It was late. Too late, she realized, to get home in time. Her heart leapt. She turned slowly around. No, impossible. She couldn't make it back before, dare she even think, Nightfall. She moved, slowly at first, then faster. Her heart raced as she flew through the underbrush. Leaves and branches whipped at her face and forearms. She crossed a creek which, as night began to fall, seemed to die and stagnate behind her as the night overtook it. She chanced a look behind her as she ran and saw the entire forest twisting, churning and being perverted from nature into something sinister; something sickly, wan and malicious.
Greenapple Smith ran as fast as her little filly hooves could carry her. She bolted through the bushes, driving hard towards what she thought was Sweet Apple Acres. But, when she broke through the tree line, a horrific sight caught her eyes and she froze. There, in the clearing, standing beside a sickly gray tree, gnarled with age and hate, was a very thin, bony cloak covered figure. It slowly stretched its wings, which were covered in tattered bits of rotting cloth, and breathed a raspy, ragged breath. As its sheet white skin and bone wings rose, and the smog it exhaled drew closer to her, Greenapple choked out a scream and galloped faster and harder than she ever imagined possible. Then, she crashed headlong into a very tall equine figure. The dark horse lowered its head and scooped her onto its back.
Greenapple recognized the voice that came from the horse as it said, "Hold on, Greenapple, we'll get you home."
Greenapple closed her eyes and passed out.
When she awoke, she found herself in her bed. The sun was just rising over the trees. Trees….. Greenapple's eyes widened, remembering what had happened. Was it a dream? No, it was too real.
"Greenapple? Thank Celestia you're awake!" Came a familiar voice from the doorway to her room. A muscular, tall brown stallion of middle age stood in the doorway. He trotted to her bedside.
"Father? Have I been here all night?" Greenapple asked.
"I'm sorry to say, no. I found you wandering in the Everfree forest last night. We, that is, your mother and I were so afraid when you didn't wake up." Greenapple's father, Dirthoof, said.
"Then… what I saw was real…" Greenapple said quietly.
"You were talking in your sleep… what you said… 'Deathmare… Everfree forest… Evil…' Apple, what did you see?" Dirthoof asked her in a hushed tone, as though he was out of breath.
"I… I don't know…" Greenapple said truthfully. She had no idea what she had seen. She had been playing in the forest since her birth, but never at night. She had never seen anything like that before. She had felt such hate, such darkness from that creature.
"It looked like a griffon without any feathers. It had smoky breath and a dark cloak." Greenapple recounted.
"I'll inform the mayor. He'll know what to do." Dirthoof said, attempting to comfort her.