A Joe in the Bush

Was there an Aurora-Bat is this timeline? Hidden Antler will be covered in Bat-Guano when you next see him BTW.

Hidden Antler grabbed the Aurora's Butterfly from next to the door and headed up the stairs to the attic thinking as he often did, that Aurora wouldn't have so many animal problems if she wasn't so welcoming to them. This wasn't the first time she'd had a bat problem. But she didn't want to secure the house to keep bats out, since that would also keep other animals out. He reached the top step and stopped. This wasn't a small problem at all. This was an entire colony of bats living in her attic. He quietly walked to the window, opening to provide a way out for the bats. The last time he'd gotten rid of bats, he hadn't done that, and they'd flooded the bottom floor with Guano. This time, he was going to emerge clean. He started swinging the net, waking the bats. He got a few, and dumped them out the window, where they immediately took flight towards the forest. But when he turned back to the rest of the colony, he found a rather unsettling sight. All the bats were staring at him. He wasn't going to come out of this clean after all.

Aurora turned towards Hidden and said, "No...Not really....Well..." That was how she usually replied when she did need something but didn't want to ask. Before Hidden Antler could reply, she turned back to the manticore ans started dressing its wounds with the herbs. That gave Antler time to think. What could she be needing? "There...All done. You can return to your mother when ready." The manticore purred and then climbed up the window sill. it sat there for a moment, watching something, then left. Hidden Antler walked over to the window, looking outside. There was a mailpony coming up the walk. "Mails here. And are you sure you don't need anything?" He had to be careful. she obviously needed something, but he didn't want to push.

Hidden Antler carefully stored the last of the Herbs in his saddlebags, placing them in the protective pouches that Aurora had provided. Then he grabbed his bow from where he had left it and surveyed his surroundings. Everything felt natural. nothing was out of it's place. He set off slowly through the woods, pausing every so often to carefully listen for any signs of creatures or threats. One didn't survive the Everfree by ignoring Caution. No matter how long one had lived there. It didn't take him long to reach the Forest's Northern Border. and from there, it was only a 5 minute trot west to Aurora's Cottage. He didn't bother knocking as he entered. She was expecting him after all. She was still feeding her animals when he entered, so he dropped the pouch of herds next to the baby Manticore. He still didn't trust that Manticore. He'd never encountered a nice one. But Aurora was determined to help this one. Finally he turned back to aurora, and coughed quietly, trying to not surprise her, then spoke. "I found the Herbs Aurora. Need anything else?"

Just wanted to make sure you didn't have other plans.

Is that me? or someone else?

Then i'll just start out in The Everfree.

Aurora, do you want to start out in the same area?

I wouldn't mind at all. Aurora, do you care? Timeshield, for the first post, do you want Hidden Antler to be in a specific part of Equestria? I can have him be anywhere you need him.

. . . Ummm. That would definitely cause Conflict, especially early on, before he really knows them. But I could make it work. If you want, I can make a Pegasus OC though.

Man, Earth Ponies never get any love. I would be fine with only 4.