An Everfree Excursion (20monkies)

[Dark Star]

It was midday when Dark Star began to stir from her usual sleep. She rolled out of bed as plain as always and went over to her mirror. She stared into her own reflection's eyes and began to think 'What can I do to break this tedious loop?'. It had been an entire week since Hearts-and-Hooves Day passed and Dark Star was bored out of her mind. For once, she actually understood how Slipstream felt when the former talked about her work. She closed her eyes in deep concentration while she brushed her mane. A few minutes passed and she had managed to come up with something; meeting up with a friend or two and spending the day together. 

It seemed to resonate within her mind and excited her heartbeat. "A sound idea!" she said aloud with a slight flash in her eyes. She looked over her log of which of her friends were in town and which weren't and found one name among them that seemed a better option than the others; Raven Feather. She had mentioned how she was in town for a few days earlier, low and behold, she was still there. She now had a game-plan for the day, all that was needed was to set things up. She paused for a moment and wondered how Raven might feel towards meeting up, and then where they would even go or what they would do. She started to think a bit more when Slipstream barged in.

"Hey, hey, hey, roomie!" she announced gleefully. Dark Star rolled her eyes and returned the greeting, albeit a bit sarcastically. "Hey, hey, hey, Slipstream" she said in monotone. Slipstream walked over with a smug grin and wrapped her fore-leg around the older mares shoulders. "Don't be like that, show me a smile" she pleaded. Dark Star merely rolled her eyes again and asked "Why are you bothering me this time?". Slipstream chuckled to herself and looked her roommate in the eye. "I'm here to get you outta this funk you've been in since Hearts-and-Hooves Day" the pegasus explained. Dark Star sighed and gave a small smile. "Thanks for the offer, but I was just thinking of making some other plans with some-pony else" she explained gently.

Slipstream frowned and took her leg off the other mares shoulders. "Oh, I see how it is..." she muttered as she exited the room with her head hung low. "I promise I'll spend the afternoon with you tomorrow, I just want to be with some-pony else for today" Dark Star said to her depressed roommate. Slipstream smirked and raised her head, "Don't forget", she said in a satisfied tone. Dark Star nodded and watched as Slipstream walked away. After preparing a bit, she left home and started heading towards the pharmacy Raven told her she'd be at. 

Dark Star walked around Ponyville with her eyes peeled. She didn't know the exact layout of the town, but she had a basic idea of where to find it. A few minutes of trotting later, she found it. She walked through the front door and headed towards the counter. There was nobody around, the place was empty. Dark Star thought about leaving before she got in trouble but stopped when she heard the sound of hooves coming towards her. She looked in the direction the sound was coming from and found a familiar white Pegasus smiling at her.
 

[20monkies]

Raven Feather had been awake since the crack of dawn, and busy assisting the pharmacist with his chores and setting up the shelves.

It was the least she could do for staying at his place, but Raven Feather knew she had to leave soon. She did not want to be a burden on him for much longer, and staying even more would have put some agitation in her. Raven could not stay in one place for too long. The past week and a half had been too much for even her. Black knew. The cat would bound out of the place and disappear and only return when she wanted to.

Raven wasn't too concerned about her pet. She knew that the feline would return to her, and if not there was usually no sense in worrying because she often found her way by smell.

At least her wound had nearly healed up and she could use her wing a little bit. The bandages had finally come off as the surface of her skin had knitted over with fresh skin. She could hardly feel the pinching anymore, which was a good thing. Her need to fly with her wing was stronger than ever. If she got a chance, she was going to go outside and test it out once and for all.

By midday, Raven was famished and was planning on heading out of the shop when a familiar face stepped through the doors.

It took her a moment to place the name on her, but Dark Star had now become more friend than stranger. Even with the couple of times Raven had met her, she wanted to spend more time and get to know her better.

"What a lovely surprise to see you, Dark Star!" She chirped, smiling widely. Her wings were folded up and her hair, swept neatly behind her ears with her tail trailing behind. She wasn't wearing her cloak and hood, but if Dark Star was here it meant they might have to head out soon.

"What brings you here? Are you looking for a herbal remedy of sorts?" She asked, tilting her head curiously.

