It was Evergreen who first noticed that Glory had gone missing, the fluff awakening to find that she was no longer cuddled safely against him. His concern growing swiftly, he alerted the herd, already shouting and scouring the small clearing as the others still struggled to wake up.
“Gwowy?! Gwowy, wewe aww yu?! Gwowy p’wease an’suh Ebah’gween! GWOWY!!! WEWE AWW YU?!”
His voice reaching a fevered pitch, Evergreen cried out, desperate to find his lost mate. Unable to find her, the fluff continued to scream for her until he felt something suddenly reach out from behind him, muffling his cries.
“Wat am Ebah’gween du’n?! Hoomins nu am faw way’ fwom hewe…Nu wan dem tu find fwuffies!”
Rascal held firm, not releasing his hoof from around Evergreen until the frantic fluff had settled, now only sniffling as he peered up towards the injured earthie. Wiping away tears, Evergreen tried his best to keep his composure.
“Wascaww…Ebah’gween nu kno wewe Gwowy am…Ebah’gween nee’ tu findies Gwowy…”
“Nu…”
“Wat?! Buh…buh Gwowy mite be in twouble! Mite nee’ Ebah’gween an’ odah fwuffies!”
“Nu cawe…hoomins am wookin’ fow fwuffies Ebah’gween…An’ Wascaww stawtin’ tu tink dat dey am wookin’ fow Gwowy.”
“Weawwy?! Buh Wascaww sai hoomins wewe scawy an’ wan gib huwties…Ebah’gween nu wan Gwowy huwt!!!”
Hearing that his special friend might be in mortal danger, Evergreen lost all composure, his words increasing to a panicked scream before the green earthie collapsed to the forest floor, sobbing. Snorting as a scowl slowly crossed his face, Rascal pulled back a hoof and struck the prone fluff across the face, the abrupt blow stunning Evergreen into silence.
“Dat am enuff!!! Ebah since Gwowy come awound, fwuffies am in dangew!!! An’ Ebah’gween nu can see dat!!! Am bwind cus yu wuv Gwowy!!! EBAH’GWEEN NU EBEN KNO GWOWY!!!”
Breathing heavily from his angry display, it was clear that Rascal was at the breaking point. Despite his recent injury, the large earthie was no less intimidating, his raised voice causing Evergreen to wince, his face still hot and aching from where he’d been struck. Seeing the pain he’d caused his friend, Rascal sighed, forcing himself to calm down before continuing.
“…Wascaww kno Ebah’gween nu wan heaw dat…buh am twu. Ebah’gween am Wascaww’s fwend…am pow’tant tu Wascaw…Gwowy am gown nao an’ fwuffies nu kno wewe…Am nu safe tu gu wookin’ fow Gwowy wiff hoomins in dah woodsies…fwuffies shud jus’ gu back tu fwends an’ fowget aww bout’ Gwowy…”
“Nu…”
Taken back slightly by Evergreen’s abrupt answer, Rascal was shocked, almost in disbelief at what he had heard.
“…Nu?! Whachu mean nu?! Wascaww nu am askin’…Wascaww am tewwin’ Ebah’gween! Ebah’gween nee’ tu wisten tu…”
“NU, WASCAWW NEE’ WISTEN TU EBAH’GWEEN NAO!!! EBAH’GWEEN WUVS GWOWY!!! AM EBAH’GWEEN’S SPECIAW FWEND!!! GWOWY HEWP MEANIE WASCAWW AN’ NAO GWOWY NEE’ FWUFFIES HEWP TU!!! SU EBAH’GWEEN GOWNA GU AN’ FINDIES GWOWY!!!”
“DAT AM DUMMEH!!! EBAH’GWEEN NU AM TINKIN’ BOUT’ ODAH FWUFFIES!!! OW DID EBAH’GWEEN FOWGET BOUT’ ODAH FWENDS DAT EE’ZEE?! DU ODAH FWENDS NU MATAH TU EBAH’GWEEN NU MOWE?!”
“EBAH’GWEEN CAWE BOUT’ ODAH FWENDS TU, BUT GWOWY NEE’ HEWP NAO!!!”
“GWOWY AM ONWY WAN FWUFFY!!! EBAH’GWEEN WUD WEAWWY GU AFTAH WAN FWUFFY, EBEN IF DAT PUT AWW ODAH FWENDS IN DANGEW?!”
Evergreen looked down towards the ground, seemingly cowed by Rascal’s question. Tears running down his cheeks, the green stallion took a deep breath before staring back towards the towering earthie, his tone now subdued and quiet.
“…an’ wat if it wus Angew?”
