White Tail Woods was a large forest just outside the city of Canterlot. The stretch of untouched wilderness offered visitors a rustic escape from the hubbub of urban life. It was a warm summer morning, and the day's heat was just beginning to rise. Hiking stick in hand, Indigo Zap drew in a deep breath. She was dressed for the occasion, wearing in a loose, lightweight shirts, shorts, and durable hiking shoes. Several paces behind her, likewise dressed, Lemon Zest wiped her brow.
"I think we've earned a break..." panted Lemon.
"Just a little further! We're almost to the halfway point."
Lemon sighed. While she was the most physical of Indigo's "non-jock" friends, her tenacity was geared more toward enduring mosh pits than long hikes through the wilderness. Over the last hour, they had trekked nearly halfway through a popular loop trail that ran deep into the woods. Songbirds warbled in the branches overhead as squirrels skittered across the forest floor. All around them, shafts of sunlight beamed down through gaps in the foliage. Before long, they reached the bright green sign that marked the halfway point of the trail. Setting her day pack and stick aside, Indigo plopped herself down at the foot of a nearby tree.
"Perfect spot to take five!"
"How about ten?" countered Lemon as she produced a granola bar from her day pack.
"Told ya, you should've brought a hiking stick! I thought you said you were in the Filly Scouts?"
"I was!" exclaimed Lemon through a mouthful of granola. "Number one cookie seller in my region!"
Indigo rolled her eyes. It had been an uphill battle getting Lemon Zest to accompany her on this hike. Lemon finally relented after Indigo promised to treat her to a lunch at their favorite Mongolian barbecue restaurant afterward. Still, Lemon was far better company than their other classmates - at least she did not fuss over getting her shoes dirty. They were making excellent time. At their current pace, they would be back at the trail entrance in one hour, and back in the city enjoying some delicious stir-fried noodles and veggies within the next. All around them, the dense forest canopy shielded them from the heat of the sun. Indigo placed her hands behind her head and closed her eyes.
Lemon had just finished her granola bar when she spotted something in the distance. Amid the trees, less than thirty meters away grazed a white tailed doe - the woods' eponymous resident. Lemon perked up. Sightings of deer had become increasingly rare in recent years - this made for an excellent photo op! She readied her smartphone's camera mode as she whispered to Indigo.
"Be right back!"
Indigo acknowledged Lemon with a wave of her hand as her friend skulked off toward the doe. She contented herself to just lie back and enjoy the sounds of the forest. As much as she enjoyed rocking out with Lemon to their favorite metal bands, she also appreciated the peace and tranquility of the natural world. The scent of the trees. The chatter of the birds. The gentle breeze against her skin. It was all enough to make her forget Crystal Prep Academy and the rest of the world, if only for a fleeting moment. After several minutes of this uninterrupted bliss, Indigo stretched her arms over her head.
"Ready to get going, Lemon?"
Indigo looked up in the direction Lemon had gone. The doe still grazed, but Lemon was nowhere in sight. Indigo called out to her friend once more; again, there was no response. The doe, alarmed, bounded out of sight. Laying on the ground twenty meters away was Lemon's day pack. Indigo cursed under her breath as she rose to her feet, picked up her provisions, and proceeded to walk toward her friend's pack. Had Lemon gone behind a tree to relieve herself? Or was she hiding, waiting to jump out and scare me?.
