It was a peaceful day in the Everfree. Ponies walked around chatting, buying goods, and enjoying the harmony of life. Like many good citizens of Equestria they took no particular interest in the day, expecting it to continue on like usual. Twilight happily chatted with Rarity over the latest fashions, Applejack tried to sell Rainbow Dash a few apples while Pinkie Pie threw a party, and Fluttershy fought an Ursa Major.

The gigantic head of the bear-monster known as the Ursa Major could be seen for miles around. Fortunately for the peace of mind of Ponyville inhabitants, the Ursa Major was deep within the Everfree. But not for long.

“Do not let it get any closer to Ponyville,” Fluttershy ordered. “Begin the operation starting from our location.”

Longfoot nodded and dashed off through the forest. Fluttershy remained on her perch in the treetops, watching the semi-transparent form of the constellation bear get closer.

The Ursa Major was not a creature trifled with, even by other denizens of the Everfree. Cockatrices, timberwolves, manticores, and even the dragon knew better than to annoy such a powerful being.

Indeed, no truly sane creature would annoy an Ursa Major on purpose. But some things were annoying with or without intent. For instance, a forest fire that irritated the lungs of the Ursa Minor the Ursa Major was trying to nurse and made it upset. Or maybe it was the additional fact that such an action burned down significant parts of the Ursa Major’s home. Whatever the reason, the Ursa Major had left her home and was headed towards Ponyville.

And she was upset.

Fluttershy winced as the Ursa swatted aside two trees in a terrific crash of splintering wood. The Ursa was clearly upset, and it looked like she wouldn’t stop until she’d smashed something quite substantial. Like Ponyville, for instance. And while Fluttershy was sure her friends would do their best to stop that from happening, she had little faith in them.

No pony could stop an Ursa Major. Even Celestia and Luna combined probably couldn’t stop such a force of nature. The Ursa could smash a battalion flat with one paw; break through any wall with one strike. It, she was unstoppable, the vengeance of the Everfree.

Protector of the forests.

Behemoth.

Giant.

Monster.

Titan.

No lone pony would dare oppose it. Fortunately, Fluttershy wasn’t alone.

“Engage!” Fluttershy leapt into the sky, and a thousand wingbeats echoed her own.

The Ursa Major stopped in surprise as out of the forest birds emerged. They’d been roosting in trees, hiding behind tree trunks, and they soared up around a small pegasus. And what was more, the birds carrying things.

No, not just things: animals. Squirrels, mice, other rodents and occasionally a fox or badger held up by two of the larger birds. And those animals carried things as well. Knives and cleavers some, but lengths of rope or chain that more birds held up as well. It was a bizarre spectacle and made the Ursa pause and stare for a second.

Still, an army of flies is just more of a nuisance. The Ursa Major slashed left with one gigantic paw. But while a pony might have had to run hard to avoid the crushing death of the Ursa Major, in the air the army was much faster.

Fluttershy dodged left in midair, but even then she felt the air pressure like a physical thing, trying to dash her against the ground. She fought against it and remained upright, but nearly half of the birds in the sky screamed or were blown away by the wind alone, and their already jagged formations threatened to break.

“Dodge!” She roared at them. “You’re moving in three dimensions, not two! Stop making yourselves a target and split up!”

The animals obeyed slowly and awkwardly. Fluttershy inwardly cursed to see their slow reactions as they spread out away from the Ursa, but it was all she could expect. They weren’t her elite warriors anymore. The animals that had fought Chrysalis had been tested in a hundred engagements and knew how to follow commands. These were all new recruits, and they weren’t used to fighting.

Nevertheless, they had their orders and Fluttershy had told them exactly what to do. As the Ursa struck again, a slow swipe that demolished several trees without hitting any animals, the flying army struck as well.

Squirrels flew through the air, carried by owls, ravens, falcons, hundreds of them. Each one carried chains or rope which they looped through the trees with. The Ursa Major’s paw was suddenly engulfed by a thousand constricting cords which the animals looped around tree trunks, anchoring the gigantic creature’s arm.

The gigantic bear roared in disbelief and tried to free it’s captured limb. The trees shook and groaned as it fought, but for the moment the bindings held.

This was the moment. Fluttershy dove in as the Ursa’s other paw flailed wildly and landed on the bear’s thick coat. She had a long knife in her mouth and used it to cut downwards. But rather than hitting flesh, Fluttershy’s blade only hit hair, slicing great chunks of it out of the Ursa’s coat.

“Aim for the back of the neck!” Fluttershy shouted! “All warriors! Get out of the way of those claws!”

