The leaves and grass crunched and fell flat underneath Venture Vine’s hooves as she, Celestia and the rest of the Solar and Lunar Guards trekked their way through the trees of the Everfree Forest. The grass green mare’s reptilian golden eyes scanned throughout the entirety of the grove of wooden trees as she walked side by side with her Queen, the guards following behind them in preparation. The swan white Alicorn quietly walked next to Venture Vine, her own expression clam and composed, although even she was on the lookout for any creature that may ambush them in the forest. Luckily for them, Venture Vine was the most in tune with environment around them, so she was the best one to rely on when it came to wild beasts and wildernesses. Which was exactly what Venture Vine was currently doing, though even she had yet to be surprised by the next creature they encountered.

“Venture Vine, have you detected any magical presences of any wild beasts around here?” Celestia asked, finally breaking the silence from within the group. “It has been nearly an hour since we have left the cave of the Ursa Major and her young cub, and so far, my and my guards have not seen, heard, or felt anything.”

The grass green mare sniffed at the air, her highly sensitive nostrils pulling in the scent of the leaves below and around her. Once she was sure that there were no other animals around her, at least not that of carnivores, she turned back to the Queen and replied. “No, I haven’t. I’ve been feeling around with my own magical presence around this part of the forest the entire time, and I haven’t detected a single thing. It looks like that this part of the forest is clear…for the time being at least.”

“Yes, we shouldn’t let our guard down, like we had when we had come across the Ursas nearly an hour ago.” Celestia nodded, sighing softly through her nose. “That fight was admittedly one of the toughest that my troops had during the journey through this forest. At least when it came to the Ursa Major and her desire to protect her offspring. Forgive me for making this statement, but I think that it was better if we just faced one Ursa instead of two because if that were to happen…”

“Things really would’ve ended in a catastrophic conclusion.” Venture nodded back, swishing her tail about under her dragon skin cloak. “The reason for that is, even though Ursa Minors are generally weaker than their parents or adult Ursa Majors, they have less control over their magic than the older ones. Because of this, they’re far more unpredictable in a fight with another creature than the adults and the parents are.”

“Indeed they are, all the more reason why I’m thankful to the gods and goddesses above that we didn’t have to face both of them in that fight.” Celestia added, giving a shake of her head. “Even so, I’m still wondering why the cub never came out of the cave in the first place…”

“I probably had something to do with it.” Venture murmured, rubbing the back of her head from under her cloak. “Since I didn’t run away from him, or didn’t do anything threatening towards him, the Ursa Minor didn’t seem me as a threat to him. He certainly proved that when he took me in his forelegs after he started chasing me around as if he was a new playmate. Although, it may also have been because since its mother was fighting a danger that required her to use some of her magic, the Ursa Minor realized that it was best for it to stay inside until the heat died down.”

“Hmmm…that may be a plausible explanation.” Celestia murmured, pondering over Venture’s explanation in her head. “Whatever the case, I’m glad that we only had to fight one, and that the outcome of the battle ended in the way it did. I wouldn’t to think about how it was going to end if things happened differently.”

“Neither to do…and that’s why I’m all the gladder that it ended the way it did…and that the Ursa Major let us go instead of trying to kill us again.” Venture nodded, looking over at the swan white Alicorn. “I still can’t believe that the cub didn’t hold anything against me for blowing a hole in its mother’s stomach.”

“You mean the hole that we blew in her?” Celestia asked, raising a multi-colored brow at the grass green mare. “Remember, we had planned a combination attack and hit the Ursa Major at the same time. It wasn’t just you who gave her that injury that finally took her down.”

“I know, I’m sorry…I sort of forgot about that.” Venture said apologetically. “I’m just having a bit of a hard time fathoming how the Ursa Minor didn’t kill me, even though you and I had it’s mother in a pool of her own blood.”

“The mind of the animal is quite the mysterious one indeed.” Celestia said, looking up at the trees above them. “I have spent a good amount of my life trying to understand it but never could; only my sister was even remotely capable of doing it. Supposedly because of her Thestral heritage, especially as a goddess and Alicorn like me. Perhaps if I had inherited something like that as well, I would have a better understanding of these creatures like Luna.” Her ears flattened as she looked down at the ground. ‘And not just Luna either…but just like her as well.’

“It’s okay Queen Celestia, not everypony can understand or connect with beasts like Queen Luna and me, and the Thestrals can.” Venture Vine said, putting a comforting hoof on the much larger mare’s side. “Luckily for you, you have me to help you watch out for them and the things you need to know about them in order to keep yourself from becoming dinner. Not that any of the guards, or even the Thestrals would let that happen to you, but you get what I’m saying right?”

“Yes, I do.” Celestia said, smiling slightly. “And the same goes with you Venture Vine, for your son would burn the Cutie Marks off of me if I let you die or become dinner yourself.”

