- Chapter 4 -

EverTide slowly trotted ahead of Sinatra and VelvetMystery who stayed close behind. The three were silent as they got closer to Ponyville and EverTide stopped, looking down at something.
VelvetMystery looked around him and her eyes widened. " Oh-... dear... " She mumbled, staring at the skeleton of a pony. EverTide looked up into the town.
It remained abandoned.
Windows were either borded up or shattered. Everything was slowly falling apart and blood stained the doors of each building if they weren't broken off their hinges.
It was eerily quiet as well, and every now and then EverTide could swear he saw something dart around inside a building out the corner of his eye.

" I don't think Ponyville is a good idea... " He whispered to VelvetMystery. Sinatra was sat down, shaking and staring at the ground. EverTide gave him a pitiful look and turned back to Velvet. " Not to sound rude, but-... What's wrong with him..? " He asked, trying not to sound too blunt.

" He's-... Not well. Especially after what we saw when we both woke up. " Velvet said, looking over at him.
" What did you two see " EverTide asked. Velvet was quiet for a momemt before answering him. " We saw-... ponies ripped apart... Patients, nurses, gaurds, staff, members... E-everypony was dead... T-they were butchered and hung on hooks o-or chains a-a-and-.. " Velvet began to panic and EverTide held her tightly before she could have a breakdown. " Okay. Okay... You're safe now... I promise I won'r let that happen to you... Come on. Let's get out of here. The forest might be our best bet to get away from Ponyville. " He said, leading them away.
VelvetMystery took a deep breath and followed closely behind him.

---

After several minutes of silence once again, Sinatra finally spoke up, still limping and grunting in pain from his wounds. He insisted on walking and not being a burden to EverTide.
" What do you think happened to that pony..? " He asked, reffering to the one they saw on the road to Ponyville.
" I can only imagine one of those weird-... ponies got to him. " EverTide answered. VelvetMystery shook her head, looking over at him. " If it did, it would look like the ponies we saw in the hospital. That pony was dead for a long time if it was just a skeleton. " She said. EverTide stopped and thought for a moment, looking at her surprised. " You're right. But wouldn't it take a lot of time for that to happen? And-... how is it that those ponies in the mental hospital were fresh kills then? Those goulish ponies wouldn't be able to do that. "
Sinatra shrugged and looked at Velvet who was deep in thought. " Don't know... I want answers tho-.. "

" Nopony move! " A stern voice called out, and Sinatra quickly darted behind VelvetMystery.
An Alicorn trotted up to them, her horn glowing and she looked ready to fight whoever stood in her way.
" Sinatra, Velvet, stay behind me... " EverTide groweled, stepping forward.
" You're either very brave or very stupid. " The alicorn hissed. " What do you want from us? " EverTide asked, standing ready to fight.
" I was attacked by a few ponies trying to steal from me earlier today... You don't fool me, I know you'rd with them. " She said, firing a bolt of magic at him. EverTide jumped aside and glared at her. " We're not with them! We're trying to get a- " He gasped and fired a beam of magic to counter hers and took a step back.

" Alexla! Stop! " Another voice called.
Both Sinatra and VelvetMystery looked around EverTide. " GrayShade?! "
GrayShade huffed, catching up with Alexla. " A-Alexla, stop. They're not our enemy. " He said, trotting up to the two ponies. " Velvet! Sinatra! Thank Celestia you're alive... " He said, hugging the two. EverTide and Alexla exchanged glances and EverTide spoke up. " You know him? " He asked, and Velvet nodded.
" I'm a special kind of councellor. My talent is helping ponies like them... They're under my care most of the time. " GrayShade answered.
" Well... I'm glad we found you then. " EverTide smiled Alexla trotted away without another word, flicking her tail.
" What's with her? " EverTide huffed. GrayShade shook his head. " Give her time. Thank you for looking after these two, mister-..? "
" EverTide. "
" EverTide. Thank you... " GrayShade told him. " Come with us. We have a bit of a safe spot not far from here. The forest may be dead but it still provides cover from -

anything or anypony who might be-... less than friendly. " He said.
" Thanks... It'll be nice to rest for a while. "

---

It wasn't long before the others arrived at where Alexla and GrayShade dicided to rest for the day. BlueBird trotted up to GrayShade and looked over at EverTide. " Who is he..? " He asked.
" EverTide. He saved Sinatra and Velvet apparently. Any help is welcome... " He nodded at EverTide, sitting down.
" Do we have a plan? " EverTide asked.
" We're currently looking for GrayShade's husband, DarkSage. Until then, we're not doing anything. " Alexla said, giving him a look.
" I'll help then. Strength in numbers right? " He said. GrayShade nodded. " Thank you. We should let everypony rest before looking again... "
- End Chapter -

Ahhh!! I just love this!!! can't wait for the next one!!

I love the way you're writing Alexla! She's very much in-character! Thank you!

You're doing such a good job! I really look forward to these!