So saying she dove out of the way as the Ursa Major slashed with its free paw. The animals in the air scattered as well and they flew at the Ursa, trying to get around it.

The gigantic constellation bear snapped and growled, forcing most of the animals to retreat. But for every ten pairs of flying birds and animals it forced back, one or two got through so that countless animals were suddenly on the Ursa’s back, stabbing and digging their way down through the fur until they hit skin.

Fluttershy circled and dodged, trying to get closer but the Ursa Major was more wary of her than the other animals. It snapped at her with its gigantic teeth and Fluttershy had to pull away. But while the Ursa was busy with her, it couldn’t stop the animals.

There was a sudden bellow of agony that Fluttershy felt through her bones, and she saw one squirrel rip free a bloody carving knife that glowed with purple blood.

The Ursa’s reaction was immediate. It tried to strike the animals on its back, but since it had only one paw free, it could only reach a portion of its back, and the animals either took flight or relocated to begin their grisly digging and cutting again.

Still, these were insect bites on a creature so large that even dragons were tiny compared to it. The Ursa Minor was the size of the average dragon; to truly injure the Ursa Major’s gigantic frame, Fluttershy would need a knife the size of Sugarcube Corner.

But injuring wasn’t the same as hurting. Fluttershy waited, hovering patiently out of the Ursa’s reach until it was preoccupied with clawing at its back. Then she plummeted through the air like a stone and landed on the Ursa’s forehead.

The gigantic bear monster’s head jerked up. It couldn’t see Fluttershy but it knew she was on its head. One paw came up, but Fluttershy was already in position.

She leapt off of the bear’s forehead and dove lower until two enourmous orbs came into view. The small crimson pupils widened as they focused on Fluttershy. The eyelids began to close, but again, too late.

Fluttershy planted her knife hilt-deep into the Ursa Major’s right eye, and this time the bellow was a howl of pure agony.

The Ursa Major roared, and its voice shook the entire Everfree. It ripped its bound arm free at last, and the forest was filled with the crash of trees as many of the gigantic oaks were ripped free of the earth.

Fluttershy yanked the knife free and flew clear just before a gigantic paw smashed into the Ursa’s face. The shockwave sent her spinning to the ground but Fluttershy landed with all four hooves and galloped away.

The animals retreated as well, and the Ursa Major’s roaring fury suddenly had no target. When the Ursa did focus long enough to realize its antagonists were gone though, it let out another howl and began to advance.

And stopped when it saw the army.

There they were. The same group, only a little more exhausted, and at their head flew a pegasus holding knife in her mouth that dripped with a clear white substance. The Ursa’s one good eye flashed hatred at Fluttershy, but it didn’t advance.

Because it was thinking.

A hundred hovering animals. A thousand points of silver death. A single pegasus. It was a simple arithmetic, but it took the Ursa several minutes to draw out its unwilling conclusion.

Fluttershy stared at the Ursa as the gigantic beast glared at her, but she knew what would happen next. Unwillingly, unhappily, but inevitably, the Ursa Major turned and began lumbering back into the forest. Only when it was out of sight and the crashing sound of trees toppling had faded did Fluttesrhy let out a long breath.

It was a simple equation when you got down to it. An Ursa Major would probably fight to its last breath if it had any choice, but not if it meant abandoning its child. Well, even if it were just the army of animals the Ursa probably would have kept trying to swat them down or crush them. But not a pegasus that attacked it’s eyes. A mother had to see, after all.

Fluttershy landed softly on the ground and Longfoot raced up to her.

“Good work,” Fluttershy told him. “Have everyone pull back for now. I want our reserve squads to follow the Ursa to make sure she returns home, but everyone else can return to Ponyville.”

The rabbit nodded warily. Fluttershy realized the other animals were looking at her. Why?

Oh. Of course. Smile. Fluttershy plastered a smile onto her face. She had to look happy.

And she was! It was a flawless victory without a single casualty. But it wasn’t enough.

“You all did well,” Fluttershy told the other animals. “I’m proud of you.”

Longfoot nodded. The rabbit was breathing heavily and Fluttershy noticed his fur was covered with sweat. Similarly, the other animals were acting like they’d just run a marathon. The birds were especially tired, many not even having the energy to fly off just yet.

Fluttershy frowned. Another bad sign. The animals were exhausted from that little skirmish. On the other hand, she Fluttershy hadn’t even raised her heartbeat.

They were just so green! So unused to combat, let alone discipline.

“We need to drill everyone on formations and orders,” Fluttershy told Longfoot as she and a smaller group of animals set forth for home. “I know you’re not used to fighting, but I need at least a small group of warriors who can deal with situations like this.”

