Chapter 4:
Aladar Grows Up
A trio of young Eohippus foals screamed as they ran across the forest to evade a pursuing predator. A large creature let out a lion-like rumble as it was chasing them. Two of the foals quickly ran into a log as the third Eohippus foal, a light gray Eohippus with a grayish mulberry mane and tail with pale light grayish rose streaks, tripped as the ground shook and quickly dove into the log.
A large pony-like hoof stomps right where the third foal was and the creature reaches his front right hoof into the log, almost grabbing the Eohippus.
The light gray Eohippus foal quickly ran down the log and soon rejoins with the other two. They quickly ran out of the log and flee as the front leg of the creature stomps on the ground as he continues chasing after them.
The three Eohippus foals jumped across a lake over on some rocks as the creature leaped over each rock after them and each rock shifted under his mass. The three Eohippus foals then ran across a log over a ridge as the creature bellowed and leaped into the air as he landed on the end of the log as it jolted under his weight.
The foals ran for their lives as the creature kept chasing them until they ran across a branch and the creature chased after them.
And just as the light gray Eohippus foal jumps over a branch, she was suddenly caught in the mouth of the creature and the creature came to a halt as the Eohippus tail was sticking out wiggling.
The other two Eohippus foals, one a light brilliant gamboge Eohippus with a moderate cerise mane and tail, and the other a pale light grayish olive Eohippus with a brilliant amaranth mane and tail, stopped at a log and then turned as they saw the creature slurped their friends tail into his mouth like a strand of spaghetti.
The two remaining foals crouched down really low and in fear as the creature stands over 8 feet tall and 30 feet long and weighed around 4 tons.
It is revealed to be an adult Kritopony with bluish scales and a tan color underside and with a slight shade of purple on his mane and head. And he appears to have green eyes and a short mane from behind his head to down halfway to his back.
He slowly approaches the quivering Eohippus foals as he lets out an alligator-like growl.
The two Eohippus foals whimpered as the Kritopony stares down at them as if he was about to finish them.
But then the Kritopony's eyes strangely widened.
"Let Me Out! Let Me Out!" A voice called out from inside his mouth.
The Kritopony sticks out his tongue and reveals the light gray Eohippus foal in his mouth is still alive, taste testing her. And suddenly, the Kritopony spits the foal out of his mouth clearly not liking the taste.
"Hairball," The Kritopony said in disgust as he started spitting.
It turns out, the whole chase was actually a game. And years have passed, since Half-Light and her friends took the Kritopony in, and they named him Aladar. Now Aladar is the biggest resident of the island, and despite his massive size, he's a gentle giant. And sometime ago, he became friends with Cinnamon and Rareness's younger sisters, Tangerine and Sweet Pebble, and Sky Color's half-sister, Free Fall. The young foals and Aladar had heard often what Sky Color thought he was, and made a game of it.
"That was great! Get him!" Sweet Pebble, the light gray Eohippus foal, said as she jumped onto him.
Free Fall, the light brilliant gamboge Eohippus, and Tangerine, the pale light grayish olive Eohippus, laughed and jumped at Aladar too. They jumped onto his back and started jumping across his back.
"Oh, no! Attacking Ponies! Sweet Pebble, Tangerine, Free Fall, please! I can't take it! There's too many of you! Come on, pick on someone your own size!" Aladar playfully cried as he drops to his left side.
Some distance away, Half-light, now a full-grown Eohippus mare, moves back some palmetto leaves and watches as Aladar was on his back and the three fillies hopped playfully across his stomach. Half-Light couldn't help but giggle a little.
"Oh, no…," Aladar cried and cringed.
Then Aladar groaned as he acted like he was dying as he let out one final gasp of air and his head drops on the log to look dead with his tongue out.
Sweet Pebble, Free Fall, and Tangerine stared at him.
"Aladar, you're not dead," Sweet Pebble smirked, knowing that he was playing, she was walking along his belly.
Aladar had his right eye slightly opened as he suddenly turned to them and said "No!".
The Prehistoric Crusaders screamed by the surprise and jumped back as they and Aladar started laughing.
"Okay, you four, break it up," Half-Light said, appearing with a few flowers in her hand.
"Remember today's the Courtship. Which means you'll be missing all that smooching," Half-Light reminded them with a teasing grin.
Every year, the herd has a courtship when Eohippus chooses a mate. And this year's courtship is only several hours away.
The young Eohippus foals groaned at the thought as Sweet Pebble groaned, "Oh, Half-Light,".
"That's okay, Half-Light. We can smooch right here," Aladar said as Half-Light leaped onto his hoof, and he started playfully trying to kiss them as the Prehistoric Crusaders quickly ran away laughing.
"It's a shame you don't like kids, Aladar," Half-Light said playfully.
"Oh, nasty little vermin," Aladar scoffed playfully.
"Ha-ha, very funny. Say can you go find Sweet-Tooth, she's rehearsing pick-up lines. I hope she finds some new material," Half-Light commented.
Elsewhere, on the island, Sweet Tooth, also a full-grown Eohippus mare, was practicing some lines when she finds a coltfriend tonight at the courtship. At the moment, she is rehearsing on a rock with the mainland in view a few miles away.
"Hey, there handsome. If I will be your bride. I'll let you groom me. Ooooh, that's good. Yeah, it's good," Sweet Tooth said.
Not far away in the trees, Aladar appeared and saw Sweet Tooth rehearsing and couldn't help but shake his head and smile at Sweet Tooth's silliness.
"I'm known as the 'Professor Clown Of Love' and school's in session. Yep, I still got it," Sweet Tooth said in her success.
"I hope it's contagious, Sweet Tooth," Aladar commented playfully, as he appears beside her and Sweet Tooth turned to him.
"What I can say, I like to think of myself as a 'Raging Epidemic Of Romance'," Sweet Tooth stated, fixing her poofy mane and tail.
"Well, come on, Pretty Mare. Let's get going. You don't want to miss the Leader's annual pep talk," Aladar chuckled and reminded as he began to leave, and Sweet Tooth jumped onto his neck.
"Oh, boy. I can't wait to hear about the mating advice of an old mare," Sweet Tooth commented as the two headed back inland.
"Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey, Half-Light told me that in her time, that old mare was quite a matchmaker," Aladar playfully said as he disagreed.
"You're talking about the Chieftress?" Sweet Tooth asked as she couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, to hear her tell it, she put the 'Ine' in 'Equine'," Aladar replied as they headed towards a large tree next to a cliff where the courtship was supposed to happen.
"Really?" Sweet Tooth asked.