FINALLY! A third review! Thank you Panic Protocol, I will try and un-mary sue my oc alicorn and do better grammar. :) please enjoy chapter four of what has been renamed Collection of Memories: Forest Princess.

Chapter Four: Painted

A bald eagle glided gracefully far above the apple farm looking down at the orchard for a tasty mouse. With his superior eyesight he scanned the trees, searching carefully when the sound of shrill screeches reached his ears. He turned his attention to his left to see what it was. Three fillies were running through the apple forest below, being chased by weird identical black pegasi.

Why don't they just fly? Thought the eagle as the fillies attempted to hide behind a tree. Unfortunately, the pegasi surrounded them and they were cornered. The eagle heard a barking in the distance as a brown and white dog came bounding in.

Isn't that Angel's friend Winona? He thought, circling around slightly to keep them in sight. The bird of prey watched as the small dog launched herself at the closest Pegasus, snarling viciously.

On no… the Pegasus caught her in its teeth and threw her into a tree trunk and she yelped before hitting the ground and becoming still.

I have to tell Angel…thought the eagle, turning to go to Fluttershy's cabin; I owe it to him and Fluttershy for saving my life…

His thundering hooves hit the ground hard as they propelled him closer to his sister and her friends. He weaved his way through the trees with ease, the teacher not far behind. Determination mixed with fear in the expression of their faces, fear for the girls and their well beings, determination to see them safe. A loud yelp reached their ears fallowed by a cry from Applebloom.

"No, Winona!"

Big Macintosh leaped the last short bound to where he heard the cry from Applebloom. The monstrous Pegusi turned around to face him just as Cheerylee came to stand beside him.

"Big Mac! Cheerylee!" Applebloom exclaimed, joy briefly flashed across her face only to be replaced with sorrow and fear. "Be careful, they hurt Winona!"

The red stallion glanced to the side to see the dog lying limp on the ground. Slight anger came into his eyes at the sight and he returned his attention to the beasts that were beginning to circle around him.

"girls, I want you to run to your tree house and hide there," ordered Cheerylee, "stay inside until Big Macintosh and I come to get you, ok?"

"But what about Winona?" asked Applebloom as one of the beasts stalked to the older mare's side.

"We'll take care of her," she reassured, eyeing the creature next to her cautiously, "now go!"

The fillies broke into a run at their teacher's command, running to safety as it pounced at her and two others leaped at Applebloom's brother. Cheerylee spun around and brought up her hind hooves, kicking the monster square in the side. A look of pain crossed its features and black liquid spurt from its mouth as her hooves collided into its body. Big Mac reared up and brought down one hoof onto the left monster's head and shoved his elbow into the throat of the other just as another two attacked, but he easily bucked them away.

The last one seemed hesitant as it witnessed the farm colt take down its companions with such ease. Taking the opportunity, Cheerylee bucked it in the jaw sending it flying up slightly as black liquid spurt from its mouth, landing hard on its back. Cheerylee glanced around to confirm all were defeated. Dark pools began to form around the things, their coats looking slick as though they were wet and their bodies beginning to flatten. Cheerylee narrowed her eyes and took a step forward, then her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Th…they're melting…" she whispered, then turning to Big Mac she said, "Big Macintosh, they're melting!"

"Eeyup…" he said, disbelief in his green eyes. Taking a step forward he bent down a little to examine one of the bodies for himself. The strong scent of paint came from it and he stood straight in surprise. "It's paint."

"Paint?" she repeated, slight disbelief in her voice.

"Eeyup…" just then the red stallion remembered something of importance. He went over to where Winona lay and bent down his head to press his muzzle against the small dog's chest. He could feel a weak heartbeat, so he knew she was alive. Ever so gently he picked her up in his mouth by her scruff, careful not to her more.

"How is she?" asked Cheerylee.

"Alive." He said, voice muffled by fur as he walked in the direction of the tree house.

Angel was staring out the window, impatient for Fluttershy to get home. He had a gut feeling that something really wasn't right, and he didn't like it. He let out a heavy sigh, ears drooping slightly. The screech of an eagle caught his attention and he hopped off the couch, to the door and opened it just in time for an eagle to fly through.

"Angel!" the eagle said, coming to a landing and sliding across the ground to a stop.

"Storm Glider?" said Angel, "what are you doing here?"

"It's about your dog friend," the eagle replied, "she's hurt."

"What?" Angel said, surprise and worry coming onto his face, "how?"

"badly." The eagle replied, voice grim. A serious look appeared on his features and he quickly hopped away somewhere, returning quickly and holding a grey bag that said 'first aid kit'.

"Take me to her." he commanded, Storm spread his wings and allowed the white bunny to climb on before taking off into the air, flapping his powerful wings.

Celestia continued to flip through the pages while the others searched around the library for anything that might be of use. Somewhere near the back Twilight was flipping through a yellow book with orange letters titled 'Disguise Spells'. Nearby, just a few feet away was Princess Luna, scanning the titles of books a row above her head. Suddenly Twilight gasped and her eyes shone brightly.

"Princess Luna!" she called over her shoulder, "take a look at this!"

The Princess of the Night walked over to the lavender alicorn and looked over her shoulder.

"it's called a Trade Spell," Twilight said, "it allows a unicorn to temporarily switch her horn for a pair of wings she can fly with!"