Longfoot nodded hesitantly, glancing up at Fluttershy as he hopped alongside.

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how it’s done.” Fluttershy forced a smile for Longfoot. “But fighting might be necessary quite often. We can’t have Ponyville unprotected, especially if more threats like the Ursa appear. I dread to think what would have happened if it had reached Ponyville—”

Fluttershy’s last words were cut off by a sudden roar. She and all the animals froze for a moment as the terrible cry echoed through the forest.

Fluttershy’s first thought was of the Ursa Major, but this sound was far less loud than the earth-shaking noises the bear could make. And besides, she knew this sound.

Manticore.

The undergrowth parted as a gigantic shape emerge from behind a cluster of trees. From out of the forest appeared a creature that was half lion, half scorpion, with the wings of a bat. A hunter of the Everfree. A manticore.

The animals around Fluttershy drew together, and then slowly retreated as the manticore advanced towards them, growling. Only Fluttershy remained still. Retreating from a wild animal was a bad idea if it thought you were prey. And bsides which, Fluttershy was thinking hard.

Fluttershy had tamed a manticore once. Right? It was so long ago Fluttershy couldn’t remember. But yes she dimly recalled something of the kind, and was this the same one? Perhaps. But this manticore was at the moment not inclined to remember past friendships. Pain had erased whatever memory it once had of kindness; for the manticore that stood before Fluttershy was no whole creature.

It was missing part of its face.

Fluttershy immediately recognized the melted skin, the hair that had been burnt off of the manticore’s body. The marks of a spell, of sheer blasting power that had ripped away part of the manticore’s body and cauterized the wound.

Chrysalis’s magic.

It explained a lot, really. During the war against Chrysalis, the Everfree Forest had emptied itself of most of its usual denizens. The more peaceful animals (of which there were few) had left, but Fluttershy had wondered where the stronger monsters had gone.

Here then, was part of the answer. Chrysalis had dealt with the manticore, probably like the other creatures of the Everfree. Her magical power – along with an army of changeling soldiers – could overwhelm or destroy most creatures in the Everfree aside from the Ursa Major, and perhaps a few other beings.

The manticore roared at Fluttershy and advanced slowly. It had only one eye, the other being a socket of flesh, so the manticore had to keep moving its head to stare at Fluttershy. Did it recognize her? Perhaps, because the lion-scorpion hybrid hesitated, but the manticore was enraged, and in too much pain to remember.

“Back up,” Fluttershy muttered softly. The animals around her slowly shuffled backwards, but stopped when the manticore growled again.

It wasn’t about to let them go. The manticore’s yellow eyes had fixed upon the animals, and Fluttershy could see it was eying them up for a meal. She would have given anything for Matilda or one of the larger animals to be here right now, but they were too big to be carried by birds, and so had been left guarding the cottage.

“Look,” Fluttershy said to the manticore. “We’re not your enemies.” She tried to make it understand, but the creature didn’t seem to be listening to her. It narrowed its eyes at her as if trying to remember something, but then it’s features twisted in pain and it stepped forwards, angrier than ever.

“I don’t want to do anything—” Fluttershy got no farther. The manticore was growling and still one moment, leaping the next. One massive paw lashed out at Fluttershy. She dodged backwards but the manticore still struck her a glancing blow that sent her flying into a tree.

Fluttershy felt the wind explode out of her as she connected with the rough bark. That was enough to paralyze her for a second. As she struggled to regain movement the manticore charged at her, fangs wide and poised to devour her entirely.

The gigantic mouth opened and Fluttershy saw a gaping red darkness. But then something struck the manticore from the side.

A beaver lodge a knife in the manticore’s hindquarters, causing the beast to turn in a bellow of fury. The beave that had struck the manticore had hung onto the knife, and rather than let go had tried to prize the blade free. The manticore engulfed the animal in one bite.

But it hadn’t bit yet. Fluttershy didn’t know how she’d gotten up, but now she sped into the air. She slammed onto the manticore from above and tried desperately to prize open its jaws. But they were like steel, and the manticore sensed her presence and threw itself around to knock Fluttershy off.

And now the manticore was chewing, chewing slowly. Fluttershy’s ears picked up screaming, high-pitched and desperate from inside the manticore’s mouth.

“Stop,” Fluttershy told it. She pulled at the manticore’s jaws, and the animals came at the manticore from all sides, but it slashed and struck with its paws to keep them at bay. And then the manticore bit down with all its strength.

Crunch.

Fluttershy felt the beaver’s bones break through the manticore’s body.

One hoof. Fluttershy brought her hoof down on the back of the manticore’s head. Thump.

