(And welcome t my next chapter. Hope you're ready as the three humans meet the very one that brought them to Equestria, and yet they have no idea.)
In the Everfree Forest outside the home of Zecora, Cody, Sabrina, and Jeremy were dropping off some herbs and flowers for the zebra occupant, "Here you go, Zecora. Just like you asked." Cody said, as he placed a basket of herbs on the floor or her home.
"My humblest of thanks, Cody. I certainly hope you and your friends leave safely out of Everfree." Zecora said.
"Don't worry, Twilight and the others showed us all the right paths to go in and out of here." Cody explained.
"Well, we better get back." Sabrina said.
"Catch you around, Zecora." Jeremy said, as the three left the place.
"Stay safe, friends!" Zecora called.
And so the three friends started back for Ponyville through the Everfree Forest. They walked along a path, while looking at all the dark and shady trees. Cody spoke to his friends, "Stay close, you guys. Remember you can get lost in here easily."
"If only we had our handy cam, we could film some horror bits in this place." Jeremy said.
"Jer, the girls said dangerous creatures live here," Sabrina began, "The last thing we'd ever want is to disturb them."
"Well I haven't seen or heard word of any creatures all day while we've been here." Jeremy noted.
"Good. I want it to stay that way." Cody said, as they pressed on.
They continued on, unaware of a pair of eyes watching them from bush. Suddenly the three could hear a growling sound. Sabrina looked back at Jeremy, "Jeez, Jer, you'd think after all those cupcakes at Sugarcube Corner you'd be stuffed by now."
"What're you talking about?" he asked.
"Isn't that your stomach grumbling?" she asked.
Jeremy listened, as he heard the growling sound like Cody and Sabrina heard, "That's not my stomach."
"How do you know?" Cody asked.
"Mine sounds like two apes wrestling each other for usage of the tire swing." he explained.
"Well if that's not your stomach, then what is..." Sabrina and the boys looked around cautiously.
Jeremy looked seeing a tree trunk moving, "Is that tree moving?"
Cody looked over with his eyes widening, "Guys, that ain't a tree!"
Approaching them was a timberwolf growling at them, "What is that thing?" Jeremy asked as he trembled.
"Applejack told me they're called timberwolves." Sabrina explained.
"And this isn't the basketball team." Cody added.
"What do we do?" Jeremy asked terrified, as the timberwolf continued to eye them.
"Don't make any sudden movements." Sabrina whispered.
"Does soiling myself count as a sudden move?" Jeremy whispered.
The timberwolf got closer and the three could already smell it's foul stench, "Ugh, that is rank." Cody whispered.
Suddenly the timberwolf roared at them causing them to scream in fright, "WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Jeremy screamed.
"RUN!" Cody shouted, as they started running.
They ran through the forest as if they were in a slasher film with the Timberwolf being the slasher on the hunt. Sabrina looked behind seeing the creature was hot on their tail, "It's getting closer!"
"I don't wanna die a virgin!" Jeremy cried.
"I LOVE YOU, SABRINA!" Cody announced.
"REALLY?!" Sabrina asked, as she ran at his side.
"YES! EVER SINCE THAT DAY YOU TOOK THE RAP FOR ME WHEN I VOMITED ON MR. BERTRAND'S LAWN!"
"OH, THAT'S SO SWEET, CODY!" Sabrina smiled, while shedding a tear.
"DUDES, FOCUS!" Jeremy shouted, reminding them of the danger.
The three suddenly tripped over a tree root and landed on the ground. They rolled onto their backs and looked up seeing the timberwolf stopping before them, "So this is it, huh? Dying in a world of talking ponies before we could find a way home." Sabrina cringed.
"Hold me!" Jeremy clung to the two.
When the timberwolf was about to strike, a blast of magic hit it distorting it, "Who did that?" Cody asked.
More blasts of magic fired at the timberwolf confusing it, "Ok, who's blasting it?" Jeremy asked.
"Over here!" a voice called, as they looked over seeing a figure in a cloak motioning them to follow him.
"Do we risk it?" Sabrina asked.
"Anything's better than being next to woody here." Cody motioned the the distorted timberwolf. So the three ran to their savior, as he led them off and away from the savage beast.
When they were in the clear, they stopped running and catch their breath, "That was a close one." Jeremy panted.
"You said it," Cody agreed, before looking over the cloaked figure, "Hey, thanks for what ya did back there for us."
The figure dropped his hood revealing to be Stygian, "It was no trouble at all." he answered with a smile.
"My name's Cody, this is Jeremy, and Sabrina. Who're you?"
"My name's Stygian Desolate."
"Stygian Desolate?" Sabrina asked, with a hint of concern.
"I know my name doesn't sound like the most joyous of names, but that's what they named me." he answered.
"Ok. So what're you doing out here in the Everfree Forest?" Jeremy asked.
"I live out here."
"You live here?" Cody asked.
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"Oh, no. It's just not too many ponies are comfortable with this place." Cody answered.
"Yes, it is quite a dangerous location," Stygian admitted, "But they key to living here is to know how to survive it."
"I see." Sabrina replied.
"You three look exhausted. Why don't you come back to my place and rest up?" he offered.
The three looked at each other as Cody asked, "What do you think?"
"Well, he did save our lives." Jeremy said.
"And it'd be rude if we denied his hospitality after what he did." Sabrina added.
Cody nodded before answering, "Well, ok."
"Wonderful! Please follow me." he led the three humans off.
When they arrived at the cave he lived in, the three humans looked confused, "You live in a cave?" Jeremy asked.
"It's about as good a cover as you can get out here." Stygian answered.
