An Everfree Extraction (Private, jadensong) [Dead]

[Jadensong]

As Krystal and Vixen checked, the young cadet's gaze switched from the armor she was staring at to the few food items that were there. Two apples, an orange and a cherry were left. While the apples and orange seemed fine enough, the cherry was beginning to rot a bit as it was slightly discolored. Jaden shrugged however, lifting one of the apples with her magic and brought it close to inspect it. -No sign of worms.- Jaden thought, rotating the apple around with her eyes narrowed. Unforuntely for the young Cadet, a few traits of Canterlot still held strong to her. One of them was being a bit picky when it came to her favorite things and in this case, it was apples. After looking over the apple a few more times, Jaden nodded once before taking a bite out of it. As she chewed, her attention turned to Vixen as she spoke up about the filly and once swallowing, raised an eyebrow. -A manticore. I only saw those in books.- Jaden thought, her eyes glancing to the claw marks. Taking another bite of the apple, she moved up to the box with the claw marks and touched one of them with her right fore-hoof.

-Well...looks like we have our work cut out for us.- Jaden thought silently, frowning a bit. Finishing her apple, she left only the core of it with the seeds and placed it in her left saddlebag. She then turned her attention to Vixen and Krystal, who were starting to follow the trail. Glancing at the last apple, she quickly grabbed it with her magic before moving to follow. As she fell into step behind them, Vixen's question caused her to raise an eyebrow. "Traveling stories?" Jaden spoke, her voice slightly confused. The young cadet was not very good with those, yet she did read quite a few books about different ponies venturing on different journeys and adventures. Yet she had never adventured like this before, nor ever did such a thing. -Always with Training, little tasks here and there. Nothing too exciting.- Jaden thought, her eyes shifted away from them for a few moments.

-I could tell them a story about how I got my cutie mark.- Jaden thought, nodding once before looking ahead. "Well, I doubt it's much. But I guess I can tell you the tale of how I got my cutie mark." Jaden said, glancing at Vixen and Krystal. Taking a deep breath and levitating the apple closer to her, she began. "Well, it was around 12 years old that I got it. It was quite a shock, since I had no clue what I wanted to do besides become a Royal guard." Jaden spoke, smiling a bit. "I was living with a few other fillies and colts, who at the time were either kind, scared or a bully. Luckly there was only two bullies, so it wasn't that much of a problem. Anyway, I was getting ready to leave for the academy, When one of my friends were being picked on by an older colt. He was around 13 years of age and was known as a bully. Along with the fact that he always seems to get away with it." Jaden said dryly, the apple hovering to the left side of her head. "Luckily for me, I had dealt with him before but it was only when I was being picked on. So I was fed up with it when the same colt started picking on my friend. Annoyed, I walked up to the bully and blocked him from my friend. I stood up to him and talked to him calmly. Well at least I think it was calmly, anyway." Jaden said, chuckling. "And after a few words or more, the older colt got the hint and left us alone. It was in that moment that I felt like I truly knew what I wanted to do. To protect ponies and to keep the peace. After that, my friend pointed out that I had got my cutie mark and its since then that I continue to do my part to help ponies in need." Jaden finished, glancing at Vixen and Krystal with a look of worry. "Sorry if my story isn't as exciting as most. It was one of the few I could think of at the moment." Jaden said, her eyes shifting to left side briefly to look at the trees.

[ashl3yfox]

Vixen listened to Jaden as she told them the tale of how her cutie mark was gained and as Vixen listened to the story she couldn't help but be reminded of herself in some measures but Vixen was beginning to see why she was in the royal guard as she had the all the right stuff to actually be a great guard. Vixen then noticed something odd about the environment around them the trees seemed to be damaged and riddled with claw marks and some had large portions of the trunk pressed in as if something had been pushed into them hard. (A battle of territory no doubt but whose territory is the real question from the looks of it its either timberolf or manticore. Looks like we should be even more cautious.) Vixen thought to herself. The two sisters listened to the end of JD's tale and each had there own comments about it which were positive in nature although Vixen mentioned she probably would have hit the bully in JD's place. "Well since you told us your tale I'll tell one of my crazy experiences." Vixen started. "So awhile ago I signed up for a semester at this magic academy to try and learn some more spells and some other stuff and on the first day and first time I had stepped hoof in canterlot I might add went to my locker and when I opened it up there was this rather large chest within it and I was curious so I took it to my dorm room and hid it there until I was ready to open it. So after I was done registering for all my classes and after running into Tessa I was finally ready to open the chest and so me, Tessa and Krystal went up to my dorm room and after a little struggle and one of my magic bracelets exploding we got the chest opened and within that chest was thousand of bits. Now the reason why it was filled with bits and in my locker was because some thieves stole it from one of the banks and hid the evidence in that locker at random. I still haven't made a dent in that money but it did get me my sword here and an airship that was in poor condition." Vixen finished. "Hey look more tracks and these seem more recent!" Krystal exclaimed. "Looks like were getting closer. Lets move. JD take point." Vixen said.