“…Dat…dat nu am the same…”
“Wai?! Cuz Wascaww kno Angew wongew?! Ow am it onwy cuz Wascaww sai su?! Onwy Wascaww gets tu choows hu mattah?! Hao am dat faiw?!”
“Ebah’gween…stahp tawkies bout dat…”
“Nu! If Angew nee’d hewp, den Wascaww wud du anyting tu sabe Angew! Dats hao Ebah’gween feews bout’ Gwowy!”
"Stahp tawkies wite nao, Ebah’gween! "
“Wascaww gowna wisten tu Ebah’gween!!! Fwuffies gowna gu an’ sabe Gwowy!!! Wascaww wud du the same fow Angew!!!”
“STAHP TAWKIES!!!”
His anger boiling over to the breaking point, Rascal lashed out at the green stallion, ramming into him and knocking him to the ground. The blow left Evergreen reeling, gasping for air as he struggled to find his footing. Stars dancing before his eyes, he tried to focus, seeing that his gargantuan friend was already dragging his hoof through the dirt, preparing to charge him again. Evergreen knew that Rascal had a terrible temper, and that he was sensitive when it came to Angel. But he had never seen the red stallion so angry before, and certainly never as violent towards his own friends. Barely able to move, Evergreen pushed himself as hard as he was able, forcing himself upright just in the nick of time, only just dodging Rascal’s second charge.
“W…W…Wascaww…C…cawm down…”
Gritting his teeth, the spittle foaming at the sides of his mouth as he stared down Evergreen with bloodshot eyes, it was clear that Rascal either couldn’t or wouldn’t hear him, the towering stallion taking deep, seething breaths as he once again tore at the ground with his hoof, his haunches tightening as he prepared to charge again.
“*SCREEEEEEE!!!”
Ambling to the side, Evergreen avoided the full brunt of the attack, screaming as he felt the red stallion’s shoulder connect against his side. Throbbing in agony, the green stallion nearly collapsed, his legs threatening to topple over from the pain. Knowing that he couldn’t dodge again in his condition, and that a direct hit from Rascal could kill him, Evergreen had few options left. He loved his friend, but to save not only himself but Glory as well, he would have to somehow knock some sense into him. Overpowering him was out of the question, as their size difference alone would make that near impossible, even if the green stallion weren’t wounded. But then again, so was Rascal…Evergreen thought as he stared at the red stallion’s jaw.
While it wasn’t something Evergreen would normally consider, the mere thought of causing another fluffy harm deeply disturbing the green earthie, there was little else he could do that might subdue his oversized friend. Watching as Rascal ended his last attack that had battered his torso, turning around in preparation for another mad dash, Evergreen forced his trembling legs to move, running towards the red stallion before he could charge again. Unable to react in time, Rascal’s expression quickly shifted from anger and confusion to agony as the green earthie pressed both of his hooves against his jaw, holding tight and refusing to let go.
“*SCREEEEEEE!!! WET GU!!!”
“NU!!! EBAH"GWEEN NU WET GU TIWW WASCAWW CAWMS DOWN!!!”
Shaking his head as he shrieked in agony, Rascal tried to jostle the green stallion loose, with each movement causing the dull ache in his mandible to wax and wane, the anguish slowly causing his movements to become weaker and weaker until he finally collapsed to the ground, with both of the stallions trying to catch their breath.
“Eb…Ebah’gween sowwy…b…buh Wascaww n…nu wisten…”
Even as he took sharp, uneven breaths, Rascal grimaced towards Evergreen, still outraged but too weak to act on his anger. Trying to speak, each attempt caused the red stallion another bout of anguish, the oversized fluff eventually giving up as he laid on his back and slowly attempted to recuperate. There was only a brief silence, as once the stallions had ceased their brawl, Pink Berry came out from hiding, crawling along the ground as she slowly approached the pair.
“Nu…nu gib each odah huwties nu mowe…p’wease…”
Trembling and on the verge of tears, the mare made her way to the fallen stallions, seemingly made skittish by their recent bout. Trotting over to Evergreen first, she tentatively took his hooves into hers, helping the battered earthie upright.
“…Tank yu, Pink Bewwy…”
After Evergreen had been aided to his feet, the pink unicorn then looked down towards Rascal, the mare almost yelping as she saw him stir. Friend or no, the red earthie was scary at times, and seeing him outright attack Evergreen made Pink Berry even more cautious around him than usual.
“…Am Wascaww stiww mad?”
“…Jus’ hewp Wascaww upsies…”
Hearing the tone of his voice, Pink Berry was pleased that he sounded more annoyed than angry, pushing her entire body against him as she struggled to help the massive earthie stand. Once on his hooves again, the mare sniffled, fighting back tears as she wrapped herself around Rascal.