Venture Vine laughed; her sharp teen gleaming as she grinned toothily. “You’re damn right he would!”

At that moment, a loud rumbling sound made itself known throughout the grove of trees the group was traveling in, making them all stop in their tracks. The guards summoned their weapons and looked around, thinking that there was a bloodthirsty beast nearby waiting to ambush them where they stood. The sound came again, and as it did, they noticed that there was something off about the rumbling. It wasn’t like that of a wild animal’s growl before it jumped out of the shadows and made itself known, but one like that of somepony’s stomach growling. As it came a third time, all the guards turned to Venture Vine and Celestia, the former having a massive blush on her face while the latter looked amused.

“Well, I see somepony has an upset stomach, do they not?” Celestia asked, smiling down at an embarrassed Venture Vine. “I take it you didn’t have anything to eat since the start of this journey?”

“I haven’t had anything to eat since this morning!” Venture Vine replied, stomping her hoof as she glared up at the larger mare. “I’ve only had time for breakfast before I went to training some of the hatchlings in my Martial Arts Magic Training Class. By the time that was over, and I could go home I was so exhausted that I ended up sleeping in for the rest of the day and well into the night, until you came, woke me up, and told me about what happened.”

“Oh dear…I’m sorry for that. Had I known that you hadn’t had a decent meal since yesterday, I would’ve brought something before hoof.” Celestia said apologetically, her pristine white ears pinning back. “Would you like for us to stop for a short break while you go…on the prowl?”

“If you’re trying to say going out to hunt for meat, then yes.” Venture Vine said bluntly. “And yes, I would like for that, “short”, break as to where as I can go out hunting for a deer or moose or something big enough to fill a belly like mine. I am half dragon you know, and besides plants, I also do need a good portion of meat as well!”

“That you do Venture Vine, that you do.” Celestia nodded, smiling gently at the smaller mare as she set her spear down, motioning her guards to stop. “Do you want us to wait here while you go out and sate your lumbering hunger?”

“That would be a good idea thank you.” Venture Vine replied with a firm nod. “You waited for me while I was investigating the cave of the Ursa Major and her cub. So, think it’d be good if you did again, especially if I get ambushed or something like that. Plus, I think the guards do need a good break, especially from all of the battles that we had with the animals in this forest, including the Ursa.”

“Yes, I believe they do.” Celestia nodded as she glanced back at the guards, some of which lookin like they were going to collapse. “Well then, it’s settled. We’ll wait for you until you get back, and if there’s any danger here, I’ll be sure to send you a signal to let you know.”

“Thank you, your Majesty.” Venture replied, giving a bow. “And I’ve I’m in danger I’ll be sure to give out a nice big roar to let you know where I am so you can save my ass.”

“That you will Venture.” Celestia giggled. “Just make sure that you don’t make us go deaf when you do roar. I don’t wanna have more than half of my troops go deaf; including the Thestrals.”

Venture Vine giggled back and nodded, blowing a raspberry at the swan white Alicorn before the grass green Kirin turned tail and spread her draconic wings. With a powerful beat from them, she took into the grove of trees, being sure to look out of the corner of her eye at Celestia and the group so she could remember where they were. Once they were out of sight, Venture Vine turned tail and focused on what was in front of her, narrowly avoiding a tree branch that she had nearly ran into.

Five minutes into her flight, Venture Vine eventually descended down to the ground, sweeping up dirt and dust as she looked around the new part of the forest grove. Looking around, she immediately began sniffing and searching for any sign of herbivores or plant eaters that were nearby in the trees. Venture listed watched, and felt for anything, a whiff of a smell, the tracks of an Elk, Moose, Deer, Buffalo, or another or a change in the wind to give off an alluring scent. For the first few minutes she didn’t detect anything, and figured that there wasn’t anything around here, telling her to move further.

That’s when she heard twig sound of a twig snapping, making Venture Vine’s ears perk up and her head to whip around to the source. As she felt the wind blow in her she picked up the scent of an animal, one that instantly made her mouth water as she took more of it in.

‘Forest Buffalo.’ The grass green mare thought to herself, her pupils thinning into sharper slits as she trotted towards the scent of the plant eater. As she passed through the gigantic trees the scent of the Moose grew stronger and more intoxicating, nearly sending Venture Vine into a rush that was nearly sent her in a frenzy. She fought down her primal instincts and continued on the trail of the Moose, all the while making sure to keep deep prints in the ground to show where she had gone off.

It didn’t take her too long to find her intended target, slowly roaming around the trees and feeding on the foliage that it could reach. Unsurprisingly, due to the forest they were both in, it was much bigger than your average Buffalo, twice as big in fact, with a pair of branch-like horns that made a normal Buffalo’s look like they were still growing. Its deep green fur melted in quite nicely with the grass and bushes the trees, and it would’ve been impossible to see were it not for its shining horns and gleaming brown eyes.