[Dark Star]

Dark Star was pleasantly surprised to see her friend, Raven Feather, approach and greet her. She was looking quite well compared to how she looked before, which only made the visit feel even more special. "I'm so glad to see you, Raven" the dark mare greeted. Raven asked if she had come to the pharmacy to find an herb or a remedy, to which Dark Star found rather amusing. Feeling whimsical, she decided to have a little fun with the white Pegasus. "I was wondering if there might be an herb to cure boredom, actually" she told her in a serious tone. Joking wasn't her forte, but that didn't stop her from trying.

After a few seconds and an invisible tumbleweed passed by, Dark Star coughed twice and explained she was joking. "In all seriousness, I had actually come here looking for you. You see, I haven't been able to think of much other than spending time with you after Hearts and Hooves Day passed. I wanted to get to you sooner, but I was swamped with work and all" she explained with a slight blush. "I hope you don't find it selfish of me to ask, but would you like to spend some time with me today?" She asks with a mild blush.

While she waited to hear Raven's reaction, she began to think of things the two mares would enjoy. She knew Raven was the adventurous type, so perhaps the two could hike through the forest or do something of that variety. There were several other ideas that came to mind, yet the idea of going through the forest seemed to come up most often on the inside of her mind. She would most certainly bring it up once the oppurtunity presented itself. All she needed to do was listen and wait for it.

[20monkies]

"An herb to cure boredom?"

Raven was not expecting that as an answer, and it left her dumbfounded. The serious tone that Dark Star took on had her fooled, but momentarily before she realized that she was joking. A shy grin spread on her face, unable to help chuckling a little.

"Well, I'm so glad you thought of me. Ever since that day, I haven't had much else to do. I myself would much appreciate a cure to this boredom as well." Raven tucked up a strand of her hair behind her ear as it came loose from it's place there. She could never get her hair to sit still, always freely flowing around her features.

"And it makes me so happy that you took up my offer and came looking for me. It's not selfish at all, if I also have the same desire. No?" Thankfully they were both on the same page when it came to spending some time together. She glanced around the room with her crystal blue eyes, wondering if it would be okay to leave the pharmacy so suddenly. She was sure Silk wouldn't mind. After all, Raven couldn't stay cooped up for too long.

"Give me a moment as I grab my bags. I would love to spend the day with you." With a swirl of her body, Raven disappeared to the upper level of the pharmacy to the room she was staying at and gathered her things.

She didn't like to leave her belongings alone for too long. She knew the day would be spent outside and away from here, so it was always safer to keep her saddlebags on her. After all, her life was contained within them and if she lost them... it would be a tragedy.

Upon her return to Dark Star, Raven was dressed up in her signature cloak with the hood down and her saddlebags hidden beneath them.

"I'm sorry you had to wait for long. Shall we?" as Raven Feather gestured towards the door to take leave.

[Dark Star]

Raven seemed to have a mutual feeling of boredom, something Dark Star found quite surprising. She never thought that working in a pharmacy building would be that boring, albeit not having much in terms to do. The dark mare smiled when Raven agreed to accompany her for the day. "Excellent" Dark Star said with a "^_^" face. Raven left for a moment to grab her things and the silence gave Dark Star a chance to think.

She placed a hoof against her chin in deep thought and closed her eyes. There were countless things to do in Ponyville, yet she herself had grown bored with each of them. She couldn't ignore them or the many other places in case Raven wanted to check them out. That's when the Everfree Forest idea came back to her. It seemed perfect for the day, since that way the two would be able to bond in an environment they both were familiar with. Raven came back downstairs, dressed in her dark cloak and carrying her saddlebags. "Indeed" she said sternly when Raven offered to get on the move.

Once they had gotten outside, Dark Star turned to face the cloaked Pegasus. "I can already tell what you're thinking; you're wondering what place I had in mind. Well, to set your mind at ease, I can say it's somewhere unusual. Tell me, Raven, in all your days of traveling, have you ever gone through the Everfree Forest?" She asked boldly. She smiled in a manner that seemed both unsettling and charming at the same time. She waited eagerly for Raven's answer.

[20monkies]

As Dark Star stepped out of the pharmacy, Raven fell into step with the dark mare and readjusted her hood and cloak to ensure that it was set comfortably. Her wings shifted a little beneath the weight of her saddlebags, but nothing that caused her discomfort. She was content with how she was carrying herself.