The manticore didn’t even flinch, but it did roar angrily and shake itself. Fluttershy grimly clung to the manticore’s mane and struck it again. Another hoof.

Thump.

Was she even doing any damage? Maybe not, but the manticore got even angrier. It tried to strike her with its stinger-tail, but Fluttershy sensed the motion and leapt onto a new part of the manticore’s back.

A flock of sparrows descended on the manticore’s face, pecking and gouging. The manticore responded by snapping at them, but the birds were quick and moved out of the way.

Fluttershy’s instincts were to retreat, get to high ground and stop fighting so close to the manticore. Another thrust of its tail confirmed her beliefs; it was too dangerous in close quarters, and the beast was far quicker than the Ursa had been.

She hesitated. But then the manticore growled at Fluttershy, and she caught a glimpse of the bloodstained mouth and shreds of beaver’s flesh caught between its teeth.

The manticore shook its head and threw Fluttershy off. She smacked into the ground and rolled upwards. Longfoot and a group of rabbits charged the manticore from one side, but the creature just flapped one wing to keep them at bay.

Fluttershy leapt into the air. “Knife!” She shouted over the din.

Longfoot flipped a knife into the air. One of Fluttershy’s wings caught the blade and then she was diving like an arrow.

Fluttershy landed on the manticore’s back knife-first. This time, she felt the blade sink deep into the monster’s skin. It roared in pain and tried to throw her off again, but this time Fluttershy hung on.

Stab. It was thought and action. Fluttershy jabbed the blade into the Manticore’s back and twisted. It howled in agony and threw itself against a tree.

Fluttershy flew off the manticore’s back before it crashed against the bark. The manticore was stunned from the impact and took a second to recover. Before it could move though, Fluttershy was on it again, and her knife cut again.

Stab. Stab. Red blood spurted from the wounds and the manticore roared, but this time with more pain than anger. It shook itself like a dog and Fluttershy allowed herself to be thrown this time.

The pegasus landed on the ground ten meters away from the manticore, untouched. The lion-scorpion hybrid was less fortunate. Three deep wounds on its back marked it, and a flurry of others cuts around its paws made it wince as it moved to face Fluttershy.

The pegasus raised one hoof. Behind her the other animals raced forwards, all armed as well. The manticore looked at the group and hesitated.

But something was broken in it, or else the creature truly was blinded by rage. The beast roared and advanced.

Around Fluttershy the other animals stepped back a few paces in fear. They weren’t used to battle, weren’t experienced in combat. The sight of the manticore unnerved them despite their numbers.

But Fluttershy didn’t move. Instead as the manticore approached she tossed the knife she carried on the ground.

The manticore stopped. It looked at the knife and then at Fluttershy. The grey metal of the blade was still covered with the manticore’s blood, a dark red far deeper than pony blood.

But still the manticore came onwards. The animals behind Fluttershy were in full retreat, but Fluttershy still didn’t move back. Instead, she walked forwards.

Close. Closer. The manticore hesitated as Fluttershy approached, and it stopped its advance. The pegasus and manticore were only a few feet away now, but neither creature backed down. Fluttershy’s eyes were cold orbs of fury as she glared at the manticore, and it hesitated as it looked down at her.

“Back off,” Fluttershy snarled at the manticore. It stared at her, eyes crazed with pain and confusion. Fluttershy returned its gaze and ramped up the intensity of her glare. For five seconds the pegasus and manticore stared at each other.

Then the manticore shrank back and retreated into the forest, head so low that its mane brushed against the ground.

The forest was silent again, and Fluttershy felt her heartbeat returning to normal. Only this time, she wasn’t smiling.

----

Fluttershy stood over the remains of what had been the beaver, breathing heavily. Her mane was tangled; her body covered with sweat. Every muscle in Fluttershy’s body screamed. She had pushed too hard.

It had been less than a week since the fatal battle for the Everfree. Fluttershy should have been resting. She should have been dosed up to her ears in Zecora’s medicine and asleep.

But she was still upright, still fighting a battle against the creatures of the Everfree. Ironically only after Chrysalis’s demise did they dare to vent their fury.

A pegasus stood in the forest, but not the same one of a few months ago. This pegasus was scarred from battle, stronger, tougher. It was in her eyes. Before, Fluttershy had been capable of a Stare that could frighten. She had been able to conjure up a sense of foreboding in the hearts of those she looked at.

This Fluttershy had a look in her eyes that only gods and killers have. The eyes of one who has watched the last life bleed away. The gaze of a being that has stared at death. This Fluttershy was different. She was something reborn by fire and blood.

A warrior.