‘Whoa, now that is one big Buffalo…bigger than any other that I’ve ever seen…even bigger than the African Cape Buffalos!’ Venture Vine thought to herself, taken aback a bit. ‘Still…it looks like a very decent sized meal. One that should hold me over at least until we get over the other side of the forest. Maybe when we get through the waters, I can go for a bigger meal…or even another Buffalo as big as that.’

As that thought coursed through her mind, her stomach gave another rumble; not enough to alert the Moose of her presence, but it did remind her what she was here for. Snapping back to her senses Venture Vine went took off her cloak and went into a crouching position, silently slinking towards the Buffalo. She made sure to keep low to the ground, her grass green fur helping her blend in with the tall grass as she stalked. Although her fur helped, Venture Vine’s red mane was a big blind spot which meant that she had to go nice and slow in her creeping up on the Forest Buffalo. There was no wind in sight either, meaning that her scent couldn’t be blown in the direction of the Forest to give it a head start.

As Venture Vine was getting within range of the Forest Buffalo, she suddenly felt a slight tremor beneath her feet, causin her to pause and the moose to look up from its feeding. Its ears swiveled about as it watched and listened out for anything amiss or any creature, causing Venture to freeze in place, as if the giant beast had spotted her in her crouch. For almost a minute, the Forest Buffalo stayed where it was, taking extra precaution to ensure that there were no carnivores around it, even giving a few sniffs of the airs. Eventually, the bovine relaxed and dipped its head down and resumed its grazing.

Giving a sigh of relief, Venture Vine resumed her stalking of the Forest Buffalo, being sure to slink from just behind the beast so it wouldn’t have that much of a head start. The scent of the moose filled her nostrils, and as she got closer, she could see that the Forest Buffalo was even larger up close, and looked to be quite well built. It was also clear by the scars she could see adorning its body, that he was an experienced fighter, and he would not go down easy.

‘As if hunting is easy for any predator, even us; regardless of what animal it is.’ Venture Vine thought dryly to herself as she crouched all the way to the ground. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic into her mane, and it gave a very faint flow as it shorted to the length of her lower neck as to not get in the way when she attacked. With that taken care of, Venture Vine just that little bit closer, until she was sure that she was within range of attack, which was about five meters. She waited until the Forest Buffalo was completely turned around with its rump facing her, and once it looked like it wasn’t going to turn or look back, she hunched her body in preparation. Letting out a low growl, she summoned her tail blade from within her, and with a deafening explosive roar, she attacked.

The Forest Buffalo, its head flying form the ground at the sound of the roar, whirled around to see Venture Vine diving down at him, claws and teeth bared. Just as she was about to pounce, the bovine reared its hindlegs up, slamming his cloven hooves into Venture’s chest and slamming her into a tree.

Venture slid down the tree, her head reeling from the impact of the kick as she held her stomach with a claw, having not expected the attack. Thankfully enough, her draconic skin was able to keep the sharp points of the Forest Buffalo cloven hooves from stabbing her, but it certainly didn’t take away from the pain of it. As she looked up, she saw the Forest Buffalo charging towards her, snorting hard through its nostrils. Venture quickly darted off to the side just as the bull slammed the base of its horn into the giant tree she was leaning against, the sound echoing about the grove.

With its back turned, Venture Vine charge and leapt onto the bovine’s back, sinking her claws deep into its thick hide, while her teeth went into his back. The bovine bellowed loudly as it attempted to buck the Kirin off, pain shooting through its body as Venture’s teeth and claws dug and slashed into its furred skin. It purposely collided into the trees, making the smaller ones shakes in impact in an extra attempt to get Venture off of it, and it was slowly working. The hard impacts in the trees were starting to make her lose focus, and Venture knew at this rate, she had to either let go or risk getting her skull cracked.

Thinking quickly, and waiting for the right minute, Venture Vine leaped off the Forest Buffalo’s back, only to latch onto it again, this time on its side. With a snarl she lunged again and bit the Forest Buffalo in the back of its neck, sickening crunch echoing in her ears as she used her hindlegs to propel herself with the Forest Buffalo. Blood ran freely down the bovine’s back and sides as it twisted its buff body left and right, snorting as its tail whipped wildly about. However, Venture’s claws and teeth had an iron grip, and it didn’t seem like she was going to be letting go while the struggle continued.

