Sliver 1.

Hello, we are all here today, hi, hi, as this is the first official release of a fragment of Project Beta story.

We won't delay and get right down to it.

All that needs to be said is that nothing we read here may be the same after release, or it won't be there at all.

That's it, sit back and enjoy.

"Where are you headed?

After many kilometers of walking and failures to get at least some information from the three villages, they were caught by heavy rain and with it the deep mud in which they struggled.

Luckily, a carriage was passing by and before they knew it, they were sitting in it and riding, despite Cursie's disapproval.

"Just to the next village" Vein replies.

"We are glad that you took us with you, I was afraid for a while that we would drown in the mud" He continues.

"You're welcome, no one should be walking in such terrible weather. I'm Nut by the way"

"My pleasure, I'm Vein and this is…"

Suddenly, the mask turned on him, on which the eyes of a drawn animal were staring at him furiously, it made him nervous until he stopped talking.

"He is the Mask" He says after a short silence.

The canvas on the wagon shakes under the onslaught of wind and rain, the wagon tilts as it crashes into the mud along the way.
With a loud jolt, the cart full of barrels comes to a stop.
The howling of the hapless wolves, unable to pull the cart any further, mingles with Nut's cursing.

Vein got out of the wagon and was almost knocked to the ground by the wind, looking at the muddy driver of the wagon, he decided to help him free the back wheel from the stones.
Wolves and ponies try with all their might, but because of the slippery mud that is almost up to their knees, they are unable to move the cart.

Cursie decides to help too, not because she thinks it's stupid to wait for them.
But it's clear to her that if she doesn't do anything, they won't go any further and she doesn't want to wait any longer.

All three are pushing now, the wind whipping them and the drops drumming against them, scream, bang, crack.

"I'm glad you're okay, I was worried"

Mare hugs Nut between the doors, with a look at the two strangers she lets him go.

"These are our guests, I owe them the fact that I got home"

"Thank you very much, my name is Mint, come on" She continues to invite the soaked and dirty guests.

After introducing each other except for Cursie, who kept her distance, Mint invited them to eat and spend the night.
She didn't want to let the guests out into the terrible weather, and she wants to repay them for their kindness.

"Before we sit down to eat, you should wash up, you're up to your ears in mud" Mint says to everyone.

Nut and Vein immediately left, but Cursie did not.

“Um…don't you want to join the others? Mint asks.

"I don't need a bath, I'm not dirty"

But in her head she is thinking the exact opposite, it has been so long since she bathed and imagining warm water, it takes quite a bit of effort for her to refuse.

"I think you should" She points to a different colored spot on her neck.

After rinsing off the black water that flows from Cursie, she climbs into the warm water and, with a blissful exhale, submerges herself.
She almost didn't remember how nice it felt to relax in hot water, it's one of the things she had to discard for safety, but it had been many years.
After knocking on the door, Mint left a few long strips of fabric that Cursie had requested.

Mint didn't like the old dirty and torn rags she was wearing, but she didn't want to be without them, so Mint offered to provide her with new ones.

"It's great you're here, it's time to eat" Nut said but didn't take his eyes off Cursie.

Both Vein and Mint also stare at her as if they see a mythical creature.
Cursie sits down at the table without a word as her silver mane billows around her.

Vein opens his mouth to speak, but for some reason he can't, no matter how hard he tries.

"Why don't you take off that mask? You don't have to wear it with us" Mint smiled, looking at the pony that looked like a pink furry stuffed animal.

After a moment of hesitation, the furious animal stares at the ceiling from her head, not going to put the mask down, it is a part of her, her protection, a lifelong friend.

"We should eat before it get cold" Nut tears his eyes away from the pink face with sparkling ruby eyes.

That's all for today's part, I hope you enjoyed it, have a great time.

Bye.
Bye.
Bye.