[Jadensong]

Jaden's attention returned to the two, smiling while listening to their comments about her story. In truth, she was glad that her tale wasn't boring or dull to Vixen and Krystal. Then again, she wasn't quite sure what to expect. Rolling her eyes once at Vixen's comment on the bully however, the young cadet turned her attention back to the trees with a smirk. -Not a bad idea.- Jaden thought, slightly agreeing with the filly before noticing the claw marks in the trees. Her eyes widen a bit, the smirk on her face switched to a frown and silently sighed in her mind. -Ok, so now there are more marks here, which means there might be more trouble.- Jaden thought to herself, her eyes trailing from the claw marked trees to the apple levitating near her head. -Well at least I have this tasty apple.- Jaden thought happily, checking the apple like she always does.

While turning the apple with her magic, Jaden glanced over to Vixen as she started her own story and listened. It was indeed a good experience from what Jaden could hear. Going to a magic academy to learn new spells, that alone sounded like fun. Yet to the young cadet, it was always fun learning something new. The story seemed even more strange as Vixen spoke about a chest she had found in her locker and meeting another pony named Tessa. -Wait...Tessa again?- Jaden thought briefly, hearing that name again a few times before and half-closed her eyes. That was the third time she heard that name and from what Vixen spoke of so far, it sounded like she was friends with this pony. -Yet if they are friends, then why is Tessa dealing with the Black market? What about the boxes? Do they have something to do with her?- Jaden questioned in her mind, tilting her head a bit to the left. After trying to answer her own questions and failing, the young cadet sighed while listening to rest of Vixen's story with her eyes once again to the apple. Once Vixen was finished, Jaden gave a few small comments about the story and mentioned that if she was in Vixen's place, she would've given it to charity. "Well, half of it." Jaden coughed, turning her head away with a kidding look on her face. Hearing Krystal speak up about the tracks, Jaden quickly threw the apple behind her and gave a small smile as she did so. The apple landed on the ground, rolling a bit before stopping near one of the trees and revealed a hole on the underside of it.

The apple now out of her mind, Jaden nodded while unsheathing her jeweled sword with her magic. "Don't have to tell me twice." Jaden said, smiling.

[ashl3yfox]

"Hey look more tracks." Krystal said. Vixen then stopped and told JD to stop as well to take a look at the tracks. "Alright! These are more fresh! Looks like we are getting closer!" Vixen exclaimed happily. "That also means we are getting closer to the creatures that could be chasing Lotus." Krystal pointed out with worry. Vixen then began to look around rapidly but after a few moments Vixen smiled and started to look more pleased with her surroundings. "Well looks like the most recent tracks go that way. Deeper into Timberwolf territory. Great." Vixen Stated. "Alright so what do we do if the timberwolves are home?" Krystal asked. "Well that depends on how many of them there are. If there are only a few we can drop an Explosive cylinder in the middle of them and scare them off and cripple a few for a few minutes. If there more than that then we will have to think of some great plan that can destroy all of them at once or you know just sneak past them somehow." Vixen said. Vixen then began to think about what they could do in such a situation but gave up as she figured that they would cross that bridge when they came to it. "Alright let move on. Krystal check behind us I don't want to be cornered if this is a trap." Vixen said. "Got it." Krystal said. "JD same deal. Your on point. We don't want to keep Lotus waiting so lets move it. JD if you have any questions ask them now because after we leave this area we go silent after all we don't want to wake our wooden neighbors." Vixen said.

