STRANDED Ch. 3-

"So... dose anypony have a plan to get of the place?" questioned Rainbow Dash. It has been a couple of days since the shipwreck and all the ponies were huddled around near the campfire. "Because I'm tired of living of fruits and nuts."

"All I can think to do is sit here and survive until somepony notices that we are missing and come searching for us." Twilight said.

"But that can take FOREVER!" Rainbow said raising her voice.

Apple Jack put a hoof on Dash's shoulder. "Calm down sugarcube, it's gonna be alright. Now is not the time fer some silly quarrels."

"Alright? ALRIGHT?" Dash was angry. "Apple Jack look around you! Look at the situation we are in! Hay, you can barely move as it is and you're going to tell me it's going to be alright?" she was furious, " Sitting here and doing nothing will get us nowhere!"

Apple Jack went from sincere to serious, "What do YOU suppose we do then?" she sarcastically stated.

"I don't know!" She yelled at Apple Jack. Her eyes clouded with tears, "I...don't know..." She sat down and buried her face in her hooves, hiding the tears...

"What was that all about?" whispered Rarity to Fluttershy watching Apple Jack trying to calm the rainbow maned pegasus.

Fluttershy whispered back, "Oh, I'm sure she is just a bit stressed out is all."

"A bit?"

"Well you're certainly one to talk, huh?" Fluttershy said jokingly.

Rarity blushed...

"Is she going to be O.K.?" Scootaloo asked Twilight as Rainbow Dash still refused the orange work pony's comfort.

"I'm sure she will be just fine, but she dose have a point. Maybe we can find a way off this island." Twilight said thinking.

"If there is, you need to find it soon because if it only took days for her to become this way, who knows how long we all have."

"Don't talk like that Scootaloo, we're going to be fine. Trust me..."

Morning came and everypony was off doing their regular jobs. Fluttershy and the young fillies were out gathering food along the coast as the rest stayed and tried to built up camp. "I sure do wish we had something more sturdy than twigs and leaves." posed Rainbow Dash. "Why don t we just go into the woods and find some logs or something."

"That might not be the best idea Rainbow Dash." Twilight said, "We don t even know if this island is inhabited or not."

"Me and Apple Jack went through the jungle with ease and diden't run into anything." Rarity said, "Besides, if there was anything on this island I'm sure we would have encountered them by now."

"EXACTLY." the rainbow maned pegasus stated.

"I still don't know you guys. I've got a bad feeling about this place." Twilight stated hoping her friends would listen. They didn t.

"Ah phooy, I'm going in there no matter what you say." said Dash as she ran towards the jungles edge.

"Rainbow Dash, WAIT!" yelled Twilight. It did no good.

"Let her go, she just needs some time to cool her head." said Apple Jack...

It was minutes later when Fluttershy and the rest came back to the camp. The first thing Fluttershy noticed was that Dash was gone. "Twilight, where's Rainbow Dash?"

"That stubborn little pegasus ran off into the jungle and we haven't herd from her sense."

"Shouldn t we go look for her?" said Fluttershy obviously worried.

Pinkie Pie spoke, "She is just a bit cranky wanky, by the way, did anypony else notice a loud noise coming from the jungle soon after she left?"

"Knock it off Pinkie." demanded Twilight.

"She'll be fine." Apple Jack said, "She's just a bit... overcome by tha situation at hand."

"Oh... I hope you're right Apple Jack. I hope you're right..."

"Rainbow Dash, WAIT!" she herd Twilight call in the distance.

"Hmph, I'll show that pony what to do in a emergency. Now, let s see if I can't find a tree for us to use." There was a rustle in the leaves. Rainbow Dash turned to look, but nothing was there. "That's strange. Eh, probobly just my imagination. Now back to the trees, ooooh this looks promising and those seem-" Her sentence was cut short by another rustle.

"O.K. That's it. Who's over there? Show yourself!" and just as fast as she could blink her eye, there was a flash of brown and a excruciating pain in her front leg. "GYAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rainbow screamed. She looked down to notice that she had a gash in her front right leg. She was scared. "O.K. guys, this is not cool. Stop joking around." There was another flash, but Rainbow was quick and was able to dodge the brown flash by jumping to her left.

"Come on, cut it out." then, before her very eyes was a creature of such strange proportions that it can't be explained." Rainbow was stunned in fear. "Wha- what are you?" The creature said nothing. 'What's going on?' Rainbow thought, 'What is this thing and why is it hurting me?' She still didn t move. The creature lifted his arm and showed his claw, dripping with her blood. The creature stepped back, smiled, and dashed for another strike. Rainbow Dash rolled out of the way and ran as fast as she could towards the beach. "She yelled, "HELP!" *pant* *pant* "HELP ME!" She was getting tired.

The creature was gaining fast and Dash was desperate. The only thing hindering her was the slash in her leg which slowed her greatly. She was losing a lot of blood. "I- I'm not.. gonna...make it." she collapsed at the edge, a mere three hooves away. She started to crawl, right at the bridge of breaking through, when she felt the cold, sharp claws pierce her hind leg. She let out a scream as the creature started tearing at her backside when, as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. Moments later she heard Fluttershy calling, "Rainbow Dash! Where are you!" Dash was weak from blood loss and with her last ounce of energy, managed a faint whisper. "Flu...tter...shy..." She blacked out...