Now the question was what the two mares were going to do on such a lovely day. The sun was shining brightly above them, with hardly a cloud in sight. Even Winter was nearing it's end, with not much snow to exactly tread in. A light blanket across the rooftops of the residential buildings and homes in the village's central area. Even the outskirts would have been no different.

"Of course." She commented, smiling at Dark Star. But when she mentioned the Everfree Forest, Raven couldn't help but stop in her tracks. Was she serious? Did she want to go through the Forest, after what happened to her? Dark Star obviously didn't know, and in a way Raven was unsure if she should tell the other or not. She hesitated momentarily, touching a hoof to her mouth as her gaze fell away in thought.

"Perhaps the simple answer to your question is 'Yes'." Raven stated, a little confused why the other wanted to go there in the first place. "It is a terrible place, with strange things indeed. But useful, if you are searching for rare plants and herbs for concoctions. May I ask why you feel we should be going through the Everfree Forest? I would not want any misfortune to fall upon on, as the creatures living there are quite deadly and could possibly be fatal."

Raven didn't want to discourage the other, as she seemed most intrigued to going there. With Raven's recent misfortune there, she was a little hesitant in returning. Perhaps another route could be taken, as her mind went through the various paths that she had encountered in the past. Still, what better way to face her past fear than to go head long into the Forest once again.

[Dark Star]

Dark Star was mildly surprised by how confused Raven looked after the idea of going to the Everfree Forest registered. The white Pegasus seemed to be very distraught over the idea, which was further evidenced by how nervous she suddenly sounded. She explained to her that there were some good merits in going to such a place, many of them Dark Star already knew about. What the dark mare found unusual was when the other had brought up lethal creatures. Dark Star tilted her head slightly and raised one eyebrow. "Creatures? I've never encountered anything like them in any of my late-night excursions through the forest. I mostly just thought they were some story adults said to keep foals from going there?" She asked.

Dark Star thought back over the last year and tried to find some memory of ever encountering something, anything that would've been dangerous, yet she couldn't think of anything. It was just an eerie silence that stretched out for miles to her, nothing more, nothing less. "Is that really the reason why you seem as though you don't want to go, or is there perhaps some other reason you aren't telling me?" She asked with a concerned look on her face. Perhaps Raven had a bad experience there and was too afraid to return. Dark Star could sympathize with her on that much; she herself had a great fear of meeting other ponies, something she never wanted to do because of how much tension it forced in her heart. She had gotten over it quite easily with the help of her friends. She thought that maybe if Raven told her about this fear of hers, maybe she would be able to help her get through it. Raven would have to tell her about it though, and that's what would make it challenging.

[20monkies]

After whatever problem Raven and Silk had faced in the past, the threat was long gone now. Still, Raven couldn't help feel the heebie-jeebies crawling all over her body at the very thought. It was strange, though, that Dark Star never really encountered anything dangerous. Stranger yet, that she thought it might be safe.

The Everfree Forest was well known for it's mysteriousness, and unusual plants and animals. Still, it could prove interesting if they stuck to a safer route. And Raven had to keep it in mind. Responding to Dark Star on the matter… that was a whole different story.

Raven's mind was swirling with her recollections, unsure how to approach the subject.

"You must have had some great luck. The night can make the forest more deadly than it appears. Timber Wolves, Cockatrices, Manticores… I'm surprised you have no run into any of those." She took in a deep breath, gazing up at the bright sky. The other was growing suspicious, and Raven wasn't sure if she felt comfortable enough to relay the events of past gone by. If it would put her at ease, she was going to have to trust her. Dark Star was becoming a familiar face and possibly a good friend. It was always difficult for Raven to keep friends, so she might as well work a little harder in that respect.

Smiling at Dark Star, she shook her head.

"It is not exactly the only reason that I do not want to go. I've had a bit of trouble in the past couple of weeks, for which the pharmacist Silk Suture has helped immensely. You see, there is some dread in me still for what had happened. Regardless, I'm willing to go with you. I'm confident that we can face anything together if an ugly situation presents itself."

She moved forward, tucking up her hood and grinned playfully at Dark Star, her eyes shimmering like crystals.

