Scared? I'm not scared!

Cranium stared into the Everfree forest. It was very... intimdating. Not that he was scared! He boldly put a hoof in front of him. Then another. And another. Remember, you need to find that ball... He sighed. The stallion had told Rusty he wasn't supposed to wander so close to the Everfree forest! And then his stupid ball went flying in there. And of course, he couldn't have him running in and getting it, so here he was, barely into the forest, looking for the bright red ball. Rusty sighed behind him.

" Uh, Cranium! You're not moving! Why can't I just-" " NO! First of all, I am so moving, second, you will not, I repeat, not go into the Everfree!" the unicorn snapped, then stomped into the Everfree.I'm just getting the ball, and coming back. That's it. Then I can go back. He wandered further into the forest. He still couldn't find that ball! He wandered further and further and further, until finally, he collasped in a heap, and groaned.I'm lost! he thought. How in the name of Equestria was he ever going to get back? Not to mention find that stupid, red ball!Suddenly he heard a rustling noise, and flinched, his eyes widening.

" W-who's there?" he said, backing away.

Stargazer glanced down to her side, where a bright red ball had landed. She sat under one of the Everfree's trees, scribbling notes in her notepad. She had ventured into the forest in hopes of discovering its secrets. She was currently observing the patterns of the animals that resided in the forest. The sound of the ball landing in the Everfree had scared some of the birds and mice, who had left in a rush.

The cyan mare heard voice coming from the outer edge. Who in Celestia's name is out here? She wondered, gently standing. She ruffled her coat, trying to remove the twigs and dirt that had made their home in her fur. She quietly picked up the small ball with her magic, and began to move towards the voices.

" W-who's there?" called a stallion, followed by the sound of sticks and leaves crunching under hooves as he backed away.

That voice... Star thought to herself, eyes narrowing. I recognize that voice...

"Now now, what are you doing here?" the unicorn called out with a smirk, "I found you to be to much of a scaredy cat to venture out into the Everfree." Star stepped out from hiding, leaning casually against a tree trunk. She played with the ball, throwing it in the air and catching it before throwing it up again

Cranium braced himself, prepared to fight a vicious cockatrice... or a mantacour... or whatever lies in the Everfree forest.

"Now now, what are you doing here?" a voice sang out. A familiar one..."I found you to be to much of a scaredy cat to venture out into the Everfree." it continued. The pony stepped, out, a cyan unicorn, with blue streaks in her mane. Stargazer? Cranium burned crimson, which he very rarely did.

" I am perfectly capable of- OW!" he cried out, and looked at his back hoof in disgust. A thorn was sticking out of it. His eyes drifted to the ball Stargazer was toying with. A bright red ball. " I need that," he blurted out.

"Of course you do. I assume you came into the forest for this." Star smirked, holding the ball in mid air, surrounded by purple magic. "Got a little thorn in your hoof there?" She glanced at his back hoof, her eyes narrowed.

Even though the two had left on decent terms, she still didn't like him very much. He was disrespectful to her. Which was one of the things she hated. She couldn't stand it, especially when she knew she deserved it.

"The Everfree Forest is pretty scary you know." she teased, grinning. "Someone like you doesn't belong here."

(..................Star doesn't have pink streaks in her hair, they're blue)

(Woooww... I can't believe I said that, I totally knew that! Let me fix that.Sorry, I still can't believe I messed that up. -_-)

"Of course you do. I assume you came into the forest for this." she said, with a smirk. "Got a little thorn in your hoof there?" she asked, glancing at his back hoof. Cranium blushed furiously. Somehow I always manage to humiliate myself in front of her.he thought to himself. Well, he was certainly not going to let her know how hopelessly lost he was. He already owed her for when she saved him from a gang of buff ponies in a tavern."The Everfree Forest is pretty scary you know," she added, her eyes teasing him."Someone like you doesn't belong here." The unicorn reddened, his eyes focused on the ball. " Excuse me! I happen to be very... uh, athletic!" he lied. " Now if you would just give me that ball.." he said, using his own unicorn magic to bring it towards him.

(XD lol it's okay, I've done that before)

Stargazer laughed again, letting him take control of the ball. "Athletic? Oh I'm sure." she smirked, pushing away from the tree and walking towards him. She stopped a few steps away.

