TWILGHT'S MAP
TWILGHT'S MAP
Twilight and Julanza trekked through the forests of Falkreath Hold. Despite their unsettling conversation about killing, it was a very peaceful walk. The land beneath the mountains in Falkreath Hold was brimming with forests. Although the mountain chill still hung in the air, sunlight made the temperature rather pleasant. Many of the trees were evergreens that grew tall and wide. They were thick and sturdy looking; tough trees for a tough environment.
In addition to the firs and pines, Twilight spotted some birch trees. Their leaves were fresh with summer sun but there was also some orange bleeding into the green around the edges. It seemed that Autumn was coming early to Skyrim that year.
"How do you grow food here?" Twilight asked.
Julanza glanced toward her. "What do you mean?"
"The climate is so cold here most of the year, and it looks like the summer doesn't last long."
"Razorpoint harvests fish and plants from the water, and there are berries and eggs to be found in the little forests around the town. Everything else we trade for. There are certain plants that actually grow better in the chilly weather, and you'll find many farms in the lowest valleys."
Twilight recalled the map. "Like the area around Whiterun?"
Julanza nodded. "That's right. There have been several farms there for generations, although these days they are fewer."
"Are food shortages common?"
Julanza shrugged. "It is always a present danger. Much work has to be done to ensure the year's crop will flourish."
"We can hardly grow anything during the winter in Equestria. My friend Applejack runs a farm, and even she has to store up for winter."
"What kind of farm?" Julanza asked.
Twilight and Julanza chatted about apples and farming for a while. As they walked, the trees around them steadily became more and more sparse, and the ground slowly started sloping upward. When the path had become a mountain road again, they were talking about her friends.
"Her name is....Pink-ie Pie?" Julanza looked thoroughly confused.
Twilight laughed. "I'm starting to understand that Equestrian names are more frivolous in nature than Skyrim names."
"Or Blackmarsh names, or any other name in Tamriel."
"Equestria is a unique place," Twilight said. "It's vastly different from Tamriel. We're completely cut off from each other, so that makes sense. We've never ventured far from our own shores, and few foreigners have immigrated to Equestria. As far as I know, only one zebra has ever come to live there."
"From Elsweyr?" Julanza asked.
"Yes. Her name is Zecora and she lives in the forest near my town. I knew the name of her home country but not much else. In fact, I was studying Elsweyr when I first came across Skyrim. You know, now that I think of it, it makes sense that Tamriel is so much more dangerous than Equestria. Zecora knows a lot of things, and she's pretty tough. She's the only friendly creature I know that lives in that forest."
"It's a hostile place?" Julanza asked.
Twilight groaned. "You have no idea. Manticores, cockatrices, creepy ruins, you name it. The place just isn't natural. We all avoid it like the plague."
"What's so unnatural about manticores and cockatrices?"
"The unnatural part is the forest itself. It's...well, it's alive. The animals don't need anypony to take care of them, the clouds drift around all on their own, and the trees grow without any help at all."
Julanza stopped walking and stared at her like she was crazy.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"What are you talking about?" He finally asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't understand what you're telling me. What kind of place is Equestria?"
Twilight's mind danced around, not sure what answer to give him.
"I..." she said. "Don't know?"
Julanza motioned for her to stand beside him, and she did so.
"Look," he said, motioning with his claw to the forest below them. They were high enough now to see the thick forest they left behind. He looked around the mountain. "Look around. Who do you think takes care of the trees here?"
Twilight looked around. The trees were large and healthy but there was no sign of any pony living anywhere nearby.
"I don't know," she said. "Who takes care of the trees here?"
Julanza replied, "The trees. They grow on their own. And the clouds," he pointed up to the sky. "They move on their own too. They release snow and rain when they see fit."
"And the animals?"
"They take care of themselves too."
"That's..." Twilight couldn't think of anything to say. It all seemed wrong. Suddenly the world around her became as peculiar as the Everfree Forest. Other ponies would have been terrified, but Twilight had never submitted to the superstition that surrounded Everfree, and it certainly wouldn't take hold of her in Skyrim.
She whipped out her journal and starting writing.
"That's amazing!" She said. "This place is like one big Everfree Forest!"
Julanza slapped a claw over his face.
Twilight finished a note in her journal with an excited flourish of her quill and turned back to Julanza.
"This place is so different," she said. "I have so many questions."
"Tell me about it," Julanza said. "I'm confused."
Twilight tilted her head in question. Julanza sighed and dug a claw into his temple.
