Twilight was drowning.

Her eyes shot wide open as she began to rise, her legs jerking in a panicky ascent to an uncertain surface. A jolt of pain raced down her spine as her horn hit against something hard above her. She couldn’t move. Her hooves were tied, her neck, her barrel, her whole body was held in place, wrapped tight in some cold, unmoving web.

Twilight frowned, sending out another ping of magic. There was something else, moving swiftly above the bulk of the forest. It was twisting about like a snake as it moved, and wherever it went the forest beneath it grew silent and still. A shiver ran down her spine as the shape stopped suddenly, pivoting in their direction.

Rainbow launched herself forwards, but Gava was ready this time. She sidestepped the wild charge, hooking a claw under Rainbow’s leading hooves and flipping her back onto the ground. In the same motion Gava pounced on the pegasus, pinning her beneath her bulk.