“An’ you be there ‘fore that fog rolls in, ya hear?” Applejack half spoke, half questioned her little sister, tone lowered to emphasize the severity of her words.

“Ah heard ya the first time sis,” Apple Bloom replied. The back half of her body was just visible to the older pony, sticking out from a wardrobe drawer as her upper half dug through it. Many choice items and articles of clothing were picked up and thrown from the wooden casing, landing uselessly and carelessly across the room. Applejack watched on with a dry gaze.

“Doesn’t matter how many times ya hear me. Ah only care about the one time ya actually listen ta me.” The farm pony spoke as she trotted the short distance across the room to her younger sister. The orange filly jumped from the drawer she had been digging through just as her sister had begun to close the gap between them.

She had a small blue handkerchief in her jaws, spotted with white dots, and just big long to graze the floor. Apple Bloom carried it across the room, dropping it where she needed it, landing on a thin long carrying stick. The filly smiled appreciatively at it.

Apple Bloom started pushing and carrying odds and ends onto the thin piece of fabric, food and goods she thought would be good to bring. A few apples, some crayons, paper, badges, even a compass. If she was going, she was going prepared.

“Are ya gonna answer me Apple Bloom?” The filly turned to her sister, a box of seeds stuck in her jaw. She deposited the item onto her dotted handkerchief before turning to her sister.

“Sorry sis, I hear ya, and I listened to ya, too.” She spoke honestly. “Ah’m just too dog gone excited ta finally be seeing Zecora without you takin’ me there or her comin’ ta pick me up!” The smile across the small pony’s lips was evidence enough of her joy. “Ah’m just too excited ta even think!”

“Careful now, that’s exactly what Ah’m bein’ worried about.” Applejack sternly warned, forcing the filly to calm. The elder sister smiled before speaking. “I do trust ya, like with Winona and herdin’ the cattle after they get a bit too jumpy. But, that don’t mean Ah can’t be a little worried ‘bout ya. Ya are my only sister after all.” The filly turned sheepish at the words.

“Ah know,” Apple Bloom replied, calmer than she was before. “But you promised ta let me go to Zecora’s today, and that I could go alone too.” The filly turned her head from the elder pony, biting down on the edge of the dotted cloth as she started to fold the thin material. She grumbled through the fabric. “It don’t feel much like yer lettin’ me do this alone.”

Silently, Applejack watched her little sister finish folding the fabric over the small rod, tightening the corners until they wrapped around the stick. The filly lifted the small pole with her hooves, testing to see if it could hold the fabric and items it contained. To the immense satisfaction of the younger pony, the rod and the small hoof-made bag of goods held strong. For good measure, Apple Bloom shook the rod as well. The bag at the end was jostled, but the knot at its top neither loosened nor broke.

“Ah can tell you’re ready fer this.” Applejack spoke honestly to her younger sister, putting a hoof on her shoulder for good measure. The younger sibling turned to look into her sister’s large green eyes. “If Ah didn’t trust ya, or didn’t think ya could handle it, Ah wouldn’t have thrown the idea into the pen in the first place.”

“Ya really mean that?” The hope that Apple Bloom spoke with was threaded through her words like it shined in her eyes, blinding and unmistakable. It earned a chuckle from the seasoned farm pony.

“Course Ah meant it. Ya think Ah would tell you a lie?” The words instantly earned a smile across the young filly’s face, complete with a set of high giggles.

“Nah, ya wouldn’t.” Apple Bloom admitted. “But Ah just don’t often hear ya say things like that about me.” Applejack wasn’t sure her sister could have spoken more foolish words.

“Horseapples!” The elder of the two exclaimed. “Ah think yer the brightest and best pony the Apple Family has ever seen, an’ if any pony thinks differently, they got rocks in their brain or chicken feathers for wings.” A light blush crept across Apple Bloom’s face. “But that don’t mean Ah can’t worry ‘bout you none. Ya are mah sister, and it’s mah job to make sure yer safe. Ya understand?” The filly knew she did.

“Yeah, Ah think I do sis.” Apple Bloom genuinely responded. Her smile was more subdued, but no less present. “Ah’m sorry ‘bout gettin’ worked up.” Applejack gave a dismissive scoff as she wrapped her foreleg around her younger sister, pulling the filly in close. Apple Bloom found herself pressed up against her sister’s side.

“Don’t you worry ‘bout it. Just yer nerves workin’ ya over like a spring storm to an orchard’s saplings.” Apple Bloom felt herself being squished closer to her sister as the leg around her flexed. Applejack was strong. That the filly could never deny.

“Now C’mon!” Applejack spoke enthusiastically, releasing the smaller pony as she motioned towards the bedroom door with her head. Apple Bloom looked from the door from to her sister and back again. “If ya want ta get to Zecora’s, we best be sendin’ ya off soon as possible.” The filly’s face beamed in excitement.

“Yeah! Yer right!” Apple Bloom grabbed her stick and bag off the floor, holding it in her jaw as she galloped out her room and down the stairs. Her hooves clopped over the wood as she quickly made her way to the house’s door. The heavier trots of her sister echoed behind her. The filly pushed open the door with the top of her head, jumping out the doorway before it could swing back to her.

The brisk breeze of the morning air tickled her coat, but it only served to make the filly want to move faster. She was nearly jumping like Pinkie Pie preparing for a party. She had just passed the fence marking the edge of the Apple Farm when she came to a stop. Apple Bloom turned to see Applejack not far behind her, trotting at a pace that wasn’t even a jog compared to the filly’s sprinting. For not the first time, the smaller pony was reminded of her size.

“Kay, now Apple Bloom,” Applejack’s stern tone earned the filly’s attention. “Ya gotta go straight ta Zecora’s, no perusin’ or wanderin’ while yer in those woods. Get there fast ta avoid the comin’ fog, and make sure ya listen to her while yer there, ya hear?” Apple Bloom nodded her head, pushing down the urge to comment on how many times her sister had told her those things.

“Yup! Ah’ll be sure I’m more careful than Fluttershy meetin’ a new friend of yers.” The wide smile that broke Applejack’s lips was all the proof the filly needed she had said the perfect thing.

