//------------------------------// // III :Departure // Story: A Difference in Odds // by SirEndGameTheThird //------------------------------// Chapter Three: Depature The very next day I feel a paw on my shoulder, shaking me awake as the morning dawns. I roll over, scared as to what I might face this early in the morning. “What the?” I groan. Nakara is standing there. “Could you not make it to your bed?” She asks. “Nope...” I say rolling off the couch and onto my hooves. Her husband once again comes through the front door. “Well, their wretched stench is gone. I think they've passed on...” He says, stretching. “Very good.” She says sitting down on the couch. Me doing the same. “I'll go wake up the rest of them...”Naz'ar grumbles, walking up the stairs. My curiosity is sparked once again by the small rags she carried so closely in her arms. “Whats in the rags?” I ask Nakara. She smiles as she pulls back the cloth. It reveals a small, Diamond Dog child. If I were to make any sort of judgment on its age... I'd say about six months at most. The young Diamond Dog opens its eyes, looks at me, then promptly buries its head in its mothers chest. “Boy or a girl?” I ask fondly. “Girl.” She responds. “Huh...” I immediately notice the small, egg shaped, dark green gem with purple streaks spiraling down its sides hanging from her collar. “Shes got an amazing collar.” I say, admiring it in the morning light. Nakara unties the leather collar from her daughters neck and holds it up. “Remember what I said about our family gem?” She says as she holds it up to the sun. “Pretty... What is it?” “Jade. Its only found in the rock beneath the great desert...” I think for a moment. “Is that what they're after?” I ask her in an inquisitive tone. “Yes.” “Why?” She puts out her paw. “Give me your arm.” She says. I cautiously extend my arm towards her. She takes the collar and wraps it around my forearm. Pulling it taught, she lets go. “Watch...” She says pointing. The seemingly tight straps loosens its grip and slides off my arm and onto my lap. “What...?” I say scooping it back up and giving it to her. She wraps it around her baby's neck again. “Each of our collars have but one enchantment; Only the blood of the family can wear their collars. Otherwise they just slip off. The ferals want this one in particular.” “Why that one?” She cradles the gem in her paw, under her daughters head. “You see the purple? Surrounding the gem?” She says running her claw down its creases. “Yeah?” “It signifies the leadership of a family. If they get a hold of this, and my daughter, all the while presenting it to the familial regent in Kilmayah and prove they wear the mantle... It will be written in stone that they are the one true heirs of the family name.” “Where the heck is Kilmayah?” “North of Vanhoover. In the hills. 'The city of the iron door' as some of our people have come to labeling it.” Her husband and the two others come down the stairs in an orderly fashion. “Are we off?” He says in a hearty manner. “I do believe so.” She responds He walks over and opens the door. As they begin to file out Nakara stops and puts her paw on my shoulder. “You have been a very gracious host, thank you.” She says. “Its was nothin'.” I say humbly. She begins to walk forward, only to run into the back of her husband. He stood stiff, ears perked toward the yard. His green eyes were wide with some level of fear. As soon as she looks around him she assumes a similar position. I peer out of the blinds. “Whatcha' lookin-” I stop mid-sentence, for there is a group of a good twelve burly, raggedly dressed Diamond Dogs spread out across my lawn. The prints clearly visible where they trekked through the morning dew. I am pulled away by Nakara, her face ashen. “Are those-” I begin to question. “You must get out of here!” She says urgently. “Wait, what? Why?” I say, freezing in haze of confusion. She looks around, going from window to window. Pulling back the blinds and looking from side to side before moving onto the next one. “They don't know where the gem is yet. It's only a matter of time. You must go with my-” One of her compatriots comes back through the door. “We need to go!” He says. “Take her and get out the back! You are not safe as long as they have your scent!” She says pushing me towards the kitchen. “But but but but!” I desperately try to get out. “No time! Head Northeast, towards Vanhoover! We will draw them away and meet you near Hickory Bluff on the twenty ninth outside of the city!” She grabs my coat and stetson almost instinctively and hands me them. I Slip them on while glaring out the window facing the back yard, she gives me a tap on the shoulder “I don't even... Why me?” I begin to ask. “You are in as much danger as we are now. We'll will try