At some point, Venture Vine felt the Forest Buffalo starting to slow down, and she once again let go just as the Forest Buffalo stomped the grassy ground. As she latched on, her fangs immediately went for the bovine’s neck, and she latched down hard, biting with all the strength her draconic jaws could muster. The Forest Buffalo’s airway was abruptly cut off, and it found itself even harder than ever to either drive Venture Vine into the ground, or get away from her so it could flee into the forest. Every few seconds, its hooves wound hit her chest or stomach, and even her tail on occasion dazing her for a moment or two, but Venture refused to give up or let go. Her scarlet claws latched tightly to the buffalo’s shoulders digging so deep that it reached the bone, ensuring that she didn’t lose her grip.

Eventually, after several or so minutes of bucking, stomping and writhing, the Forest Buffalo very slowly, but surely began to slowly down. It still but up a brutal fight for a good few minutes longer, be it stomping on venture, kicking wildly, or colliding into trees, it soon began to wear down, with Venture Vine still gripping him all the while. Finally, it fell to its knees, slowly losing its balance as its life was drained out of the Kirin mare below him, before falling to its side. It kicked weakly for a few moments, and with a swift twist of her head, Venture Vine snapped its neck, abruptly ending the Forest Buffalo’s suffering for good.

With her prey finally dead, Venture Vine tore her fangs out of its throat, blood flying and spraying from the neck wound as it pooled on the ground beneath her feet. She panted for a minute or two, even though she wasn’t really tired, thanks to her draconic stamina. Licking the blood from her lips, she motioned over to the Forest Buffalo’s belly and ripped into it, her bloodied fangs easily slicing into the thick skin. As she began to consume its insides, Venture kept her ears perked and listened for anything that maybe nearby her and her kill. She even listened out for that little tremor in the ground, a part of her believing that it was caused by a beast nearby.

‘It was probably just a little earthquake in the ground.’ Venture thought to herself as she wolfed down another chunk of fresh and bloodied meat. Moaning in relief from the taste, she went down for more, taking in an even larger chunk. ‘This a forest of unpredictability after all…from the animals to the weather, to the very forest itself. This happens in all the other wildernesses that we don’t control, so this isn’t any different. Only it’s much more dangerous and riskier for ponies that aren’t either Kirins or Thestrals, like me Goku, her siblings, parents, and Zephyr. I hope they’re all doing alright, and Zephyr and the girls are making progress.’

Ten minutes into her feeding, Venture Vine’s ears perked up when she felt the ground beneath her shake, as if there was another earthquake that was happening underneath her. She paused for a moment or two, thinking that it was just another coincidence, and went back to scarfing down her meal of Forest Buffalo. A little while later, a third, much more violent shake came, this one being strong enough to shake even some of the smaller trees around her. This time, Venture Vine looked around, still not seeing or smelling anything nearby, but still on edge, nonetheless.

“You know what? I think this isn’t the best place to feed right now.” The grass green mare thought to herself, biting her lip in nervousness. “I should probably take this and get back to Celestia and the rest of the guards. They’ll probably be put off by seeing me eating a fellow plant eater, but hey, it’s not like I’m entirely the same anyway.”

With those words, Venture Vine grabbed the dead Forest Buffalo by the throat and began to drag the behemoth beast away from its deathbed, blood trailing behind it. Thanks to her draconic strength, she had little to no problem taking the carcass with her, even if was a good deal bigger than she was and far heavier. As she drew nearer to the spot where she had first made it into the grove, the shaking drew her attention, only this time, it was accompanied by the unmistakable sounds of earth cracking. Venture dropped her killed and looked around, her reptilian eyes managing to capture some large cracks nearby and around her.

“Oh boy, it looks like there really is an earthquake happening, and I’m in the center of it!” Venture said to herself. “I’d better get going before I get caught in it!”

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed her dragon cloak sitting just feet away from her, and she sprinted over to where it lay. After throwing it around her, she raced back to her kill and took it back in her teeth, dragging it away even faster than before, using her wings for extra muscle to speed the process. As Venture was heading down the path back to Queen Celestia and the Royal Guards, a huge crack appeared in the earth in front of her, making her stop dead in her tracks as she looked down at it. Her eyes widened even further when she saw bright yellow light emitting from it, and not just any light either.

‘Magic.’ Venture Vine concluded, her eyes narrowing as she stared down at the light shining from the crack in front of her. Against her better judgement, she climbed over her carcass and crept over to the light, her claws and teeth bared in preparation. Her draconic instincts screamed at her to get back, but her head pushed her on to investigate what this strange discovery was. This would prove to be her undoing, and it would show so in one devastating explosion.

Just as Venture Vine was a neck’s length away from the glowing cracks in the ground, the yellow light emitting from it vanished as quickly as it came. This took Venture Vine off guard, and she blinked a few times as if trying to determine that what she saw was real. As she began to sniff it, she noticed a peculiar scent emitting from underneath the ground, the scent of an animal, and once that was surely not a ground dwelling creature. As she picked her head up, Venture looked around for some sign, any sign of a creature near her.

