"Well, that fills up this bucket," said the purple-scaled dragon, "Done yet, Crusaders?"

The founding (and only) members Cutie Mark Crusaders lined up. They comprised of Apple Bloom, a yellow Earth pony, Sweetie Belle, a white unicorn, and Scootaloo, an orange Pegasus. Each one of them had a bucket full of multi-colored berries harnessed to their sides.

"We're ready, Spike," Apple Bloom jovially replied.

"Yep," Scootaloo added energetically, "ready to take that bake sale by storm."

"Thanks ever so much for helping us, Spike," Sweetie Belle said, smiling sweetly.

"Ahh, it's all right," Spike said with a wave of his hand, "I didn't have anything else to do seeing as how Twilight gave me the day off."

'Besides,' he added silently, 'someone has to keep you three out of trouble.'

"By the way," he asked, "what are you guys gonna bake with these Everfree Berries?"

All of them answered cookies, muffins, and cake at the same time, eliciting confused looks from everypony there, including Spike.

"Well," Apple Bloom replied, undeterred, "whatever we make with them, it's gonna be delicious."

"Yeah, we're gonna rock that bake sale!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"It's gonna be so much fun!" Sweetie Belle squeaked excitedly.

Spike gave a small smile as he bent to lift his bucket when he heard a branch snap. Apparently, the Crusaders had heard it too for they grew suddenly silent. Knowing the many dangers of the Everfree Forest, Spike warily glanced about, readying himself for action.

"Ewww!" Scootaloo replied, covering her nose, "what is that stench?"

The second he heard it, Spike caught a whiff of it. It was a foul smell, the smell that followed death and decay. He knew that smell he knew all too well. He turned with a start, seeing five pairs of red eyes staring at them. "Run! Timberwolves!"

As the companions ran, five timberwolves exploded from the brush, howling as they bounded on their quarry. They moved in unison, their wooden limbs clacking as they loped across the terrain.

The Crusaders and Spike ran for all they were worth with Spike pacing himself behind the Crusaders. He turned to glance behind him, seeing the timberwolves gaining on them. A small flutter of panic bloomed in him, increasing his speed. He turned back and saw the Crusaders had stopped. A split-second later he saw why.

In front of them, a rock ridge rose from the ground cutting off their retreat. Spike skidded to a halt, taking inventory of the landscape around him. He hoped he could find another escape route, an improvised weapon, anything he could use. Seeing nothing, he turned to face the incoming wolves.

The timberwolves fanned out in front of the ridge, leaving no gaps for escaping through. They stalked closer, obviously in no hurry now that the pursuit had ended. In moments, they would be close enough for Spike and the Crusaders to feel the putrid smelling breath on their scales and coats.

Spike flexed his claws in anticipation. He knew, in the end, it was going to be futile, but he wasn't going down without a fight. Not with his friends lives on the line. "Stay behind me," he said, eyeing all the wolves in turn, "and if you see a chance, run for it." He inhaled deeply, preparing to unleash his fire breath.

The four let out gasps of shock as some strange type of weapon flew through the air and sliced right through a timberwolf neck, separating its head from the body causing it to fall into pieces. The four stared at the dead timberwolf before slowly turning ton stare at the strange weapon that was stabbed into the ground in front of them. It was just like a kama that Applebloom saw on her farm that her brother and sister use. The difference was the handle instead of the regular wood was a dark black metal of some kind that was fifty centimeters long.  The blade was longer than the regular kama thirty centimeters. It was fifty centimeters as well. Attached at the bottom of the handle was a chain.

The four watched as it was pulled back where they and the timberwolves watch it floated back in front of a unicorn. The pony had a strange appearance. The pony fur was a dark gray with no highlights of any other color. His tail and mane were a snow white. The pony also wore a dark black trench coat that covered his entire body except for his neck and head. The sleeves of the coat were cut off showing his fore and back hooves. His horn was gray like his fur but was glowing a dark purple. The strangest thing on the pony was the breathing mask it wore over its mouth with two cylinders on the sides of it. Spike stared at his eyes and was slightly unnerved at them. The pony eyes was a luminous, sulfuric yellow. They were hard, sharp, and cold. Around the pony front right hoof was a chain wrapped around. looking the four saw the chain was extended to his strange weapon.

The pony stood there waiting then charged the timberwolves.

