally his troops for another assault.

All seemed hopeless. Spike was trapped. Rarity was wounded. Fluttershy had lost her nerve. Applejack was exhausted. Rainbow Dash was sweating. And even Pinkie Pie seemed to be loosing some of her pop. But then, when all seemed lost, Twilight opened her eyes.

The purple unicorn groaned softly to herself as her vision came back into focus. She was lying on a dirt path in a dark forest. Sound started to come back into her life. Cracks of sticks being smashed and fierce growls rushed into her ears. She could hear heavy breathing and the sound of wincing with every twig that snapped. She smelled the sticky smell of blood nearby, along with an unspeakably horrid odor. Then it all came rushing back to her: Timberwolves!

Twilight tried to struggle to her hooves, but every fiber in her body screamed at her. So Twilight laid there and decided to do what Twilight did best, make a plan. She lifted her head up and saw four sets of legs in front of her: orange, cyan, yellow, and pink. Past these legs were the snarling maws and claws of the timberwolves.

At least her friends were still standing, that much was good. But then why did she smell blood? Twilight turned her head and froze. Rarity was lying on the ground beside her, an open wound cut into her side.

More sticks cracked and Twilight knew that she was quickly running out of time. She looked everywhere, searching for some way out of this mess. But there was something biting into her side and it was making it hard to concentrate. Twilight shifted and looked at where the sensation was coming from. It was her saddlebag. In all the confusion its latch had come undone and some of its contents had fallen out.

For a long while, Twilight stared at the open bag. Then, her eyes came to rest on a single item that had made its way to the very lip of the pack, a muffin. Twilight got an idea.

She tested her magic to see if it would work. She levitated a single leaf from the Forest floor. Her head burned like fire, but the leaf held steady. Twilight let the leaf float back to the ground and she inhaled a slow, deep breath.

“Celestia, forgive me,” she whispered under her breath. She levitated the muffin into the air and then cried, “Hey! Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkie turned around instantly. “Twilight! You’re awak-urmf!”

Twilight shoved the muffin into Pinkie’s mouth. The pink pony chewed slowly and then swallowed. She said nothing more. For a few seconds, Pinkie stared straight ahead blankly. Then, it began to happen.

First, her eyes went huge. Next, her body started to tremble from the tip of her nose to her tail. Then, she began to bounce and pop like an old motor engine starting up. She hopped off the ground, though she hadn’t used her legs, and her hair started to frizz up even more so than usual.

The timberwolves stopped and stared. Pinkie began to mumble an incomprehensible jumble of words and noises. Then, the bouncing became more severe. Soon, Pinkie was bounding 10 feet into the sky like some rubber bouncy ball on steroids.

Every eye was glued to the peculiar scene. The white wolf growled and charged Pinkie. He jumped at her, but was shocked when he bounced off her like she was made of rubber. He was flung into a tree, but he also sent Pinkie into a tree. Pinkie rebounded off of the tree and came back, knocking the timberwolves over like they were bowling pins.

Suddenly, Pinkie’s legs came back to her and she started running. She ran faster than should ever be possible. Up trees, down trees, upside down through thin air, she ran. Timberwolves here, there, and every which way were bowled over like they had been hit by a runaway train.

Applejack looked over at Twilight, and found the unicorn smiling. “What did ya’ do to her?” she whispered.

“I gave Pinkie coffee.”

Applejack gulped and looked back up at the comedic carnage. Piles of sticks lay strew everywhere and even the heartless white wolf was busy running for his life from the caffeine induced horror that was Pinkie Pie. Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle despite herself.

“Ok everypony,” announced Twilight. Her voice was wheezy, but still carried strongly. She shakily rose to her hooves. Rainbow Dash and Applejack helped support her with their necks. “I think it’s time we left.”

Twilight’s horn sputtered to life and a very faint violet haze surrounded the ponies. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rarity lifted a few inches off the ground. Then, Twilight grabbed Pinkie Pie’s tail with her magic and the levitated group shot off like a rocket.

“Wait!” Twilight cried. “Where’s Spike?”

Fluttershy pointed to a pile of timberwolves holding down a small, scaly bundle. Twilight nodded and then grabbed hold of Spike with her magic. She zipped him out so fast that the timberwolves fell over themselves and planted their faces into the dirt trail.

“Whew! Thanks Twilight,” said Spike.

Then, the group collided with a tree branch, luckily it snapped. Twilight managed to keep her hold on Pinkie’s tail, but her levitation spell was growing steadily weaker.

“Pinkie’s out of control!” screamed Rainbow Dash. “Look out!”

The group almost slammed into another tree branch.

“Spike!” grunted Twilight. “Steer!” She levitated him onto Pinkie’s back.

“But how do I-?” He called back.

“Just do it!” Twilight replied.

Spike grabbed Pinkie Pie’s hair. “Um…sorry Pinkie.” He tugged left and the group ran left, he tugged right and the group went right. Pinkie didn’t seem to notice.

“Spike! We need to get to Ponyville before Twilight loses consciousness again!” Applejack called.

The group was getting closer to the ground with each passing second.

“Got’cha!” Spike looked back and gave them a thumbs-up. He then got walloped on the head by a small branch while his head was turned.

“And keep your eyes on the road!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“Hey! No backseat driving!” Spike retorted. He rubbed his head where it had been walloped.

The Royal Treasure Seekers blasted past bushes and trees at blindingly fast speeds. Spike narrowly avoided crashing Pinkie into trees and rocks. Onward they pressed, leaving the howling timberwolves far behind. Even so, Twilight’s magic was fading rapidly. The real question that remained was whether her magic would be able to hold until they made it back to Ponyville. Suddenly, Pinkie’s legs stopped moving. She bounced and sputtered until she came to a crashing halt. Twilight’s magic finally gave way and they all fell to the ground.

“Whoa!” Pinkie exclaimed. “That stuff was goooood!”

The others picked themselves off the ground and brushed themselves off. Applejack and Fluttershy carefully lifted Rarity onto their backs. Rainbow Dash hoisted Twilight onto hers.

“Hey everypony! Look!” Spike called back. His finger was pointing straight ahead. “It’s Ponyville! We made it!”

Rarity squirmed on Applejack and Fluttershy’s backs and whimpered, but she didn’t open her eyes.

“Come on y’all. We’re not quite out of danger yet.” Applejack motioned with a bob of her head and they all marched toward the glowing lights of peaceful Ponyville.

“Hang in there Rarity,” Fluttershy whispered into the white mare’s ear. “We’re almost home.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 22: The Troubles Estimated time remaining: 42 Minutes