[Jadensong]

Jaden stopped as she was told, though she tilted her head to the left with a raised eyebrow. As Vixen went to check on the tracks, Jaden sheathed her sword quietly and sighed. -Ok...Well at least we're on the right track.- Jaden thought, listening to Vixen comfirm that the tracks indeed belonged to Lotus.

The young cadet's face however shifted to worry as Krystal spoke about the creatures and frowned. -Then we need to help her!- Jaden thought, stomping the ground once with her right fore-hoof. Of course, her worry for the filly increased as Vixen stated about the tracks leading into Timberwolf territory and half closed her eyes. -Great...- Jaden thought in her mind, taking a few hoof steps forward before stopping near the tracks. Her eyes still half closed, she glanced down at them and slightly flicked her right ear. Jaden was listening to Vixen and Krystal choices, her head tilting to right as she thought about it. -Using something like an explosive sounds ok, if its only a few of them. Yet that would only cause more to come and That in itself is trouble. Plus, If Locus was there...we can't risk that.- Jaden glanced at the path ahead, her eyes showing resolve. -So, stealth it is. Or is it?- Jaden thought, turning her attention back to Vixen and Krystal as she heard her nickname. After Vixen finished speaking, Jaden's thoughts about Tessa rose to the surface and smiled.

"Yeah I do. Since we are here, I was wondering who Tessa is? Also, Why is your friend Tessa working with the Black market? " Jaden asked, turning her head back to the path. "Also, you may need four of these." Jaden said, lighting up her horn to open the right saddle-bag. Taking the bag of Explosive cylinders out, she took four of them out and levitated them to the two. "I feel like we may need them and plus, I have no clue how to use them anyway." Jaden said with a chuckle. -Better safe then sorry.-
Jaden thought, beginning to move forward.

[ashl3yfox]

Vixen placed the four Explosive cylinders in her saddlebag and then answered JDs question. "So you want to know about Tessa eh? Ok. Well Tessa is part of Atlas our exploration and rescue team and the filly who suggested the name Atlas because you know every adventurer has a map and what not. As for what Tessa does she is sort of and is our only member who can get us high quality supplies that help us on our adventures. Those crates you saw back there are just the small stuff she can acquire for us. In fact the biggest thing she helped us get was an old airship. That one required a lot of my voice talent and a clever disguise." Vixen said remembering how she first got her airship. "Anyway I have no idea how she knows the Black Market but we could ask her next time we see her in Canterlot. Oh and remember that fortune we found? Yeah those bits really can get you anything in Canterlot if you know where to shop I guess. Heck if I knew she could get us Royal Guard armor I might have had her get us some more...different kinds of armor." Vixen said. Vixen then began to think and eventually got an idea. Vixen then took three of the explosive cylinders and then grabbed some nearby sap with her magic and slathered it onto the three cylinders and then placed the now sap covered cylinders on three trees and then grabbing some Vines she tied together a rather crude fuse and tied them onto the cylinders and made a small hole in each cylinder and placed an end of the vines in each. "Krystal burn the vine over there." Vixen said. Krystal did as instructed and soon the vine was on fire and slowly burning towards the three cylinders. "Alright this should get there attention and give us a bit of time to search for Lotus. JD be prepared because your on point again." Vixen said.

[Jadensong]

Jaden only took a few hoof steps forward before stopping again, her attention turned to Vixen as the young filly begin to answer her questions. While listening, Jaden couldn't help but twitch her ears a few times and raising one eyebrow at what she was hearing. From what she could understand, Tessa was a friend of the two and often helped them thru supplies and such. Also, she recalled hearing their team name from books of adventures using such a term and silently called herself an idiot for not knowing that earlier. Yet as Vixen mentioned that she doesn't know her friend knows about the Black Market, Jaden just sighed. -Well then, at least Vixen answered my questions. Also they should give a little of the bits to the poor, just to help out of course.- Jaden thought, her ears twitching again and turned her head a bit to the left. -What the hay?- Jaden wondered, turning toward what she thought was a yelling sound.

Jaden gazed off into the distance, standing still as she focused on just listening. -Come on.- Jaden thought to herself, her gaze now focused down the path where the tracks lead. The young cadet didn't even notice what Vixen and Krystal were doing, as she was so caught up in trying to hear. Even as Vixen mentioned her nickname, Jaden's only response was a light nod. -Ok, I know I heard something.- Jaden thought, taking a few hoof-steps forward before stopping again. "Lotus...where are-!" Jaden started to say but cut herself off as a loud scream reached the trio's ears. It sounded like a young filly and clearly scared. "This way!" Jaden said, trying to keep her voice low and started moving toward the sound.

