The Other Elements (mlp:fim fanfic)

Chapter twenty: Through the Everfree Forest

AN: I DON'T OWN THE PICTURE ABOVE

The six ponies met at the edge of the Everfree Forest, some of their saddle bags bulging and spewing out supplies from over packing while others were fairly lightweight. Surrounding the sketch of the Tree of Harmony with her midnight blue magic, Winter showed everypony what they were looking for. Rushed notes were scrawled around the drawing, which she decided to read to them too.

"According to the notes, it's likely that the elements won't be visible once we get to the tree. We'll have to do some problem solving once we get there in order to find the elements." Winter explained.

Flora swallowed nervously, "And w-what if we run into creatures in there?"

"We'll take care of them no sweat." Whirlwind said with a smirk.

"This is gonna be so cool." Geode grinned before adding. "In an adventurous 'let's save the world' sort of way."

Everypony was alert as they walked through the Everfree Forest. Winter lead the group forward with Whirlwind right beside her. Eagerly following the two best friends, Geode tried to make light of that fact that they were in a dangerous forest. Although Blaze clearly wasn't as appreciative as the mares were and Tidal Wave remained fairly serious.

"For Celestia's sake, not everypony can claim they've been through here! Isn't this at least a little exciting?" Geode pointed out, turning to face the Blaze, Tidal Wave and Flora with a smile.

"Sure, but that doesn't change what goes on in here." Blaze countered, rolling his eyes.

Tidal Wave sighed, "Look, it's great that you're trying to put our minds at ease, but I just want to get in, get what we came for, and get out."

"Come on guys..." Flora spoke up. "It's terrifyin' enough without him sayin' positive stuff. Can't we just let him?"

"Yeah, he's not hurting anything!" Whirlwind agreed, coming to the crystal pony's rescue.

"We should be taking this place seriously instead of being so carefree about it." Tidal Wave asserted.

"And you talking the whole way doesn't help either!" Blaze insinuated.

Biting her lip, Winter tried to reason with the bickering ponies, "This really isn't the time to be arguing."

However, they didn't seem to hear her over their pointless feud. Coming to a stop at a pond in their pathway, she took the opportunity to face the five ponies behind her. She tried again, slightly louder, but they still didn't seem to hear her point. Not used to being assertive, Winter started to fly over the pond, when she heard splashing and disturbance in the water underneath her. What she saw caused her to shriek.

A large dark green creature with a powerful body rose from the blue-green water. It's teeth poked out of its mouth and it's strong jaws were open and ready to snap closed at a moment's notice. Within seconds, Winter's eyes were met with the yellow eyes of a cragadile. The shouting of her travelling companions ceased, and were replaced with screams as they saw the beast. Terrified, Winter began to fly back to where the others were, but the cragadile wasn't willing to give up its breakfast and lurched at the alicorn, water splashing out of the pond and onto the beaten path.

Winter looked back, only to see the cragadile bite down onto her tail. Panic flooding her system, she flapped her wings faster, trying to force her braided tail out of the creature's mouth. Before she could so much as free even part of her tail, the cragadile slammed her down into the pond. Forced down beyond the surface with such strength, her head hit something hard while her hooves and legs scratched against rocks in the murky water. With adrenaline induced speed, she shook off the impact and leapt out of the water.