“Well alright then,” Putting a hoof to her sister’s shoulder, Applejack looked down at her proudly. “Ah’m thinkin’ yer all set ta head off now.”

Apple Bloom beamed with delight.

“Ah love ya Applejack!” The young filly spoke with no lack of enthusiasm, hugging her sister’s legs with as strong a grip as she could manage. With a smile, the Stetson-hatted pony returned the embrace in kind, wrapping her free foreleg around the smaller pony.

“And Ah love ya too, AppleBloom.” Applejack nuzzled the mane of her younger sister with her snout, earning a giggle in exchange. “Now you best be goin’ before that fog RD warned us about rolls in. Wouldn’t want ya gettin’ caught in that before ya get to Zecora’s now.” The filly released her sister, instantly grabbing the stick carrying her bag of goodies with her maw.

With a spring in her step, the filly turned to the path facing the EverFree forest, trotting down the dirt road in at a brisk pace. Just as she made it to the top of the hill, the filly turned to see her elder sister watching her go. She gave a wave goodbye to the farm pony, and Applejack gave her one in return. The smile on Apple Bloom’s cheeks feeling just a bit wider, the filly turned tail and began to move.

Zecora was waiting for her, and as much as she loved visiting her zebra friend, she didn’t want to get lost either. And if she could manage this trek alone, then it would only be too easy to make the same trip again, whenever she wanted to.

This was the beginning of her adulthood, and Apple Bloom couldn’t wait to take the first steps towards it.

The filly farm pony practically skipped as she made her way through the Everfree Forest. The path in front of her was as clear as the day and the markers to Zecora’s hut just as easy to follow. She took the fork left at the signpost, avoided the gnarled tree that was knotted twice, and made sure that the poison joke patch of flowers was on her right just as she passed the second biggest boulder she’d ever seen.

It wasn’t long until Apple Bloom began to hum a soft tune to herself, her skips adopting an almost moving dance as she followed the dirt road. Her head bobbed and her mane shook as she took care to follow the last of the directions to get to Zecora’s hut. All she needed to do was pass under the hanging moss trees and keep straight till she found the wooden masks that indicated the hut of Zecora.

She carried on down the same path for a while.

The tune on her lips slowly fell away as her eyes began to roam around the forest. She didn’t recognize the trees, the limbs, and definitely not the path. It was much harsher than the path to Zecora’s, filled with roots and rocks. Her hooves came to a stop as she stared at it, nibbling on her lip. Had she taken a wrong turn? Maybe missed one instead? Or… Or was the Everfree changing on her again?

BEGIN

Apple Bloom spun around to see the path behind her, looking down the trail to see any spot she might recognize. She couldn’t see any familiar rocks, limbs, paths, or even poison joke to help her. Regardless, she started to trot back down the path, her pace increasing with every step she took. The stick in her jaw began to jostle, the bag behind her lifting and falling with every stride she took.

It wasn’t long until the filly was in a full gallop, racing down the unbeaten path as fast as she could. The trees raced past Apple Bloom, becoming darker and taller, gnarled and vicious. Her eyes widened in clear terror the further the she ran. But no matter how much she looked, or how wide her eyes grew, she never saw a single familiar part of the forest.

Apple Bloom’s hooves dug into the dirt, hot pants of air pushing past her teeth. She let her mouth open, the stick she was carrying falling to the ground with a clatter. She stared at it, mind racing faster than she had run.

Apple Bloom was lost. Completely lost in the Everfree Forest.

This was exactly what her sister had warned her about. She was supposed to be careful and follow the path straight to Zecora’s hut. Now she was lost down some road she had never seen before in the one place in Equestria ponies were afraid to go. What was she supposed to do?

Something moved in front of her eyes. It was small, faint, but it was definitely there. It was small and white, wisp-like really, and it trailed on the ground, rising slightly over her stick before disappearing from existence. The filly welcomed the object at first, directing her attention away from her hopeless predicament. Then her eyes looked up, following the path it had come from.

Apple Bloom was met with the sight of incoming fog.

The thick white cloud drifted through the forest, masking the woods in a thick blanket her eyes could only barely see past. It wasn’t racing towards her, in fact it was hard to see it moving at all. But it was there, it wasn’t going away, and it was just beginning to trickle onto a path she already didn’t recognize.

The filly’s chest tightened, constricting her breaths into light gasps. Her hooves paced nervously in place, her mind unable to think of what to do. She looked towards the mist, watching the cloud softly billow through the trees, then looked down the path, seeing the same mist beginning to cover the dirt floor. She did the only thing she could do.

“H-Hello!?” Apple Bloom shouted into the air. “Can anypony hear me!?”

Her voice echoed through the forest air, drifting up and out of earshot. The pony continued to turn and trot in place, hoping desperately for a response to her pleading call. But no matter where her wide eyes looked or how high her perked ears rose, she was met with only whispering wind and a slowly encroaching wall of fog.

“Hello!?” She called again. “Ah’m lost! Can anypony help me!? Please!?” She was only vaguely aware of the tightness in her throat, and the wetness down her cheeks. She wasn’t just scared, she was mortified.

Apple Bloom’s body froze as her ears twisted towards something.

She was only passively aware that she had heard something, her senses and nerves on the edge of a cliff in her fright. She stilled her breathing until it was almost non-existent, her eyes trained into the woods she had heard the noise from. What the noise was she still didn’t know, but instinct roared at her to not make a move.

That’s when she saw its eyes.

Apple Bloom had seen plenty of animals and critters around Ponyville, from the inhabitants of Fluttershy’s cottage to the pets her sister’s friends had. They all had their own eye shapes and colors. She could recognize Spike from a pony, fur, scales, and hooves all aside.

Thanks to her sister, Apple Bloom wasn’t even shy about admitting that she could tell what most animals were just by their eyes, and what they were thinking. Ponies, animals, and any other critter alike, they could always let you know what they were thinking by the looks in their eyes.

In the sharp red eyes Apple Bloom stared at, she could only see one thing.

Hunger.