“Who’s there?” The grass green mare demanded, her tail skirt transforming into a large scarlet blade as she did. “Show yourself!”

Immediately afterwards, the creature did as commanded.

There a sound of earth exploding outward, and Venture Vine whirled around just in time to see something yellow slam into her, sending her flying and knocking the wind out of her. As Venture was being deafened by an ear-piercing panther-like scream, she tumbled and slid across the ground before coming to a stop. Shaking the dust out of her eyes, she was about to get up when she felt a paw slam into her chest, and claws piercing into it. The force of the impact left her unable to scream, but it did not take away the shock of the creature that she saw bearing down on her.

Looming over the grass green Kirin, eyes gleaming teeth shining, was the biggest leopard that Venture laid eyes on in her entire life. It was easily the size of a Cape Buffalo, with deep sunflower yellow fur that shined under the light of the Moon, with deep garnet orange spots adorning its fur. Despite its spots being the same color as Venture’s son’s, fur, the same could not be said for its eyes, which were the same bright yellow as her’s with shining white pupils. On both of its elbows, were two miniature scythe blades sticking out of them, lightly curved upward, a much larger one adoring the tip of its tail and two more on its hawk like wings. Lastly, it had a gleaming set of con-like saber teeth that looked to be over a foot long, the tips giving a faint glint as the leopard bare them at Venture Vine.

‘Holy bucking shit!’ Venture Vine thought, immediately recognizing the species of that that was on top of her. ‘Its a damn Kamahyō!’

Kamahyōs, or more simply known as, the Scythe Leopards, were another species of unnatural beasts that inhabited the Everfree, and one of the four species of Big Cats as well. It was known for its assassin-like stealth that it used to stalk its prey through the trees and bushes of the Everfree Forest, which were parts that it could be found in. There was no possible way you could hear them, not unless they wanted you to, and by the time you did, it would already be too late for that poor soul. The Kamahyō’s were also known for their incredible physical strength, strength they used to propel through the treetops and bring down prey far larger than it was. Once it was subdued, it would use its twin sword-like saber teeth to repeatedly stab their victims’ throats until they bleed out.

Another terrifying factor to note about the Kamahyō was the scythe-like claws blades that it used to either stab or slice into their prey or enemies. Even going so far as to sever their heads though that was a rarity in itself. They also served to ensure that the Kamahyō never lost its grip on its prey unless it allowed itself to let go, which was close to impossible with a cat like this. The most horrifying aspect about the Kamahyō however, was that it had an earth affinity that allowed it to travel through the ground, taking its victim by surprise. The very same tactic that the Kamahyō used on Venture Vine to get her right where it wanted her.

The Kamahyō let out another scream and raised its other scythe-like clawed paw, preparing to bring them across the Kirin mare’s neck. Venture Vine roared up at the big cat, and, summoning every ounce of strength she possessed, threw the cat off and away from her. She got to her feet and rubbed at the spot where she was nearly stabbed, and looked up, only to see the Kamahyō already sprinting towards her.

“Shit!” Venture cursed, turning tail and making her way back down to where Celestia and the Royal Guards were. In her haste to get away, she forgot she still had her wings and just when she realized that she could fly to get away, the Kamahyō was upon her. They tumbled across the ground as the clawed and bit at one another, and it soon ended with the Kamahyō once again on top and trying to get at Venture Vine’s neck.

“Not so fast there!” The grass green mare shouted, using her draconic strength to keep the cat’s sabers at bay with one claw. As she used the other to fend off one of its own, Venture Vine used her hind claws to viciously slash at the Kamahyō’s stomach, leaving deep slash marks within its furry belly. It let out a roar of pain, and Venture Vine used that opportunity to once again throw the cat off of her, and launch her own attack.

“Fire Dragon: Roar!” She shouted, a blast of golden yellow fire leaving from out of her mouth as it enveloped the tumbling Kamahyō in its fiery cloak. The cat roared and screamed in agony as it rolled across the ground, swiping at the fire in an attempt to out it out. With the giant feline distracted, Venture Vine turned tail and rushed back to the group, this time remembering to use her wings.

It took her far less time to reach the group than it was when she had left, and when she did make it, Venture found a majority of the group either resting, conversing with one another, or merely keeping watch. Celestia also seemed to be talking to a few of the Royal Guards from both groups from the looks of it, but whatever they were talking about was cut short when the swan white Alicorn saw Venture Vine approaching. The relieved smile that had just adorned her face turned into a worried frown when she saw the panicked look on the grass green mare’s face.

“Venture Vine, is everything alright?” Celestia asked worriedly, watching as the smaller mare panted in front of her. She noticed the blood coating her mouth and teeth, before asking, “I take it the hunt didn’t go well?”