"But seriously, what brings you out to these parts?" she asked curiously, tucking her leather-bound journal into her saddlebag.

"Athletic? Oh I'm sure." she smirked, pushing away from the tree she was previously leaning on. Idiot! Get ahold of yourself! Cranium thought to himself.

"But seriously, what brings you out to these parts?" she asked curiously. " Oh, I was... getting this ball," he said awkardly. " And why are you here?" he asked, trying to steer the conservation away from him.

"Me? Well, I'm here to study." Star replied easily, giving the stallion a warm smile. "I had some free time so I decided to come out here and observe the patterns and lifestyles of the creatures living here." Stargazer watched the unicorn intently, studying his behavior. Seems a bit nervous, wonder what's up with him?

(oops, short posty....oh well)

( It's cool, my posts are kind of short too,)

"Me? Well, I'm here to study," Stargazer said easily, with a kind smile. "I had some free time so I decided to come out here and observe the patterns and lifestyles of the creatures living here." she said. Cranium looked around the forest, with it's intimdating presence.

" Hmm. I can't say this is my ideal place to study, much less for my free time," he said. She almost reminds of Rusty. Too bold for her own good. He stared at the ground, his face a bright scarlet.

Stargazer laughed a short laugh, smiling at the trees.

"It may seem scary to you, but to me, it's a world of new creatures and plants to discover." she grinned, "Got a bit of a blush there?" Star smirked, her pink eyes staring at the unicorn steadily.

(lol, it's okay. I've rp'd with much short posters than you)

"It may seem scary to you, but to me, it's a world of new creatures and plants to discover." she grinned, "Got a bit of a blush there?" Stargazer said with a smirk.

" I don't know what your talking about," the stallion insisted, but he found the more he stared at her, the more he blushed. Such beautiful eyes. Glorious. Stunning. Dazzling. Cranium felt like slapping himself. What is wrong with me? Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him. Startled, he flinched. " What was that?" he said, trying not to sound as terrified as he was.

Stargazer laughed at his insistence, giving him a kind smile. She noticed he was staring at her, but was suddenly distracted. A noise came from behind him, and he flinched. He looked scared to Star, of course, her experience as an observer came in handy then. She peered into the blackness, trying to make out where the sound had come from.

"I'm not sure." she said thoughtfully, taking a step towards the edge. "I wonder what it was."

"I'm not sure," the pretty mare responded, taking a step towards the edge."I wonder what it was," she said curiously. Cranium peered over the edge as well.

"Well, I suggest we leave," he said stiffly. " If you ask me, it was a ridiculous idea to even come here," he muttered. It's just a ball... I could have gotten a new one for him! The unicorn, slightly disturbed by Stargazer's curiousity, let out a nervous laugh. " Oh, well, I better be... going...." His voice trailed off, as he realized he was lost. Hopelessly lost. It would be wiser to stick with the gorgeou- I mean, Stargazer.

Stargazer nodded, turning back around. "It's the Everfree Forest after all. It was most likely some sort of terrifying beast." Though it'd be interesting to see.... She pushed this thought to the back of her head. Her friend was scared of the forest, and Star couldn't risk his life.

"Going? Going where? From the looks of it, you didn't mark a trail. You're lost aren't you?" she laughed, giving him a kind smile. What's with this guy? Why is it he always turn up? "I know the way back."

"It's the Everfree Forest after all. It was most likely some sort of terrifying beast," she said. Cranium suddenly felt a stroke of annoyance. Of course I know there are monsters here! What does she think I am? An imbecile? He rolled his eyes, then suddenly was struck with a horrible thought. What if she does think I'm an imbecile! And a fool! I better prove my worth to this mare... He straightened.

"Going? Going where? From the looks of it, you didn't mark a trail. You're lost aren't you?" she said with a laugh, and another sweet smile that made him want to melt. "I know the way back," she added. " Well, so do I. In fact, you should leave as well... because... this is no place for a mare! It's um, dangerous!" he insisted.

Star laughed a bit at his attempt to be stallionly. She didn't comment on it though, and fell back a bit.

