The M16 was in good shape for flying twenty yards to smack against the rocks. There was a few scratches and a ding on the rail system, but other than that nothing was wrong. I took the magazine out, I needed to start reserving ammunition. I had roughly five shots left, and I needed to make them count. The rifle wouldn't do much against a timberwolf, not quite because it was a big creature or anything but moreso because they're just a pile of wood with a bunch of holes throughout. The likelyhood of me doing any damage was little, a good swing is a different story though. With that said I traveled with my M16 broken down and my Ka-Bar close by.

Each creak induced a jump, at least when you could jump. The water rose to knee height as we moved farther through the forest. That was probably because the waters used to be regulated by an environment protection agency, those times however were long gone and now the Everfree Forest is more of the Everfree Swamp. The subtle creeks that we once saw consumed the forest to a horrific extent. Making the whole environment more deadly than it was before. The water turned black before we knew it, potholes. I was backing up when I bumped into Bellona. I looked back at her, eyes wide and face pale.

"Bell, are you okay?"

"Something brushed me."

"I bumped into you, just back up the way we came we nee-"

"No, I mean something brushed my shin."

I didn't understand her at first. Then it hit me.

"Just walk back slowly, there's bass in this swamp."

"No, that isn't it."

"What do you mean?"

My eyes shot open, fully dilated. Something brushed my leg. It was long and rough, almost six feet. I lifted my Ka-bar, I figured out what it was pretty quickly. I looked around for dry land, there was a small patch just behind her.

"Bellona, listen to me carefully. Back up slowly, don't make any sudden movements. It's focused on me."

"What is it?"

"Crocodile."

She followed orders, and backed her way into the center of the patch of grass. I waited for it to brush my leg again. The crocodile was feeling me out, trying to figure out what I was. I waited for it to touch me again, I was just worried about getting blood in the water. Crocodiles can smell blood from quite a distance, and if there was one there was bound to be a dozen more somewhere close. It brushed my back left leg, I whipped around and dover hoof first into the water, grabbing it's tail.

It tried swimming way, and almost slipped from my grip, I plunged the knife downwards into it's spine and twisted it viciously until I could slide it out. The crocodile slowed to a halt and rolled over, but when I looked up a shadow plunged towards me at full speed. It's jaws were open and closed on the hoof my knife was in. Instead of closing all the way, it's jaw was impaled by the Ka-bar and the crocodile tried to pull away. It just ripped a long sturdy gash through it's upper jaw.

I pulled the knife out quickly, and swam my way to the closest shore I could find, but when I got there Bellona was gone. I could hear scremaing to my left, so I bolted over, only to be separated from the source by the crocodiles. Bellona was backed in the center, a few dark circles moving closer and closer to her. She did, however, have my backpack.

"Okay Bellona listen carefully: Take both halves of the rifle out of the bag!"

She followed quickly, she made every move count.

"Take the upper half and put the hole in the front lined up with the hole on the front of the lower!"

She looked at it, but figured out what I meant. She first tried just sliding the top on.

"No roll it on roll it on!"

She figured it out and put the top vertical to the lower, and clicked the holes together.

"Now push the pin on the lower through both holes!"

She pushed the pin until it clicked, good thing she wasn't gentle this time.

"Now rotate it downwards!"

She did as I instructed quickly, the Crocodiles were getting onto the shore now, she needed to act fast.

"Press the pin in and grab the magazine, then put it in vertically and pull the T shaped handle back while gripping both of it's sides!"

She did it right and racked the slide, I didn't think she needed to be told what to do next. I told her anyway though.

"Just pull the trigger they'll run!"

She shot a round straight downwards, the recoil throwing the rifle out of her hoofs and onto the grass. The alligators scurried away, startled by the noise. We needed to leave fast though, the blood in the water was sure to bring more. We kept moving through the water until we reached dry land, and then came the overwhelming feeling that we were being watched once more again.

I wasn't worried, however. We were almost out of the Everfree.

The fire crackled in a calming aroma. The feeling that we were being followed, however, was unstoppable.

That feeling persisted throughout the night, we had set up camp there to make sure that we were well rested for the mountain hike that would take us to the front door of Canterlot. The city was largely in ruins, but the palace was in tact and occupied as a military stronghold. The state of the city made it too dangerous for a VIP like Steel. The real perk of holding that location, however, was the ability to regulate trade and the amount of still functional artillery. If it came to it they could just launch a barrage anywhere within a 20 mile radius.

That was the least of my worries, I was constantly looking outside of the tent, my M16 assembled and ready to fire. My lack of ammunition, however, did make it pretty useless. There was probably two shots left. This was probably more of my fault, partially because I had gotten myself in a few too many shootouts and that I hadn't been collecting the shell casings.

Making ammunition was relatively easy, so long as you had them. To be fair, however, there hasn't been much of a way to get the phosphorous that I'd need in the first place and much more the lead to make the actual bullet itself. in all honesty I could make something that worked like a shotgun out of it, but it'd ruin the barrel. I'd just keep it how it was for now.

I looked up to see two sparkling red lights in the distance. They were a small twinkle, almost peaceful. I knew better, this was a Timberwolf. More of them started coming from my right, there was three of them. I drew my Ka-Bar and tapped Bellona until she was awake.

"Pack your things, we're leaving."

"What do you mean?"

"Wolves, they're all around here."

"I didn't bring anything, don't worry about it."

I don't know why, but that was the first time it occurred to me that I didn't have any food. That was first order of business when we get out of this forest.

"Alright, let's go."

I pulled her up and swung the rifle around my back, slowly pulling out of the forest. I left the fire going, it wasn't safe but I needed to be able to see those wolves eyes, I needed to know how close they were. The wolves backed off, scurrying deep into the Everfree. I ran my way out into the open field, to see the lights of the Canterlot palace glowing off the mountainside.

"She's there. Somewhere."

I pulled the card she wrote and walked forwards. There was no going back.

Author's Notes:

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT STOUT!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvemPyOJZEY