“Don’t be scared. It’s just a bunch of trees.” Barracuda, brash and brazen as always, thunders through the forest thickets. His chestnut shoulders roll with exertion as he shoves some lower-hanging branches aside, holding them in his teeth so they don’t hit his companion as they snap back into place. Leaves and twigs tangle in the curls of his mane. They’ll likely stay there for quite awhile. He’s never been one to care much for his appearance. A black and white mare trails behind him, cautiously picking her way through the rocks and debris. “I’m not scared! It’s just… are you sure the clearing is this way?” Shadow, Barracuda’s closest and only confidante, flicks her ears back at the low hoot of a hunting owl. The sun has almost completed its golden-hued journey into the cradle of the horizon. Petal-pinks and lavenders have already faded to gray-blues and rich royal purples. The moon, silver and round, hangs high and proud. Several stars have awakened, decorating empty patches of darkening sky. “‘Course I’m sure! I’ve been here hundreds of times!” This is technically a lie. Several seasons ago, Barracuda stumbled across a glorious patch of grass by accident, framed in flowerbeds and bisected by a babbling brook. He’d gotten lost and was attempting to find his way out of the woodlands when he’d emerged from cloying branches into an open field. It was just about as dark as it was now. A bobbing, weaving cluster of fireflies swirled around him in a dazzling dance of yellow light. The panic swelling in his chest settled as the glowing insects guided him back to safety. Tonight, on All Hallows’ Eve, Barracuda is certain the clearing will reveal itself to him again. It seemed like such a mystical place– and if what Shadow told him was right, the forest would be rife with magical forces. Perhaps they’ll even see a ghost! Shadow would freak out, of course, but Barracuda isn’t afraid of spirits. They’re just… vapor and air. They can’t hurt anyone. Right? “I, um… I think I recognize that rock. The one that looks sort of like a bear?” Shadow whinnies, gesturing with her pink snout to a rather ursine-looking boulder. Barracuda tosses a strand of hair out of his eyes. “So?” “So,” his friend huffs, “we’ve been this way before. We’re going in circles.” Uh oh. The stubborn stallion turns to glare at the rock as if it’s the cause of his current woes. He can’t have gotten them lost. They came in the exact same way he did, just like when he… although had he turned right at the lily pond, or left? And weren’t there more rabbit burrows on his route the first time around? A chill begins to creep its way up his spine. An uncanny mist crawls across the ground like some ravenous amorphous creature consuming everything it touches. Where did it come from? It was a perfectly clear night, and certainly not cold enough to– “Barracuda?” Shadow’s voice, high-pitched with panic. Barracuda suddenly realizes that he can no longer see her. Can no longer see much of anything, really. “Shadow?” he yells, immediately going into a canter. “Shadow, where are you? Ow!” Tree branches rake across his face as he rushes towards where he thinks he last heard his friend. Vines wrap around his ankles like snakes. He struggles against them in a frenzy of stamping hooves. He can’t lose her. He can’t. If she gets hurt, it’ll be all his fault. “Barracuda? Where are you?” She sounds farther away this time. She’s going to disappear and he’s never going to see her again. He’ll spend the rest of his life missing her. He’s going to be alone forever and he’ll never forgive himself– there! He tears himself free of the plants and charges in the direction of Shadow’s frantic cries. Faster, faster, now galloping through the woods, not caring if he slips on a loose stone or runs headfirst into a tree. The only living being he has ever cared about needs his help. He has to be there for her. He has to move faster. He has to move… Whack! He slams headfirst into something solid with a bit of give. A startled yelp lets him know that he has accidentally headbutted Shadow’s rear. She whirls around to face him, puffs of condensation rising from her flared nostrils. “Oh! It’s you!” she gasps, instantly relaxing. “Where did that mist come from? And now it’s all gone– look!” Barracuda glances around. Sure enough, the fog has lifted, leaving only the inky-dark forest behind in its wake. “Weird,” he murmurs. The two Veilhorns pant a little as they catch their breath. Eventually, Shadow looks at him and starts giggling. “What?” he demands with a frown. She swallows her smirk and nods at his forehead. “You have a huge leaf stuck on your horns.” Shadow leans forward and dislodges the leaf, holding it in her mouth to show him. It’s definitely enormous. A maple leaf the size of a dinner plate, stained citrine by the magic of fall. The bemused mare spits out the leaf and regards her co-conspirator with a grin. “We’re definitely lost now, aren’t we?” “Yeah,” Barracuda admits, “I guess we… wait!” As he turns to examine his surroundings, he notices a winding dirt path lined with paper lanterns. They’re shaped to resemble the various phases of the moon. The light emanating from them is warm and friendly. It pulses rhythmically, almost as if… “Shadow,” he whispers, “I think we found it.” Reverently, he approaches the comforting glow, and– yes! Instead of fire, these lamps are lit using clusters of live fireflies! “Beautiful,” Shadow breathes. She comes to stand at his shoulder, going cross-eyed when a firefly lands on her snout. “I guess we follow the lights?” Barracuda suggests. His friend nods in agreement. Together, they traverse the winding path, admiring the artfully crafted lanterns showing them the way. The route ends in a mossy arch constructed from branches, vines, berries, and mushrooms. A cluster of plump orange pumpkins rests at the base of the artful structure. On the other side of the arch is a clearing, instantly familiar to Barracuda in its natural beauty. This time, it’s covered in various decorations. Garlands of leaves interspersed with acorns hang from the branches of surrounding trees. Tiny paper boats with candles in them float in the stream. Gourds of all shapes and sizes are on display throughout and in the center sits a roaring bonfire, tended by no one. “Who did all of this?” asks Shadow, rushing off to examine everything, a necklace of fireflies trailing in her wake. “No idea,” Barracuda shrugs. Logically, he knows it’s likely a local Veilhorn who happens to live nearby and enjoys decorating the forest. Still, there’s a part of him that wonders if something more mysterious might be occurring in this hidden glen. “Barracuda, look over here!” Shadow summons him to the center of the clearing. There, adorned in various wreaths and trinkets, is a stone shrine, accompanied by a statue of some strange equine creature. The being vaguely resembles a Veilhorn, but is a little… different. Instead of four legs, it sports a total of eight. Four pairs of wings sprout from its shoulders while three horns emerge from its head. The strangest feature is its eyes. The beast has five of them– two on each side of its face and one in the middle of its forehead. This alone would’ve been enough to captivate Barracuda’s attention. In addition to this alien figurine, an enormous mound of sweets rests at the base of the shrine. For half a moment, Barracuda has the notion to steal some. Before he can act on his urges, Shadow reaches into the sack of treats she’s been hauling around all evening and deposits a caramel-covered apple into the pile. As she does so, a breeze picks up, causing the charms in the trees to clack together like windchimes. Leaves swirl around the stallion and mare– and for half a moment, Barracuda swears he can hear distant whinnying laughter. “You should put one down, too. Here!” Shadow offers him a slice of candied pear. Barracuda is usually notorious for ignoring the requests of others. Shadow, however, is the one exception to his steadfast rule. He accepts the offering in silence and drops it at the base of the shrine. The swift wind returns, stronger this time, accompanied by the scent of honeysuckle and lavender. Out of nowhere, a cloud of fireflies appears, forming a line starting at the two Veilhorns’ feet and leading out into the treeline. “Think that means we should get out of here?” Barracuda suggests. Shadow nods. “Let’s go home.” Following the trail of shimmering bugs, the two friends make their way back towards Verdant Hollow. Barracuda wonders if anyone would believe him, were he to tell them what transpired that night. They probably wouldn’t– and nobody’s worth talking to except for Shadow, anyway. He smiles to himself as he watches her trot happily along in front of him, occasionally checking over her shoulder to make sure he’s still there. This was definitely the perfect Halloween. He hopes the two of them are able to have just as much fun again next year.