“Oh no, the hunt went just fine.” Venture Vine replied quickly. “It’s what happened afterward that’s gone down to shit!”

Celestia’s expression grew even more worried as a thought popped in her mind. “Were you attacked by an Everfree beast?”

“As if it’s not painfully obvious!” Venture Vine replied, snapping her head up to the Queen. “I was ten minutes into eating, when I was ambushed by a Kamahyō! It must’ve smelled the blood from my Forest Buffalo carcass, because it burst form the ground out of nowhere and attacked me!”

“A Kama…hyō?” Celestia repeated, the word not quite fitting on the tip of her tongue. “I’m afraid that I’m not quite following you Venture Vine.”

“A Scythe Leopard, your Majesty.” Venture emphasized. “I was attacked by a Scythe Leopard after it had gotten a whiff of my kill, and it attacked me!”

“It did?” Celestia asked, now on high alert. “Were you injured in anyway?”

“Other than feeling like I was about to get my chest ripped open, fine. I also gave the Kamahyō a nice good breath of fire so I could escape” Venture Vine replied. “Still, we need to go, there’s no telling when its gonna put out the fire and-”

The scream of the Kamahyō cut the grass green mare off, alerting her and the rest of the group of its presence. Whipping around she watched as the saber-toothed cat charged at her once more, claws unsheathed and mouth agape to display its teeth. Venture Vine flared her wings and flew out of reach just as the Kamahyō pounced at her, its claws clawing deep into her wings and leaving deep slashes it and her side. Venture Vine winced from the impact, but was able to shake it off as she half-climbed and half-ran up a tree, the Kamahyō hot on her heels.

“Hold on Venture Vine, I’m coming!” Celestia shouted, encasing the tail of the Kamahyō in her magic, stopping it in its tracks. It flapped it’s wings in an attempt to get out of the magical hold, but Celestia yanked it back down, sending it flying into a nearby tree. Celestia looked back up to where Venture Vine had gone, and saw her on a giant tree branch, blood seeping from her side and her wing.

“Venture Vine, are you alright?!” Celestia asked. “Hold on dear, I’ll come and heal you!”

Just as she said that, the grass green mare’s eyes widened and she screamed, “BEHIND YOU!”

Celestia turned around just in time for the Kamahyō to smash into her, sending her crashing to the ground as her spear went flying. Grunting, the swan white Alicorn used her armored hooves to keep the cat’s claws at bay, her armor protecting her stomach from its hind claws. Igniting her horn, she grabbed her spear and sunk it into the Kamahyō’s side, before pushing it off of her. As she got to her hooves, she found her lower neck being slashed by the feline as it lunged at her neck, but her magic once again served to keep her safe.

“Not so fast there, bucko!” A Thestral stallion shouted, flying in and colliding with the sabered feline and sending it away from Celestia. They tumbled across the ground and the Lunar Guard found an opportunity to kick the Kamahyō away from him and into a tree. That agile cat quickly recovered though, and lunged at the Lunar Guard, but he was able to repel the cat’s strength with his own supernatural power. They punched and slashed at one another, with the Lunar Guard even using his fangs to bite the Kamahyō in the shoulder, inadvertedly starting to drain it of its magic.

The Kamahyo roared and thrashed to shake him off, slamming the Lunar Guard into the ground as it lunged for the back of his neck. The Thestral stallion was already getting back onto its feet when he felt the smaller sharp teeth of the feline sink into him, and he let out bat-like screech as his hooves flew to the Kamahyō's neck. With all the force his Thestral strength would allow, he threw the Kamahyō away from him as he crashed to the ground.

As Celestia and the rest of the Luna Guards rushed to their fallen comrade, Kamahyō took that moment of distraction to silently creep up on Queen Celestia. The brush and bushes surrounding its giant frame allowed it to creep around the group with relative ease. Just as it got within range, Venture Vine noticed it about to pounce, and leapt into action just as it did.

“Fire Dragon: Iron Fist!” She shouted her left claw cloak into fire as she flew down and slammed it into the Kamahyō's side. The two flew away from Celestia and the Royal Guars, and Venture flew away as the Kamahyō tumbled across the ground, the act putting out the fire. It flared its wings as it glared at Venture Vine, who went into an attack position as her bladed tail slowly swayed behind her, its scarlet color gleaming in the moonlight.

“Your Majesty what’re your orders?” A Solar Earth Pony Guard asked as he stood just behind the swan white Alicorn. “Should we step in and help Ms. Venture?”

Celestia was silent for a few moments, before replying. “No, let’s let Venture Vine deal with this creature. Help her only if you feel the need to, but don’t directly interfere with it; I believe that Venture has this herself.”

“Understood.” A Solar Unicorn Guard nodded; his horn ignited in preparation.