Her mane was tangled, her fur ripped in places; barely regrown in others. Beneath her hair faint lines could be seen, bright scar tissue that flexed and rippled in the light. Until her fur fully regrew Fluttershy knew she’d have to take care how she stood in the light as well. For when she moved, her body revealed muscle that had not been there earlier.

And yet, her body felt as though it would fall to pieces.

Fluttershy felt at her sides. No blood. Then, almost unconsciously her hooves went to her face, her eyes, her mane, feeling at parts of her body. Intact. She was intact.

But she didn’t feel well. Fluttershy’s body felt as though there were pieces missing. Her hooves and wings felt too small; she felt weaker, ungainly. Without the rage of battle in her veins Fluttershy just wanted to lie down. Even now she felt pain – not the real vibrant pain of an injury, but phantom pain. Echoes of agony.

In Fluttershy’s mind the fire raged, and her flesh burned. Pain resonated through her frame.

Echoes.

She should have died that day.

After she had dug a hole for Chrysalis’s body and covered the queen’s corpse with dirt, Fluttershy had staggered away, dying, nearly dead. Only Zecora’s potions had saved her; helped her regrow lost flesh. Her friends had found her wounded and in terrible shape, but that was only a mark of how badly Fluttershy had been wounded before that.

She had been half-blind, on the brink of death – even had Fluttershy landed in the center of the Ponyville hospital, she would have died within the hour. But Zecora’ potion had worked miracles beyond miracles – even now Fluttershy remembered seeing her hoof reform itself as blood, bone and tissue had reappeared in heartbeats. All of her missing or damaged parts of her body had been healed with that one potion.

Even now, Fluttershy didn’t know what magic had gone into those last potions Zecora had given her. But to the animals she gave it to, the few that survived the battle for the Everfree, the potions had regrown hair, bone, and even lost limbs. Fluttershy had never heard of such powerful magic, not even from alicorns. And that Zecora had given it to Fluttershy was curious.

So despite Fluttershy’s aching body, she forced herself to keep moving. “Fan out,” she ordered.

Slowly, warily, the animals moved into formation. Many of them glanced back at the stain of blood on the forest floor. But they followed Fluttershy, clutching their weapons with trembling paws.

----

“Thank you for seeing me Zecora.” Fluttershy calmly sipped the bitter tea from the wooden mug and tried not to burn her tongue off. “I’m sorry I haven’t come to see you more often over the past few weeks.”

“Your presence is always welcome Flutershy my friend.” Zecora graciously nodded at Fluttershy and offered her a plate of oat cakes. “But inattentiveness is nothing you need to amend.”

“Um. Well yes, thank you.” It seemed impossible, but Fluttershy had completely forgotten that Zecora’s main method of talking was in rhyme. Normally that wasn’t much of a problem, but after fighting not just an Ursa Major but a manticore Fluttershy was a bit short of patience.

Nevertheless, she suppressed her desire to scowl or snap and said innocently, “I just had a few questions I couldn’t resolve. I wonder if I could ask you – did I request a number of healing potions from you at any point? I found a bunch of them in my cupboards, but I couldn’t remember where they came from.”

“Why, you requested the potions of me as I recall,” Zecora said. “Just as the leaves turned red from autumnal fall. ‘Give me potions to heal the greatest wounds’ you said; has the memory of that conversation left your head?”

Fluttershy blinked. It had.

“I uh, a lot’s happened since then.” Fluttershy shifted slightly in her seat. Zecora’ expression was still friendly, but it was impossible for Fluttershy to tell if this was just a façade. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there was a…incident with a changeling in the forest.”

“Mm.” Zecora sipped her scalding tea and gave Fluttershy another mysterious smile. “I had heard of that tragic tale; but from you I’d rather hear the details you regale.”

“It was nothing too special.” Fluttershy resisted the urge to smack the smile off of Zecora’s face. “I made a few mistakes in who I trusted. That’s all. But I need to thank you for those potions – they helped me and my friends. Without them I probably would have died.”

“It was my pleasure to help a friend, although I worry what my actions have done in the end. I take it you’ve succeeded in your task, or else you’d still be wearing that liar’s mask.”

Fluttershy blinked. Then she realized she’d let the scowl creep onto her face. That was a bad mistake. Quickly, she affixed a smile to her lips and made her tone lighter.

“I’m sorry. It’s just been a uh, stressful day so far. Please forgive me.”

“I didn’t inquire as to the suspicious events in recent past – rather, I hope for peace to last,” Zecora said mildly. “But if you seek to continue your constant lies…”

The zebra moved closer and Fluttershy tensed. But all Zecora did was touch Fluttershy gently on the forehead.

“…You’d better do something about those bloodstained eyes.”