Fear immediately crowded the filly’s mind, replacing the rational, logical part of her mind with the deeply-rooted instinctual methods. Methods a pony can’t learn, but is born with. And so, she did the only thing her instincts would tell her at that moment.

She ran.

Not knowing where she was going, besides away from the predator, she charged blindly into the mist as fast as her little legs could take her. It didn’t take long for the pounding to begin behind her, something, no, some things galloping towards her at an alarming pace. The filly ducked her head and ran faster, ignoring the twigs that caught in her mane or the growth on the forest floor that whipped at her legs. She just kept running.

The mist may have been hiding some of her from her pursuers, but it also kept Apple Bloom from seeing where she was going. Through the white fog, every tree, shrub, and spare twig looked the same. The only thing that kept her sprinting as fast as she could was the pounding that followed behind. Worse still, it was getting closer.

Apple Bloom pushed herself harder the closer her pursuers came, hoping that her sister’s endurance and talent for fitness was in her too. She cried as a twig snapped into her face, colliding with one of her wide eyes. She didn’t stop though, she couldn’t. The filly just pushed herself, running until her gallops were nearly flying through the mist.

Then the forest opened up into a small clearing.

It came so abruptly the filly was forced to slow, sure for a moment that she had gotten out of the forest. But the pounding behind her didn’t stop, so she couldn’t either.

Apple Bloom ran forward as fast as she could, now no obstacles in her way. The mist continued to open up in front of her, moving aside as she galloped forward. She didn’t stop moving. Not until her muzzle connected with a large rock.

The sudden assault blurred her vision, but the sound of the animals behind her forced the filly to move again. Her eyes looked up at the boulder she had run into, far taller than she was and doubtlessly just as wide. It was too hard to tell with the fog. But it did give her an idea.

Rearing backwards, the filly put all her weight on her hindlegs, crouching to the ground. With a thrust that would have made her sister proud, Apple Bloom jumped into the air, hooves landing on the hard surface of the boulder.

Her grip was loose, though, and she scrambled to get a better one. The desperation in her climb gave her strength, pulling the filly higher up the boulder and further to what she hoped to be safety. It wasn’t long before she reached the top of the rock, sitting above the mist and with a clear view of the forest around her.

For a moment, she was able to take in just how large the clearing was, and how the dark trees of the Everfree still surrounded her. For a second, she was able to see the thick canopy above her, only half-shaded light filtering through the dense pile of leaves high above her.

After those brief passes of time, her pursuers jumped into view.

Apple Bloom cried in open fright as a claw swiped through the fog. It was complete with a vicious howl, hungry barks and the sound of pounding paws echoing through the mist. The filly’s wide eyes watched with terrified fascination as the mist churned and spun with the figures moving through it. Their tails flicked through the air, dark and furred like a dog’s.

The filly couldn’t see anything else, the mist of the forest too much for her to make them out. She could only see them churning the white mist like water, moving around the boulder she now huddled on, the fear for her life evident in her shivering form. Slowly though, just as slowly as the air moved before, the mist began to dissipate, giving up the battle with the creatures in them.

In an open spot the mist had cleared from, the filly was able to catch the faint green of grass, matted and pushed down by the creatures she had still yet to look at. Then, in a flash as terrifying as lightning, one of her pursuers moved into the open batch of air. It had the same red eyes that the filly had seen before, looking at her with a hunger the that terrified her. Its snout was long and jagged, fur dark heavy and, most terrifying of all,  it had claws, which she could see at the end of its paw.

That was the first time Apple Bloom saw a true wolf.

The pony back pedaled on the rock with a shot. The wolf jumped at her, snarling like a mad beast as it did so. Its claws dug on the boulder, racking across the hard surface as it greedily tried to take a piece of the filly. Thankfully, its weight became too much for it, and it fell back to the floor, landing on its paws and staring at the shivering Apple Bloom.

The failure of the first wolf didn’t seem to bother the rest of them though. It wasn’t long before every wolf in the pack was starting to take swings at the pony.

Apple Bloom gave sharp high cries as claws started to swing in front of her, reaching up the boulder in the hopes of catching her. The rock beneath her gave off harsh grinding screeches as their claws dragged over its surface, missing her by hoof lengths. But their assaults never ceased.

She was alone. She was lost. Now, she was trapped.

Fresh tears began to pour down the filly’s face.

“Ah’m sorry sis, Ah’m sorry Celestia, oh Ah’m so sorry fer everything.”

The wolves beneath her continued to jump and growl, claws scraping against the stone, all too eager to grab at the young pony at the top of the rock.

“Ah… A-Ah promise Ah’ll never set hoof in the forest without mah sis again.” Apple Bloom swore to herself like a promise, her hooves pushing her further up the rock to avoid the slashing claws. To her young eyes, it looked as if every passing swipe came closer and closer to her. “And…. And A-Ah’ll do mah chores before school. Ah’ll never say another bad word about another pony as long as Ah live. Ah’ll even bring an apple ta Ms. Cherilee every day at school.”

She hid her eyes beneath her forehooves. A claw reached up towards her, dragging down the rock. It was so close the filly could feel the air move in the strike. Tears were falling down her eyes.

“A-Ah swear it! Ah will!”

END

A howl pierced the air.

Apple Bloom sucked in a breath as the noise rose above the clutter and growls from beneath her, forcing the wolves around her to cease their movement. She didn’t dare move her hooves to see what they were doing. She heard them race around the ground, beating at the soil in what the filly thought was a race. But then they stopped, and they were gone.

Silence took over the air, holding it hostage as Apple Bloom continued to shiver and silently cry on top of the rock. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go to Zecora’s. She wanted to be anywhere than where she was now. She was lost, she was scared, and most importantly, she had no idea what was going to happen to herself.

There was a rustling of movement in front of her, branches and twigs being pushed and moved. The filly didn’t need to know much about the forest to know that the creature was heading towards her. But fear kept Apple Bloom from moving her hooves. The thought of curling into herself until she was small as possible on the rock was a far better option.

This was it. This was where her short life was going to end. She really wasn’t ready to be an adult yet. Biting her lip to keep herself from screaming, Apple Bloom pulled her hooves harder over her eyes. Maybe it would be fast.

