My Little Pony - The Elements of Unity

The Everfree Forest was notoriously the most dangerous place in Equestria. The flora and fauna were a suffocating maze, vines and roots sprawled any- and everywhere, mushrooms and moss covered any stone one could come across, and the forest itself gave home to vicious hunters. From small critters and bugs like Parasprites to large beasts like Timberwolves, Manticores and Ursa Majors, the Everfree Forest wasn't a place anypony would willingly go, not without a death wish. And this was the home of the Elements of Unity. Truly, the one redeeming quality this place had was it's thick canopy, which shaded the path from the heat of Daybreaker's bloodred sun.

"Alright, anypony who wants to back out, the town's over there!" Sunset yelled, marching into the woods. Soarin followed her, thank the Doctor, Derpy, and Trixie, pushing the mortified Marble forward.

The six ponies trotted trough the pat, Sunset using her magic to cut trough the vines. Derpy mostly kept to herself, always keeping a wing around Marble and an eye on the ground, with her other looking forward. She rarely explored nature, her job as a mailpony required her to be at her destination on the dot, the little room for sightseeing was mostly spent around the golden and white pillars of Canterlot or the hay-roofed cottages of Ponyville, with the cold but comfy Cloudsdale or the bussling city of Manehatten being rarely visited outposts, without the slightest hint of wildlife. This forest... terrified her, if she was honest with herself. The stories of the wild creatures, the Everfree Witch, and the everchanging maze this forest was... Derpy figured it wouldn't help much if she started to overthink her situation.

Suddenly, the squad reached a large ledge, one that looked over the whole forest.

"Whoah..." the Doctor sat down in amazement.

"It... It looks like it goes on for... forever!" Derpy whispered, her eyes dashing from one area to another.

"Well, we need to go forward." Sunset declared. "See that castle?"

The grey pegasus just now noticed the strange, decrepit stone building in the far distance. "Is that where the elements are?" She asked.

"Precisely. Now, how do we get down?" Sunset asked, sitting down to think.

The Doctor looked around. "Well, Derpy and Soarin could get us down there, and Trixie can teleport, however I don't think leaving any of us alone would be helpful."

"Well, what do you suggest, Doc?" Sunset asked.

"The pegasi will take you and Trixie down, while Marble and I wait. From there, the two of you can teleport back in case there's danger, and if not, the two of us will follow."

"I'll take you down!" Derpy said, grabbing Sunset and quickly ascending.

"Wait wait wait stop!" Sunset screamed, jumping away from the gray pegasus.

"We'll be going, come soon!" Trixie yelled as she descended with Soarin.

"I-uh... don't you have a better idea than this, Doc?" Sunset asked, her voice slightly cracking.

"This is the safest plan I could think of. Do you have any other suggestions?" The Doctor questioned.

"I-no, but—" Sunset tried to explain, but then she suddenly felt the soft, warm feathers of Derpy's wings embrace her.

"It's okay." She whispered.

"Whoa, okay, what do you think you're doing?" The golden unicorn snapped.

"Comforting you." The ditzy pegasus smiled, one eye looking into Sunset's eyes. "You seem scared."

"I-scared? How could you think I-... I..." Sunset stopped for a moment, then stomped the ground in frustration.