Jump to content
Banner by ~ Discord The Overlord
Guidelines

EtchASketch

User
 View Profile  See their content

  • Posts

    578

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by EtchASketch

  1. EtchASketch

    A Bit of a Pick Me Up(?)

    By EtchASketch,


    Important to Me
    Hoi again! You may have noticed some peculiar behavior (or maybe not) from me. My social battery was just drained, but I'm doing good again! 39% and charging now. Anyway, I wanted to make a little blog post for you all.
     
    For some of you, the skies are gray. For others, it's clear and sunny. A lot of you have had gray skies for the longest time. One common thing between you all: we're all fighting our own battles. Some face these things silently. I'm going to tell you something. My skies are still gray, and they've been that way for so long. But that's okay. No matter what your skies are like, there's always light. Before I came here, I had extremely dark skies with no hope. But then I met you. All of you. Clouds blocked out the sun, yet I could see you all shining your light through the spaces between. That. That gave me joy and hope for the future. Sometimes, I would in the puddles of rain, making so many mistakes. It hurts to make mistakes, but I got back up and learned from them. Falling down is the first step to learning from it. The sky is cloudy, rainy, and gray now, but it won't be forever.
    And I must say, I wish all of you didn't have to fight any battles. These struggles help you get stronger for the next hardship so you know what to do. Prior to coming here, I was very weak and it was extremely hard to push through my adversities. I was about to give up. Everyone here has helped to teach me how to be strong. I've never felt strong before. Whenever I need help, despite it being easier, you all have come to my aid. I'm always here for you too! I know it's so tiring to do everything alone. You shouldn't feel like you have to either. Let's be warriors together.
    Having a bad day is okay. Having multiple bad days is okay. Although it's not ideal, we only come out with more experience.
     
    My time here has been so awesome. You're all my friends and I could never ask for anything else!
    ⊂⁠(⁠・⁠▽⁠・⁠)⁠⊃ Free hugs  C:
  3. EtchASketch

    Recent Artworks

    By EtchASketch,


    Drawings/Art
    Oopsies, I forgot to share my latest artworks. Whelp, to your left, you have a piece including Bon Bon and Lyra.

    To your right, there is a piece also for Pride Month featuring background characters Star Bright and Silver Script

    Right down the center aisle is a BUBBLINE ARTWORK!! Ah...*Ahem* Sorry..I went rabid there for a second. I just love Bubbline so much. EXPECT SIX MORE BUBBLINE ARTS PLUS TWO FROM THE FIONNA AND CAKE UNIVERSE. (Eight in total!) Anyway, that's all for now. I finished two from the first six. I won't show you yet until they are all done so the context makes sense.

  4. EtchASketch

    Today is A Gift

    By EtchASketch,


    Important to Me
    I wrote this on April 17, 2025. I never know what will happen, so I am writing this early in case something were to happen to me within the time range of today and May 21.
         Today is May 21, 2025. Today is also my birthday. I am now fourteen on this day. The Eighth Grade Dance falls on May 28. The last day of school is on May 29. (I know I'm going to cry so much on those days. I'm going to a different school than my friends. ｡⁠:ﾟ⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠`⁠;⁠)ﾟ⁠: ) Then, I will be going on to high school. I have learned so much over this year. Before I get into the gratitude I feel, I will start with this:
         Every year that goes by, every year you age, your birthday is a milestone. It shows that you've made it through yet another year of life. While it may seem silly, I want to congratulate you for coming so far and not giving up. Unfortunately, many do not make it too far in life and die prematurely. I want to congratulate you for every birthday that comes for you. It just proves that even when life got hard, you were stronger and overcame the adversities at hand. You may be still fighting adversities, but you're winning and I know it. Don't let that be the reason why you give up on life. Growing up may also seem scary. Don't be afraid. Aging proves that you are tough and that you've had many experiences you've learned from. I sometimes ask those who have aged another year if they feel older. I never mean physically, but I mean mentally and emotionally for growing-up moments or learning moments are how you grow. Every hardship, and every problem, everything you face gives you wisdom for the future. It prepares you for any situation that may arise. And through the blazing pain of problems, you come out of the ashes, rising up again like a Phoenix. Stronger and resilient.
         You also may not realize that we learn something everyday. Many seem to assume that we only learn when we're in school and that's it, but that is not right. We can learn everyday. We are forever students, our brains actively learning, even when we don't think we are. We are not just moldable pieces of clay when we're children, but throughout our entire life. Scraped away at, wetted, and added to, that's what happens through it all. It is when our time is up when our experiences shape us perfectly and fire us in the kiln. We leave behind our beautiful statues that reflect who we became over time.
         So just remember that you should reflect on the year that has passed and remember how amazing you are to have come so far. You didn't have to, but you did it anyway and that's such a lovely power to own. 
         Now, I would like to thank everyone here for showing such kindness and support to not only me, but to each other. The Forums have been made a third home for me and a safe haven where I feel that I belong. It's growing rather rare to find places and people like this in the world. But this place has allowed me to reshape myself into a better person and see the light in the darkness of people on this planet. My own experience with how I view the world is so much different from how it was previously. It's all because of all of you. I tell you, you really may not realize the impact you have on each other and me. I tell you it's great, but it's really an astronomical impact. I went from being the biggest pessimist, the smart-alec, and loner to the biggest optimist, understanding, lover. I opened my mind and my heart and now I am better. Now I can make a difference. Trust me when I say this: the MLPForums doesn't make people live in a sort of fantasy so that they are happier. It doesn't try to draw people's attention away from reality so they can feel a false sense of joy. No, it truly emphasizes the message that MLP: FiM was trying to convey all along. The fact that friendship, kindness, compassion, and love are so powerful and can do such amazing things for us, for the world. A little bit of it can go a long way.
         This site, despite it only being made for fun, has brought people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We have been able to learn a lot from one another. Everyone here has different experiences and thought processes, yet one little thing was able to connect everybody. The magic of friendship. I strongly believe that no matter where we go, what we do, where we are, the truest of bonds will continue to exist. They will go on forever like a rainbow which has no ending in sight. You are one of the many stars in the sky, burning bright and doing so for billions of years. Your inspiring existence is teaching those protostars who admire you so much how to shine as you do and one day become a beacon of hope for someone else.
         You are never alone among the bright stars scattered across the fabric of space. We're here! We lift every fallen star up to show them that there are people in this world to support them. So many things are done to change this planet one step at a time.
         I've made so many lovely memories here on the Forums and I hope that continues to happen. These memories will outlast every negative one I've ever had because they include the people that burn so brightly. There will never, EVER be a time where I won't be happy looking back at this website. I hope that for future people, they are able to have the best experiences ever. Especially if they encounter this mystical world. This place is truly a home.
     