“Pink Bewwy nu wike wen fwends fite…”
Rascal untensed at her touch, visibly calming as he awkwardly pulled away from her embrace after a few moments. His wits seemingly returning to him, the red stallion gave a fleeting glance towards Evergreen before dismissing him and peering about where the mare had come from.
“Wewe am Angew, Pink Bewwy? Stiww sweepies back at nestie?”
Perplexed by the question, the pink unicorn trodded past Rascal, and into the bushes that she’d emerged from only moments ago, a look of concern growing on her face.
“Nu…Angew wus wite hewe…wiff Pink Bewwy…Wus hidies wiff Pink Bewwy wen fwuffies heaw Wascaww show’tees…Wast sees Angew wen fwuffies wus tawkies bout’ Gwowy be’n gown…”
The sun was creeping through the treetops as Angel strode through the forest, hopeful in his quest to find his missing friend. Once he had overheard that Glory was nowhere to be found, he had snuck away, blissfully unaware of the melee that had taken place shortly after. His remaining wing fluttered with pride as he journeyed past the foliage and through the rocky dirt, with the task at hand once again filling the one winged pegasus with long forgotten confidence. There was something almost familiar about saving fluffies, some long lost memory that was all but gone within Angel’s broken mind that told him to press on no matter what, that it was his somehow his job.
“Hewwo?! Gwowy?! Fwuffy fwends am wookies fow yu!”
The pegasus called out for Glory over and over, hopeful that he would find her soon. While he was determined to find their lost friend, Angel was already missing Rascal, his conviction waning as the minutes away verged on hours. Even as he searched the woods, a strange dread began to pool within his mind, the same one that always happened when he was away from his friend for too long. While not fully aware of his condition, Angel had some inkling that he was off somehow, that in some crucial way, he had been diminished. And while it was difficult for him to remember, the one winged pegasus could always tell that the others treated him so strangely at times, but was unsure as to why.
By the time midday had approached, Angel’s bravery had run it’s course, the now skittish pegasus meekly peering around, unsure where he was or how he’d gotten there. Unable to recall what he had been doing, his slow and nervous pace quickly became a panic fueled sprint as he called out for the only friend that his addled mind knew could help.
“WASCAWW!!! WEWE AM WASCAWW!!! ANGEW NEE’ WASCAWW!!! *huuu…huuu…huuu…ANGEW NU WAN BE AWONE!!! *huuu…huuu…huuu…”
Screaming again and again, the pegasus was met only with his own mocking echo, the combined effort of pacing through the forest and crying out for help quickly winding him. Confused and exhausted, Angel sat on his haunches, suckling his hoof for comfort as he hummed a discordant tune that was hauntingly familiar. Glancing around anxiously, all the pegasus could remember was that he was alone and lost in an unfamiliar place. Deep within his crippled psyche, Angel knew that if he could just find Rascal, everything would somehow be okay. Crawling to his hooves, the pegasus slowly crept through the forest, with every subtle noise growing alien and more malicious as time went on, the poor fluff’s mind warping every perceived shadow into some sort of threat. His slow pace quickly became a full gallop as he began to shriek aloud, running blindly through the woods until he was stopped abruptly, held firm by a bushel of thorns that dug deep into his flesh. Angel shook violently against the barbed prison, with every attempt to free himself causing a fresh wave of agony. Screaming until his throat gave out, the pegasus eventually began to black out, his eyes fluttering and vacant as the two men approached, drawn by his terrible screams.
“Christ that fucker was loud…is it even still alive…”
“Looks like he’s still breathin’…Damn, look at those scars! Someone did a number on this guy…”
“Who cares, old man? Besides, it’s probably a friend of our bounty…”
“No money to be made off em’ though…”
“So what! I for one intend to get a little payback for my gear! And I’m gonna tear it outta each and everyone of that bitch’s goddamn friends! Especially that big, red bastard!”
Rolling his eyes at his younger companion, Ralph took out his knife and carefully cut Angel loose of his thorny prison, careful not to let the wicked brambles tear into him, the pegasus going limp in his hands as he struggled to stay conscious, only vaguely aware of what was happening, his mind lost in the nightmarish void of days gone by.
“…N…nu…huwties Angew nu mowe…P’wease…Angew sowwy…”
His sleep fitful and uneasy, Angel was adrift in a maelstrom of disjointed memories, the worst of which were rising to the surface. It was always through a terrible haze, but the pegasus was haunted by them nearly every night. Unable to focus on images, it was always a litany of frightening and confusing feelings with little details that bled through the cracks. A dark place, a terrible light, and an awful, earsplitting noise that seemingly never ending, a crescendo that always led to the terrible truth that the echoing cacophony that thundered through his mind were his own pained screams.