"Well, if you'd like to grab a bite before we head out, I'd appreciate it. Did you have anything in mind as to what you want to do in the Everfree Forest? I'd like to collect some plants if I can. I recall you star gaze, but is that possible during the day?"

[Dark Star]

If Dark Star didn't feel awkward before, she certainly did now. She had managed to bring up a possibly-ugly moment from Raven's past that the latter didn't really want to remember. The silver mare had commented that Dark Star's luck must've been extraordinary to not have encountered any of the creatures the Everfree Forest is infamous for housing, even listing off a few from the top of her head. "I've certainly never encountered any of those creatures, although I have heard a multitude of things about them. The only thing more unusual than that is how it I haven't met them. It's the strangest thing, really; I've been going in and out of the forest for over a year now, yet I haven't encountered a single creature out there, harmless or otherwise" she explained. Dark Star was incredibly unsure of anything at this moment. She never really considered anything such as this happening, so Raven caught her completely off-guard with her sudden worries.

Her mind was set at ease though as Raven explained that wasn't her reasoning for not wanting to go. Rather, she was put ease by how Raven wanted to go with her in spite of whatever it was that happened. Dark Star smiled at this. She figured she could probably coax the information out of her some way or another. She would just have to be patient until such a time occurred. Raven asked if she'd enjoy grabbing a bite before heading out, to which Dark Star shook her head. "I've picked a few apples that we can enjoy along the way. Time is of the essence, after all" she explained. It wasn't exactly her being rude, it was just her being efficient. Whenever she got her plans settled, she usually wanted them to go by without a hitch. 

"As for what I planned to do in the forest with you, I'd like to check out the ruins of the two sisters' castle, if you don't mind" she answered as Raven questioned her plans. "Star gazing is technically possible during any time of day, it's just a very bad idea to do so during the day because of how you can damage your eyesight. But we'll be too concerned over the condition of the castle ruins to worry about star gazing anyway, so it's not really like it matters much" she explained. Dark Star took a few steps forward and motioned with her tail for Raven to follow. Hopefully, this would allow the two mares to bond closer.

[20monkies]

Raven hadn't meant to scare off Dark Star, and she hoped that this adventure together would bond them closer, just as the other must have thought in turn.

"Apples sound lovely. I believe I've also a few rations of crackers and biscuits we can share." She wanted to keep a light hearted atmosphere - after all, it was Dark Star that came to her, and she wanted to be pleasant company for her. The few brief meetings together the both mares had were nice, so spending the day to get to know one another better was appreciated.

Raven never knew for how long she could keep friendship with anyone, but she wanted to work hard on this. She felt they both had some common interests if they gave it some times.

"Then let us make haste. I wouldn't want night to fall upon us without realizing it." She smiled back, warmly at the dark mare. "You know, the ruins of the two sisters' castle is one place I have not had the pleasure of visiting. In all my journey's across Equestria, it is one I have always found in fascination but never the courage to make the trip."

Raven fell in step alongside Dark Star, looking out towards the path they were heading to. Winding through the town itself, a small river that bent around and through the Everfree Forest itself in the close distance. There was a small bridge they had to cross over to get there, and then some more before the Forest itself would be looming overhead.

It's dark and gnarled branches hung over them like claws, and Raven had to stop in her place, swallowing a bit harshly. This was bringing back the horrible memory of the past, and Raven knew she had to brave through it.

Pushing it aside, she looked at Dark Star with a mask of confidence.

"I'd love to learn more about the stars during the night with you, whenever we get a chance. If I know more about them, they would be more pleasing to watch. I agree, however, we may be consumed by the relics of the castle and the structure itself."

Raven took in another deep breath and had to face the Forest once more. If anything came out after them during this time of day, she was prepared. She only hoped that Dark Star had a spell or two up her sleeve that would assist them should danger present itself.

[Dark Star]

Raven fell into line quite quickly as Dark Star led their little excursion. She was happy that her friend had agreed to get going posthaste. The two mares made it through the town and approached the entrance to the forest. It was business as usual for Dark Star, going through the forest, yet other ponies usually tried to avoid it as much as possible. Many ponies seemed to fear it, yet the dark unicorn never could understand why. Raven was one such pony that feared it, which Dark Star noticed right away. Her eyes flashed a brighter shade of red for a split-second as she turned to face the white pegasus. 