         As I've once told a certain friend, "Yesterday is the past. Tomorrow is the future. But today is a gift. That's why it's called the present."-Bil Keane
     
          This is the end of middle school and the beginning of a new dawn. Which means saying goodbye..no...see you later to my school friends.
         I love you all so, so much...This is the best family I could ever ask for. Just..thank you all for being a part of my life. No matter how short the interaction. I could never forget any of you as the magic of this place and the light in all of you shine so bright.
         Thank you @Dah Onion Eater , @Shiny Silvermoon, @Lawyer Slip, @Octavia Scratch, @Starlight Serenade, @RafaStaryStory, @TheRockARooster, @Luna the Great of all the Russias, @Samurai Equine, @Rikifive, @Emerald Heart, @Iforgotmybrain, @Silent Dusk, @Snoopy Fan, @Sophie, @Lnx1ynight16, @GlitchyMaskedVoid, @ResiLokfil, @Livealarm, @Sparklefan1234, @Ice Princess Silky <3, @Sir Hugsalot, @Mercury, @Tacodidra, @Antiyonder, @Crypty Scribbles, @SolidFire7, @Florana, @Snow, @PetalwingFIM, @Lonstecation, @Felis Amafeles, @Finding_Marty, @ComanderZhabikKlavik, @Deae Rising Shine~, @Night Sky, @Tao, @zerox, @Dreambiscuit, @dysfallacy, @Minka, @InkmaneScribbles, @Mistify, @Fluttershutter, @Astralshy, @Bairro M Vagrant, @mistrene, @Golden Beetle, @S0nicl0ver, @Tom Gallagher, @Crash_xox, @SylvyrDrake, @Zigzag, @pinkadeli, @14Fan, @Bat Pony Loverrr, @sonatadusk1985, @SunsetGlimmer97, @PepperPie, @RiverStar, @Valynne, @Red_pigeon_furr, @guttrgrl, @serah64, @LilAntwanP, @fluttrrpua, @Cozy Glow Fan, @GreeeezPoni, @ShadoWime, @bonnibel, @Acid, @NathyGotica, @VeinSpector, @SunsetShimmerRocks95, @Nitobit, @Wizard, @Silverspark184, @Acinonyx, @Nsxile, @Silly Druid, @DubWolf, @Woohoo, @TechnoZ @Denim&Venöm, @SCS, @Dynamo Pad, @Midnight Insight, @Alex2002ita, @Allison, @Blank Slate, @BritishBrony2012, @Cactoide, @Castle Bleck, @ChloeCute, @Coffee, @Dior, @Electrified Airstream, @Raskolnikov, @EpicEnergy, @Everest, @faethfully, @Ragland Tiger, @Fluttershyfan94, @FlutterflyShy, @dontgogh, @hisoo, @Howling Moonlight, @Individ321, @IronM17, @Lord Midnight Madness, @LovinglyPromise, @N3RLZ, @Ranmoe, @Moony the Cat, @MintGlow, @miu, @Mirage, @lylth, @luckyjulia, @Birb, @pinkie_.pie, @OverTheStars, @Oleks, @noxebox, @Nightlight1313, @shyfltterb, @Sfc.point, @RainbowDashiscool, @Rusty Strings, @RD1, @Slumberlumber, @Solar Power, @Solar Flare, @Spark Thunderbass, @SqaureHoof, @Starlighty, @Starry skies 23, @Starset Twinkle, @Sunwalker, @sweetiepop, @TheFinalDJCoral, @Totally Nyx, @Treeglow Flicker , @WhimsicalHues, @Xythis, @Ziph The Changeling,  @V3ng34nc3, @sebrosills, @Cheery Berry Blossom, and @Cash In. It doesn't matter if we hardly interacted or if you're no longer active. You still had a great, but positive impact on me and so many others. You glow, my friends. You are wonderful. 
    (My closest school friends.)

    ALSO, THIS BLOG IS A PARTY! LET US EAT CAKE, DANCE, REQUEST SONGS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE!
  5. EtchASketch

    Is This Goodbye, Mr. Cat?

    By EtchASketch,


    Important to Me
    The last time we saw him was May 4. We met May 10, 2021 when I was in the fifth grade. I keep on getting reassured that he's alright, but what if he's not? What if he never returns? He was the bestest of friends. He always listened when I had something to say and allowed me to sing him to sleep. When there were stressful situations, he was always there for me and I for him. We were always up to no good with our shenanigans and played with each other so much. We were always there for one another. I don't think I'll be the same without him. I don't want to have to say goodbye. Where is he? I miss him so much...I can't do this without him.







































































  7. EtchASketch
    My whole life has been such a series of unfortunate events, I feel older than I am. What's my relationship with everyone in my family? I'll tell you about it.
    First, I will say that all of my siblings have different dads. We all live in different places as well.
    Warning! Mentions of abuse, death, and trauma. It's overall very sad and heartbreaking. Viewer discretion is advised.
     
     
     
    I'm sorry this was so dark, but it's just..how it is for us..or me. 
  9. EtchASketch

    Why I Love Everything.

    By EtchASketch,


    Important to Me
    Hi there!
         Some of you may have seen me say I love everything and I have no favorites around here. It's true. Why? It's more of a...complex story than you think.
         I used to throw around the word 'hate' all of the time when I was younger. "I hate this" and "I hate that". Yes, I actually hated things. I didn't know what hate truly was. I didn't even know what dislike was. But...when I started to feel unloved by my mother because of all of the abuse, I..changed. Every single day, I thought, "What's she going to do to me today?" "What hurtful thing will she say today?" This was probably how I felt in the fifth grade. It carried on to the seventh grade. (There was no physical abuse after the fifth grade.) I continuously received hateful remarks from her. I felt even worse since my sister moved out and I had no one to talk to. I hated it. I hated her. I hated everything.
         Then, I took a look at the situation from different perspectives. Because she showed me such negativity, I was copying it and unfortunately, showing it at school. I didn't hate her. I hated what it was doing to me and how I responded to it. She also told me that her parents to the same thing as she did and I realized that I could've continued the vicious cycle of hate if I hadn't stopped. My mother was shown a lack of love as a child and I didn't want to keep doing the same towards others. Towards anyone. I changed my ways in the sixth and seventh grade with a more positive outlook on life, but not as I am now. I still said I hated things, but to a lesser degree
         Then, something very bad was said and done by my mother sometime in the seventh grade or when I was about to be an eighth grader. Something in me shattered. (I won't say what it was that happened.) All of the pure hate she obviously felt finally got to me. I cried the entire day. I believed I would never love or be loved again. The next day, I woke up. At first, I felt absolutely nothing. I felt nothing for a while. My heart was frozen over.
        One day, I felt.. something. Determination. I wanted to be a better person. Way better than I was before. There was already so much hate and spite in the world. It hurt me every time I saw and read it. I knew I had to change so I didn't turn out like her. I knew what it felt like to be unloved. I never wanted anyone else or anything else to feel that way. I would make sure that no one would ever feel left out, unwanted, unloved, any of that. Even inanimate objects. Even the animals who have no idea they're our favorites.
         I couldn't even hate the ones who hated and wronged me. There was no reason for me to reciprocate such a feeling. It wasted my energy constantly thinking about those who probably never thought of me in the slightest with such negativity. When I'm sad, I try my hardest to not let it overcome me. We're allowed to have our down days, but it's about if we can get back up from the adversities.
        So now, I do my very best to show everyone love. You all truly deserve it. I don't just say things to say them. I say them because I mean them. You will never hear me say I hate someone or hate something. There is just no reason to add to the negativity in the world. I'll always love you and everycreature. I'll always use the example of mine: Person: "Do you have a favorite animal?" Me: "Nope, I love all of them equally!" Person: "Even...the blobfish and spiders..?" Me: "Always the blobfish and spiders." (This was an actual part of a conversation I had. XD)
     
        Yep! That's the story. I think I recounted that well enough. I hope I didn't leave anything out.
    Questions? Comments? Concerns? I'm interested in hearing what you have to say! ^^
  10. EtchASketch

    An Infection AU of Mine

    By EtchASketch,


    Horror Logs
    I came up with a nice infection AU idea last year and am finally sharing it with you all because I might be able to make art for it this summer. 🚨⚠️ Warning! This may be a bit gory or just plain nasty for some audiences. >:P Viewer discretion is advised! ⚠️🚨
         Twilight would be an alicorn here and the two sisters would rule during this time. This would take place some time after season five. The season is spring.
         It began with a mare who was deathly ill required some extra assistance in recovering. This recovery had to remove whatever toxins remained in her stomach and blood because it wouldn't leave.
         Twilight Sparkle read somewhere that tapeworms could be used medically when they've been born in a sterile environment, almost like leeches. She came up with the idea of genetically modifying these tapeworms to speed up the healing process. Twilight Sparkle does not have a degree in the medical field. Keep this in mind for later on.
         She proposed these specimen eggs to the doctors of Ponyville. Twilight assured them over and over again that everything would be fine. She did her research and planned ahead just to make sure nothing could go wrong in this.
         The patient took a pill containing the tapeworm eggs when this plan was approved. She showed signs of getting healthier and this led to the Princess of Friendship receiving many praises for her work. After time went by, the patient took frequent visits to the hospital before being completely hospitalized once more. It was discovered that the mare became severely malnourished. When the mare consumed more, she lost the weight faster. The doctors considered removing the tapeworms altogether, but they seemed to have grown too powerful for any normal medicine to combat.
         Twilight, ashamed and constantly shunned, cooped herself up in her castle, blocking out all of the windows and never allowing any creature inside. Not even her very best friend and little brother, Spike. She couldn't stand to see the disappointment from her friends and family. So she stayed, only conducting infinite research on how to fix this and how to be a better pony. (Similar to how Luna tortured herself with nightmares.)
         The mare's condition only worsened with time. It was disclosed that she attacked the nurses who struggled to keep her contained. Those nurses were left dead and some severely injured. The patient escaped the hospital, her whereabouts unknown.
     
         That's how it all started. Some additional information about this outbreak:
         Is it contagious? Only through water supply and food supply. If someone is attacked by an infected, they cannot be infected because it does not transfer through bodily fluids.
         How? The tapeworms will know when the host is no longer useful or dying, so as a last attempt, the host will find a body of water for the tapeworms. The tapeworms would escape through the mouth and into the water body to lay eggs which contaminates the water. Any creature who ingests the water will be another host. There are rare cases (it's highly unlikely to happen) where someone encounters and infected that's dying. The infected will very forcefully expel the tapeworms and they'll burrow into the body of the victim.
         Who is immune? For now, non-equines. (Zebras and Ponies are equines.) If this mutates, other species may be at risk. Species that will never be at risk of getting infected are Dragons and Kirin because they have a naturally high body temperature of over one hundred degrees. (Hopefully they don't mutate to adapt to the heat.) 
         What truly made this like a zombie apocalypse? I know that zombie apocalypses seem highly unlikely, so I decided to go with something that was strikingly close and could happen without being too unrealistic. Real tapeworms would feed off of the energy (nutrients and anything eaten) that is in the host. This can make them heavily malnourished and even change their normal behavior. The patient was so starved, she acted on impulse and devoured anything in sight before she visited the doctor. It was never enough. Her appetite was never satisfied. (The tapeworms kept taking and taking from the host which is the definition of a parasite. They don't give back.) By the time she consulted a doctor, she was a little too far gone. The host at last attacked and ate the nurses and anypony else. (The tapeworms recognize which foods contain the highest nutrients that would satisfy them. Plants were not enough. Meat. Flesh. Blood. They contained the highest protein which would satiate them for longer.) To summarize, the fact that the hosts are driven not on thought, but on hunger is what makes them so zombie-like without them being dead.
         I'd like to add that at this point, the tapeworms can be considered a brain parasite as well since they manipulate the host. I would also say that just because someone was attacked doesn't mean that they will get infected. They can receive your normal infections like when a wound is not cleaned and protected properly. Characters can still contract regular illnesses.
     
         This was inspired by me seeing an image of tapeworms coming out of bears. One image is all it took to make all of this. I can show you, but I'll spoiler it twice so you don't accidentally click on the link if you don't want to see it. 
     
         Who's alive? The entirety of the Mane Six. Fluttershy is still in her cottage. She is at risk due to the stream around her house where she gets her water from. Twilight's status is unknown. Last seen in her castle. The rest of the Mane Six (Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity) is with Applejack and her family. They are disconnected from any other water system. They get their water from a well. Just to be safe, they boil the water and filter it. This is still early on in the infection.
     
         Extra details? The sad reality to this is that the host is still quite conscious. It is like they are a prisoner in their own body, unable to do anything about what's going on other than watch. They still have their normal pain tolerance meaning that they definitely feel any injuries. They just won't react to the immense pain they feel. The parasites within them keep the host moving, even when the body is falling apart. If you hear crying, they are not mimicking sound. They are actually crying. Do not approach. Hosts can make weak attempts to call for help. Do not help. I repeat, do not help.
     
         I'm not very sure what else I should add. Do you think I should make this contagious somehow through bites? Who else should be alive? Any other ideas to add onto this? Most importantly, what should this be called?
     
         Thank you so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this out and I hope to make this a reality.
  11. EtchASketch

    Design Backstories

    By EtchASketch,


    Horror Logs
    I made two random designs to frighten people for Halloween last year and they worked well. Gore warning and Trypophobia warning!
     
    Log #1 The Fading-Sparkle
    Twilight Sparkle was in her library in the Castle of Friendship. It was nearly pitch dark save for the glowing aura of the magic from her horn. Twilight was researching avians due to a strange behavioral shift in Owlowiscious. When she found out what was wrong, she approached the quiet owl. That was when Owlowiscious lunged towards the princess and relentlessly attacked her. Twilight Sparkle was so shocked, she had no time to react and use her magic. She also feared that if she used her magic, it would hurt her animal companion too badly. Just when she considered using telekinesis to hold him still, Owlowiscious went in for a brutal blow: he ripped off her mandible and destroyed her horn. These injuries proved to be fatal. After a week of not seeing Twilight Sparkle, they searched through the castle. That's when they discovered her body and Owlowiscious nearby. He was dead. An autopsy showed that Owlowiscious caught Avian Influenza. He showed little signs of it before aggressively maiming Twilight and immediately dying. Twilight Sparkle was found with severe wounds including: torn ears, punctured skin, exposed bone, a destroyed horn, tattered wings, and a destroyed mandible. A strange fungus seemed to be growing from Twilight's head as well.
    Log #2 The Wilting-Flower
     
    Due to constantly being around her animal friends, Fluttershy caught an illness from them. The symptoms were very similar to a common cold. Although she began to grow concerned about why she wasn't recovering, she decided against consulting doctor. This illness she contracted could not have been that bad. Unfortunately, she was too late to realize how severe this really was. Fluttershy's corpse was discovered in her cottage, decomposing and littered with holes of varying sizes. Maggots were assumed to have infested her body which created the gaping holes. Her animal companions escaped long before which left the cottage a wreck. Before that, they consumed the remainder of their feed before eating parts of the one who cared for them.
    This is just an AU about horrific deaths. This is only the beginning of scary coming from me. I hope this wasn't too scary for you! I will be posting more horror if you're interested because I love to write and I have lots of ideas. I believe Pink will be posting some AUs as well!
  12. EtchASketch
    Hey there, everypony! I decided to take a personality test and then my result was Fluttershy.
    I just went, "Alright", but some part of me decided to take another to see if I got the same thing..
     
    I did. I proceeded to take five more quizzes and...
     
    Yep. I get that I'm shy in real life and absolutely geek out whenever animals are brought up...and I hate being the center of attention...and I know a lot about animals......and I'm quiet.......
     
    Uhh, I'm totally not like Fluttershy, right?

  13. EtchASketch

    The MLPForums Dictionary.

    By EtchASketch,


    Random Ramblings
    -The MLPForums Dictionary-
     
    1. Cashtinguished--Cash In. (Distinguished.)
     
    2. Dynawesome--Dynamo Pad. (Awesome.)
     
    3. Emceptional--Emerald Heart. (Exceptional)
     
    4. Felillustrious--Felis Amafeles. (Illustrious.)
     
    5. Incryptible--Crypty Scribbles. (Incredible.)
     
    6. Octstonishing--Octavia Scratch. (Astonishing.)
     
    7. Reminkable--Minka. (Remarkable.)
     
    8. Rocktacular--TheRockARooster. (Spectacular.)
     
    9. Samursteemed--Samurai Equine. (Esteemed.)
     
    10. Saturcalifragilisticexpialidocious-- @Banananananajack or ThePinkestofPones. (Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.)
     
    11. Shinymazing--Shiny Silvermoon. (Amazing.)
     
    12. Silkytastic--Ice Princess Silky. (Fantastic.)
     
    13. Sirperb--Sir Hugsalot. (Superb.)
     
    14. Silvonderful.--Silverspark. (Wonderful.)
     
    15. Slipendous--Lawyer Slip. (Stupendous.)
     
    16. Snownomenal--Snow. (Phenomenal.)
     
    17. Sparklous--Sparklefan. (Marvelous.)
     
    18. Starlightful--Starlight Serenade. (Delightful.)
     
    19. Stellar--ME (Das mah nickname and a word. )
     
    20. Unlunable--Luna the Great of All Russias. (Unbelievable.)
     
    21. Wizondrous--Wizard. (Wonderful.)
     
    I highly doubt anyone will use this, so it's just here XD
  14. EtchASketch
    Today, Mr. Cat discovered a stray wormhole that leads him to an alternate reality every time he goes through! He told me that he has to go backwards, not turn around, but backwards to return to his original reality, otherwise he can never return. Mr. Cat has to return to his original reality in time or else it will collapse! D: He let me know what type of reality he entered: a time where people only communicated by dancing. He stated that there was another me who greeted him with breakdancing yet I could speak English unlike everyone else. :O I cut in and asked him if he would do something like this again since it's very risky. An entire dimension could be destroyed! Mr. Cat said yes and there's no talking him out of this one.
     
    I wonder what the next reality shall bring. 

     
  16. EtchASketch

    The Fallen-Star Files.

    By EtchASketch,


    Drawings/Art
    In this short documentary, we will be showing you a brief video of a famous pony vlogger finding out the truth behind the Kirin-Pony hybrid's smile. (Warning! Contains death, blood, and body horror! Viewer discretion is most certainly advised! (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧)
     
     
    It begins with Delilah introducing her video. She appears at the edge of the woods and exclaims, "Hey guys! Welcome back to my vlog: DiscoverieswithDelilah!" While this starts off cheerful, what happens next foreshadows that something much more sinister may be going on.

     
    Delilah proceeds with a slightly more nervous demeanor as if she is worried or even afraid. "I'm here to tell you that...I saw something really weird the other day. I came back to show you all."

     
    Seeming even more frightened, she adds, "Today, we'll be 'exposing' Interstellar. She sits in the forest staring off into nothing. It's so weird. I think the does this everyday." What might this hybrid possibly be doing out in the woods staring for hours? It's quite suspicious and peculiar. Some suspected that she could have been an evil creature or something even worse.

     
    Delilah's happy front returned soon after and she said, "I'll be back soon, everypony!" implying that she would go find Interstellar and start recording again when she found this elusive Kirin-Pony hybrid.

     
    The camera went black and there was no footage for possible hours of wandering about the forest.

     
    The pony vlogger returned with a big, proud smile, clearly joyful about finally finding Interstellar performing the strange act in the middle of the woods. "Haha! We're back and...I found her! She's still staring and..." Delilah suddenly stopped talking mid sentence. She found what she was looking for, so what happened?

     
    A look of confusion and possible fear crossed her face as she stared off into the distance. Delilah slowly and quietly stated, "Wait. She's..looking over here now..." Realization soon filled her expression as the revelation of what was going on occurred to her.

     
    Interstellar wasn't looking in the general direction of Delilah.

     
    Instead she was looking...

     
    Right at her. The hybrid had a severely disfigured face and something was strange about her right eye. Her neck was twisted at an unnatural angle.
     
    All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling, spine-chilling screech reverberated through the hybrid's throat and echoed through the air for all to hear. Her snout separated into four different parts revealing razor sharp teeth, teeth in her throat, and tentacles that would kill.

     
    Panicked and shocked, Delilah quickly picked up her legs and spun around in an attempt to run away while she still could.

     
    Unfortunately for Delilah, the hybrid appeared right before her with her horn glowing. Delilah was paralyzed by the hybrid's magic. It was too late for the pony vlogger.

     
    The hybrid released another deafening screech before attacking Delilah. It seemed that the hybrid's ears were not just ears, but they were eyes.

     
    It was clear that the pony vlogger dropped her camera, leaving it damaged and splattered with blood. Screams could be heard as she was slaughtered.






    y2mate.com - Trauma.mp3       Take some time to think about this.
    The camera powered off shortly after due to it being low on battery. This footage was salvaged by our tech professionals. We are aware that the Fallen Star is out there. Nopony is safe. She has not attacked yet, but she will. She is not observing us. She is watching. She is watching. She is watching. She is watching. She is watching.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    APRIL FOOL'S! Lol, I hope you didn't think this was real lore. Well..since this was meant for April Fool's but wasn't posted on that day...does that mean.. it's not a joke anymore? O_O
                  The Fallen Star is watching.
     


  20. EtchASketch

    The OCs I made for Teachers

    By EtchASketch,


    Drawings/Art
    I made these as gifts for my teachers! I just don't have pictures for my math teacher because I got too excited and just wanted to give it to her that day, so I couldn't get pictures. 😅 Also, I have one more teacher to draw, but I haven't met her yet.






























  21. EtchASketch

    Cue the Music...!

    By EtchASketch,


    Melodies and Tunes
    I made these two songs in either 2023 or 2022..or maybe even further back. They were for two of my friends and I finally found the software where I made them. That means I could make more songs! What do you think and do you think I should try making more music?  And, I know I've been posting a lot lately, it's just I have a lot to share. 
    For a Friend-K.mp3 For a friend-L.mp3
  22. EtchASketch

    Humane Six

    By EtchASketch,


    Drawings/Art
    I drew the Humane Six when the year started, but never got to share Fluttershy (meaning I drew her but I don't have the picture) and draw Rainbow Dash 🥲. I was surprised by my sudden skill of drawing peeps, so I'm definitely going to redraw them.




  23. EtchASketch

    Glass Fusing Finished!

    By EtchASketch,


    Drawings/Art
    Last week, I was able to get a lot of pieces of colored glass in Art Club. I made a sunset but didn't realize that the arranged pieces wouldn't melt that close together. I decided to name it "Shattered Sunset." Also, I noticed that sunsets and sunrises have been a recurring pattern in the past few days. :O Anyway, here is is:


  24. EtchASketch

    'Salutations!' A Public Apology.

    By EtchASketch,


    Important to Me
    Dearest Forum-Friends,
     
         Hey everyone! It's been a while, but I've been unbanned. (Yes, I was banned.) I need to tell you something important.
         About the fact that you don't eat macaroni and are deathly afraid of it?
         NO- No, that's..for another day.
         I'm here to tell you all: I am sorry. What for? A whole lot. First, I want to thank you all for wanting to try to give me another chance at this. I'll make sure I don't mess it up.
         Now, for the apology part because this was a terrible act I did.
         I am so, so, so sorry. I know I've been tossing this word around a lot, but I am. I betrayed you all by doing that. I broke the trust of everyone and shattered the bonds I once had here. I know that no apology will be able to repair the damage I have done. I was not being a good friend or person in general by lying. It was a heinous act and I acknowledge that I am guilty of the wrongdoing. I realize that it was not right to do AT ALL. It wasn't cool. It wasn't funny. It was just treacherous and inconsiderate. None of you wonderful people deserved to be treated in such a way and stressed out, especially because of something silly I did.
         I apologize to the Moderators and Administrators as well. They also had to deal with the false reports meaning that they had to take precious time out of their days to deal with fake people. There is no way for me to get them that time back that was wasted on me. The situation was harrowing for them and they might've sprouted a few gray hairs all because of me. They didn't need that and they probably had more important matters to attend to. So, again, I am very sorry.
         Honesty is so important in friendships. It is what helps structure them. If there was no honesty, how would you know when someone is being genuine? Could you trust them anymore with the things you told them? How would you know if they were truly your friend? Was that all a lie? I can see now that that is probably what some of you were questioning due to the lies. There should never be a moment in time where you feel such distrust in your friend, but you did because of me. 
         I'm not asking you all for your friendship, trust or forgiveness because I can't even ask you for that. It wouldn't be fair for me to ask that knowing that I did all of this. Besides, all of that has to be earned back especially after it's been lost. I know some of you may never want to be my friend again, and that's perfectly okay. That's a valid reaction and feeling to this. I'm just hoping that we can at the very least move on from this with time? I still appreciate you for being in my life.
         I promise to be completely transparent and honest about the things I do. (Like Applejack! Except she almost got her brother's leg chopped off-) I have nothing to hide and there's no reason to lie. Lying creates a distrustful relationship and no one wants that.  I promise to be a way better friend and person. I will not let this happen again. However you may take this post is up to you and you may respond in any way you'd like.
     
    Also, I made a song. An apology song at that. Though, I have no instruments or proper music, so it is not top quality.

    user8397410909459861 - °•~Apology Song~•° 2025-02-18 23_30.m4a      Wowzers, what a huge learning experience. Anyway, I hope you've all been well aside from this huge problem. Don't let negative people ruin your day. See you next time.
  25. EtchASketch
    Hi again! As you know, I was gone for a long period of time due to being banned. But..what did I do during that time?  I made tons of new friends and learned many new things. I had loads of fun, of course. On Christmas, I got this new book: the last book in The Lunar Chronicles series! Winter. (Very good book, but I finished it too fast!  Then, the New Year came around. My resolution was to make a lot more art than I have the prior year because I was always too distracted. I did something that I was very proud of in between that timeframe.
     
         We had to write yet another Young Author's Narrative Short Story for school. I already had so many ideas ready and couldn't wait to get to writing! (We were supposed to write only five pages, but the majority of us went way over that!) As soon as I started on the rough draft, I had no clue what to type out. I just sat there with a blank stare for a few moments before holding down on the space bar, wondering where the wonderful ideas I had had run off to! Suddenly, I knew how to start it and began typing it up. The story taught me a good lesson about letting go of what's gone even though I wrote it. I think out of all of my stories, this is the best one I've written in my student career! I wish it could have been longer and that I could have paced it better. The story is 23-24 pages long.
     
    Warning: There are some references to death, weaponry, and this contains slight gore. Long read if you don't like reading that much. Viewer/reader discretion is advised! :3
     