The scream from the Kamahyō alerted all the other Royal Guards to the fight, and the cat could be seen flying towards Venture Vine. The mare whirled around and lashed out with her tail blade, slashing the Kamahyō in the chest. The cat flew back, but flared its wings and lunged at Venture again as the grass green Kirin flew at it. The feline’s scythe blade clashed with Venture’s own as sparks flew through the air, their wings carrying them as they swung their tails at one another. In that moment the Kamahyō lunged at her and tried to slice at her throat, but Venture Vine flew up and away from it, her hind claws slashing at its face.

The Kamahyō screamed in pain as he reeled back some from the attack, but it managed to collect itself as it flew after Venture Vine, Celestia and the Guards following. The sabered spotted cat collided with Venture Vine in midair, and they once again began to slash and bit each other, with the latter ensuring she wasn’t stabbed by the Kamahyō's saber teeth. As their tail blades, clashed, Venture Vine decided to put some distance between them.

“Fire Dragon: Sword Tail!” The grass green mare shouted, flames surrounding her tail blade and swinging it at the Kamahyō, striking it right in its stomach. Blood sprayed from the cat’s wounds as she flew up towards the giant branches of the titanic trees, vanishing into the leaves as she stopped to take a breather.

“Wow that cat is good. It’s almost like he can see my attacks coming before they even come, and he’s able to match them.” Venture though to herself, her wings partially spread. “I’ll need to strike more quickly and try new attacks if I’m going to get the upper hoof…or claw.”

“Venture above you!” The sudden cry of Queen Celestia registered from below.

Venture’s head snapped up to see the Kamahyō diving down towards her, its eyes gleaming as its wings tucked to its sides. Venture Vine reared up to meet the feline and they both sank their claws into each other’s skin, Venture’s slashing across the Kamahyō’s chest. She pushed the beast off of her before it could sink its sabers into her shoulders, and with a blast of fire, she shot it into another tree as it fell to the ground.

“Nice one there, Venture Vine!” A Solar Earth Pony Royal Guard shouted with glee. “Show that giant furball who’s boss!”

Venture Vine’s reptilian eyes snapped over to the stallion, flashing with anger as she bared her fangs at him. “Hey, don’t you dare call this beautiful creation of nature a furball! He may be trying to eat us but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna tolerate your name-calling of them! So watch it buster, of you’re gonna get burnt!”

The stallion shrunk back. “S-sorry…!”

Snorting, the grass green Kirin turned back to the Kamahyō, and noticed that blood was dripping from where its chest was, along with its stomach. The feline inspected the wounds, before looking back at Venture Vine, a blood curdling snarl leaving its throat. As Venture growled back, they starting to circle around one another, ears pinned back and tails swaying as their wings were flared in defiance.

Then without warning, the Kamahyō darted towards Venture Vine, darting from side to side so Venture couldn’t tell which side that it was going to attack from. She made a guess, and got it wrong, finding herself being jumped on and pinned to the ground by the Kamahyō as it tried to go for her throat. It was only thanks to one of her claws grabbing it by its throat that she was saved from certain death. Then again, thanks to her draconic skin, it wouldn’t have been very easy for the feline anyway.

“Gotta admit, you don’t waste any time finishing the job, or at least trying to!” Venture Vine commented, using her tail blade to block the Kamahyō's scythe blade. “Alright then, if that’s what you want, then allow me to fulfill your request!”

With a strong hoist from her hindlegs, Venture Vine flung the Kamahyō as with last time, sending it crashing into a tree as she took off into the air. Shaking off the impact of the attack, the Kamahyō screamed and flew after her, following her higher into the trees as they vanished into the branches and leaves.

Tucking her wings in, Venture Vine dived into a tangle of large leaves and branches, the Kamahyō following close behind as she went in. The giant feline swung its scythe-like claws, slicing through the leaves and branches with ease as it attempted to grab Venture Vine and pull her out. The grass green mare retaliated by swiping and clashing her own claws with the Kamahyō’s as she kicked it away from her. Undeterred, the sabered spotted cat went on top of the tangle of branches, and attacked Venture from above, trying to get at her head and neck as she crawled through the branches. At some point, she found a hole from inside the large branch tangles and made to go for it, only to scream when she felt claws digging into her hip.

“Sorry honey, but you’re too late!” Venture said firmly, swiping with her claws across the Kamahyō’s right forepaw and digging deep into it. The spotted feline screamed and yanked its paw away, taking to the air as Venture crawled out of the hole and down to the ground. After a few seconds of tending to its leg, the Kamahyō looked up and see Venture Vine down below, a roar echoing from where she was. Hissing, the Kamahyō flared its wings as it descended down towards her, sabers bared as it prepared to deliver the final blow.

“Alright, it’s time to end this!” Venture Vine shouted as golden fire swirled around her. “Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Flame Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!”

