I slowed my pace to catch my breath. I had been running after the girls all morning so far. Rarity had an order to fill and couldn't watch the Crusaders. Of course they had instantly volunteered me, their honorary member, to play with them. And now here I was running around town to keep up with the ever-crusading fillies as they continued the hunt for their cutie marks. How were they not tired yet? They ran as if there were no tomorrow.

Apple Bloom appeared from behind a cart and ran over to me. "Ur not tired already are ya Speedy?" I tried to laugh, but couldn't get enough air for it. Instead I gasped and shook my head. "Of course not." I sat down as I started to feel dizzy. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joined us and the Crusaders sat around me. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Old ponies never have energy." I shot her a glare. "Who are you calling old?" She smiled smugly. "We've been crusading for an hour and you're already tired. We're just fine. You, an old pony, are sitting there as if Nightmare Moon has been chasing you for a week." I stood up. "I have plenty of energy. And I'm not old. I'm just...older than you." Sweetie Belle, looking confused, turned to Apple Bloom. "Doesn't that make him old?"

Soon we were off again. This time I followed the girls as they ran away from the town. Where were they going? Fluttershy's? Nope. They angled towards...the Everfree Forest! I picked up the pace and overtook the fillies easily. I stopped in front of them and they came to a crashing halt. Scootaloo looked up at me from the bottom of the filly pile. "What gives?" I shook my head. "We can't go in the forest." The three untangled themselves and stood up. Apple Bloom tipped her head to the side. "Why not.?" I looked over my shoulder at Everfree. Memories flooded into my head of the dragon, Discord and indescribable emotions. I shook my head and looked back to the Crusaders. "It's not a safe place to wander. We should head back to town."

Sweetie Belle tried to pass me and I blocked her with my hoof. She looked up at me. "But we wanted to go to Zecora's." I froze. Zecora? I had heard the name before from Twilight. A zebra that lived in Everfree. These fillies wanted to go see her? I looked down at the girls. "You know Zecora?" They laughed and walked past me. Scootaloo called over her shoulder to me. "Of course we do. Come on!" With that they were off again. I knew I couldn't leave them alone out here, so I followed.

We soon came to a hut in the middle of the forest. It wasn't as much a hut as a tree. A treehut? Yeah, that worked. Apple Bloom knocked on the door and opened it. The others followed her in. I rushed forward to catch the door as it swung shut. I slipped inside to see the Crusaders greeting Zecora. She was a sight to see. I had never seen a zebra before. She looked up at me. "Do not stand there and be still. Introduce yourself Speedy Quill." She caught me off guard. "You know me?" She chuckled. "You're story is well known to me. Come and sit with your Crusaders three." Funny way of talking. I joined the girls and sat down. Sweetie Belle looked up at the zebra. "Is there anything we can help with Zecora?" Scootaloo chimed in. "Yeah. Maybe we could be Cutie Mark Crusader Zebra Helpers!" Zecora smiled and looked at me. Her eyes said it all. She entertained the fillies often and they never grew the wiser to the fact that they most likely wouldn't be getting their cutie marks here.

Before the girls could start discussing how helpful they were, Zecora raised a hoof for silence. I was surprised when the fillies actually obeyed. Zecora looked to me. "Perhaps these fillies need a tale, of dragon slaying without fail." Oh great. She had turned them on me. The Crusaders looked up at me, their eyes shining.

"YEAH!"

I rolled my eyes. "I've told you about the dragon before." Apple Bloom pressed up against me. "All you've told us is that's how you lost ur leg." She tapped my fake leg and it made a hollow knocking sound. Scootaloo stifled a giggle and I glared at her. Zecora stepped closer. "I too would like to here your side, provided you're not high in pride." I chuckled. "Believe me. I don't go around boasting about killing that dragon. Alright gather round you ponies...and zebra." Zecora smiled and sat down behind the girls.

I stood up and made a dramatic pose. The girls giggled until I glared them into silence. I sat down and began. "The dragon used to live where Ponyville is built. And he was very angry that ponies had moved into his nest...."

"I don't know how I did it, but something gave me enough strength to charge that monster and hit him right in his heart. He died instantly. After that I blacked out." The Crusaders stared at me wide-eyed. Zecora gave me a slow nod. A sign of respect I guess. Scootaloo began to smile. "That. Was Awesome!! I can't believe you actually killed that huge dragon!" Sweetie Belle jumped up. "That gives me an idea!" Uh-oh. This couldn't be good. She whispered to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and they began to grin. They all jumped into the air.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DRAGON HUNTERS!!!"

Zecora and I somehow wound up on the other side of the hut. It took a moment for my head to stop spinning. "Girls?" They were running around on the ceiling. I mean...the floor. I was upside down. I righted myself and looked back to the fillies. "Girls!" They stopped running and looked at me. I shook my head. "We're not going dragon hunting. What would your families say if they found out I let you go off after dragons? They'd have my tail!" Zecora had now stood up and leaned in close to the fillies. "Practice you will need, if you are to succeed." What the hay was she doing?! Zecora looked back at me and winked.

She led the Crusaders out of the hut and I followed. We walked through the forest until we came to a clearing. Oh my....it was the clearing. And there he was. The dragon. Or what was left of him. In the months since his death he had quickly turned to bone. The skull was nearest to us. The girls stood frozen in place. I walked up to the skull and turned to the girls. I could see the fear in their eyes. Now I understood what Zecora was up to. "Take a good look Crusaders. This is what you'll be up against when you begin hunting. And this guy is one of the smaller ones." Their eyes grew even wider.

Scootaloo looked to the others. "You know...I didn't really want to be a dragon hunter anyway. Not that I'm scared or anything! It just sounds boring." Apple Bloom forced a smile. "Yeah, it does doesn't it. I bet we could think of something ten times more fun." Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yeah. I guess it was a dumb idea after all." I sighed and nodded to Zecora. She returned the smile. And then we got a surprise.

"Wait a minute...Spike's a dragon!"

And they were off. I groaned. I raced over to Zecora just in time to see the Crusaders disappearing into the forest. I looked at her and she chuckled. "Warn the dragon dear, before the fillies near." I laughed. She was right. I took off after the girls. I would have to be faster than them if I was to warn Spike in time.

I hope you can all forgive me for how long it took to get this chapter out. I've had this idea pestering my mind lately and finally wrote it down in my new short story 'Separated'. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Next Chapter: Requirements Of A Fashionista Estimated time remaining: 51 Minutes