"So Mr. Cranium, if you know the way, then show it." She prompted, grinning at him. What a funny unicorn. she thought to herself, waiting for him to lead the way out. She knew she'd have to hold back laughter, especially if he took her deeper into the Everfree. Oh my, he seems a bit flustered. she chuckled to herself, giving him a small smile.

" Fine. I shall," he said curtly.

" Uh... This way," he said, going in a random direction. Suddenly he heard a far off howl, and froze in place. Timberwolf? He had thought for sure they were a myth. They had to be. They had better be a myth! He had no idea how to get rid of one, or how in the Equestria he was supposed to even ward one off! He was a scientist, not a warrior!

Stargazer laughed a bit at his sharp tone, and followed him as he walked off in a clearly randomly chosen direction. She listened intently when the howl pierced the air, head snapping up to the sound.

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped, seemingly scared, "Was that a Timberwolf? I've always wanted to see one up close!" Her fake fear ebbed away as excitement overtook her. She'd always wanted to discover a Timberwolf, to draw it, to study it. Knowledge was always on her mind. "Wow!"

Cranium stared at her in disbelief. " Are you out of your mind?" he hissed. She's crazy!

" Do you have a death wish? You can't possibly-" he paused midsentence, and stared at Stargazer, the excited look still fresh on her face, then let out a long sigh.

" Fine," he growled.

" Let's go find this Timberwolf that you think is so wonderful," he grumbled, pulling the thorn out of his hoof with a small wince. After all, it might be somewhat interesting to perhaps study it... if it didn't kill him, that is.

"Oh no," Stargazer shook her head, an eager gleam still fresh in her pink eyes, "You're clearly scared. Plus, it'd be next to impossible to find it. And, it's going to rain soon." With that, the unicorn looked up at the sky. The wind had changed, and dark grey clouds were moving in to cover the sky. She blinked as she felt a drop land square on her nose, twitching her fur to get the wet out.

"Hm," she mumbled, "Yes it would be best to leave now. I'm sure your friend is worried." she added thoughtfully. After all, the stallion couldn't be out here because he wanted to. Star was sure he had someone waiting.

Cranium relaxed, and looked towards the ball. Rusty will probably be wondering what happened to me. And if that idiotic colt is still by the Everfree, I am going to kill him.

He sighed, and admitted " I actually... don't quite know where I am going..." he said, slightly sheepishly, blushing.

Stargazer smiled warmly at him,august inwardly at his blush. It's not like it's bad to be lost she thought to herself 

"Well lucky for you, I happen to know the way." She grinned, turning around to lead the way. She flicked her tail, signaling for him to follow her as she trotted off into the distance. She had used her magic to lay a path down for herself, leading to the entrance. She was simply activating it with her magic.

Cranium gave the mare a small smile, as she lead him through the forest. He couldn't stop staring at her... she was beautiful, smart, kind... he shook himself out of his thoughts. I need to stop doing that! For a moment he wondered if his little brother had wondered into the Everfree, then stopped himself. [i]I doubt it. For all I know, Rusty went back home. He felt a flicker of anoyance. All this trouble to get a little red ball... then, again, he saw Stargazer. Perhaps something worthwhile had come out of it.

Stargazer cast quick glances behind her to make sure Cranium was still following. The rain clouds were clumping together now, covering the sky with a nice layer of darkness. Star looked up, a smile on her face. The raindrops began to fall all around them, giving the forest a nice pitter patter sound.

"Almost there!" She called back to the grey stallion. She smiled back at him as they exited the forest. It seemed brighter out now that they had left the dark overhanging trees. The clouds still hung in the air, dropping water on their already soaked coats.

"I'll need to be getting back to Manehatten soon.." Stargazer mumbled to herself, worriedly thinking of Misfit.

Cranium's face fell for a moment. She lives in Manehattan...?

" Not that I care, of course, but why?" he asked. His eyes drifted to a dusty orange colt toying with mud. That would be Rusty. How typical of him to play in the dirt. He got up, and trotted over to him. " You took forever! And for what it's worth, I was bored out of my mind," Cranium's younger brother complained, then seemingly shrunk staring at Stargazer.

" Who's she?" he asked in a small, terrified voice.