“What are you doing?”

The voice made Apple Bloom freeze.

There wasn’t any growling, no swiping of claws or anything else the filly could think of to be threatening. Just silence. Tentatively, she moved her hooves from her eyes, looking over the rock she sat on. The ground was marred with claw marks and paw prints, the wolves making little work of the loose grass and soil. But she didn’t see any pony that could have spoken to her.

“Up here.” The voice spoke again, harsh and demanding, but high in pitch.

Apple Bloom felt the muscles in her neck slowly tilt her head back, looking up into the branches of the canopy above her. At first, she saw nothing. There were just the green leaves, dark bark, and far too many shadows for her eyes to make out anything odd.

Then, something moved.

Specifically, it jumped from a branch hidden in shadows, landing deftly on another branch bathed by the sun’s light, passing through the thick canopy. The filly was left speechless and no less afraid than when the wolves were swiping at her.

A figure sat on the branch. It looked unlike anything the filly had seen before.

Its mane stretched far past the branch it sat on, hanging like moss. However, it shined like moonlight, not a knot or stray leaf stuck in it. The creature was something she could only describe in what it lacked. It had no hooves, no coat, and as far as she could see, no tail. It sat on its hind legs, large green eyes looking at the filly with an upturned nose. It did not appear to be kind.

“What are you doing…” the figure spoke again, fangs flashing in the light, “in my forest?”

Apple Bloom felt herself shiver.

“Are you okay Rainbow?”

Twilight spoke with a tone of concern. It was half meant in earnest, worried that her friend was stressing herself with a problem she couldn’t solve. But the other half was asking just out of the need for conversation. Even in a library, hours of silence could be tiresome.

The pegasus in question was across from the unicorn, a book being held over her head with her forehooves. Dash twisted it left and right in the air, squinting at it with a critical eye, nearly wishing the parts of it that were beyond her understanding would fall out and into her mind. No such thing occurred.

“I’m fine, Twi.” Rainbow muttered irritably, sounding anything but fine. Twilight gave her a dry look over her own book.

“Really? That’s why you twisting your book like a steering rein?” The unicorn couldn’t help but paint a smile over her lips as the pegasus gave a glare of annoyance.

Dash grumbled as she lowered the book. Her body twisted until she was lying on the flat of her stomach, eyes still narrowed at the pages held in her hooves. “I just can’t get what this story is talking about.”

“Is the text too far above your reading level?” Twilight seriously suggested, pushing her book aside as she trotted the short distance to her friend. “I’m pretty sure that I only recommended books to you at the high school reading level.”

“Putting that small insult aside,” Dash spoke dryly to her unicorn friend. “It’s not that I can’t… comprehend it. I just don’t get what it’s talking about. It’s like…” One of her hooves released the book, waving her leg in the air in circular pattern. “Like if I had to explain flying to Applejack. She can see me do it all the time, but it’s not like she’d be able to understand it if I told her.”

“I’m not sure I understand.” Twilight spoke carefully. One of her eyes was squinted in confusion, looking down at Dash’s book. Daring Do and The Kingdom of The Woods was printed over the cover, complete with a very detailed image of a tan coated pegasus flying over a forest. In the forest, however, sat castles and structures literally made of the trees. Unlike her tree home, however, these appeared to be very much alive, and if possible, growing.

“Okay look, let me spell it out for you.” Dash’s free hoof waved to a small shelf at the far end of the room. Several other Daring Do novels were placed on its length. “Just about every other book from Daring Do involves something that ponies have at least a little knowledge of, even if it’s made up. Like her story about that evil Griffon Empire that still had a few members alive today, or searching for Nightmare Moon’s lost chalice. Just above every colt and filly has heard those stories. But this?” Her hoof smacked the page, forcing the book to fall backwards.

“I don’t know anything about lost races or tribes or whatever the hay this is talking about.” The look written across Dash’s face was more of annoyance than defeat. Twilight knew because she had seen both far more than almost any other pony, save Dash herself.

“Let me take a look.” The unicorn supplied, her horn lighting briefly to drag the book up to her eyes. Her lavender eyes briefly scanned the pages, memorizing the proper nouns and locational references peppered through the text. Turning a few pages, looking past a few chapters, she dropped the book back into Dash’s hooves, a smile now over the unicorn’s lips.

“Well, I know the author does a good job with her research.” Twilight started to speak, turning from Dash as she did so. “She’s talking about fairies.”

“Fairies?” Rainbow spoke with a tone of question. “Little flying things that are twice as annoying as flies, and about just as useful? How in the hay is this about them?” The unicorn suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

“Well, for starters, you’re assuming a bit too much with what a fairy is in the first place.” Rainbow’s gaze fell flat as the unicorn addressed her. “You’re too used to the stories of what fairies are in modern interpretations. They were actually supposed to be very helpful to ponies that wandered into places that made their home. Some stories place them in the Crystal mountains, the Griffon kingdom, the Everfree Forest, sometimes even…”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it Twi. Me and stereotypes. That’s bad.” The pegasus was rolling her head with her eyes. Twilight found her own gaze sharpening on her friend. “Just… how are these things supposed to be fairies? I mean, according to Daring, they’re not exactly the size of her hooves.”

“That’s just another modern interpretation of them.” Twilight explained as her horn hummed with energy. High above her, a book was surrounded by her familiar purple aura. It slowly drew itself free of the book case before slowly descending in front of her. Her eyes quickly scanned the title, a pleased smile slipping over her muzzle. She turned back to the pegasus with the book still floating in front of her.

“Well then… what isn’t a modern take on them?” To the unicorn, Dash couldn’t have said better words.

“I’m so glad you asked!” The unicorn dropped the book in front of the two. It earned a confused tilt of the pegasus’s head.

“What’s that?” Dash asked as her eyes looked over the thick volume.

“It’s a novel that collects all the old tales of fairies and other mythical creatures. Think of it like a database.” Dash’s confused look twisted into a sardonic stare.

“Yeah, because that’s how I like to think about things. Neat, tidy, and boring.” Twilight felt a blush run through her cheeks before she responded to her friend.