                      A Broken Heart Mends
          The footsteps and shouting. The bullets soaring through the air. The horrid scent of gunpowder. Cedar was only a pup when it happened. Her mother carried Cedar in her mouth, frantically searching for an escape. She sprinted, dodging bullets and people who jumped out in her path. Finally, she made it back to her burrow. She placed Cedar into it and started for the mouth of the hole.
          “Mom, what’s going on? Where are you going?” she asked, her eyes wide and frightened.
          Her mother looked afraid too. She said nothing and left the burrow, leaving so quickly the last thing Cedar saw was the red flash of her mother’s tail. The footsteps faded away, and so had the memory of it all.
          The fox awoke from the nightmare with a jolt. It was a recurring dream she had night after night. That fateful day just wouldn’t leave her mind. She simply stretched and leapt from the dimly lit burrow, immediately being met by the pale sunlight and warm air. The glowing orb was still rising above the horizon.
          Rustle. Cedar spun around, watching as a bush shook. A gray and tan rabbit hopped out through the leaves of the bush. They sniffed the ground, most likely searching for something to eat. Cedar took a step back, eyes narrowing..she was getting ready to pounce. One..two…three! Just as the bunny looked up, Cedar was in midjump. They tried to make a run for it, but it was too late. Cedar landed on them and bit down on their neck like a vampire sucking the life force out of someone. The rabbit let out a last frightened squeak before they went limp in her mouth. It looks like I’m the one who got to eat in the end, she thought with a bit of cockiness.
          Just as she began to feed off of the deceased rabbit, an unfamiliar sound came from somewhere in the forest. It was a distant click-click-click sound. At first, Cedar assumed it was the sound of a gun, but this was different. Cedar glanced around just to be sure. She then left the remains of the rabbit and wandered through the very bushes they came from.
          As she headed towards the source of the sound, the trees around grew sparser. There was less foliage and the grass was sparse. Cedar walked on for a while, but she could tell she was nearing the source of the sound. It came from an abandoned cabin at a random clearing in the middle of the forest. The wood seemed to be rotting away from termites. There was mold and mildew growing over it as well. There were a few stray bricks on top of the roof–or what was left of the roof–and some on the ground. The cabin had no windows save for the remaining glass shards that weren’t scattered everywhere.
          Suddenly, the click-click-click sound came again from within the building. A thought came to mind and Cedar realized what the sound reminded her of: a woodpecker! The source of the sound could have very well been the long-beaked bird. Even with this in mind, she wanted to investigate. The sound ceased and the curious fox slinked into the doorless, dilapidated cabin.
         The inside of the run-down, abandoned abode was no better. The floors were rotted and it was absolutely bug-ridden. She inhaled and immediately started coughing. Dust particles drifted through the moist air. There were more loose bricks on the floor and at the bottom of the fireplace signifying that there used to be a chimney. An old table and two chairs were turned on their side and pushed against the dingy wall. The floorboards of the drab building were slightly mushy beneath Cedar’s paws making her snout scrunch up in disgust. The sound came again and Cedar looked up at the splintering wooden support beam. Perforations were made in a somewhat straight vertical line on the support beam. That’s when Cedar finally saw the source of the noises. A bird, just like she originally presumed. This bird wasn’t a woodpecker, though.
         “You’re not a woodpecker…” she thought aloud. This grabbed the attention of the mysterious avian making the tiny craters. The finch’s yellow head turned to face Cedar. The rest of the bird’s feathers had gray tinges everywhere. She had a short, pointy, and gray beak. Her big eyes were a deep brown.
         The finch’s mouth faintly turned up into what seemed to be a smile and said, “Oh, hello there!” Her voice was surprisingly friendly and high-pitched.
           She proceeded to use her beak to climb down the support beam, using the holes as if they were the rungs of a ladder. The little bird missed one of the holes, causing her to fall the rest of the way. She flapped her wings frantically during the drop, allowing Cedar to catch a strange characteristic about this avian. The finch’s wing feathers were cut perfectly short. When the stranger made contact with the floor, she bounced back up as if she never fell. Cedar recoiled and growled as the finch approached, her ears pinned back.
          “Don’t..don’t come any closer!” Cedar shouted in a feeble attempt to be ferocious.
          The finch jumped back, taken aback by the sudden outburst from the fox. Her feathers stood up from fear before she settled down again. 
         Holding out a clipped wing, she exclaimed, “My name is Althea!” Then she hopped forward and continued, “What’s your name, newcomer?”
          Cedar faltered, not expecting to be treated so…kindly by someone she just met. Her ears went back to their normal position and she stood straight again, just staring at Althea. Shaking this surprised daze off, she regained her stoic composure.
          Cedar started, “That’s not usually something I would just tell a random bird I just met,” she stated bluntly.
          Althea’s wing folded back in and she tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.
          “Really? So…does that mean you would tell a bear your name? Or a tortoise? Or a mink?” Althea questioned, looking very quizzical.
          Cedar frowned in a way that showed she thought this bird was dim-witted.
          “You know that’s not at all what I mean..” She trailed off, realizing she could have walked away a long time ago so that this conversation would have never started. Cedar really wanted to do that right about now. “I just–don’t trust many creatures anymore,” she explained, trying to remain vague.
         As if not hearing anything Cedar just said, Althea squeaked, “Can I call you Bobby if you really won’t tell me your name? Or maybe Rebecca? George?” she pestered.
         The red fox started to feel irritated at the bird’s incessant questions. She simply groaned and rolled her eyes as the finch rambled on and on. Cedar took the opportunity to sneak out while Althea was distracted. She walked away, returning into the forest. Time passed by and Cedar was still wandering around the forest, looking for her burrow. It was nowhere to be found. Her heart sank when she realized she might be lost. 
         Cedar found herself turning back to find that cabin again. She shuffled there very slowly, not very happy to see the obnoxious little avian again.
         “Oh, there you are! I thought you were a figment of my imagination when I turned and you were gone,” Althea admitted, her eyes showing a hint of loneliness in them.
         Of course, Cedar noticed this, but disregarded it, instead taking into mind what she just said. It was disturbing which made Cedar think Althea might be insane.
         “Right…” the fox muttered, “..Uhm, you wouldn’t happen to know where a burrow would be?” she questioned, a little louder.
         Althea perked up at this. “Well. of course I know where a burrow is!” she said with great ecstasy. “Come on, I’ll show you!”
          Cedar regretted asking in the first place but she decided to go along with it. The yellow bird hopped ahead of her and stopped at a grand tree, taller than any other. The bark was covered in moss and a few insects. The viridescent leaves of the tree swayed gently in the calming breeze. With her wing, she pointed at a gap between the tree’s roots.
         “There’s a burrow!” she squealed with excitement.
         Cedar deadpanned. I should have been more specific… Inquisitive, despite her principles, Cedar ambled towards the burrow. She craned her neck to see what was inside. It was fairly dark, her eyes needing to adjust, but she was able to make out a few sleeping figures. Baby bunnies, she realized. They were puny and had sleek, shiny, brown fur of varying tones. In an attempt to avoid disturbing their adorable slumber, she stepped away quietly, back into the light.
         “Was that the one you were looking for?”
         “No,” Cedar began, “I was looking for a different one..”
         The vixen did a swift, thorough scan of her surroundings. She was suddenly aware of the fact that she’d strayed even further from her home. Now how am I going to find my way back? I really don’t want to be stuck with..her. Cedar imagined herself as a skeleton and the bird still talking her ears–well, bones off. She shuddered at the very thought of that.
         “Thank you for..trying. I’m going to leave now,” she mumbled, not exactly grateful. She was still heartbroken about being lost.
         “May I come with you? I mean, we’re best friends, and I really want to go with you!”
         Cedar opened her mouth ready to say no, but she didn’t. She merely strolled away without answering. The sunny, dynamic bird followed her either way, hopping along the faint tracks Cedar left behind.
         “So..where’re we going, friend?” Althea asked. 
         Cedar sighed, exasperated. When is she going to give up? Finally, full on silence passed between them. Then, Althea started back up again with a barrage of questions.
         “What’s your favorite color? Flower? Food? Tree you’ve seen?” she continued with her questions that seemed to go on forever.
         The finch must have been unfazed by Cedar’s aggravated and grumpy demeanor, because when Cedar failed to respond to any of the questions, Althea moved on to yet another topic.
