Shadows in the dark

Chapter 13

Rainbow Dash found herself in a familiar black void once again. Instead of feeling afraid, she felt rather calm. She was standing in the middle of the black abyss before she heard a familiar voice call her name. This was a recurring dream. Whenever she turned to see who it was, she would wake up. But tonight, she didn't.

Standing a few feet from her a was pale, light grayish mulberry coated unicorn with a pair of large, moderate violet eyes. A medium length mane that was an array of brilliant purple and blue colors trailed down her neck; perfectly trimmed bangs covering most of her forehead. Rainbow Dash immediately felt her heart flutter with joy as tears began to well up her eyes.

"Twilight!" she cried, happily galloping over to her friend. The joy was short lived, however, when Rainbow Dash noticed the look in her friends eyes and skidded to a stop. "Twi?" she asked.

Twilight Sparkle had a terrified, anguished look in her eyes as tears flowed silently down her cheeks. The unicorn looked beaten up. As though she had gone through multiple fights at the same time. She let out a sob. "Save me, Dashy." she pleaded sadly. A dark mist suddenly materialized behind her; growing larger and larger. A deep, malicious laughter echoed throughout the dark void that surrounded them. The same mist suddenly wrapped itself tightly around Twilight and pulled the mare in. Her screams growing dimmer and dimmer into the dark, shadowy fog.

"TWILIGHT!" Rainbow Dash cried. Thrusting her hoof out in an attempt to reach her.

In a blur of blue, Rainbow Dash shot herself up in bed. Panting frantically as sweat rolled down her forehead. Hoof placed over her rapidly beating heart as it pounded against her chest. The hospital room was a midnight blue color. Moonlight leaked through the closed blinds and lit up the room in a dim white glow. Rainbow Dash slowly turned her head over to the other bed on her right. Star Knight was sleeping peacefully with his arm draped over his belly.

Rainbow Dash sighed softly and layed back in bed. Aside from the humming coming from the machines, the room was silent. The pegasus fixed her eyes at the ceiling in a silent gaze. Hoping that sleep would come back to reclaim her very soon. She could really use it. She didn't want to remember the battle in Cloudsdale. Star Knight wasn't the only one who was severely wounded during the battle. She rolled onto her side and hugged herself tightly.

"Dash?"

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder and noticed Star Knight sitting up. Although it was only a faint silhouette. The pegasus had his wing sewn back on. But it would be a long time until he would be able to fly again. Let alone function that wing. He was lucky enough to even have his wing reattached. It was rare to see a pegasus with only one wing. It was actually considered an embarrassment to some.

"Star." she replied softly. Sitting up herself and rubbing the side of her face tiredly. "I'm sorry. Did I do something to wake you?"

"Nah." Star Knight shook his head. "This isn't the first time I've woken up in the middle of the night for no reason. It's a habit of mine."

Rainbow Dash smiled tiredly. "How's your wing? Can you move it?"

Star Knight attempted to move the stitched back wing before cringing when he felt a sharp pain run down his back. "Nope. Not yet." he grunted. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

Rainbow Dash didn't reply right away. She debated on whether or not she should tell him the truth. Her encounter with the Obsidian Guard still haunted her like a ghost. Just thinking about it was enough to make her want to cry. It wasn't because of his attempts to kill her and Star Knight, but because of what he was going to do to her first. No pony had ever thought of violating her. And to think that that Guard had once been a nervous, depressed Crystal Pony. At least she still had her pride, and her friends.