“Right, okay, think of it… like a collection of all of Daring Do’s adventures!” The unicorn tried to hide her satisfied smile as her pegasus’ friends eyes widened. “It looks over all of the past tales and stories that involved the fairies and compiles all the correlating ideas about them. Simply, the more often a trait about them appears, the more likely it’s listed in this.”

“So, all that stuff about them having wings and flying…” Dash began, trailing off in hopes her friend would answer her question. She was not disappointed.

“They’re in here, but they only appear in a few of the stories, and even those stories occurred close to the age of Equestria’s founding.” A small flash from Twilight’s horn turned the pages forwards. Instantly, Dash was assaulted with text smaller than pupils and pictures that looked like photographs.

Most of the pictures showed figures Rainbow had never seen before, running through tall thick trees. Some had manes longer than their bodies, trailing behind them like wind. Others wore leaves and branches, as if they were part of nature around them. Then there were pictures Dash couldn’t understand. The figures that looked so alien were… transforming. Twilight, bless her or curse, seemed to know exactly what Dash was thinking.

“Fairies ranged in size, usually depending on what they wanted to be. Most were the size of fillies, but there were some that were as tall as the princess herself. One of the most enduring traits about them in old stories is their ability to transform into almost any life form.” Twilight’s horn flashed over the book again. This time, her magic turned an exact amount of pages at once, falling open to reveal several animals Dash was more than familiar with.

“They could take the shape of animals like fish, deer, eagles, and anything in between. However, they always preferred one shape, and they stayed in that shape unless they wanted to communicate with different species. How they talked to ponies varied from culture to culture, mostly because back then the three pony races weren’t united yet.”

“Whoa, not yet? How old are these stories Twi?” Dash could see the joy practically glowing from the unicorn’s smile. Her horn had nothing to do with it.

“Hundreds of centuries!” Twilight almost joyfully cried. “They have their roots as being some of the oldest figures in pony history. There is just so much mystery behind them that it would be impossible to ever establish what their culture was like, or could have been like. In the end, it’s just easier for most ponies today to remember them all as something that, quite frankly, they just weren’t.”

The pegasus scanned over the pictures Twilight had produced. So many of the fairies looked alien to her, standing on their hindlegs and bare of any coat. Manes longer than their bodies, but not even a trace of a tail present. The only comforting thing about the way they looked was the size of their eyes, large and full of wonder. Rainbow looked up to see her unicorn friend giving a very similar look back at the pages.

“You seem to know an awful lot about these things Twilight,” she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “But I’ve never heard you talk about them before. Why aren’t you, I don’t know, researching them?”

“Because they’re just myths, Rainbow.” Twilight spoke with a tone of sadness. “Just stories that were told by parents to their foals before we knew anything about the world. There’s never been anything more than just stories.”

“Hey, wasn’t Nightmare Moon just a story to most ponies?” Dash gave herself a cocky grin as she looked at Twilight. The unicorn scoffed at her, as if insulted.

“That was different, I found several pieces of evidence relating to her very real existence, including historical records detailing Luna’s once present rule and the sudden appearance of the Mare on the Moon. For fairies, there isn’t anything about them but just old mare’s tales.” Rainbow’s perked ears heard the sigh that left her friend’s lips.

“You okay egghead?” A small amount of concern dripped into Dash’s voice as she addressed her friend. Her wings quickly took her into the air. “You sound a little broken up over this. I mean, it’s just a book.”

“It’s not about your book, Dash.” Twilight was quick to clarify. “It’s just… how amazing would it be if they were real? To be able to meet a race older than even ponies? Do you have any idea how many questions they could answer for us?”

“Nope, not a clue.” The bluntness of the answer brought a small smile to Twilight’s lips, complete with a dry laugh. “But hey, if you’re willing ta make me a hay sandwich for lunch, you can tell me all about it.”

With a hoof around her neck, Twilight found herself being led into her kitchen, the pegasus guiding her, smiling all the while. The unicorn couldn’t help but feel a little grateful towards her friend.

“Where do I start?”

“What are you doing in my forest?” The high voice questioned again.

Apple Bloom was still on the rock, staring up at the figure with her breath frozen in her lungs. She had no idea what to do. Run, scream, hide, fight, do nothing? She only chose to do nothing, because she couldn’t summon the willpower to do anything else.

The creature above her snorted with a twist of its head. In a move that almost made Apple Bloom gasp, the figure let herself fall forward and off the branch. She plummeted towards the ground with a breakneck speed. But, instead of a thump and crunch, the creature deftly twisted and landed on her hind hooves, the hair around her soon following her to the ground. Without hesitation, the thing stood to its tallest, placing the oddly shaped ends of her forelegs on her hips.

The figure stood tall, far taller than the filly herself. Apple Bloom was only looking down at her from her position on the boulder, but the figure was well on par with the height of the mist surrounding her. The long white mane that hung from its head seemed to get lost in the fog.

It was leaning towards her, bending at its hips with almost a sneer over her face. It looked at the filly closely, head twisting left and right, judging her silently. Apple Bloom was able to divert her gaze long enough to look over the mist, searching the still empty pockets of air for the wolves that had only moments ago threatened her life. They weren’t anywhere to be seen.

“Where did you come from?” The voice came from right next to the filly. Apple Bloom’s head whirled to look at the speaker.

She was muzzle to muzzle with the white maned figure.

The filly let out a gasp of shock, beating her hooves across the rock as she made to escape. Her body slid over the surface before reaching an edge, falling off the boulder. Her body hit the forest floor with a soft thud, made soft by the wet grass. The pony, however, wasted no time in righting herself, looking back up the rock for the creature. It wasn’t there.

“What are you doing here?” Again, Apple Bloom spun to see the figure just beside her, looking down at her with her forelegs crossed and brow furrowed. Only passively did the filly realize the figure was just as tall as her sister, but her sister didn’t make her hooves shiver.

“W-What are ya?” Apple Bloom stuttered and spat through her lips. Her legs continued to push her back over the grass floor, trying to get away from her approaching predator. Rather than an answer, the creature acted.