         “You know, I’ve been alone for a long time. You’re the first creature I’ve talked to in years,” Althea disclosed, her voice taking on a hint of a waver.
         Cedar glanced back before looking straight ahead again. “Is that so? I wonder why,” she retorted, her words dripping with sarcasm.
         “It’s fine though. At least I’ve made a new friend—you,” she added with great sincerity, yet Cedar didn’t seem to care for it. Quiet came again.
         They came upon another clearing. The warm, pale yellow sun was going down by the time they reached another part of the forest. Golden rays of sunlight shone over the horizon as if they were pieces of delicate, toasty silk strewn across the land. A green-blue pond sat to their far right. Lily pads sat on the water as well as a few water lilies of different colors. The trees’ bark had a rich brown tone to them. It all smelled of maple trees.
         “Wow!” Althea exclaimed in an unnecessarily loud voice, causing Cedar to flinch as if she were a cat that spotted a cucumber. ”It’s so pretty here! And look at that pond!”
         The provoked fox’s ears pinned flat against her head in fury. This was Cedar’s last straw. Not only was Althea infuriating her, but she found her to be too loud and “too excited” all of the time.
         She finally snapped and whirled around to face her, her snout scrunched up. “That. Is. It! I’ve had it with you! We are not friends! I do not like you! Just leave. Me. Alone!” she shouted, baring her teeth.
         Eyes going wide, Althea took a step backwards. Once Cedar’s emotions settled down again and she took a deep breath, not looking at Althea. This time, Althea seemed to get the message and sorrowfully trudged away. Just before that, Cedar got a glimpse of the little bird’s big, innocent dark chocolate eyes. They looked just a bit wetter with tears. At that moment, Cedar felt a jab at her heart. She felt bad for saying what she said. She tried to convince herself into thinking otherwise. Serves her right…if..if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be lost.
         At last, the sun had already gone down. The talkative bird left her alone hours ago. The sky was a deep purple with hints of blue, black, and lighter shades of purple. Stars speckled the entirety of space like white paint splattered haphazardly by a furious artist. Cedar was startled by the call of an owl and the imperceptible sound of leaves rustling. Her fur puffed out and she hurried into the closest place of which she could hide in. A little crevice in between two large rocks sufficed for her. Cedar scurried inside, enveloped in the darkness. It was hard to see anything, but the flapping of tiny wings let her know what creature was lurking in this fissure. A moth: a critter who she found to be a silent killer. She was always terrified by their beady eyes and how fuzzy they were. Of course, moths were harmless and quite kind. Cedar just didn’t know that.
         Sunlight seeped into the crevice of which the weary fox was sleeping in. As the light hit her eyelids, she awoke. As she blinked away the bleariness, she saw a light brown critter with six legs and brown wings and they were covered in fur on her nose…A moth! Alarms went off in her head and she got to her paws instantly. Cedar shook her head violently in order to shake off the moth. The little night insect went rocketing away, catching themself before they collided into the ground. The horrified fox watched as the moth flew away. Cedar took a long, deep breath to calm her nerves.
         She stepped outside into the new day. The wind blew. It was a tad chilly. Although it was sunny in this area, gloomy clouds loomed overhead. It might rain today, she thought. Cedar didn’t stop to hunt any creature. She simply went onward. She trekked across the land, not stopping for anything. Though, Cedar did spot something peculiar. A black bird that was just pecking at the ground mysteriously disappeared as if pulled into the ground. There was no sign of the bird taking flight or hopping away. She didn’t think too much about it and continued on with roving away.
         Finally, Cedar came to a stop when she reached another piece of the first. It felt cold here. Very cold. The towering, dark trees and their shadows were long which only added to the ominosity. This area was so different from the rest, it was like night and day. All of the greenery was much thicker and sharper and the air smelled of petrichor. A shiver ran down Cedar’s spine. Still, she meandered through the thicket.
         Thorns scraped and pricked at Cedar, threatening to entangle her in the pointy underbrush. The canopy was very thick making it nearly impossible for sunlight to penetrate the surface. She tramped on. It was awfully silent here, as if nothing was alive in these parts. Not a single caw of a bird or rustle of squirrels scampering up and down trees. Cedar was so caught up with her thoughts, she narrowly avoided an especially sharp thorn that would have pierced right through her eye. I have to be more careful…she thought. That wasn’t the only thing on her mind. She was still feeling remorseful for yelling at Althea like that. Cedar rolled her eyes, pushing the thoughts out of her mind.
         Just then, her ears perked up. They stopped a moment too late which is how she noticed in the first place. She was being followed. Cedar turned around in every direction, ready to attack if she needed to. Her tail thrashed in both anxiety and hostility in an effort to look menacing.
         “You can calm down, ya red fluff ball,” stated a hoarse, yet wise sounding voice.
         Cedar gritted her teeth at the insult and stood straight again. Her eyes narrowed in vexation. A raccoon with scraggly fur, crooked whiskers, and an egregious underbite revealing one large, yellow canine from his mandible emerged from the bushes in front of her. He already had gray fur with silver streaks, but there were more silver streaks in it than she had seen from any raccoon. The raccoon’s left eye was shut and there were claw marks on it. His other eye was the color of an edamame bean with a blue ring around the iris. He had a pointy little snout and the basic raccoon marking around his eyes that made him look like a burglar. One of his ears had a hot bite taken out of it.
        He certainly is a homely individual.
         “I mean no harm to ya. I’m just here to help ya outta this here forest,” the old raccoon said, sitting back on his haunches. “Mah name’s Rinji. What’s yours, youngin?”
         When Cedar didn’t answer, Rinji got back on all of his paws, sighing. “You sure are a stubborn little fox, aren’t ya? Not telling anybody your name.”
         It took Cedar a minute to realize what he just said. How’d he even know about that?
         “Anyhoo, we best get goin’. There’re a lotta hidden crooks and nannies and traps here, and only I know how to get through em’,” Rinji affirmed.
         As Rinji began walking ahead of her, she uttered something under her breath. “How am I supposed to believe a half-blind raccoon could possibly show me how to get through this place…”
         “I heard that!” he yelled from somewhere in front of her.
         Cedar tensed up, feeling guilty. Right after that, he added, “Naw, I’m just playin’ with ya. I ain’t heard a ding dang darn thing you said.”
         She relaxed and kept in mind not to say something like that again. She followed close behind him. Rinji decided to keep talking.
         “Ya know, you shouldn’t treat your friends as badly as you have already.”
         Cedar paused in her tracks. “Friends—I don’t have friends.”
         Rinji turned around with a look that made Cedar rethink her words.
         “You’re talking about the bird..Althea, right? I don’t even know how you know so much about me, but I’m not friends with her,” she explained.
         Rinji inspected her face before turning back around and walking again. “Okay. While that may be true, ya shouldn’t treat her like that. You would have never gotten outta that burrow if she hadn't been makin’ all that racket, right? You woulda rotted away in that hole, waitin’ fer yer mother,” he looked around for a moment. “She’s been through a lot—like you have. She’s a little like you.” He paused, then continued with a joking tone. “You know, except fer the grumpy part.”
         The fox wondered what the bird could have possibly been through that would be so bad. She didn’t even mind what he said at this point.
         “As a fledgin’, she tried to fly out of her nest while her mother was huntin’ fer food. Her siblin’s were too young to stop her. Her wings weren’t developed enough, so she fell right out. A buncha humans snatched her up, threw her in a cage, and clipped her wings. They kept her fer a few months like that, using her for entertainment.
         “She’s lucky she escaped unscathed. Unfortunately, when she finally got back to her nest, her whole family was gone. They gave up searchin’ fer her. So, she waited and waited, but they never came back,” he finished.
         All of the emotion Cedar had tried to drown out came rushing back tenfold. She felt such contrition for how she acted towards Althea, she felt her own heart shatter into a million pieces. Althea was just looking for a friend. She really had been alone for a long time. No family. No nothing. The fox felt the urge to apologize. This feeling grew stronger and she started going left—off course.
         “Hey! Where’re ya goin’? That’s the wrong way!” he called out.
         She was on a new mission now. To apologize to—ziiip! Jingle. Something was around her neck. It was rough. A branch? No. This was a nylon snare. Cedar tried to shimmy out of the trap, but it only tightened. Frantic, she pulled harder. The cord only tightened around her neck, digging into her skin. She reared on her hindlegs, pulling and pulling against the cord. As she struggled, that incessant jingle sound continued. The snare crushed her windpipe, making it hard to breathe. Her heart raced, thumping like a herd of bison stampeding the plains. She heard a clamp sound and a yelp from somewhere behind her.
