ToE Chapter IV-5

>With a high-pitched growl, he begins to struggle against the rope which binds him, to no avail.

>"Uh, hey there. Don't bother tryin' to escape, Ah done tied you up good."

>After a few more seconds of struggling, he stops, and sighs.

>"Now, listen here. We don't want no trouble from yah, or yer friends. We just wanna know what the hay ya'll are up to out here."

>"Hmhmhm!!"

>He giggles, a look of mischief in his eyes.

>"Don't yah go laughin', mister!"

>Applejack is getting annoyed...

>"Ya'll have caused quite a bit of trouble. First, yah messed with them flood gates, which is gonna cut off our town's water supply, and yah probably got poor Water Works tied up some place..."

>"Hmhmhm!"

>"Then, yah tried tah shoot one of our friends outta the sky!"

>"Ehehehehmhm! Hehe!

>What is up with this guy?

>"Anon, poke him some more!"

>She sure sounds mad... Better do what she says.

"Uh... Okay."

>You take the stick, and prod him in the chest a few times. With each jab, he twitches.

>"Eek! Eek! Eek!"

>"What's the matter, mister? Can't yah talk?"

>"Maybe he can't, AJ..."

 

>Twilight steps forward, and stares at the bound creature. Her gaze holds confusion and agitation in equal amounts.

"The other ones seemed to be talking, Miss Twilight... I think he's just being difficult."

>"Come on, mister hooded guy. Say something... The sooner you help us out, the sooner we'll untie you."

>He doesn't respond. Instead, he stares back at her.

>By the way he's glaring at Twilight, you get the feeling that he intends to harm her as soon as he gets free...

>As you take a closer look at him, you notice that his hands are made up of a shadowy black mass, much like his "face"...

>Unlike your hands, he only has three fingers... Which are more like claws. They are rather short, but slender, and they look sharp.

>His cloak is a little messy, but not filthy. On his feet, he wears two... scruffy little brown boots.

>"...Why are you here? Come on, tell us!"

>No response.

>Twilight sighs, and steps back.

>"Well, he isn't being much help... What should we do now?"

>"Ah reckon we should... Uh-oh."

>Applejack sounds like she's spotted something... Something troublesome.

>Looking over towards a small hill that obscures most of the land around the cabin, you see another hooded creature standing on top of it.

>He's watching all of you.

>For a moment, he just stands there, motionless. A low breeze ruffles his cloak slightly.

>He takes a slow step back, then another. Then, he quickly runs off, disappearing behind the hill.

>"...Oh dear."

 

>"Hehehe!"

>"Quiet, you!"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qerrfnU2mc8

 

>"Ah'd better go catch him before he tells his buddies about us..."

>Applejack takes off, running towards the hill.

>You and Twilight stay put for a moment.

"Miss Twilight, we should-"

>"Yeah."

>You both run after Applejack. By now, the other hooded creature seems to have alerted his friends. You can hear lots of high-piched shouting.

>Applejack comes to a stop on top of the hill.

>"Aw darn."

>When you and Twilight join her, you see that the creatures are now all aware of you. They seem to be getting ready for a fight.

>They don't seem very organised, though. Do they have a leader?

>...The one on the bridge. He doesn't seem to be hyped up like the others. He's just standing there, watching. From this distance, you can see that he wears a different cloak than all the others... It's grey, with a red trim. His eyes are also yellow, instead of white.

>Is he the leader? And the others, are they his minions?

>"Watch out!"

>Twilight alerts you to the archer on top of the water tower. He's nocking an arrow.

>He draws his bow, and looses the arrow, with a laugh.

>*Fwip!*

 

>You can just about make out the wooden arrow flying in your direction. You take your shield, and hide behind it.

>The arrow sticks in the ground, a few feet away from you.

>"Get em', Twah!"

>Without hesitating, Twilight aims her horn at the archer, and fires off a single, narrow beam, which quickly travels through the air, towards the top of the water tower.

>Before he can react, the archer is struck by the beam, which knocks him off the tower.

>"Aaaaaahhh!"

>He hits the ground hard, and lies motionless for a moment, before vanishing in a puff of thick, black smoke.

>His body, his cloak, nor even his boots, are left behind.

>"What the..."

>"Twah! Over there!"

>Applejack points out two minions, who are hurrying towards you. One has an axe, the other, a flail.

"Don't worry, I've got them."