to lead them away as much as we can. But you must hurry!” Picking up her child she offers her to me. I reluctantly extend my arm and cradle the young dog close to my chest. “Now go. Please keep her safe.” She says opening, and pushing me out the back door. Running through the yard and the many close lines I have up, I can only help but listen to the intense verbal argument on my front porch. I enter the treeline, bounding over a fallen log and weaving through multiple trees. My hooves kicking up soggy fall leaves as I run. The child begins to stir, all the commotion is waking the poor thing up. I briefly look back towards my house, which quickly disappears behind the growing mass of trees. I can feel my heart beating inside of my chest, what in the heck did I just get myself into? I come to a sliding halt. A steep gully blocks me from making anymore progress. Knowing that if I keep holding the poor thing in my arm and try to navigate it all at the same time I'll fall flat on my face. I wrap her tightly and clench the cloth in my teeth. I step off and slide down, making sure to keep my balance. I use the momentum to get a running start and bolt off. The idea of them being right behind me enters my mind, and my hair stands on end with fear. Moving faster and faster, and trying not to look back. I dart through the forest. As I sprint, a small water droplet lands square on my nose. I gaze skyward to see the dark storm clouds moving in again. It seems that someone decided we weren't soaked enough. The treeline stops after a good minute or two, and breaks into a large clearing. A short, dilapidated stone fence stands before a cobblestone road, and wheat field bordered by a white farm fencing beyond that. I slow down to a trot and catch my breath. Nearly slumping over on my side in the process. I look back squinting. Scanning the treeline for anyone, or anything for that matter, who might have followed me. It appears I had ran at least a mile, the closest wheat field belonged to a rich family who's name I can't quite put my hoof on, but their farm was far away from home. Moving through one of the breaches in the fence, I sit down on the other side with my back against it. Taking a moment to examine myself. My hooves are covered in mud, and my coat does not fair much better. I also notice my hair is all in a frizzy mess. I tilt my hat over my face in frustration, how could I act so impulsively? Now I have to take care of some overgrown dog's kid, somehow get to Vanhoover, while being hunted by insane ferals. As I loose myself in my thought, thunder rips throughout the valley. The little bundle jumps and a small canine pokes her head out. Her ears perked down the road. My eyes narrow on the small pup. “Aren't you the cutest thing I ever saw?” I mumble, a small smile growing on my face. She gives a long yawn and curls back up in to her ball. Pulling the cloth back over her head I give her a gentle pat. I take my hat off and set it next to me, fixing my ponytail before trudging onward. I pull myself back up onto my hooves and start to stumble down the road. The storm I saw as I fled through the forest wasted no time at all catching up with me. It soon turned into a downpour, turning the next few miles into a horrible mess. The little one was doing fine though, little trooper that she is. To top it all off the wind began to kick up to. Blowing the rain almost completely horizontal. As I pushed my way through the misty storm a couple hours later, a small sign appears a short distance down the road. Standing defiantly erect in this awful craze. It appears to have some sort of berry depicted on it. A farm! I round the corner to find a surprisingly bustling farmyard. No one seems to notice me as they dart back and forth from their chores. An older pony sits in an equally old chair on the deck of the farmhouse. I calmly walk onto the property, looking side to side to see if someone has taken note of my presence yet. Slowly, I approach the deck. He takes a firm look at me, his eyes widen as he gets up. “Oh my... Are you okay?” I take a deep breath and look down at the child. “No.” I say, sullen. “Now you come 'n up here, have a sit.” He says, patting his hoof on the chair next to him. I hop up the steps and make my way to the homemade thatch seat by his side. Rainwater streaming off my hat as I cross the deck. Sitting down with the pup in my lap, I take off my stetson and set it on the end table next to me. “You got a name honey?” He asks. “Autumn, Autumn Darling.” I respond. “Nice to meet you, miss Darlin'. Folks 'round here call me Papa Cranberry.” He adjusts himself in his seat. “Now, What happened miss Darling?” He says. “Great, I can't just tell him what happened. He'll never believe me.” I shamefully think to