"And we're off!" Faera announced as she kicked up the propellers. "So, what would you like to do while we wait to arrive?"

"Well, I packed some games; how about a couple rounds of One?" Twilight pulled out a red package labelled in a black and gold writing.

"Ah sure, why not?" Fae chuckled. They played the game for several minutes and enjoyed each other's company. A few rounds later, Twilight stopped.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to keep an eye on the steering so we don't crash?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh, we'll be fine, I had an autopilot system installed last week." Fae dismissed.

"Oh, okay." She set down a blue reverse card and yelled, "ONE!"

"Gods damn it, Twi!" She threw her cards down and yelled in slight frustration.

Right at that moment, an alarm started going off, red lights flashing through the gondola.

"What the fuck?" Fae got up and trotted over to the dash. Her eyes darted around the ship's dashboard. "Oh, those shithole douchebags..." she muttered angrily.

"What!?" Twilight shouted.

"Those motherfuckers never gave me autopilot!" she shouted back. "Brace for impact, we're going down!"

"You mean this whole time, we've been on a crash course for the ground???" Twilight screamed. She snapped herself into her seat and cursed in Ancient Ponish as they dropped.

"GROUND APPROACHING, BRACE FOR IMPACT," the warning system blared, "ALTITUDE TOO LOW, CRASH IS INEVITABLE!"

"Hold on!!" Fae screamed.

The airship crashed through the Everfree Forest's canopy, a loud crash sounding that could be heard for a mile.

Faera groaned as she opened her eyes. She felt woozy, and tried to stand. A sharp pain screamed through her ribs and legs. "Agh!" she cried out. Fae began to inspect her surroundings. The airship was in ruins around her, flames roaring on the balloon that hung shredded in the canopy above. Darkness surrounded the trees around her, creatures lurking just out of sight. Twilight laid almost 15 feet away, unmoving. "Twilight!" she yelled. She forced her aching body to walk forward. "Twilight, wake up!" she cried. Every step rang out agony through her body. Still, she moved forward. She couldn't, no, she wouldn't let her friend stay where she was.

An inpony screech shattered the air, and a large wolf made of wood, near the size of a small dinghy, leapt out of the darkness, in a beeline for Faera. She shouted in terror and dropped to the ground, a wet crunch sounding from her leg as her bones screamed. "OH GODS!" she shrieked, as her leg was now twisting in a way it shouldn't ever have. She looked up and saw the wolf fly over her, seemingly limp. A loud crash sounded and a roar of flames engulfed the wood of the unearthly creature. A figure in a dark cloak walked out from where the wolf came. It stooped and removed it's hood, examining Fae's wounds.

The figure was a male zebra with a long, flurrious mane, of which seemed to float around his head in a wave, but not like she had ever seen. His green eyes darted back and forth between Faera's legs and her ribs, which still ached immensely.

"You seem hurt." he said.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Fae exasperated, a groan of pain escaping her lips.

"Let me help you." The zebra helped her up, and placed the agonizing mare on a slat of wood nearby. "Levitas!" He exclaimed, the timber rising. The pony upon it yelped in surprise.

The zebra glided to Twilight's side and motioned for the slat to approach. The wooden aircraft floated softly and soundlessly to the striped stallion's side. He hefted an unconscious Twilight upon the floating plank. The zebra began to walk away, the board drawing near to him. He walked in silence, guiding the wood through the forest.

Thorny vines slithered under the two hurt mares, surrounded by dense forest, dark as a room lit by a singular candle. The smell of death and muck filled the air, accented by the presence of skunk cabbage. Although, Faera didn't notice such things. She was focused on the pain in her leg and the cuts on her torso. Suddenly, the zebra's voice cut thru the eerie silence. "We're here."