The diamond dog camp was long behind. The jungle loomed in front of Arron. I have no idea where I'm going, he thought. Still a feeling lingered in his chest that assured him that he was going the right way.
"Many paths in front of me, but I took the one least traveled by for the iron rod will I hold and can't go wrong." He stopped a moment. "At least I hope it doesn't go wrong."
The undergrowth crunched. Midnight was still following him. Looking up through the canopy he sighed, slowly turning around he faced the pony.
Midnight halted, looking up at him, tilting her head to the side. I wonder what's wrong, she thought.
Arron adjusted the rifle slung in front of him out of the way so he could keel down.
"Listen Midnight," he calmly placed his hand on her head. "I don't know why you're following me, but where I'm going isn't a place for ponies," nor men for that matter, he thought.
Midnight sat down on her haunches and wrapped her forehooves around Arrons arm. "Please, I want to go with you," tears formed in her eyes. "I'll do anything! Don't leave me alone!"
Arron sighed again. "I'm not telling you, you can't come Midnight, you can do whatever you want to. I'm only saying that where I'm going is dangerous." At least I think it's dangerous. Peter and the others really weren't clear on that.
"So you're not abandoning me," a gleam of hope replaced the tears in her eyes.
"No," Arron smiled at her and stroked her mane. "I don't have any qualms if you're choosing to fallow me, I'm only worried if you're fallowing me because you think you owe me some kind of debt for saving you."
Arron quickly moved his hand when Midnight started emphatically shaking her head. "No," she clung to his arm even harder.
Wow, she's really strong, Arron thought she would snap off his arm. I wonder if all ponies are as strong as she is. "Fine, fine, just let go." Arron tried to pry the pony off his arm.
"Really," Midnight asked letting go of him.
"Really," Arron rubbed his arm. "I Pinkie Promise," he smiled.
Midnight looked confused, "what's a pinky promise?"
Arron balked, that's right she wouldn't know what that is. "Well," he tried to think of a good explanation. "It's one of the most sacred promises one can make."
"Oooh!" She said wide eyed though she started laughing when he recited the promise, especially when he got to the part about sticking a cupcake in the eye.
"That was so stupid," Midnight said through her laughing.
Arron removed his cap and rubbed the back of his head in annoyance. "Don't tell that to the pony who came up with it," he shrugged. "She'll blow her top, in more ways than one."
Standing back up Arron cracked his neck and headed off. Midnight trotted up next to him and walked beside him. She was all smiles while they talked about themselves, though she was much more interested in what Arron had to say about his homeland, for her, there really wasn't much more to tell.
At sunset they arrived at the entrance to an old temple. The place was falling apart and brush covered most of the broken pillars that lead up to the crumbling opening. Midnight hid behind Arron when he walked up to one of the more, intact pillars, using his hand to wipe away the vines wrapped around the decaying granite.
I bet Maud would go gaga if she saw this place, Arron thought. She'd probably drone on about how old it was by the amount of sediment on it. She wouldn't stop there and go through the entire periodic table in her explanation. So, it's probably a good thing she isn't here.
He felt his leg shake so he looked down. Midnight had wrapped herself around his left leg and was trembling. He could even hear her teeth chattering.
"Midnight," Arron stooped down, wrapped his hands around her barrel and picked her up. "What's wrong?"
Her trembling made his whole upper body vibrate. "Do you know where we are," she chattered. "Not even Ahuizotl comes near this cursed place!"
Arron went wide-eyed for a moment before placing her back on the ground. "Oh, really," a conniving grin formed on his face. "So, that means no pony has been here either."
Midnight emphatically shook her head. "Whoever comes here, they are, they are, they..." she gulped. "Are, never seen again!"
"I don't doubt it," Aronn looked around at the once grand place. "This was home to my ancestors and they didn't like other people," —he glanced at Midnight and gave her a wink— "Or ponies messing with their rights and rituals."
Midnight gasped, "You mean there are more humans here than you," she pointed a hoof at him.
Arron shook his head, "no they have either left, or died," he scratched the top of his cap. "Even I don't know everything that they've done... Peter, Joan, and my grandfather didn't really give me much to go on either. All I know is that I'm supposed to be here and finish something that my great, great uncle failed to finish."
I don't know what Arron's talking about, Midnight thought, but it sounds important... and if his grandfather said it was safe then I'll believe him. She looked at the cave that was growing ever darker, her ears flattened and she swallowed a lump in her throat. At least I hope so.
Arron sat on a log outside the tent. He poked at the coals in the fire-pit he and Midnight had made out of thirteen or so chunks of granite. It didn't take them long to pitch the tent and gather enough wood to feed their fire. Even though it was dark by the time Arron got the fire lit and going.
