_ “I found my way back in Ponyville, and hoped and hoped that I would find anypony there. I was frightened, hungry, and the overcast skies were bringing a cold chill that made me shiver at each breeze.
 
“But there was nopony there, and the town, the place that had been the birthplace of so many wonderful memories, was a mess. Buildings had collapsed and burned, and the streets were so awfully silent that I could hear my racing heartbeats in my ears as I began to panic.
 
“Suddenly, I heard a sound; a low, threatening growl, that was coming from around the corner of a house. I dived over a crumbled wall and hid in the corner, daring to peek through the gaps in my mane. I immediately regret it as I saw a large creature pass me, dragging its cumbersome arms along the ground idly, its unnaturally long claws slicing through the packed dirt road like a shiny, new plow.
 
“I clambered onto my hooves and quickly pushed myself against another wall to stay hidden, the sound causing the Hound to look behind itself, right where I used to be. I held my breath and closed my eyes, and told myself over and over in my mind that everything will be okay. Everything will be okay.” _