She said nothing as she just stared at Raven, but instead smiled and turned around. She knew right away that Raven was afraid of the forest for some reason, so she wanted to instill a feeling of safety in the mare before moving on, which seemed to work as Raven stepped up right away. Raven had mentioned how she wanted to spend some night looking at the stars, which made the dark unicorn smile. "We can set up a specific time for star-gazing anytime while you're in town" she said in response. Raven then mentioned her worry over the castle collapsing on them, which made Dark Star smile once again. "If memory serves, the castles ruins have still stood against the test of time for over 1000 years. It may just be strong enough to withstand a few more years if we're careful" she elaborated. 

Each step in the forest seemed to go on endlessly. Dark Star had been through the forest many times, yet for some reason, they didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Dark Star eventually stopped in her tracks, scowling at the ground while her eyes glowed brightly in the dark of the forest. She looked around and her expression softened. Her horn flared up and illuminated a few bushes and fallen branches in a dark red aura. She moved them away with relative ease and she smiled. "Much better" she said as she led Raven through the newly-cleared path. "There's no need to feel nervous here, Raven" she started. She kept her smile as she talked to her friend in the silence. "Every time I've been in this forest, it's always been relatively kind. I'm certain that if we keep this pace, we'll reach the castle in no time" she said with a toothy grin. 

[20monkies]

"Sounds wonderful." Raven replied back, keeping the thought of star gazing at the back of her mind so that when there was more time in the future, they could do so together. Visiting the ruins was going to be a new experience, reliving moments of history and seeing the ancient structure up close and personal.

Although Raven never mentioned a worry about visiting the castle, Dark Star still reassured her about it being safe and Raven laughed lightly.

"Of course it must be strong, especially if it has stood as ruins for many centuries. I'm sure there are plenty of historical evidence that we may enjoy seeking, relishing the past in a new light." She loved travelling, and exploring such places always gave Raven a thrill.

Following after Dark Star through the forest, eventually gaining the confidence and courage to re-enter the mysterious place, she stopped only short of her steps as the dark mare paused. Raven tilted her head, admiring the red light that glared gently off of the path, bushes and trees surrounding them.

There were a couple of strange sounds hear from the distance, chirping and howls, and Raven shuddered a little.

"I am quite sure, as well, we will reach there safely. I do not feel as nervous with you. But I am concerned that we do not touch anything we shouldn't so that the Forest continues to be kind towards us." Raven was always careful, and she did her best not to disturb the natural balance of any living thing or creature within. But sometimes, without realizing, a hoof would step in the wrong place and something dangerous would be disturbed and clamber out to attack. Even if a pony wasn't meaning to do any harm.

At least Raven was prepared, in case such a thing happened. She pressed her wings tightly against herself, the weight of her bags a reminder of her life.

"Ah yes, it is this way I believe." Raven said, following through the cleared paths as familiarity of the paths came back to her. "It's a shorter distance from this path, and relatively clear. Least dangerous, to my knowledge." gesturing to Dark Star to follow her now, as she wound around the path deeper into the Forest. "I remember passing the bridge that leads us towards the Royal Sister's castle on this side. As I said, I have never made the trip there myself. Only admired in fascination from a distance. Well, I guess you can say I've never had a reason or purpose to go there until now." Speaking warmly to the dark mare.

[Dark Star]

After walking through some rough parts of the brush, Raven Feather now took the lead. Dark Star was surprised by this; Once she had gotten a feel for how nervous other ponies were, she assumed they'd stay like that for some time. But Raven had managed to get over her fear of the forest relatively quick as she trotted upon the forest floor. 'I suppose some ponies are braver than I originally thought' Dark Star wondered to herself. Raven gave a small explanation that she had come through the forest and admired the castle from afar. This only gave Dark Star a quizzical expression.

Raven seemed quite timid over the idea of entering the forest earlier, yet now that she had seen some familiar turf, she was perfectly fine? None of seemed to make sense, and Dark Star would have to remember that for some questioning later on. The two mares approached the bridge and gazed at the distance separating them from their destination. Raven had opened up a bit more about how she'd thought of the castle and Dark Star gave her a nod. Her eyes began to glow as she trotted up the to the bridge. She gave the series of wooden planks a good look-over and frowned. The whole thing seemed as though it could break at any second, unlike the castle which was still standing relatively well.

