One of the many threats ponies face is griffon raids. Griffons raid the usually more passive herds to steal their valuables, food, and to often to sell some ponies off as slaves to other species.

When the Sparkle herd was attacked, Twilight was knocked out and while everypony else was distracted with the rest of the fight, her limp body was carried away.

Then she woke up. She briefly noticed the mountains that separate the steppes from the forests and the passing forest canopy just below her. And then she noticed how high up she was. There was a struggle until Twilight calmed herself enough to use magic. She was free but had a rapidly approaching problem. Lucky for her, she knew enough levitation to slow her fall. Unfortunately, she was still way too panicked to control such a difficult spell. The tree branches slowed her further, but not before knocking her out again, leaving her unconscious on the strange forest floor.