Twilight eyed the dark woods around her nervously, listening to the sounds of animals and snapping branches. She refused to give the others (mainly Spitfire) the satisfaction of knowing she was terrified.
This place wasn’t natural and every inch of her pony instincts was screaming for her to flee for her life and get back to her motel room. Back to Spike and presumably safety.
And for some reason Twilight didn’t entirely understand, a tiny part of her liked the forest. It was admittedly pretty in some spots, like those yellow flowers as Twilight took a step to them.
“Hey!” High Winds dropped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. “What in Equestria are you doing? You almost fell of that cliff edge to your death.”
Twilight stared in shock at the cliff she was mere hoof steps from tumbling off of before she rubbed her eyes with a hoof.
“Woah thanks,” Twilight muttered as she stepped back and looked around in confusion. “Where did the flowers go?”
“Uh what flowera?” Watermelody asked as she and Sunset looked back at Twilight.
“The yellow one that was right in front of me,” Twilight answered and tilted her head. “Didn’t you all see it?”
“Uhm there was no flowers,” Wallflower said after a moment of silence. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine,” Twilight insisted as the others gave her concerned looks. “Let’s keep going. It has to be around here somewhere.”
She pushed past Wallflower and after a moments hesitation, the others followed her, all of the mares missing the gold eyes and purple smoke watching them from the tree line.
Wallflower eyed Twilight nervously as the earth pony continued following silently through the woods. The unicorn was muttering to herself, occasionally shooting Sunset distrustful glares.
Wallflower didn’t entirely know anypony here except for maybe High Winds snd even then, she barely talked to the mare except that one time and at the party earlier today. Tonight? Didn’t matter.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Wallflower asked quietly and recoiled slightly as Twilight glared at her. Her eyes weren’t that deep purple color anymore and were instead a gold color. “O-oh my. Ohm guys?”
“Stupid mare,” Twilight grumbled and her eyes locked on the unsuspecting Sunset who had her back turned. “Bet she’s trying to have princess Celestia get rid of me so she can be the only one.”
“And as I was saying,” Sunset continued obliviously with a shrug. “Naturally I- gah!”
Twilight blasted Sunset in the back and the mare went tumbling to the ground with a cry, smoke rising off her back as the others spun around in shock, Spitfire glaring at Twilight with a murderous look.
“Wait don’t!” Wallflower tried to interject as Spitfire tackled Twilight and the pair went rolling across the dirt with Spitfire ending up on top, her hooves wrapped around Twilight’s mane as she lifted her head and slammed it against the ground.
“What in Equestria is wrong with you attacking her like that?” Spitfire snarled as High Winds knelt down to help Sunset up. “I’m gonna kill you!”
“It-it wasn’t me!” Twilight begged as her eyes turned purple again and Wallflower sighed in relief. “I’d never just attack another pony like that. I could see everything I was doing but I couldn’t stop it. Please don’t kill me.”
Spitfire paused as the others watched silently with nervous expressions before Spitfire inhaled and let go of Twilight, stepping off her hoof before extending a hoof.
“She’s telling the truth,” Spitfire declared and Twilight eyed the hoof. “It wasn’t her fault.”
“How in Equestria do you know that?” Watermelody snapped as she gave Twilight a wary look. “She just shot Sunset for no reason! Imagine if she killed her next time. Or Wallflower or me or herself! Remember, she almost killed herself an hour ago!”
“Just a gut feeling,” Spitfire answered and yanked Twilight up. “I don’t say this often so don’t get used to it but I’m sorry. For trying to kill you there.”
“She’ll be fine. What the hell was that though?” Spitfire wondered and Sunset gave a low groan.
“Mind control probably,” Sunset grunted and Spitfire caught her with a wing. “Thanks. I’ve been hearing things recently right when Twilight tried to jump off the cliff. Like how I’m better than you all and should crush you under my hoof. It’s giving me a migraine and it’s really hard to fight off.”
“It’s the forest,” Wallflower mumbled and everypony focused on her. She blushed and scuffed a hoof. She didn’t mean to speak that loud. “Sorry for speaking so loud.”
“Don’t apologize,” High Winds smiled warmly before trotting over and nuzzling her. “You’re part of this group after all, remember?”
“Anyway, what do you mean it’s the forest?” Watermelody asked and stepped closer to Spitfire who still holding up Sunset.
“Nightmare Moon,” Wallflower answered after she pressed a hoof against the tree. “She turned it against us. My special talent is all things to do with plants. The tree is suffering. I can hear him. He says she is trying to turn us against each other or have us kill ourselves. Something about a purple smoke and golden eyes in the woods.”
They watched in silence as Wallflower closed her eyes and the trees leaves lifted up slightly, the tree looking healthier than it had before.
“Twilight had golden eyes,” Watermelody pointed out after Wallflower opened her eyes. “So the smoke is what exactly? A ghost or some shit?”
“Or Nightmare Moon,” Sunset chimed in and took a shaky step. “I’m fine Spits. Thanks. What about the tree?”
“We beat her up,” Wallflower growled and hugged the tree as the others gave each other startled looks. This was probably the most angry Wallflower had ever looked all day. Granted, they didn’t know her well but still. “I call dibs on using my beating stick.”
“Your beating stick?” Twilight echoed in confusion as Sunset stood next to her.
“Yes,” Wallflower nodded solemnly and picked up a large fallen branch. “Behold, the beating stick.”
Twilight and the others stared before Twilight giggled with Sunset slowly falling afterwards.
“What?” Wallflower pouted as the others laid on the ground laughing excluding Spitfire who had a large grin on her face. “What’s funny?”
“That stick is almost as big as you are!” High Winds wiped a tear away before she started laughing again. “Oh Celestia have mercy on my soul.”
“That is actually kinda adorable,” Twilight admitted as Spitfire let out a quiet snickered. “She looks tiny compared to the big branch she has.”
“I’m never living this down,” Wallflower grumbled and turned bright red as she chose a smaller (but still painful looking stick). “Is this better?”
“Yes,” Sunset snorted a laugh as she shakily stood up off the ground. “Ow my back. Word of advice, don’t get shot by Twilight. Shit hurt like hell. I’ve been shot what, three times tonight?”
“Two I believe,” Twilight corrected before her ears flattened against her head. “I’m uh really sorry about that by the way.”
“Think nothing of it. Shit happens,” Sunset shook her hooves with Twilight. “Forgiven.”
“We’re okay, just like that?” A stunned Twilight and Sunset nodded with a shrug.
“Yeah we cool.”
For one of the first times in her life, Twilight accepted a hug from a pony that wasn’t her brother, parents, Celestia or Cadence, idly wiping her tears away.