Midnight still wary of place kept close to her human companion. He was happy to have her along. With her horn no longer encumbered by the diamond dog's makeshift anti-magic device she easily levitate the tent and stakes into place, she was able to clear more rocks out of the way of their camp site and she gathered a lot more firewood than Arron could carry in his arms.
She was leaning up against Arron's side, her eyes fixed on the happily dancing flames and humming a soft tune.
"I don't recognize the song," Arron suddenly broke the silence. It made Midnight stop humming and look up at him. "Are there any words that go with it?"
"I don't know," Midnight replied. "All I remember is the melody," she looked back into the fire. "I think my mother used to sing it to me when I was a foal, before my parents abandoned me." She paused for a moment. "But it's my only happy memory of my mother so I like to hum it... at least that's what I like to think anyway."
Midnight felt a shift in Arron's weight. He had dropped the stick he was using to poke the fire to allow more airflow. Now he was leaning forward his elbows resting on his legs and he held his chin on his crossed fingers.
"Do you know any songs," Midnight asked.
Arron glanced at her and blinked, "yes, several." He noticed the expression on Midnight's muzzle. "Would you like me to sing a few?"
She nodded, making Arron sigh. "I have to warn you I don't have much of a singing voice," he warned her with one eye closed.
Midnight shook her head. "I don't care what you sound like."
Arron shrugged and smiled. "If you insist," he began to sing one of his favorite hymns from church.
When he finished the last verse Midnight felt a tingling sensation throughout her body, her coat felt like a small electric current was running up and down her back and sides and her heart felt a warmth, unlike anything else she'd experienced.
Arron was intently staring into the fire, he didn't move and began another song, this one was more lively it was nice to hear, but it didn't give the same feeling as the first. After singing two more songs he looked at Midnight.
"Did you like them," his eyes twinkled in the firelight.
She smiled. "I did," she glanced down at her hoof. "But, I liked the first one the best."
Arron balked a bit, but then he was laughing. "That's also my favorite!" He rested his hand on Midnight's back gaining her attention. "Now that you've heard some of the music I like how about something I composed myself?"
Midnight went wide-eyed. "For real," she couldn't believe it. "You wrote a song!"
"Several actually," Arron grinned.
"Yes! Please, please, please," Midnight started jumping up and down on the log. Arron had to hold her so she would stop.
"Calm down, M, you're going to break our seat," he held her for a moment to make sure she wouldn't start jumping again.
Aronn coughed into his fist a few times trying to get his voice back into singing condition for the wind shifted and a cloud of smoke few into his face. Then in an instant the fire stopped crackling, the bugs and night fowl stopped making any noise, the wind died and in that moment the world stood still.
Our little one stay close to us dear
your parents said if you wander off you'll know the meaning of fear
but into that forest a little dreary but not scary
an adventure awaits as you're feeling so merry
then you get lost on strange paths so deep
and then into a dungeon were dark things do creep
your foolishness brought you to a place where evil never does sleep
oh why had you not listened to your parents kind warning
for now you're in the darkness no telling if it's even' or morning
the paths you take now leads you to your own doom
because of one simple choice you made back home in your room
then upon a cool drafty breeze
you hear your masters voice begging you please
go back to your home for love is there
instead of on this path to nowhere
Master I say, I have lost my way
how do I get back to the light of day?
Just fallow my voice, let nothing sway
So to the master I listened, I fallowed, I tripped, I fell bleeding, and then I swallowed
This path may be hard my master said
but if you have faith then you will be back home in your warm bed
so does our little adventurer make it back safely home?
This story is yours to finish, but it all depends on where you, want to roam.
"That was beautiful," Midnight clapped her hooves.
Arron leaned back to look up at the stars. "That one wasn't one of my best, nor was it my worst."
Midnight tilted her head to look where he was looking. "I think it was good, it gave off the same feeling as the first song you sang."
The fire was dying out and the coals that remained gave off very little light. "Though it isn't my best work, it reminds me of home," Arron watched a star shoot across the sky. "I hope that Dave is O.K and that my family won't worry," he shook his head. "No, they wouldn't, but my grandmother would have had a heart attack if she were still alive."
"Are you going to go back to your world," Midnight whispered.
Arron shrugged. "I have no idea."
Midnight hesitated, "If you do can I go with you?"
That made Arron sit up and stare at her. Midnight's eyes were wide and sparkled under the night sky. "Only if you want to, like I've said, you have the right to make your own choice." He stroked her mane and kissed the top of her head.
Midnight felt her cheeks blush and was very happy that Arron couldn't see her face.