Princess Celestia couldn't explain. She couldn't help her citizens. She was useless. The citizens of Equestria were tired, sad, and most of all, parched.


Darkness filled the sky. Clouds covered Luna's moon, weather patrol long gone. Rarity's horn illuminated the dirt path to Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight was carrying an injured Pinkie Pie, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike hurried quickly towards the red barn. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were already there. Apple Jack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith waited outside for the group to arrive.

Apple Jack ushered everypony inside the barn, then kicked the door shut. Twilight dropped her Pink companion onto a bale of soft hay. Pinkie moaned out, cringing in agony. Granny Smith went to take a look at her.

"Twi, what the buck is happenin'?!" Apple Jack exclaimed, fanning herself with her Stetson.

"I don't know. I'm assuming some kind of drought that affected only freshwater. Princess Celestia has informed me that the oceans surrounding Equestria are unaffected, but have killed thousands already." Twilight replied, shaking her head.

Rainbow Dash lowered herself to ground level, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. "I'm so thirsty. I was training when this happened." Fluttershy wrapped a wing around her Pegasus companion. Pinkie Pie's moans were heard from the barn entrance, and made the group cringe.

"What's up with Pinkie Pie?" Scootaloo asked, flapping her wings to fan her friends.

"After this happened, Pinkie was attacked by a group of people. Apparently, there's one source of unaffected freshwater..." Twilight replied, looking at the ground.

"WHAT?! Tell us!" Sweetie Belle squeaked, jumping up from her position on the ground.

Twilight Sparkle looked up, glancing at everyone, before speaking. "By drinking blood, we can survive."

There was an instant reaction among the listeners. Faces of shock or horror, gagging sounds. Twilight expected this. It just seemed unnatural to drink blood. But if it meant surviving, then so be it.

"No! I am a lady, and refuse to kill to survive! I'd rather die!" Rarity shouted, stomping her hoof on the floor.

"And you will die," Twilight Sparkle calmly retorted. Rarity was taken aback, and her eyes widened.

"We have to slowly eat the animals in the barn.." Twilight stated. Fluttershy gasped loudly, tears running down her face.

Twilight heard sniffles. She hadn't realized the four Cutie Mark Crusaders were crying, huddled next to one another. The youngest Apple looked at The Princess of Friendship, and cried out, "I don't wan 'ta die!" This caused the rest of the CMC to cry harder. Twilight grimaced, and sighed audibly. She trotted over to Granny Smith and Pinkie Pie.

"How's she doing?" She asked the eldest Apple, staring down at her pink companion.

"She's sleeping. I had to sew her wound shut." Granny Smith gestured to Pinkie's stomach.

"Wait! I got it!" Scootaloo flapped her wings in excitement. The duet turned to face the excited pony.

"All the freshwater has been affected! That's why the oceans are still there!" She beam at her elders. Twilight Sparkle thought for a moment.

"Blood is freshwater...Apple Jack. I need to test on an animal."

Apple Jack complied, leading a cow over to her friend. Twilight's horn glowed, casting a spell on the cow, causing it to fall over. Twilight then used a wooden board to slam into the cow's stomach. Fluttershy bucked her back legs unto Twilight, causing her to fall backwards in a bloody heap. The fillies screamed, covering their eyes.

"Yes, Twilight. Blood still exists." Fluttershy licked the blood off of her purple companion's face, and trotted over to the cow.

Twilight Sparkle drearily sat up, cringing as blood gushed out of her nostrils. Her friends' rushed over, slowly darting their tongues into the pool of crimson. Soon enough, everyone was hovering over her, lapping up the blood that was causing her to feel lightheaded.

And then someone bit her.


Pinkie Pie groggily awoke, eyes fluttering open. She abruptly sat up, screaming.

Twilight's coat had patches in it, leading to muscle. Her hind legs had been completely depleted, to the point of seeing the bone. Her wings were cracked and missing feathers.

"We're...saving for you, Pinkie." She swiveled her head around, to see Rainbow Dash approaching her.

Her cyan mane was spotted with red, and her hair had bits of meat in it. When she talked, Pinkie could see chunks of meat in between her teeth. Pinkie edged away from her friend, scared.

"I w-won't hurt you..." Rainbow Dash closed in on Pinkie Pie.