Swinging her forelegs and claws outward, Venture Vine shot a giant swirling blaze of fire at the Kamahyō, who was just only meters away from hitting her. It had not time to dodge or block the grass green Kirin’s attack, before it, it found itself being it right into the stomach, and flying through the giant trees as it screamed in agony. It eventually collided into a tree, the fire driving it deeper into the bark before the fire vanished, leaving the cat inside of its crater. It didn’t last long however, for it slowly began to slide out, before falling to the ground.

“Oh no, hold on!” Venture Vine gasped, her reptilian eyes widening in terror as she flew towards the falling beast. Thankfully, she was able to catch it just before it hit the ground, and she gently set it down onto its side. At first, she panicked upon not seeing it move, but relaxed slightly when she saw its stomach and chest rising and falling slowly. ‘Well, at least he’s still breathing…’

“Venture Vine!” The grass green mare turned to see Queen Celestia flying towards her, the rest of the guards right behind her as the Solar Queen landed in front of her. “Are you alright; is it over?”

“Yes, it’s over now…I finally managed to beat the big guy.” Venture Vine replied, glancing back at the unconscious Kamahyō. “I admit, I may have overdone it, at least when it came to my magic and tail blade, but…he looks like he’s a pretty tough kitty. So, I’m positive that he’s going to survive those injuries and keep going on.”

“I see…well, I suppose that is a good thing.” Celestia nodded, before taking a moment to inspect Venture’s wounds. “What is the extent of your injuries?”

“A few claw marks on my left wing, on my hip, and my shoulder.” Venture clarified, looking at each of the bloodied claw marks. “Other than that, I’m not really feeling like I’m being weighed down…not that these injuries could anyway.”

“Only claw marks…if that’s the case then I suppose I don’t need to be too worried.” Celestia nodded, smiling in relief. “Still, I’d feel better if you at least let me heal those, just in case.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night your Highness.” Venture Vine sighed as she turned her blade back into its regular tail skirt. “Actually, before you do that, I need to take a trip back to my kill sight?”

“Kill sight?” Celestia repeated, before realization clicked. “Oh, you mean so you can finish your meal?”

“Well…yeah.” Venture replied sheepishly. “That, and so I can leave a little apology gift for this cat for sending him into a tree. I…hadn’t planned on doing that, but hey, coincidences do tend to happen. Anyway, wait here, I’ll be back, and then we can get on out of here!”

Before Celestia could reply, Venture Vine ran off and spread her wings, taking flight back to where she had first flown back before making a sharp right. As she vanished into the trees, one of the guards walked up to Celestia and asked. “Um, pardon me your Highness, but, is Venture really going back to where she was attacked by that beast?”

“Yes, I’m afraid she is.” Celestia replied dryly. “Apparently, she felt bad for the way she had beaten the…Scythe Leopard, and wanted to make it up to her by giving it her kill.”

“Giving it…her kill?” The Royal Guard asked, looking surprise. “Even though it tried to kill her?”

“It appears so.” Celestia nodded. “Despite trying to take her life, and a couple of ours, Venture Vine appears not to hold anything against the beast. She felt that she had gotten carried away and decided that she needed to do something to express her apologies to it. It may seem highly unusual but…that’s how Venture Vine is doing this.”

“I…I see…” The Royal Guard nodded, silently soaking the information in. “Ms. Venture is one strange mare, isn’t she?”

“Hmhmhm…yes, I suppose she is.” Celestia replied, giggling slightly. “Then again, aren’t we all a little strange on the inside, my little pony?”

The Royal Guard paused, taking a moment to mull over his Queen’s words. Eventually, he let out a chuckle of his own before saying. “Yeah…I guess we are.”

Author's Notes:

I feel...more or less okay with how this chapter went out, and to be honest I don't think it was one of my better ones, especially with the hunt that I added in this. I just wanted to get back to how Venture Vine Queen Celestia and the rest of the guards were doing on their side of the adventure. That and remember to add another beast of the Everfree Forest to show that they're far from out of danger, even though they are now nearly halfway through the forest by this point. Also, in case any of you were wondering, that fight scene with Venture and the Kamayhō was an idea that I got from watching the animated movie of Tarzan, where he was fighting Sabor after he had tried to ambush him and his gorilla family in that one scene. I had this chapter sitting on my head for a while and I didn't know how I could right it, until that one scene came into my head, and the rest...well it all came afterward just like that. Sorry if this chapter didn't fit to your standards, I was feeling a little under the weather and couldnt think of anything else to describe this new update rather than the one I came up with.

Well, that's all for right now everypony; tune in next time for a revisit to ponyville where the Granny Smith, Derpy, and Blossomforth struggle against their new foe. All while the town gets a new ally joining into battle; a great and powerful new ally!