"The whole world is like this. Clouds float around on their own. Trees grow without any help. Animals forage and kill their own food. If it's not like that in Equestria...how do things work there?"
"In Equestria," Twilight began. "The pegasi control weather-"
"Pegasi?" Julanza questioned.
"Ponies with wings. Pegasus ponies have the ability to walk on clouds. They control weather by organizing cloud formations, scheduling rain, snow, an so on. They have factories where they make rainbows and snowflakes..." Twilight trailed off. The cold mountain air swept down the cliffs and rustled the treetops. Julanza waited patiently.
Twilight finally looked at him and said, "Equestria is the only place that's like that?"
Julanza shrugged. "As far as I know."
"I wonder why that is," she said more to herself than to Julanza.
The wind swept her mane away from her eyes and she looked out over all the land she could see.
"This place really is different." She rounded on Julanza and he jumped back in surprise at her fierce expression. "And I'm going to find out why."
Twilight and Julanza found themselves at fairly high altitudes just before sunset. He stopped their trek and found a sheltered alcove in the rock. They lit a fire and huddled around it. Twilight chattered and her breath escaped her in billowing clouds. She wrapped her cloak tightly around herself and tried to get warm.
"Dang it's cold!" She said.
Julanza shrugged. "It is actually not so bad. That is the great thing about summer."
Twilight groaned. She felt about as cold as the most frigid of Equestrian winter nights, and here Julanza was saying it was only going to get worse.
"I've got to get more clothing," she grumbled.
"Don't worry," Julanza said cheerfully. "You'll toughen up. But more clothes wouldn't be a bad idea in the meantime."
"But right now I'm going to need a little help falling asleep in this weather."
Julanza looked quizzically at Twilight and her head disappeared into her bag. When she emerged, she held a large bottle of spiced apple cider in her teeth. Using magic she uncorked it and held it up.
"Oh," she said. "I don't have any cups...do you mind?"
Julanza smiled and shook his head. "You drink the first half and I'll drink the rest."
"We can take turns." She extended the bottle towards him. "After you."
Julanza took the bottle from Twilight's cloud of purple magic and took a swig. Twilight stretched her shoulder and legs, creating several loud cracking noises.
She groaned. "My hooves are killing me. I need to take these off."
The cider sloshed inside the bottled as Julanza quickly lowered it from his mouth and swallowed his gulp.
"Oh no you don't," he said. "No removing armor until we are somewhere safe."
"Aw," Twilight whined. "Why not?"
"You don't want be caught unprepared out here. Just trust me."
Twilight plopped her chin on the ground. "Fine."
Julanza took another swig of the cider and held it out to Twilight.
"This is pretty good. A little weak, though." He said.
Twilight took the bottle from him. "Weak?" she said. "This is the strongest stuff Applejack makes."
Twilight took a big gulp and her face contorted as the liquid seared down her throat. She coughed once and savored the warm feeling the drink gave her. It was a welcome feeling against the cold mountain air. She shivered once and took another swig, again cringing at how much it burned.
She coughed again and said, "How can you think this is weak?"
Julanza laughed. "Do you not remember the mead you had in the inn?"
Twilight recalled the sensation of the mead as it plummeted to her stomach like a lead brick. He chuckled.
"I guess the inhabitants here are used to much heavier drinks. I suppose Applejack's cider here is quite weak in comparison."
"Still," Julanza snatched the bottle away before Twilight could take another sip. "It sure is delicious."
The bottle passed between Twilight and Julanza until there wasn't a drop left of the cider. Twilight snuggled into her cape and savored her new found warmth. Her mouth cracked open and a huge yawn escaped her.
"I'm exhausted," she sighed.
"Rest then," Julanza said. "I will keep watch."
Twilight glanced at him. "When are you going to sleep?"
"I will catch an hour or so of sleep in the morning when you wake up."
Twilight yawned again and her eyes slid shut. "If you say so."
She sighed and the fire crackled. She could feel its warmth seeping into her tired bones, and sleep began sinking into her skin.
"Julanza," she mumbled before she fell asleep.
"Mm?" he grunted.
"Thank you for being my guide. It can't have been easy to leave home on a dime like that."
"Well, you are not from here." He shifted in his seat and got comfortable. "It was easy."
Twilight glanced up at him and asked, "Why?"
"Life here is difficult. Lives are short. If something comes along, may it be marriage, work, adventure, you take it. Immediately."
Twilight sighed. "I can't imagine living a life like that."
"You will not have to imagine."