Sign In

Close
Forgot your password? No account yet?

Guardian of FrondsDale Woods by ShimmeringTyger

Guardian of FrondsDale Woods

ShimmeringTyger

.......Past the farthest hills of Equestria lay the wild woods of FrondsDale. In those tangled emerald depths grow some of the oldest trees in the land. Giant Chestnuts, grand Oaks, smooth-barked Beech, golden Birches, stoic Hickories, amid a dark thicket of Rhododendron. A vast expanse of forested blue mountains bordered by lazy rocky rivers falling into deep gorges carved by ancient serpents.

FrondsDale is one of the last enchanted forests still thriving from a time before the rising of the two Sisters. Trees and creatures saved from a time when dark warlords roamed the land and fed from it too voraciously.
The gentle ponies that had survived that tyranny sought refuge in the mysterious mountains. They hid most carefully for long seasons, living off the wild bounty. Soon even this quiet peace was broken as the tide of armies plundered upon the edges of FrondsDale Wood. The Dark Lord Tirek, bearer of the Horns of Power and his army of twisted devils had been driven from much of Equestria. They too sought to hide here and regain their strength. The first village they encountered was razed to the ground, those ponies that stayed to fight bought their clan time to escape further into the dark forest.

Once safely hidden higher in the mountains the clan tended each others wounds and clung to survival. Ponies of the Dale became extremely adept in the art of concealment, melting like magic into the woods. And though the fillies and colts hid for a few seasons, they did not forget their fallen parents.
Finally one night the eldest, a sliveryblue stallion named Bright Water led a band on a raid.
The ponies were hopelessly outnumbered but Bright Water had a plan and with a little luck also the element of surprise. Like shadows they darted amongst the sleeping army, taking up positions and waiting patiently for some signal. It came like a fountain of searing cold light, erupting with an unearthly hiss in the middle of the camp. Bright Water laid back his ears, chomped his teeth around a foxfire torch and galloped headlong into the ranks.
Lord Tirek's camp was in shambles. Eerie blue-green phosphorescent flames consumed tents and clothing, creating panic. To the enemy it appeared as if fiery horse spirits had arisen from their loamy graves. Eyes dazzled by the bright flames and disorientated by the wild battle cries, Lord Tirek's army fled heedlessly into the depths of the enchanted wood. The taurian warlord seemed to be most enraged by the foxfire since it began to feed off his magical aura, burning him no matter how he flailed and kicked. He had no choice but to follow after them in retreat.
Disorganized, wounded and lacking any sort of gear the army was picked apart that night by the perils of the wildwood. Even Lord Tirek found himself in a bit of a jam when he tripped into a Hydra's nest. She happily ate the rest of his army. After that incident Lord Tirek didn't sleep until all four cloven hoofs had left the soft ferns far behind.

The Ponies of the Dale rejoiced at last. Bright Water was hailed Guardian of FrondsDale for many seasons. If the reclusive older stallion made an appearance on festival day he was inundated with cider and pies. Finally the peace sought long ago was finally felt. They were able to settle down and farm in their own tiny valleys, though never again concentrated in one village. Some lived out of hollow trees, others from cheerful dens hollowed out of the eastern facing hills.
Under the canopy of twelve oaks, on a ridge between two streams was one such den. It had been a favorite place of Bright Water since he was a colt and could only be found if you knew where to look. It was there that he chose to raise his grandfilly, Forest Shimmer. Her parents had died early on in the conflict. She was just a tiny foal, with no memory of the dark times.

As the seasons stretched long, and as pony families came and went from the edges of FrondsDale Woods, Bright Water continued to teach her the ways of the wildwood. As result she became an excellent guide pony into the enchanted wilderness.
The wise old stallion taught her to never forget. Danger would always be out there waiting.

Submission Information

Views:
428
Comments:
0
Favorites:
2
Rating:
General
Category:
Visual / Traditional