It pounced from its crouched position, jumping a phenomenal distance over the forest floor. The filly was able to utter a single eep before the figure loomed over her, white hair dancing around her pale and bald face.

Air entered and left Apple Bloom at an incredibly fast pace. Her eyes were wide as saucers and lips trembling. She was trapped, caught, and afraid for her life. The figure’s inquisitive looks and furrowed brows did not help.

“You still haven’t told me why you are in my forest.” The creature spoke again, lips still turned in a snarl as she spoke. “Are you here to steal from me? To take things that don’t belong to you?”

Apple Bloom was at a complete loss for words.

“N-No! Ah-” She could only manage so few words before the figure’s face fell closer to her, its cool breath chilling her muzzle.

“Because if you came here to take from me, I’ll send you right back where you came from.”

Apple Bloom wanted to cheer.

“Ya mean it!” Like a flipped coin, the filly’s demeanor completely changed. Her wide eyes brightened in hope, quivering lips pulled into a full smile, and chest filled with pockets of air. “That’s great! Ah was scared you were gonna eat me whole ‘er somethin’, but if you’re gonna take me back home, that’s great!”

The creature leaned away from her, four limbs still surrounding the trapped pony. Her head twisted left and right, long white hair billowing with the movement. Then, with a small push, the figure rose back to its hind feet, looking down at Apple Bloom with the same curious expression.

“You… want to go home?” One of the small thin things at the end of her arms pointed towards the filly, a perplexed expression marring her white face. Apple Bloom, only too excited at the idea that this figure was more savior than hunter, jumped to her hooves with a smile.

“Ya!” She spoke with enthusiasm. “Ah came here lookin’ for mah friend, Zecora, but I got lost, and the fog didn’t help me none. Then when those wolves started attackin’ me, Ah thought I was a goner. Ah had no idea ya were comin’ ta save me! Ya should have said somethin’.”

“I did not come to save you.” Those words returned the cold pit to Apple Bloom’s stomach faster than any pony would have liked. “I came because I thought you were here to steal from my forest. No one takes anything from my woods.” The curious expression turned into a glare again. The filly’s legs seemed to be quickly losing the strength they once had.

“W-Well…” the filly stammered. “Ah ain’t here to take nothin’, Ah promise. Ah just wanted ta find mah friend’s home is all.”

“And why would you want to find your friend?” The creature asked sincerely. Even when Apple Bloom’s shocked eyes fell on the pale figure, the filly could see no sign or indication of mockery or lie. It was honestly confused. “Weren’t you already happy at your home? Safe with your mother and father?”

The filly’s features dropped.

They didn’t freeze or quiver, they didn’t do anything at all. They just fell, like the muscles controlling them simply stopped working.  Her neck was next, head falling until her lidded gaze was focused on the forest floor, white mist still dancing across it. Why did the figure have to say something like that?

“Ah… Ah don’t have any parents.” Apple Bloom spoke slowly, still swallowing the bile that rose every time she said it. Images of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon always flashed through her mind. “And Ah wanted to find Zecora cause she’s alone out here. Friend’s don’t let other friends be alone.” The filly’s gaze rose to met the creature’s hoping her gaze was stronger than she felt.

She saw the long white maned creature looking at her with a sense of pitiful shock.

“You have no parents?” She asked. Apple Bloom could hear something in the words. It sounded an awful lot like pity.

“No, Ah don’t.” The filly let out, twisting her head away from the figure.

“No father…. No mother.” Apple Bloom grit her teeth, trying to keep herself from yelling. Applejack had told her all the time that stooping to a bully’s level was admitting they were better than you. She had to keep her cool, like any member of the Apple Family would. “I’m alone, too.”

And just like that, all of the tension in Apple Bloom vanished.

Her eyes looked back up to the creature, unsure of what she would see. No small amount of shock worked through the filly as she saw empathy in the figure’s green eyes. Like jade colored water, the eyes of the figure looking down at Apple Bloom were filled with understanding. It was such a contrast to the harsh glares and hungry gazes from before.

Silence seemed to creep around them, following the mist as it swirled circled the pair. Apple Bloom felt her ears hug against her head, unsure of what to say or do. So she did as she as she had done whenever she was in doubt. She mimicked her sister.

“Ah’m sorry.” She spoke honestly to the creature, earning a twist of its head. “Ah know how hard it can be ta be alone.” The creature blinked at the filly, eyelids flashing with the same pale white as the rest of her bare skin. Apple Bloom made sure she wore a bright smile.

“If ya want, we can be friends!” The filly’s words turned the creature’s curious gaze into an expression of shock.

“Friends?” It spoke curiously, kneeling to the filly’s height as she spoke the word. Wonder swirled in her large eyes. It made joy float through the pony she spoke to.

“Ya!” The farm pony cheered. “As long as we’re friends, then we aren’t alone. It means Ah got yer back, and ya got mine.” The figure smiled as Apple Bloom continued to do so.

“I know what a friend is.” She spoke matter-of-factly. “I have had one before.”

“Really?” The filly asked curiously, taking small steps towards the figure. “Then where did they get off to?”

“They’re gone.” The answer was so blunt, the pony didn’t know how to respond.

“Gone?” Apple Bloom asked curiously. “Where’d they go?”

“Away.” The figure spoke again, expanding her forelegs as far as they could reach. “Far away. The same way all things eventually go. Gone away and far away.” Now Apple Bloom understood.

“Oh,” her tone audibly fell with regret. “Ah’m sorry.” The filly apologized twice now.

“Don’t be sad.” The white maned figure spoke again, leaning close to the filly’s muzzle. Unlike the first time it had happened, Apple Bloom felt no fear with their closeness. Especially not with the small smile over the creature’s white lips. “If we are friends, you can’t be sad. That’s how it works.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom felt she was asking that question more often than she had before. The problem was, she didn’t know what else to say.

“It’s how it worked before.” Without warning, the figure jumped.

Apple Bloom watched, jaw open and wide, as the white maned creature soared over her body. Like a pouncing pegasus, the creature cleared well over the filly’s head, twirling through the air until only her mane could be seen. If she didn’t know any better, Apple Bloom would have thought the figure was just wind.