"Impressive," Luna commented, Twilight nodded.

"Is this a dark magic spell, Princess?"

"Doubtful," she said, "most likely a regular shape shifter spell."

"What kinda shape shifter spell?" Pinkie's voice came from above. The two alicorn's looked up to see Pinkie's head poking out from the other side of the bookshelf about six rows up.

"Pinkie, get down from there!" Twilight commanded. The pink earth pony wiggled out and jumped down, landing on all fours beside them. "and what do you mean, what kind of shape shifter spell? Aren't they all the same."

Pinkie Pie shook her head.

"Oh no, Twilight." She said, "Different kinds of shape shifter's have different shape shifting abilities. Like some can turn into animals while other's, like changelings or Kludde's can transform into ponies and lure you to let down your guard before they gobble you up!"

Pinkie rose up her fore hooves dramatically for emphasis, making movements like clawing at the air. Princess Luna nodded in confirmation.

"I am rather surprised you did not know this already, Twilight Sparkle," the lunar princess commented casually. This struck a nerve in Twilight, as she believed she should have known this.

"wh… I-I…" Twilight stammered, unsure of how to respond and her face in shock. Then Luna smiled in amusement, a slight twinkle in her eye.

"Just kidding," Luna said slight humor in her voice.

"Huh?" was Twilight's response.

"It is no real surprise to me that you did not acquire such knowledge because it has been kept secret all this time." Luna reminded her.

"oh… right." Twilight said, smiling sheepishly. Then Pinkie laughed loudly.

"HAH! Twilight, you should have seen your face!"

Meanwhile on the other side of the library, still in the back, Rarity walked down between two tall book cases, lip raised slightly in disgust at all the dust that lay on the shelves. Somepony simply must dust these shelves. She thought. A faded blue book titled 'Combining Art and Dark Magic Without Flaw' in lavender lettering caught her eye, just a row above her head.

The unicorn's horn lit up in a light blue aura and surrounded the book in her magic. She brought it down to eye level and opened it to a random page. She blew off a bit of the dust before reading the page.

When done properly, the dark magic imbued to the painting not only brings it to life but gives it the ability to absorb the life force of victims. Once it returns to you, you can absorb the life force from the living painting and add it to your own magic to do as you please with it.

"My word!" Rarity commented, "How horrible!"

In the top left corner of the page was a picture of a black, pony like being with no particular features besides red, glowing eyes without any pupils or white in them. Rarity closed the book and returned it to it's place on the dusty shelf. Just then, from the corner of her eye, the fashionista noticed some large black spots on the ground. She turned her head to see a trail of large hoofprints leading down the isle and turning the corner.

"What's this?" she walked closer and bent down to get a closer look, "it looks like paint…"

The white unicorn fallowed the trail of painted hoofprints, turning the corner right and walking down a path between isles. She passed an isle where Applejack was sorting through a pile of books. The earth pony looked up in time to notice her walking by and looking down at something.

"Rarity?" AJ said, "where ya goin?"

Abandoning the books she got up to fallow her friend. She caught up quickly and noticed the hoofprints Rarity was fallowing.

"Now where did these come from?" AJ asked.

"That's what we're going to find out." Replied Rarity.

The two mares took a sharp turn to the left and came to the end of the trail. Looking in front of them they saw a large black area in the brick wall painted in the shape of a doorway that was high enough to be a foot or two above Princess Celestia's head. Some of the paint had dripped leaked onto the ground, leaving small streaks on the ground that were a few inches long.

They stood there for a moment, staring at it until Rarity spoke with disdain.

"What an ugly painting!"

"Wonder why it's like that?" asked AJ.

"Heaven, knows, Applejack," said Rarity, "I think we should ask the princesses about this… thing."

The orange mare nodded in agreement and the two turned to find Princess Celestia.

The warm summer air carried the scent of leaves and fresh bread through the windows of the castle, whose floor and walls seemed entirely made of woven wood. Fluttershy fallowed the young buck only a few steps behind, hiding somewhat behind her mane. The prince looked over his shoulder at the yellow mare, who looked down shyly.

"No need to be shy, I won't bite. I promise." He reassured her kindly. She gave him a tiny smile. The prince stopped at two, tall doors that had a leaf sticking out at the bottom of both handles and on the top edge of the doors was akebia vine plant dotted with each color of the flower it grew and at the corner near the wall was a single fruit of it on both sides. The vine was woven gracefully between the branches that were much like the rest of the castle she'd seen.

To her surprise, Green Leaf's stubby antlers lit up in a leaf green glow, the same glow surrounding the handles and pushing open the big woven doors. Fluttershy fallowed the buck in as he announced them.

"Auntie, cousin, sister," he said, "we're here."

As Fluttershy poked her head out from behind him she saw three figures, a pure white doe with rose quarts colored eyes and big antlers (odd considering she was a do), a unicorn mare with bright, brilliant sea green eyes, a white coat with a green tint that was only noticeable to a keen eye, light, bright green mane and tail. The last figure was tall armored in bronze, red coated with green eyes and… she was the kidnapper alicorn.

Here is another chapter for those of you who read this! PLEASE REVIEW! :) review to show you liked what you read, or criticize what I could have done better.