---

"Somepony, help me!" A young tan filly cried out, her voice sounding tired but desperate to escape what was chasing her. Her velvet mane and tail were a mess with leaves sticking out in a few places. A few scratches dawned parts of her fore-legs, while the small bag she was carrying on her back was tied to her. As she ran, the young filly turned her head slightly to the left to look at what was behind her. What she saw however, she quickly let out another scream. Two timberwolves were right behind her, the look in their eyes spelled only one word.

Kill.

One of them snarled in response to her scream, while the other just snapped its jaws together. They were hot on her hooves and by the looks of it, were closing the gap. Lotus noticed this, turning her gaze forward with fear clear in her eyes. She needed to do something and it needed to be quick. -What do I do, What do I do?!- Lotus thought, looking around desperately as she ran for anything to escape them. She had just managed to escape them once before, but that was by luck due to a fight that broke out. A manticore was attacking her at the same time the timberwolves found her, which during that time she had found a few boxes out in the open fields. She had manged to get a few supplies and by few, it was only an orange and one water jug. She then had to hide behind one of the crates to avoid its claws and then quickly run for her life. By the time she looked behind her, the manticore was being attacked by four of the timberwolves.

Now once again, Lotus was being chased by those things and it was all because she left her hiding place. "You Just HAD to leave it, didn't you?" Lotus said, letting out a tired huff.. She was really getting tired of running constantly and it was beginning to show in her movements. Looking back once more at the beasts that were chasing her, she whined. "Why did I ever think that THIS was a Good Idea?!" Lotus said, her voice strained in between running for her life and turned her attention ahead again. Her eyes widened however, spotting a hole under a tree that was big enough for her to fit in. "Yes!" Lotus said quickly, only to forget to watch where she was stepping on and tripped on her own hooves. "AAAH!" She screamed out, falling down face first into the ground. -Owww.- Lotus thought, sitting up to rub her head with her left fore-hoof. She was about to complain, only to hear snarls that were now closing in. Lotus snapped out of it, scrambling to her hooves and made a mad dash to the hole near her. As she entered the hole, she could hear a snap sound that barely missed her tail and now found herself trapped.

"Help! Please! Somepony!!" Lotus cried out, trying to catch her breath. The two timberwolves were now snarling at each other, fighting over what seemed to be a bag. Lotus Summer was now truly stuck and as she heard the snarls of the timberwolves, wanted nothing more then to be home again.

[ashl3yfox]

Vixen and Krystal both heard the scream and turned around just in time to see JD already moving towards the direction in which it had originated. "That sounded like a filly." Krystal said. "Looks like we found our missing filly. Come on you two lets pick up the pace." Vixen said. The group then continued onwards towards the scream origin and eventually Vixen stopped the group when they got close enough to see Timberwolves. "Well looks like I got the Timberwolf part right. Alright so lets see how we can help." Vixen said. "You got a plan?" Krystal asked. "Somewhat. I was thinking we could use two cylinders to scare the Timberwolves into going to a path we could rig to explode them all using the other two." Vixen explained. "That sounds good. What if they go the other way?" Krystal asked. "Well I wouldn't worry about that." Vixen said suddenly remembering the timed explosive she had rigged to draw attention away from the group. Suddenly a loud sound echoed through the forest as the distraction Vixen had rigged went off. a few of the Timberwolves went to investigate the noise which only left three left trying their best to get the frightened Filly whom they saw as dinner. Vixen and Krystal then prepared to toss one of the cylinders. "Ready?" Vixen asked Krystal. "Good to go sis." Krystal replied. Vixen then tossed one of the explosive cylinders in the middle of the three remaining Timberwolves. The explosion obliterated one of the Timberwolves immediately upon impact and blew the remaining two violently into the trunks of trees and turned them into splinters. Vixen then approached the trunk of the tree that the Timberwolves had been trying their best to get into. "Hello there. I'm with Atlas a rescue and exploration team. Im Vixen and the Dragon over there is my sister Krystal. You ready to get out of here?" Vixen said.

[Ashti Sandburst]

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