Chapter 2
The Long Game
"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?"
"No, I don't agree." Raging Night said, shaking his head at the scholar. "I'm sorry ma'am, but we're on a mission from Princess Luna and therefore taking on any..."
"Oh come now Mr. Night," Draken Claw interrupted, patting him on the back, chuckling at him. "We're heading in the same direction, might as well travel together, no?"
"Fine... but only until we reach Gryphon territory."
~~~ ~~~
Raging sighed, watching the mare that was traveling with them with a keen eye. At the moment she was softly humming to herself as the carriage they were in traveled along the road. It was a bit uncommon for ponies to travel to Gryphon lands, and so Equestria hadn't placed rails to the border yet, much to Raging's dismay. "Is it break time yet?" Draken Claw asked, lifting his head up a bit as he laid in his corner of the carriage, a few of the other members of the trip had backed as far as they could when they saw him. "It's been a bit and I'm starting to get hungry."
"Yes we can stop now." The driver of the carriage said, nodding a bit. "It's starting to get dark and we're still a few days away from the border."
"Oh good." Draken said smiling, looking towards the back, where all of the supplies were. "Then I shall find myself something nice to eat." He chuckled, as the carriage stopped.
"You there," A second cloaked mare said, approaching Raging as he sat a bit away from the other embers of their group. "You're headed deep into the Gryphon's territory aren't you?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Simple guess." She said chuckling a bit softly. "That, and I can read minds."
"I highly doubt that, you're cloak doesn't have the distinct unicorn horn bump, so you clearly aren't a Unicorn or a Alicorn, so you're either a Pegasus, or a Earth Pony," Raging said shaking his head. "Therefore you can't read minds."
"I can't read minds." The mare said, along with when Raging spoke the words. "Trust me, there are a lot more stranger things in the universe then most ponies know, wouldn't you agree Starseeker?"
"That's not my name..." Raging said, now glaring at the mare. "And how ever you came upon that name..."
"Shouldn't know it?" The mare interrupted, removing the hood of her cloak, revealing her rainbow mane, and distinct face half reptilian face. "Trust me Starseeker, there's more at play then you think."
"Who are you?"
"That's a secret. One you'll learn in the future, but not now." The Mare chuckled, nodding a bit. "For now, call me 'The Teacher.' " She continued, smiling a bit deviously.
"The... Teacher?" He repeated, blinking in confusion. "What an odd name..."
"It's odd yeah, but it's the name I must go by, history says so."
"History?"
"Well, the future for you, but let's not get into that... just yet."
"Fine," Raging said, sighing as both The scholar mare and Draken Claw approached them. "Say I believe you, say I agree that there might be more at play then I think, what do you care?" He asked, as she put the hood of her cloak back up when the two other member's reached them.
"Let's just say if you don't watch your backs, none of you will survive this trip." She answered, with a soft chuckle. "And that's not something I want." She said, before turning into smoke.
"Who... what... was that?" The scholar mare said, blinking a bit as she looked at Raging Night. "And what did she mean... we won't survive?"
"I don't know." Raging said, sighing. "And I don't care... did you eat enough?"
"Yes, I did." Draken said, chuckling a bit. "And quite frankly, as long as we make it to Gryphon lands, we should be fine."