Through the Everfree Forest
Disclaimer: My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro, featured on The Hub. I don't own it. I don't own Harry Potter either, that franchise belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Notes FOR THE PONIES:
In my head, Scootaloo cannot fly.
I've noticed that Apple Bloom has proficiency with potion-making and anything to do with building.
Sweetie Belle is more of a slow thinker, but once she gets it, she has a handle on the situation.
All three of this notes will be addressed.
The sound of a herd of horses filled the silent forest air, though it wasn't silent for long. A dark maroon pony led the herd, her frosting pink mane and tail bouncing lightly as she picked a path through the dangerous lands of Everfree Forest. She spoke softly, so as not to alert any of the dangerous creatures that lived in the forest.
"Alright class, stay close please. We don't want to get lost here, it's dangerous in the forest. This is the only way to visit Miss Zecora though, so it's worth the danger!" the pony called to the fillies and colts that followed her in a technicolor crowd of hoofbeats and big eyes.
In the crowd, a pink filly with a diamond tiara marking on her flank rolled her eyes, "As if this is really all that dangerous." She muttered discreetly to a silver maned gray pony next to her, making the other one nod. Behind the duo, a trio of younger ponies narrowed their eyes, angered at their blatant disregard for the dangers of the forest. They'd already encountered some of the forest's dangers, like manticores and cockatrices.
One, an orange pegasus with a butch-cut purple mane turned to the pony beside her, a yellow pony with a brilliant red mane and a pink bow in it, "Those two would never last a day in this place." She whispered to the other, laughing a bit.
"Oh Scootaloo, that's not naice ta say… even if it is true." The yellow commented.
Beside them, a white unicorn with a purple and pink curled mane giggled, having processed the joke after a moment. The three were at the back of the herd, and got caught up in hushed conversation, not even noticing when the herd took a path that the three missed. The little fillies moved on in their straight path, not noticing their folly until they heard a low, menacing growl behind them.
Slowly turning around, the three saw a horrific sight, a feral griffon. The flying beast was covered in matted fur and a hungry gleam in its eyes. Its claws were wickedly sharp and gleamed in the low light as the three screamed loud, running in a panic towards what they thought was town, but was in actuality deeper into a mysterious, unexplored section of forest. Few ponies had gone here, and even fewer returned from it. The griffon crashed through the underbrush, screeching as it gave chase.
Apple Bloom led the way, wide-eyed as she scanned the area for an escape. A light in the distance brought her hope, and she led her companions towards the light. Ignoring the sweat soaking into her hide and eyes, the scratches of the branches on her legs as she pounded through the last of the underbrush and through the faint filmy light just as the griffon's talons grazed the young unicorn's tail.
But the forest went silent, and the three crashed into each other, helpless as the griffon… did absolutely nothing. Because it wasn't there, and as the three fillies looked around helplessly,
"W-What… where'd the griffon go?" Scootaloo panted, her purple mane slicked with sweat and plastered to her forehead, head, and neck. Her wings flared in panic as the three untangled their limbs and got up. Their unicorn friend looked about, "Apple Bloom, this… doesn't look like the Everfree Forest… nothing smells right." She said slowly, looking panicked at the yellow filly.
"Ah know Sweetie Belle… where'dya thaink we ahre?" Apple Bloom asked quietly, looking around at the tall pines that were not at all native to the deciduous forest that was Everfree. Scootaloo smoothed the hair out of her forehead and face, looking at a tree,
"I know how we can find out!" she said, already shimmying up the tall trunk, til she could see for miles.
"Whadaya see, Scoots?" Apple Bloom called up, feeling not at all safe on the ground.
"There's a castle not too far from here, Apple Bloom! It's about a half mile thataway!" Scootaloo called back, sliding down the rough bark carefully, rejoining her friends. Sweetie Belle grinned, "A castle? That means there's gotta be somepony there!" She hopped excitedly, as Scootaloo started to lead the way.
It wasn't long before the ground under their hooves changed from pine needle to tough grass, then to springy grass. Emerging out of the trees, the three looked around at their surroundings. A tall, imposing, towering castle overlooking a glassy lake, thin smoke spiraling from hidden chimneys and towers loomed ahead of them, and their jaws dropped.
"Wow… that's almost as big as Canterlot Castle!" Scootaloo exclaimed, leaning against a nearby fencepost so she wouldn't fall over from the sheer impressiveness of the castle before them. Apple Bloom trotted forward a bit, "There's smoke comin' from it! That means somepony's gohta live thaire." She reasoned, pointing at the thin trailing smoke. Sweetie Belle looked at the castle closely, scuffing her hooves in the loamy soil, "There's a lotta someponies I think, see? There's ponies all over the grass near the lake… maybe somepony there can tell us where we are." She said, pointing towards the shores of the lake.
Walking past the hut that they'd stopped by, none of them noticed the shaggy head in the window that was gaping at the sight of the three Technicolor ponies that walked past without a clue about what awaited them.
No, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom had no idea about the adventures that waited with bated breath for them, or a clue about the chaos the presence of three sentient, talking ponies would bring to this Scottish countryside and its magical inhabitants.
End Notes: I forgot to mention that this takes place during Goblet of Fire, and these three will be making something of an impact. But only a minor one on the overall plotline of the book.