But then it landed, smoothly standing to its tallest. It turned to look at the filly, still staring in shock.

“Well, are you coming?” The figure’s high pitched words caught the filly off guard. Apple Bloom jumped before she realized she had to move. She trotted over to the creature, keeping her eyes on it in case it jumped away again.

“Where are we goin’?” The question earned a grin from the figure. It turned away from the filly, facing the path away from Apple Bloom. All the pony could see was a thick wall of fog, too dense for her eyes to make out anything beyond.

BEGIN

“To your friend.” The figure spoke again raising her forelegs as she did so. “The forest will show us the way, once I tell it to.” Apple Bloom looked up towards the white maned thing with clear confusion.

“How are ya gonna get the forest ta…” The filly’s voice trailed off as the creature pressed the ends of its legs to the fog.

She grabbed at the mist like it was a blanket.

With a smooth rise, the figure’s forelegs lifted, taking the fog with it. Apple Bloom watched, mesmerized, as the mist began to rise into the air, dissipating like a cloud kicked by a pegasus. She felt a draft beneath her legs, chilling the pony through her coat. Her head looked left and right as the fog around the forest began to rise collectively, vanishing into the air like it never existed. But that was nothing compared to what came next.

Apple Bloom looked out in the direction the white maned figure was facing, and was met with a sight more beautiful than Canterlot at sunset.

Applejack had often told her little sister about meadows, patches of land that were home to many different varieties of plants all huddled together. They were often grown close enough that they would be fighting one another for the water from a good storm, or the nutrients in the soil. Yet, despite all that, a good meadow could capture the eye of even the most cold-hearted of ponies.

If a meadow was meant to capture the eye, then the sight the creature was showing Apple Bloom capture the filly’s soul.

“It’s… amazin’…” she loosely spoke with wide eyes. Breath seemed like such a petty thing to worry about the longer the filly’s large eyes continued to peer at the gorgeous scenery.  “Ah ain’t never seen anything like it.”

“Of course you wouldn’t.” The figure spoke with all the haughtiness of a princess. “This is my forest.” With a single leap, the creature took off into the meadow. It took a moment for Apple Bloom’s mind to catch up to her eyes.

“Hey!” She cried out. “Wait for me!”

The filly’s tiny legs took her into the opening path of the meadow, legs passing over the collection of flowers. They brushed against her coat like a comb, laying a scent over her as she galloped through them. The air that filled her lungs was filled with a freshness she couldn’t describe, but she could passively note it carried the scent of all the flowers she ran through.

The colors whisked by her as she ran forward, making the filly believe with all her might that she truly was under a spell. It was a far easier explanation than finding this lost oasis in the forest.

The filly’s eyes looked over the meadow, large green orbs searching for the figure. She caught a flash of white flying through the air, twirling like it was thrown. It landed on top of a boulder far larger than the one Apple Bloom had taken shelter on before. As with every instance the filly saw the creature, its pale white skin came out from its bright mane, dark woody colors hanging around it.

It was sitting on the rock, legs tucked beneath it like it was kneeling. It held its forelegs up to it’s mouth shutting its eyes as if to concentrate. Apple Bloom watched with mute fascination.

The creature released a breath of air, blowing over the rock with puckered lips.

Apple Bloom watched with wide eyes as flowers began to bloom over the boulder’s hard surface.

They stretched like a blanket over it, each new sprout springing from the supposedly hard surface and blooming, all in the span of the blink of an eye. Each one was colored white, mirroring the same color as the figure that had created them. Said figure was smiling.

“It’s… it’s magic, ain’t it?” The filly half asked, half stated as she trotted around the boulder. “Not even mah sister could get flowers ‘er sprouts ta bloom from a rock.”

“Beidh saol a fháil ar bhealach.” Apple Bloom’s ears perked and twisted to her side, nearly falling over in shock as she saw the figure standing next to her. It was cupping one of the flowers in her hands, taking in a long steady breath of air.

“What did ya just say?” The creature turned and smiled down at the filly, a light giggle petering past its lips as it did so. Then, without another word, it took off again, racing through the meadow. Apple Bloom was left in the rainbow cloud of petals it left behind.

Still, the filly couldn’t help but laugh as well.

She ran after the creature, only half her energy being given to her chase. The rest was left for her to marvel at the meadow she still ran through. The flowers that continued to brush and comb the coat on her legs only grew more colorful and more creative in their design the further she ran. From shapely petals, to elegant sepal, and not to mention their ever changing heights, the flowers really were endless.

But then the trees that walled off the meadow like a great grand fence were no less impressive. Apple Bloom couldn’t marvel or appreciate the beauty of the Everfree trees in her fear and haste, but now, with only a playful chase on her mind, she could see how they truly did stretch to the sky above. Leaves of every color and animals of all sizes moving and living upon them.

To the filly who barely reached her sister’s neck in height, standing beneath the monoliths that were these forest giants would have been breathtaking, were her breath not already spent on the chase she was taking.

Apple bloom gave herself a brisk pace to keep up with the speedy figure. She was far ahead, but not so far she was impossible to see. Against the backdrop of green and the colorful flowers beneath her, the white mane of the forest figure was impossible to miss. It made a mighty leap to reach the base of a tree, one of the many giants that lined the meadow wall. Then she stopped moving.

Apple Bloom trotted up to her, air becoming a precious commodity to her.

“Yer… yer faster than mah… sister even.” The figure’s crossed forelegs were oddly complemented by its sure smile.

“Yes, I’m the fastest. Ha ha ha!” It gave a toothy grin to the filly, one that Apple Bloom was too out of breath to return.

“So, what’s yer name?” Apple Bloom inquired. Strength was returning to her juvenile limbs. It wouldn’t take long before she’d would have to chase after the creature again.

“I’ll tell you,” the figure spoke with a smile. “If you can beat me.” For not nearly the first time, the white maned creature’s words confused Apple Bloom.

“Beat ya?”