Dark Star turned around and gave Raven a concerned look. "Your wings are feeling better, right?" she asked worriedly. She saw Raven give her a confused look, which made the former blush and her eyes glow. "I don't know whether or not the bridge is sturdy, but I think we can skip past the bridge altogether with our own...special talents" she said as her horn glowed momentarily. Normally, Dark Star wasn't the type to worry about such details, but the idea of falling through an old, worn-out bridge gave her a lot of reasons to worry. She looked back at up Raven, her eyes still glowing, and wondered what the other was thinking at the sight of her.

[20monkies]

As they came to the clearing that led them directly towards the bridge area, crossing over a gorge of sorts that would safely lead them to the castle, Raven stopped to admire the view. It was a vague memory of seeing the ruins, but it was somewhere there in the recesses of her mind. Like everything, she kept tabs on all the details and had a good memory.

The crumbling walls were preserved in a strange way, with some hints of restoration under way.

Raven Feather looked down at the bridge, and pressed a hoof on one of the planks to test it. It creaked under her footing, but seemed sturdy. If the castle stood, the bridge must be safe too right?

Her own crystal like eyes turned now to Dark Star and a brow raised in curiosity.

“My wings?” She asked, a little surprised by the inquiry. The strange thing about the dark mare was that her eyes glowed. Raven assumed it was a trait that most unicorns had, but she never saw anypony such as Dark Star’s glow such a brilliant shade of red before. Looking back at the bridge, Raven shook her head gently. “Well, the bridge appears to be sturdy from what I can tell. I suppose it would be for the safer side if we avoided using it.”

Adjusting her wings beneath the saddlebag, she let them stretch out from beneath the cloak she wore. They spread out magnificently, tipped with blood red feathers.

“I’m not sure if my wing is ready. I took a great injury to it some weeks back, and it was a deep wound. But I think I can attempt a flight. If not…” she thought about it for a moment, staring at the bridge. “I may take the risk and cross over the bridge.”

She flapped her wings gently at first, to get a feel of moving them after such a long time. They were a little weak, considering the damage she took. They didn’t pinch or ache like they had in those early days, only the faint dull throb that was left over as a reminder of the healed over muscles and tendons.

Raven lifted up off the ground and hovered a little, tucking her hooves up against her body as she got a feel of flying again. A smile spread across her face as reassurance swelled throughout her body. She was happy, and fearless now, that she was more than back to normal.

“Ah!” She exclaimed, giggling softly. “This feels wonderful!” She didn’t risk overexherting herself, so she landed back on the ground and blushed sheepishly at the other.

“Sorry. I was a little excited. I’ll meet you on the other side.” And with that, she quickly lifted herself up again. Using the bridge as her guide, she swept herself over the gorge carefully, tip toeing over the wooden planks of the bridge as she finally came to the grassy clearing opposite of where they were just standing mere moments ago.

[Dark Star]

Dark Star hadn't noticed how Raven felt about her wings, so she was just as surprised as the other mare when she brought it up. Luckily, Raven;s confidence problem was solved incredibly easily as she managed to lift herself off the ground with the same ease she'd always had (probably). After Raven was satisfied, she whisked herself across the bridge and made it to the other side in record time. Dark Star breathed a heavy sigh, relieved to know that Raven couldn't see her worried face any longer. "What's wrong with you, how can something like this scare you?" she asked herself. She shook her head at the thought of seeing herself cowering in fear over something as intrepid as heights and looked back over the bridge.

She could see Raven standing on the other edge, waiting for her to come over it. Dark Star took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused. Her horn quickly flared up in its usual red aura and immediately disappeared in a flash of light of the same color. She reappeared on the other side a few meters away Raven, her eyes still closed. Dark Star's eyelids fluttered open and were quickly greeted by the sight of the white pegasus. She smiled endearingly at her and the glow in her eyes settled. "It's a little disappointing that we made it here before nightfall" she started. "If we made it here after dark, I'm certain that we could've seen something ominous or foreboding" she elaborated. "Oh well, some things can't be avoided. Shall we enter?" she asked as she started walking towards the entrance.