         Suddenly, she heard an all too familiar sound. At first, she thought it was her own heart. Then it clicked. She froze. It was unmistakable. The way the ground indiscernibly trembled. The footsteps. The shouting. They were coming. Humans. The bell must have alerted them, somehow. They would take her just as they took her mother. Cedar knew what would happen to her. She curled up into a ball, her breathing shallow. The fox shut her amber eyes, possibly never to see the light of day again.
         The humans grew nearer and nearer to where she was. All hope was lost for Cedar. Peck-peck-peck..peck-peck-peck…Snap! Jingle. Cedar was no longer being strangled. I must be dead, she assumed. She felt little feet climb atop her body. A recognizable voice came from right on top of her.
        “Come on! You've got to get up!” the voice insisted.
         A light seared through her heart, hope returning. Her eyes flew open in hopes of seeing who she thought it was.
         She was met by yellow feathers with a gray tinge in a few places and that short, gray beak. Those wide brown eyes…Althea! It truly was Althea. The bird freed her!
         “Althea! I'm…I'm so sorry. I wish I never said all of those things about you and treated you like that..you really didn't deserve that,” she apologized, genuine and sincere in every way. Remorse and melancholy filled her voice. “Are we..” Cedar was hesitant to continue. “Are we..friends?”
         Althea looked as happy as always. This time, Cedar was not annoyed about it. She actually missed her joyful attitude. “It's okay! And, yes we're still friends, silly. Now, we have to get out of here!”
        The fox gave a quick nod, but was a bit reluctant to leave. Where was Rinji? Cedar turned back, about to make a risky decision. Althea could see it in her eyes that Cedar would do something she wouldn't want her to do. Cedar was indecisive, but she made her decision. She pranced through the brush, not having to go very far to find the ancient raccoon.
         A bear trap captured him. It was clamped around his leg. Dark red dripped on the rusty metal. Despite her fear of getting caught herself, she used her teeth to pry open the jaws of the metal trap that held Rinji.
         Now freed, Rinji whipped his head back, in the direction of the voices and back to Cedar. “Go! Go! I'll be fine. You two need to get outta here while ya still can.”
         Even though Cedar only knew him for a short amount of time, she felt deep sorrow having to leave him behind.
         “No, I can't just do that–” she mumbled.
         “Lookie here, kiddo. You two still got yer whole life ahead of ya. I'm prehistoric!” he said in a light-hearted tone and with a chuckle. Cedar only looked pensive. “If I don't make it outta here..well, don't be sad they're gone. Be happy that ya got to make memories that'll last forever with the ones ya lost.”
         This struck close to home for Cedar. She closed her eyes, in deep thought. Finally, she came to a conclusion.
         “Thank you, Rinji. For everything..”
         Rinji gave a faint smile. Cedar turned and sprinted just as the humans burst through the bushes in a crazed scramble. They all leapt onto the raccoon, possibly devouring him. Cedar clenched her teeth, not looking back.
         She stopped only for a moment to allow Althea to get on her back. The fox kept running, her lungs burning. She didn't stop. The ground was damp with recent precipitation, a few puddles left behind. A human wearing a grass patch exploded from the ground. That explains where that bird went! Still, she ran. The person rushed after her and Althea. The landscape whizzed by them as they passed the clearing with the pond, the grand tree, the cabin…
         Somewhere along the way, the person ran out of stamina, panting hard as the fox slowed to a canter, then a trot. Cedar made it into the forest where she originally lived. She collapsed at a rapid river deep in this part of the forest. It took her a while to slow her pounding heart. The fox took a long drink, in desperate need of proper hydration. She was glad she stopped at this river.
         “Wowie! You ran a loooong way! That takes like…a lot of strength! You're one strong fox,” Althea exclaimed.
         Cedar almost choked while drinking the water from laughing. Althea really wasn't so bad after all. Cedar shook her fur out after satisfying her thirst.
         “Thanks,” she responded with a chuckle.
         The laughter faded as Cedar was reminded of Rinji. She wished he was still alive. Althea picked up on this and asked:
         “What's the matter?”
         Cedar shook her head slowly. “It's..I lost a new friend. He was wise and made me rethink how I felt about some things.”
         Althea looked at the ground, then at Cedar again. “I understand. I've lost family before. But because I made a new friend—you—I’ve learned something.”
         Cedar tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. Althea started again, “What's gone is gone. Let it be that way.”
         Cedar’s lips turned up into a smile, her heart warming. The fox then glanced around at her new surroundings. The raging river was a deep blue, yet clear. The sediment from erosion settled at the bottom, and so did some flat rocks. Little fish swam with the current. Rocks with flat tops were coincidentally placed leading across the river. Paw prints were indented on the tops of the stones. Something urged her to go across to the other side, as if telling her it would be safer that way. Following her instincts, she picked the finch up and jumped across the stones. It felt natural as if she'd done it all before.
         When Cedar landed on the other side, she felt a bit lighter, like a burden that was being carried was literally lifted off of her. It felt a bit brighter here. More peaceful and serene. Turning over a new leaf, a new journey began for Althea and Cedar.
         Time flew by for them. Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. Soon, they turned into years.
         As Cedar and Althea went through the forest looking for the butterfly they'd seen with absolutely marvelous wings, Cedar stopped, spotting something she never thought she’d see again. Althea, who was perched on the fox’s head, looked down at Cedar’s face, confused as to why she suddenly froze. After about a year being in the eden-like environment, Cedar forgot all about this place. The burrow she lived in. Ivy and foliage grew all over it, with no sign of any creature ever using it. It was darker now that the trees had even more leaves covering up the sun’s light. She went up to the hole, viewing it from different angles.
         “Is this where you used to live? Are you going to stay here instead?” Althea queried, breaking the melancholic silence.
         After a pause, Cedar turned away from it, facing the less dense greenery. There was more light there. “No,” she answered with a slight shake of her head. The head shake made Althea lose her balance and she ended up toppling onto Cedar’s back. “It’s time to let go. I don’t need it anymore, it only held me back,” Cedar continued with newfound determination.
         Althea looked to be happy about this choice, yet her expression showed she held back on expressing it too much. Cedar trotted back in the direction of the river. She paused again when she saw the falling apart cabin. It looked better than before, even though it was decaying. The way the moss and mushrooms grew gave it a bit of a charm to it—like it truly belonged in the forest. Some blooms flourished on the sides of the decomposing cabin.
         “Ohhh, Cedar! We must go inside! I want to see the nest again,” she chirruped in pure joy.
         “Of course we can,” Cedar responded, already walking in the cabin.
         The floors were as mushy as they were when she first stepped foot in the rotting dwelling. With her tail swishing behind her, Cedar walked up to the support beam that held Althea’s old home. The yellow bird clambered off of Cedar and up the beam with her beak.
         “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this old thing,” she said to herself with a little laugh. Then she sighed. “I’m going to have to leave this behind. It doesn’t serve me any purpose..I won’t miss it.”
         Althea gave the nest what looked to be a hug with her wings. She fluttered down from the rotten beam, having to flap vigorously. Some of her feathers had grown back while others were still uneven. She landed on Cedar’s head again.
        “Besides, I already feel at home with you!” Althea exclaimed, her joyful demeanor returning.
         Cedar couldn’t help but give what an animal might call a smile. She turned to the door and exited, stepping into the clearing again. She made it back to the riverbank once more. SIlent, the fox stood before the rapid river, feeling the wind blow through her fur. Althea copied her stance on her head. Then, leaving the past behind for good, she leapt across the rocks into the future.
     
         Just so you know, I am aware that Cedar never told Althea her name yet, but let's just say she told her sometime while they were running. ("By the way, my name is Cedar," she finally said through the panting, trying to get this human off their trail." "Cedar.." the little bird tested, holding on tight to her fur as to not fall off. "That fits you perfectly!" Or something like that!)
     
         There might be some errors still here and there, but I hope this story is alright to all of you! I did Rinji wrong by making him have a few seconds of spotlight. Dx Though, he isn't dead. :> Any questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave them down below! Thank you for reading!
×
×
  • Create New...