Spike and the Crusaders stared, dumbfounded at what was unfolding in front of them. Nopony except for maybe Rainbow Dash would charge a timberwolf, and even she wouldn't charge a pack of them.

But this pony was.

The timberwolves faltered for a second, their eyes shifting slightly. With a start, three of the wolves broke rank and ran. 'I'm seeing it,' Spike thought, feeling his jaw drop, 'but I still don't believe it.'

The two timberwolves left, however, weren't impressed. Their eyes flashed a brighter hue of red and bound headlong towards the charging pony. As the timberwolves closed, the pony threw his weapon again only for one of the timberwolf to dodge to the side as the weapon soared behind it. The two timberwolves neared their prey with their mouths opened only for the pony to throw his right hoof up and a small chain ball smacked into one of the timberwolves heads completely destroying it causing wood and twigs to spray everywhere. The other timberwolf was shocked momentarily then quickly regained it senses and intended to make the prey pay for it hurting its friend! The timberwolf stopped as it saw the pony with its strange weapon again. The timberwolf was cautious of that weapon but became confused as the prey put it back on its back. The timberwolf stared even as it vision was becoming out of alignment as its head fell off its body.

“That... was... so... AWESOME!”

Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Spike all jumped as Scootaloo finally spoke for the first time since the attack. Her eyes were sparkling out of excitement and admiration over what she had just witnessed. The strange pony turned his glance at them making the three nervous eve though he saved them.

“DID YOU GIRLS SEE THAT?! First it was like *ROAR*, and then it was like *POW*, and then it was like *GASP*, and then it was like 'Leave', and then it was- OH MY FAUST, HE WAS SO COOL!”

Despite having just been in a near-death situation, Scootaloo was jumping up and down, beating her small wings like a hummingbird as she let her inner fan girl out.

“Since when did you turn into Pinkie Pie?” Apple Bloom asked the pegasus, struggling somewhere on the line between smacking her friend over the head and bursting out laughing.

Spike continued to stare at the unicorn that saved them while he stared at them. Spike felt sweat drip down the side of his face as he continued staring at this pony. Looking at those eyes just made him feel cold. Granted he was cold blooded, but the weather was over eighty degrees. He shouldn't feel cold. Plus why did the pony still have a cold look in his eyes? The danger was over so why...Spike stopped his train of thought as he saw the pony walked towards them causing Spike to tense up.

"HE WAS SOO COOL!" Scootaloo shouted causing her friends to roll their eyes.

"Yeah. We heard you for the fifth time."

The three then noticed Spike silence and turned only to become silent themselves as the pony stood in front of them staring down at them. "Are you three alright?" A deep voice that was muffled came from the pony.

"Sure are! That was awesome what you did!" Scootaloo shouted with a smile while her friends just stared at the pony with uneasy smiles.

"Good. Now can you four point me towards the nearest town?" The pony asked ignoring Scootaloo shouting.

"Um...actually we are heading that way and we can show you if you like." Spike offered with an scared smile. Seriously, why didn't this pony not lose the cold look in his eyes.

"Lead the way."

The group began to make their way back to Ponyville while the figure just remained silent even when the three fillies were asking him questions causing Spike to frown. 'He could at least answer them.'

"So where did you get that weapon mister?"

Silence.

"Why you wear that coat."

The pony finally glanced over at them causing the four to stop. "You can stop with the questions. It won't matter. Once we enter the town we go our separate ways. So stop talking to me and asking questions." The pony spoke with an icy tone in his voice and he leaned his head closer down to them causing them to back away slightly. "Understood?"

The four just stared at him with looks of fright but he nodded his head accepting it as a yes. "Now please show me the way."

The four immediately started walking faster intending to get away from this pony who walked behind them with his cold eyes on them the whole way. Soon they reached the town. "Well here is the town mister." Applebloom spoke while nervously chuckling at the pony.

The pony didn't say anything as he continued to walk forwards. Scootaloo growled in anger. "HEY! A thank you would be nice!" Her friends quickly grabbed her mouth while the strange pony turned towards them. The four felt more sweat dripping down their heads as the pony stared at them.

"Thank you." With that said the pony turned and walked off leaving the four there shaking in fear.

"I....think I need to tell Twilight about that pony." Spike spoke shakily as they watched the mask pony trot away..