'Unless you count Zecora's place, and that looks safer.' Cody thought.
"Please, come inside." Stygian showed them in.
When they entered, they saw the cave looked similar to how Zecora's place was. A single bed, a shelf of books, potions, elixirs, a cauldron in the center, and decorated on the walls were maps of Equestria, star patterns, and a kitchenette, "It's not much, but to me it's home." Stygian explained.
"It's nice." Sabrina admitted.
"Please have a seat, I'll make us some tea." Stygian offered.
So the three took a seat on some makeshift chairs, as Stygian started making some tea, "So how long have you been living out here?" Cody asked.
"Oh, I've been living out here for years. I find isolation and this forest are the perfect combo to achieve inner peace."
"You don't say?" Jeremy asked.
"Yes." Stygian levitated the three some cups of tea, which they accepted, "But what brings you three unique creatures out here in the Everfree Forest?"
"Well, we were just helping a friend with some work she was doing." Sabrina explained.
"I see."
"Yeah, after we finished we were on our way back. But we ran into the timberwolf, and well you know the rest." Cody finished.
Stygian nodded, as they drank their tea. Between sips, Sabrina saw a picture on his desk and saw it was of him when he was younger with Princess Celestia which was the same picture Celestia had to herself, "Hey, is that you with Princess Celestia?"
Stygian smiled, "I see you got a keen eye, Sabrina," he levitated the picture over for them to see, "Yes, I was once a personal apprentice for Princess Celestia back in the day. I attended her school for gifted unicorns."
"Wow." Cody gasped.
"Oh, yes. Being apprentice to the Princess was such an honor," Stygian admitted, "When I graduated and finished all she could teach me, I left Canterlot to pursue my own path of knowing more about magic that the books could not tell me."
"And that's why you came out here, to escape all the busy life?" Sabrina asked.
"Correct."
"I'm surprised Princess Celestia never mentioned about you." Jeremy noted.
"Oh, you know the princess. She's not one to gloat about her old students." Stygian chuckled.
"That's for sure." Cody nodded.
"How is she these days, do you know?" Stygian inquired.
"Celestia's good, of course from what we know. I mean we're not of this world." Jeremy answered.
"I could tell. After all I've never seen your species before in my life or even in any of the books I've studied."
"We can believe it. I mean even our friend Twilight told us humans aren't native to this land." Cody said.
"Oh, so you know of Princess Twilight Sparkle too?"
"That's right. I'm surprised you also know." Sabrina said.
"While I may be here in isolation, I am still able to find out what is the latest news in Equestria." Stygian answered.
"Well, it's good you're able to be up to date." Cody said, and they laughed.
"Oh, I haven't had such a conversation like this is years. It feels good actually." Stygian said.
"Isolation may be a good if you want peace, but sometimes too much peace can be boring afterward." Sabrina stated.
"Excellent philosophy, my dear." Stygian said, with a smile.
"Thanks."
"Listen, it's been great meeting you and all, but we really must get back to Ponyville." Cody said.
"I understand." Stygian said.
"Based off the directions we learned from Twilight and Zecora, this cave of yours is right along a similar path that should lead us out, and away from anymore timberwolves." Sabrina explained.
"Quite right." Stygian nodded.
"Well, thanks for the tea and the chat." Jeremy said.
"My pleasure. And do me a favor? How about we keep this conversation between ourselves? I would prefer to be left alone here without too many knowing about me."
"Yes, of course." Cody nodded, respecting his need for privacy.
They were about to leave, until Stygian spoke up, "One more thing. I would like you three to have something." he levitated three black jeweled pendants over to them.
"What're these?" Jeremy asked.
"Special friendship necklaces I made years ago during my time at the school for gifted unicorns. I had three friends similar to you three who I hoped to give them too. Unfortunately they transferred to other schools and I never heard from them again." he sighed.
"We're sorry." Sabrina said sympathetically.
"Well, it's in the past now. So now I would like you three to wear them in memory of my three closest friends." he used his magic to levitate them each around each of their necks.
"Thanks, Stygian. Well, see ya around." Cody said, as the three humans walked out of the cave.
"Goodbye my friends!" he bid them farewell.
As the three walked away from the cave, Jeremy spoke, "Now that was a nice unicorn for a hermit."
"Yeah, Celestia must've been proud to have such a respective student like him." Sabrina added.
"No denying that." Cody smiled, until he remembered, "Uh, Sabrina. About what I said while we were being chased by the Timberwolf..."
Sabrina rolled her eyes, "Are you gonna tell me it was just something you said in the heat of the moment?"
"No, nothing like that! I really meant it!"
"Really?"
"Yeah." he answered.
Sabrina smiled, as she held his hand, making him blush, "Well you know what? I feel the same way about you."
The two smiled at each other, until Jeremy spoke up, "Hey! I'm right here you know?"
Back at the cave, the moment the three left Stygian his happy look shifted into a sinister look. Crowl suddenly appeared, "Very clever of you to manipulate the timberwolf into attacking them and leading them close to your lair."
"I'm a master, Crowl. That's how I work."
"And the act you put on for them was just so good. You actually had me fooled." Crowl chuckled.
"That means is really did work."
"And those necklaces, when do you intend on activating them?"
"All good things in time, Crowl. And some bad ones too," Stygian snickered, before looking at the picture of himself and Celestia. He smirked and spoke, "Just you wait, Princess. You'll see that I was right all along."
(And there's the chapter. The three have made a new friend, who isn't who he appears to be. Will they find out just the kind of pony he really is before more disaster befalls them and their pony friends? Stay tuned for next time.)