//------------------------------//
// 1: Sally forth 
// Story: Blackened Night 
// by ZeirMakavar 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 1
Sally forth


"Not a trusting one are you Mr. Night?" Draken chuckled, as he sat upon the bed, yawning. "Well no matter, it's time for rest. We shall begin our daring quest to return the relic to where my people found it."

"Are you sure you heard something?" Draken Claw asked, having been woken up by Raging while in the middle of a pleasant dream.
"Yes," He replied, already on alert. "I heard shuffling. I fear someone might be here to try and take the Artifact while we sleep."
"Oh come now Mr. Night." Draken sighed, shaking a head as he laid back down. "This is an Inn after all, it makes sense you would hear noises, after all we aren't the only ponies here."
"Even so," Raging said, opening the blinds, flooding the room with light. "It would be better to take precaution. You never know when one of Black Moon's agents might try to come after us."
"Would they really try to steal from us while we are still in Canterlot? And in the middle of the day?" Draken asked, sighing. "I highly doubt that Mr. Moon would take such a risk."
"I suppose not." Raging sighed, shaking his head. "But I do not know what sort of risks he would take, nor what he plans."
"If I were Mr. Moon," Draken said, smiling as he turned to look for how to call for room service. "Then I would send either an Assassin to hunt us down before we reached the Temple, or a Tracker to follow us to said Temple and prevent us from completing our mission that way." He chuckled, nodding his head softly. "Or, you know... You could be reading to much into things and nothing will happen."
"I don't read to much into things." Raging said, glaring at Draken Claw. "And I also don't over think things."
"I didn't say that you did."
"You were thinking it."
"Was I?"




A hooded pony, appearing to be a mare, sighed. "That was close." She said, sighing as her horn glowed softly. "A bit too close for my comfort." She said, shaking. "I know he said that the mission would be difficult, but he never mentioned anything about a guard pony being a part of the group." She mumbled, shaking her head as she moved back to the lounge and the bar.
"Staying another night dear?" 
"It would appear to be so..." The pony said, sighing softly. "Some Cider please?"
"Coming right up." The Inn's owner said, chuckling. "Honestly dear, you should take that cloak off sometime." He continued, as Raging Night and Draken Claw entered the lounge. "You'll look much prettier I believe." He chuckled turning to Raging and Draken. "Ah, good sirs, what will you be having at this fine hour?"
"It is definitely not a fine hour..." Raging sighed, rubbing his head with a hoof.
"I already told you that I was sorry dear Mr. Night." Draken chuckled, pruning one of his wings. "As I said, my wings have a mind of their own."
"Yes, well it would be best if you told that mind of theirs to not smack me in the head..." Raging said, glaring softly at Draken.
"Well..." The owner said, frowning slightly. "Then at the moment we find ourselves in, what would you like?"
"A slice of Moonberry pie perhaps?" Draken asked, smiling. "I heard that you people here sell it."
"Yes, Moonberry pie," The owner said, nodding. "Of course. And for you sir?"
"The same."
The mare sighed, watching the duo as the spoke. "This..." She sighed, shaking her head. "This is going to be an interesting day."

"This was a terrible idea..." Draken sighed, holding up what was left of his pie slice. "No one ever told me that Moonberries tasted so..."
"Sweet?"
"Yes, sweet. Thank you dear." He said, nodding at the cloaked mare who approached him. "And to what do we owe your approach for?"
"Just one thing really..." She sighed, shaking her head. "I over heard you two talking, You're heading into Gryphon lands?"
"Why yes." Draken nodded, smiling softly. "And to why, do we owe you asking that?"
"I would like to accompany you." She said, pulling her hood down. "See, I'm a bit of a scholar, and have heard that a rare book had appeared in Gryphon territory."
"Ah yes." Draken nodded, chuckling softly as Raging looked over the mare, almost glaring at her. "We do tend to get rare items, even books, at times. Come, come. Three is always better then two is it not?" He said, pulling both the mare and Raging into a big hug. "Wouldn't you agree Raging?"