Sweetie Belle shuddered at the spooky trees and strange sounds of creatures that stayed just out of sight. For somepony who didn’t like scary places, she sure found herself in the Everfree Forest a whole lot. Fortunately, she knew where they were going, and that place didn’t scare her at all… anymore. Still, Sweetie Belle didn’t want to spend any more time in the spooky forest than she absolutely had to.
“You know a Zebra? And she lives in the Everfree Forest?” Lilymoon asked as they walked along the path. “You think she’ll help us?”
“Zecora helped me when I got Cutie Pox,” Apple Bloom said. “I betcha she knows about curing other curses, too.” They turned a corner and saw a hooded figure gathering plants just off the path. The figure turned and regarded the fillies.
“Four ponies where there are usually three—have you all come out here just to see me?” The figure removed her hood, and Zecora smiled at them.
“Hi, Zecora!” the Crusaders said in unison.
Zecora glanced at Lilymoon. “I’m always happy to have guests. Who might you be? I know the rest.”
“H-hi,” Lilymoon said shyly, “I’m Lilymoon. My family just moved here.”
Zecora nodded, then turned and walked along the path. “Follow me and sit a spell. I’m sure you all have much to tell,” she said over her shoulder. The others quickly followed.
Sweetie Belle heard Lilymoon gasp when they arrived at Zecora’s home. It was pretty impressive. Zecora lived inside a giant tree. Different-colored bottles filled with Celestia-knew-what dangled from the branches outside. Sweetie Belle looked around as they walked through the door. A cauldron was bubbling, odd objects hung on the walls, and the shelves were filled with spells and potions. Zecora checked the bubbling cauldron as she regarded the young ponies.
“I sense this is more than a friendly visit? You all look worried; so come now, what is it?”
“We know it sounds crazy, but we think the Timberwolf that attacked Ponyville is really a werepony,” Apple Bloom explained.
Zecora’s eyes widened. “A werepony can bring much danger. But a werepony Timberwolf? That’s even stranger.”
“Very strange,” Lilymoon agreed. “My aunt told us a werepony Timberwolf was impossible.”
“I don’t want to say that your aunt was wrong, but it is possible, if the magic is strong.” Lilymoon looked surprised that her aunt might not be right about something. Zecora cocked her head. “But I’m confused. Please explain to me: Why would a Timberwolf be a pony?”
Scootaloo nodded to Sweetie Belle, who was getting way more comfortable in Zecora’s familiar home than out in the Forest. “I noticed that both times this Timberwolf attacked, it only ate candy,” Sweetie Belle said. “Which seemed really weird.”
“Yes, I see,” said Zecora, “that is quite suspicious. You think it’s somepony who finds candy delicious.” The ponies nodded. “A spell this strong is very impressive. But the pony who cast it is clearly aggressive.”
“I didn’t even think about that,” Apple Bloom admitted. “Who would turn a pony into a Timberwolf?”
“Why would someone turn a pony into a Timberwolf?” Scootaloo added.
Zecora looked away from the ponies. She stared out the window into the Forest beyond. Sweetie Belle thought she looked… worried? “I have an idea, but I don’t want to say. I believe that’s a tale to tell some other day. For now, let’s just focus on getting a cure. We will know more when it’s time, I am sure.”
Zecora wandered around the room as she spoke, gathering bottles, herbs, and various ingredients. She tossed them into the boiling cauldron. “To avoid serious trouble, there is no time to waste. You must locate the pony and do it with haste!”
“You mean so it won’t have time to attack again?” asked Scootaloo.
Zecora shook her head. “There are bigger things at play than you understand. If you don’t cure this pony as fast as you can, it may never turn back to a pony again!” The fillies all looked at one another.
“It becomes permanent?” Sweetie Belle squeaked. Zecora nodded.
“But how are we going to figure out who it is?” Lilymoon asked.
“Maybe we already have,” Scootaloo said.
“It’s not my sister,” Lilymoon insisted.
Zecora took an empty bottle and filled it with the milky-gray potion bubbling in her cauldron. “A Timberwolf pony could hide anywhere. But when you do find it, you must pluck a hair.”
“We have to what?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Zecora handed Apple Bloom the bottle filled with potion. “Put the hair in the potion and watch it turn pink; when the pony turns Timberwolf, give it this drink.”
“Are we sure we want to do this?” Sweetie Belle hesitated.
But Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm overpowered the sentiment. “Wow. Thanks, Zecora! I knew you’d know what to do!” she said, studying the potion. She turned to the others. “Come on, y’all! We got no time to waste!”
The ponies all rushed toward the door—Sweetie Belle with less speed than the others—but Zecora’s voice stopped them: “One final thing: When the suspect you find, here is a warning to keep in your mind.” The ponies all stopped and turned. Zecora looked at them with a very serious expression. “Don’t let it scratch you, whatever you do, or else you will turn into a Timberwolf, too!”