myself. “Ah... Ah jus' fell down, that’s all. Ah was on my way to Vanhoover.” “Vanhoover? Honey, that's a long ways to go. And the closest train station is up in Nieghagra.” “Ah know. Ahm' jus' tired... Do have anywhere I could rest for a bit?” “Well the house is full'a my own kin. And all the farm hands got their own livin' quarters n'such... But t's gettin' dark..Would you mind staying in the barn t'all would ya' now?” “Oh... uh...Course not! Thank you.” “It's my pleasure.” He stands up and hobbles over to the railing of his porch, propping himself up on the railing itself. “Dusty!” He hollers. One of the mules working in the yard turns his head. “Yes suh!?” He yells over the rain. “Come'n on over here fer' a minute!” He quickly meanders over to the front of the porch and looks up at his boss. “Yes suh?” “Can you get this young lady right here some sleepin' accommodations in the barn? She's stayin' the night.” “O'course suh.” He answers. “Thank you kindly, Dusty” He turns to me. “It'll be ready in a bit, you hungry by any chance?” “A little. Why?” “My wife just made the most delicious apple cranberry pie.” He says vehemently. “I would love some.” He looks toward the diamond dog as he sits back down in his chair. “What bout' your chillun' there, hungry too?” “Oh it's fine, Ah fed her a bit ago.” “Alrighty then. Honey?” He calls to his wife. An older, gray haired mare pokes her head out the door. “Hm hm?” “Would you mind getting' our guest here some of the wonderful pie you baked today?” He asks in a kind tone. “Course I can, just a second.” She comes back out within the minute with a plate of a finely baked, and wonderfully smelling, cranberry pie. “There you go sweetheart.” She says, handing the plate to me. “Thank you.” She stops for a moment as she makes her way back to the door, staring at me. “Is that your daughter there?” She says, pointing to the bundle. “Here we go...” “Yes.” I quickly let out. “What's her name?” Her husband asks. My mind, upon hearing this, jumps back to the gemstone that Nakara told me about. “J...Jade. Her name's Jade.” I say, somewhat nervously. “Can we see her?” His wife asks. A cold chill runs down the back of my neck. “Sorry, no... I just got her to sleep.” “Aw that's quite alright. I bet she's beautiful.” Grandma Cranberry says. “Yeah...” I hear the barn door roll open through the raging storm. “Hey dad? Dusty's got them fixin's fer the guest all set!” A young voice yells from across the yard. “That'll do son! Now git on back here before you catch a cold!” His dad yells to him. I feel a sense of relief now that I can retreat somewhere. “I think I should head off to bed, I have an early start in the morning.” Grandpa rolls back his sleeve to look at his watch. “I'd reckon you're right. We got ourselves an early start too. Cranberry harvest an' all that is tomorrow. Gotta dredge and clean out them lakes 'yonder.” He says jerking his head in the general direction of his crops. I get up and stretch a bit. “I see... Well... off to bed. Thanks again for letting me stay the night.” “Anytime honey.” His wife says. By this time the rain has completely stopped, and the setting sun is shining bright rays through the cracks in the clouds. I make my way across the bustling yard towards the barn. A testimony to architecture, almost looks older than the house. I stop, hearing a very intense argument. “Ah keep tellin' you. Ye stupid mick! It's simple!” A large clanking crash rings out of the barn. “Do yer effin' job! Or else you'll have ta go back to breakin' coal!” “Yessir.” “Good. Git on out ma' sight. As I approach the barn door a dark green earth pony with a gray coat rushes out, quickly tipping his gray tweed cap to me. “Evenin' lass.” He says in a depressed, odd accent. “Evening.” Dusty walks out right afterward, continuing to to yell at him. “AY! You know what? I changed my mind! You get ta make sure the irrigation ditch ta the cranberry field doesn't overflow tonight, ya' lazy harpie!” Dusty bellows. I stop and glance back at them. Dusty is in his face, staring him down. And all he can do his let out “Yessir.” Then trots away. “Stupid mick.” Dusty grumbles. Only thoughts of pure disgust enter my mind, wondering why the seemingly nice mule was just cussing that pony out. Diverting my attention from the appalling behavior from the local foreman to the makeshift bedding laying quietly in the stack. A goose feather pillow, and two thick woolen sheets sitting on top of a short stack of straw. I pull back the sheets with my teeth and set her down. I begin to wonder what her actual name is. It's really too late to ask now. Looking at her collar again, the name Jade begins to appeal to me. Jade, such a pretty name. I slip under the covers, hold Jade close to me, and drift off to sleep.