STRANDED Ch.6-

Rainbow Dash trotted deeper and deeper into the heavy jungle and as she progressed the journey became harder and harder. "Curse this hurt leg..." she said under her breath. She eventually slowed down to a trailing drag as her energy gave way from the lack of food. She hasn t eaten in days. As she dragged along, leaving a trench trail behind her, she heard an all too familiar sound. She turned to her right and saw a rustle in the bushes.

"Alright you fiend, I know it's you! Come out here so I can teach you a lesson!" Just after she got the sentence out, there was another rustle to her left. "Huh?" There came another from behind her. "What's going on?" It wasn t long before the rustling was all around her. Slowly they became louder and louder. "Wha- what's going on? Where are you!" She was quickly surrounded. "Think Dash, think..." and before she could get one thought out, she felt the deathly cold, sharp fangs of the menacing creature she had met days before slash through her left side, leaving three bloody red streaks across just under her wing. Rainbow let out a ear-piercing scream and fell on her knees. She hung her head, trying to bear the pain and payed no attention to her surroundings. The noise grew deafly loud and Rainbow could hardly think, much less move.

The creature jumped forward from behind and dug his razor sharp claws deep into Rainbows back and ripped, causing yet another ear-shattering scream to which the creature seemed to enjoy. Dash bucked the creature off with what little strength she had left. Her vision was fading and the pain was unbearable. She was losing a large amount of blood and fast. The creature was closing in. The last thing she remembered was how she had caused so much hate among her friends and how she knew that there was no way of them finding her now, no way for her to apologize for what she done, no way to at least say good-bye to her friends before she took one last final breath before giving in to deaths sweet, merciful call...

"Come on, girls! We have to save Rainbow dash before she accidentally hurts herself." said Twilight as they were running aimlessly through the jungle to find their mentally unstable rainbow maned friend. "She couldn't have gotten too far, not on that hurt leg." she stated the reassure herself that she was getting closer. As they were running along they herd a loud scream to the north.

Twilight stopped, "That must be Rainbow Dash. C'mon, lets go!" The group turned towards where the scream had came from and ran faster than any of them had ever ran before in hopes of finding their friend. It wasn't long before they heard another noise as they approached to the location of the initial scream.

"What's with all that noise? It sounds like... a bunch of leaves... as if they were in a tornado." pondered Pinkie Pie. The group came closer and closer and the light grew ever dimmer with each step. Night was setting in and their only source of light was the star-lit sky, which became less useful as the jungle canopy drew an ever increasing shadow over the small group of ponies.

"Rarity, I'm scared." said Sweetie Bell, wrapping her front hooves around her sisters right leg.

"I know, Sweetie Bell. We all are." stated Rarity, calming her only sibling by nuzzling her hair. What they heard next couldn't have scared them more than if you were to have blown up a stick of dynamite right beside them. There was an even louder earth-breaking scream that penetrated the annoyingly increasing rustle and stunned the group dead in their tracks. "She must be close by now. Oh I hope we make it to her in time." worried Rarity.

Twilight turned and nodded, "I hope so too, Rarity. I hope so too..."

"Ah don't need nopony." stated the proud orange work-pony as the sun was setting to allow the darkness to come in. There were plenty of stars out so light wouldn't seem like a problem. "Ah guess ah can let the fire go out." She sat, staring out into the ocean, and thought on what had happened. "Saying I'm selfish. Who do they think they are? Why ah ain't done nothin' wrong and they go off and accuse me like that. It should be Rainbow they should be angry at, not me."

The night dragged on and Apple Jack laid her weary head down on the soft, cool sand and listened to the extremely dim fire slowly crackle to nothing as the last of the wood was burned up. She closed her eyes to dream of better days and to escape this wretched island. As she neared the wonderful sweep of dreams to take her away she was awaken by a far off scream. "Sounds like Dash..." Apple Jack said as she raised up and looked at the screams direction of origin. "Ahhh, what do I care. She was bound to do this to herself anyways. Not like it bothers me. Nope, not one bit."

Apple Jack laid her head down again and tried to sleep but to no avail. Her mind was on Rainbow Dash and what could possibly be happening to her to cause her to scream like that. She sat up and sulked. "Wha- what's wrong with me... why am I being this way... Rainbow's my friend and I should always be there for her..."

There was another scream, louder and more painful to listen to than the last. "I... I need to help her." Apple jack got up and spun around, looking in the direction of where the screams were coming from. "Dontcha worry Rainbow Dash, I'm comin' for ya!" and Apple Jack started towards the jungles edge when she was tackled and knocked down from the side. Apple Jack tried to wiggle her way out of whatever was holding her grip when she turned to see exactly what Rainbow Dash was talking about. The creature's eyes were rose red and it grinned a sinister grin as it withdrew its claws from its paws and drove them deep into A.J.'s sides, causing her to let out a painful cry as she reared her legs up between her and the creature and pushed with all her might, sending it into the ocean where it was screaming in pain as the ocean water burned through it's skin and melted it slowly from existence. Apple Jack laid down and tried bearing the pain from her sides, regretting not believing in her friend, who obviously needed her help now more than ever as she slowly fell into a deep slumber...

"What was that?" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, looking back at the direction of the beach. The group was a mere few hooves away from where the screams were coming from.

"Probably Apple Jack having a bad dream." stated Scootaloo, "Like I care or anything."

"Scootaloo's right, Apple Jack's fine. Right now we need to help Rainbow Dash." stated Twilight. The rustling stopped as the group breached the final bit of brush blocking their path to their crazed friend. What they saw made their hearts sink. There lay a mutilated blue corpse, stained red from the blood, that showed no signs of life.

"No..." Twilight ran to the deathly injured cyan pony and looked down on her. She placed her head to the chest of Rainbow Dash's body and listened for anything. The slightest hope of a pulse. Time passed and Twilight began to cry. She turned to her friends who were awaiting her response, but her look was word enough. The group hung their heads and wept for their friends untimely death. The group slowly regained itself and started back towards the beach when suddenly, Dash drew another breath. She was still far beyond saving but her friends gathered around her and listened for Rainbow's last words.

"Twi... Twilight..." Rainbow chocked out. She wouldn't be long.

"Yes Dash, what is it?" answered Twilight. Everypony was around and eager to hear Rainbow Dash's final words as tears were rolling off everyponies cheeks at this point.

With her last breath she said, "T... tell Apple Jack that... that I'm... s-... s-... sorry..." and with that, she was gone...