“Yes, beat me.” She spoke as she stood to her tallest, hind legs locked in a straight position with her confident gaze aimed at the pony. She stuck one of her fore legs to her chest, the widest of her small appendages pushing into her. Then, her not-hoof raised itself, spindly dull claw pointing upwards into the canopy high above them.

“Beat me to the top.” Apple Bloom swallowed.

The tree was taller than any of the sprouts on her family’s farm; that she knew. What she didn’t know was just how much taller. Even to the pony who had grown among trees, the structure was massive, growing taller than her youthful eyes could even see. The trunk of it seemed to disappear into the canopy above.

“Ya mean climb it?” The filly couldn’t hide the fear that crept into her voice.

“Yes.” The creature spoke with a nod of her head, a cocky smile placed on her lips. “You can climb a tree?” It was question, not a statement.

“Course I can!” The filly answered, with gusto. “Ah’ve grown up around trees all mah life!” She couldn’t stop the blush that rose to her cheeks. Neither could she tell if the creature’s fanged smile was of pride, or knowing just how the filly felt.

“Alright then, follow me.” For what was not nearly the first time that day, Apple Bloom was stunned.

The creature pounced into the air, latching onto the bark of the tree as she started to climb. It acted like a lizard the way it moved up the wood. It’s legs grabbing at the bark like it was the ground, moving without hesitation, patience, or even the smallest amount of caution. Apple Bloom was left staring at the figure’s trailing mane.

The filly turned her head left and right, looking for a branch she could jump onto. There was a low hanging limb, just thick enough to support her weight, or so the filly could guess. Leaning onto her hind legs, she jumped up to it. Her body landed on it deftly, her hooves clopping over the bark. An excited grin reached over the filly’s face.

Her eyes saw another branch in sight, just close enough for her to reach. Leaning back, she performed another tall jump, landing on it with ease. The filly trotted in a small circle, admiring the progress she had made. It only took a brief glance upwards to realize the still unnamed creature was far higher than she was.

“Ah ain’t gonna beat her like this.” Apple Bloom mumbled to herself. Her green eyes caught another branch, a bit higher and a bit farther than the last few. She bit her lip as she looked at it, unsure if she was willing to take the risk.

But she did want to know her new friend’s name.

Leaning back like before, Apple Bloom pushed her hindlegs out, jumping as high as she could. For a moment, a brief yet eternal moment, the filly hung in the air, suspended above the ground and without a force to catch her. She slowly approached the branch in front of her, it growing closer to her out reaching hooves. She just touched the bark of the branch, feeling the coarse wood beneath her hooves, but that was all.

Apple Bloom began to feel herself fall.

But before she could scream, the figure landed on the branch, grabbing onto Apple Bloom’s fore legs. With a simple swing, the filly found herself being picked up and dropped onto the branch.

The filly was still as stone on the branch, frozen with the fear that she had almost fallen. Her breathing was slow, the shock of the experience still working through her. Then, softly as the flowers of the meadow, a shiver worked through her, easing her muscles and calming her mind. Apple Bloom looked up at the figure, who was looking down at her.

“I thought you said you could climb a tree.” There was no malice in its voice, just the same playful tone she had taken the moment they entered the meadow.

“Ah can…” Apple Bloom spoke pitifully. “Ah grew up on an apple farm. They’re just smaller is all.”

“Yeah, like bushes.” A hot flush worked through the filly as the figure giggled again. She hated getting teased. But that’s when she felt something grab her leg. Her green eyes looked at it, seeing the creature’s oddly shaped hoof holding it, bare and dull claws wrapping around her. The filly couldn’t ignore the strength she felt in the grip. It felt like Big Macintosh was holding her.

“Come on.” The figure instructed pulling Apple Bloom up. “I can take you to the top.”

“What?” Those were the only words the filly was able to speak.

In the next moment, she found herself placed on the figure’s back.

In the moment that followed, they were already halfway up the giant tree.

Apple Bloom’s forelegs were locked around the creature’s neck, her body up against its mane. It smelled like the forest, like an apple tree in bloom. But the mane felt like wet leaves, smooth to the touch and hard to grasp. It felt nice.

However, it was hard for the filly to concentrate on much of anything regarding her new friend while they were traveling up the tree faster than Apple Bloom could run on the ground. The branches and leaves passed by them at an almost blinding pace. The critters avoided the pair as they ascended, burrowing into holes in the bark or taking flight from them.

Apple Bloom shut her eyes as the figure climbed higher into the tree. The light became heavier as the canopy thinned, the many blankets of leaves dissipating the higher she climbed.

And then, they stopped.

END

Apple Bloom felt the figure she was clutching still. The air around them was moving, but it was a strong breeze flowing past them, not them rushing through it. Once more she felt the figure grab at her legs, but this time, it was to slip the grip off of her.

The filly felt her hindlegs touch the branch, followed closely by her forelegs. She let her eyes finally open, looking down on what she stood on.

Instead of the branch, she saw the ground so far beneath her.

With a gasp, Apple Bloom shut her eyes tightly, letting her legs grip the branch with all her strength.

“It’s alright. Relax.” The creature spoke to her, laying one of its oddly boned hooves over Apple Bloom’s back. The contact flooded the filly with relief. “Open your eyes, and I’ll tell you my name.”

A small gulp traveled down Apple Bloom’s throat. Heights weren’t anything she was afraid of. But this high up… it was hard for anypony save a pegasus to be fearless. But the figure was near her, and it was keeping her safe.

Flexing her legs around the branch, Apple Bloom slowly opened her eyes, gaining a bleary view of the white maned figure.

It was standing with absolute confidence at the end of the branch, it’s forelegs wrapped behind its back and mane swaying it he wind. It danced through the strong breeze, flowing like water in the air. The creature was smiling at her, green eyes brimming with the joy.

“Aisling.”

Apple Bloom smiled at the name. Wetting her lips, she moved them in time.

“Ash… ling…” The word flowed through her lips smoothly, like it was the easiest word to say. It made Aisling smile brighter.

“Yes, and this…” She stood to her tallest, letting one of her arms spread over the woods below them.

“…Is my forest.” Next Chapter: A Nervous Introduction Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 13 Minutes