Shelter, as it turned out, wasnât far.
Spike returned less than ten minutes after taking flight with news that he had spotted a dense copse of fir trees growing around a large stony outcropping. It took longer to reach it on hoof, but within an hour they were relocated, Twilight and Spike converting the spot into something resembling a safe place. Spikeâs claws dug out the base of the outcropping, while Twilightâs force magic snapped logs and felled trees. Cadance helped where she could, stripping the smaller branches of their needles to insulate the impromtu cave against the rising wind and stinging cold while Zecora made a fire pit and did what she could to prep kindling.
They worked as the storm blotted out the little light the day still offered until they had something that couldâgenerouslyâbe called a campsite. The logs and larger branches were stacked in a rough hemisphere, the effort keeping them warm until fatigue and snow that was quickly becoming more than hoof deep sapped it away. Even with her advanced protections, Cadance couldnât stop herself from shivering when Twilight hefted the last of the wood into place with her magic.
âThere...now, fire.â Twilightâs teeth started to clatter and she charged her horn again, concentrating on the pile of sticks in the pit. A pale red-colored beam hit it a moment later, the wood popping and smoking, but it steadfastly refused to light. âWell...buck.â
âItâs too wetâŚâ Cadance shifted awkwardly, her eyes on Twilight. It felt weird to hear her friend curse. Twilight, no matter how flustered was always polite and proper around her. âGreenwood wonât burn easily. But I know a spell thatâll dry it out pretty quickly.â
âPlease.â Twilight gestured at the wood, her own tired eyes locked on the tiny curl of foul-smelling smoke rising from where she had turned up the heat. âI could really use some good news on the not-dying-of-exposure front.â
Cadance nodded, her horn flaring with arcane power, but she kept her eye on the despondent sounding Battlemage. No sooner than the light from her spell died, there was another blast from Twilight and their fire burst to life. She watched the smoke drift upward and out through the haphazard roof of downed conifers. I hope no one sees that and tracks us back here.
One by one, they huddled by the fire, the bit of snow that had gotten in as they completed the roof melting away to make the floor beneath the needles wet and soggy. Soon enough steam joined the smoke in the air and the enclosure slowly inched away from the dangerous levels of cold to something tolerable. Zecora was the first to succumb to sleep, her body leaning against Spikeâs biped form. The dragon was not far behind.
Cadance fought the weariness, shaking her head to clear the fog that threatened to overcome her. Twilight sat beside her in silence, staring into the flames. Cadance watched the light dance in the reflection of Twilyâs eyes, wrapping her wings tighter around herself. When she couldnât stand it any more, she turned her whole body to face Twilight and whispered. âAre you mad at me?â
Twilight jolted as if slapped, looking at Cadance sharply. âW-what? Cadance...Iâm not mad at you. Why would I be?â
âSorry.â The alicorn sighed, hugging herself with her wings. âItâs just...well, you got distant and we were just holding each other not two hours ago.â
âOh CadyâŚâ Twilight sighed and ran a hoof through her disheveled mane. âItâs not you. I...Iâm sorry. But...itâs been what, hardly a week since I got my first mission as your guardian and Iâve nearly died three? Four times now? Equestria isnât even at war or anything and Iâve already seen enough action to get a whole host of medals from Princess Celestia.â
Twilight paused and swallowed rapidly. âNot that I regret taking the mission or anything! Iâve missed you so much, Cady and I would protect you, no matter what I faced.â The unicorn sighed, her voice growing soft. âBut itâs still a lot to take in. So much at once to deal with. When I rescued Princess Celestia...I knew my life was in danger. But it didnât matter. My Princess needed me. Now...youâre my Princess, and you need me to keep you safe, not space out when faced with my own fragile mortality.â
âTwily, you are the best guardian I could ask for.â Cadance smiled gently, edging closer to the Battlemage. âTrust that Aunt Celestia knew what she was doing when she assigned you to my detail. Learning to trust that she knows more than you do about most everything is a lesson I learned the hard way during my years abroad.â
âBut Cady, this last time nearly got you and Spike AND Zecora killed!â Twilight frowned, shifting her weight where she sat. âI donât think I could stand to lose you and them too.â
Cadance got a little closer to Twilight and reached out her hooves to hold Twilyâs, gazing into her guardianâs eyes. âNone of this is your fault, Twily. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you for bringing you into something blind. Iâve had more than a few attempts on my life now, and if that changeling is to be believed, sheâs mostly behind it. Which, now that I think about it, makes a certain amount of sense.â
âTell me about it, Cadyâ
Cadance hung her head, resting her nose against Twilightâs shoulder. She took a slow breath, calming herself as she dug out the memories of the last five years. âThese are still State Secrets, Twily, even if Aunt Tia told me I could tell you, we canât just be blabbing about my mission.â
âI understand.â Twilight opened her cloak, her magic tugging it and her hood around them for shared warmth and privacy. She gently lifted Cadanceâs chin her her hoof, smiling at her when they were face to face once more. âI donât need every gory detail...yet. I just want to understand what life has been like for you all this time.â
Cadance nodded. âWell, my mission was basically one part legitimate diplomacy with allied and potential ally nations. But that was mostly a cover story for my real purpose of espionage.â
Twilight hissed through her teeth. âI was starting to expect that, actually. But why you? Why did Princess Celestia feel she needed to spy on our neighbors?â
âFrom what I was told, Aunt Tia came across some compelling information that lead her to believe that one or more of our allies were plotting against Equestria. Given my status as a newly risen Princess, and my talent for getting folks to work together, I was a natural pick. But she knew I was going to need more than a smile and a cutie mark enforced olive branch to find closely guarded secrets.â Cadance sighed, her muzzle bumping softly into Twilightâs. âThe first year, she trained me in secret. She showed me how to read ponies and drakes and dog body language, how to wheel and deal in the courts and lounge rooms of power.â
âAfter that, I went to the Camule Republic and started my actual mission. Aunt Tia set me up with a local that would teach me how to pick locks and spot traps, how to move unseen and unheard.â She smirked at Twilightâs look of disbelief. âBy day I wined and danced with the diplomats and rulers, by night I was raiding tombs.â
âWhen did you sleep?â
Cadance chuckled softly. âI honestly donât remember. But other than those skills, I learned something about myself out there on the sand dunes.â
âOh?â Twilight raised an eyebrow, slipping her hooves around Cadanceâs barrel. âWhatâs that? A love for grit in your fetlocks?â
âNo!â Cadance reached up and bopped Twily on the nose with her hoof. âI found a way to power through the grueling conditions and the training.â She leaned slightly to the side and looked back at the blue-colored heart and filigree that adorned her flank. âI found a new side to my âdiplomagic,â Twily. I missed you, terribly so and when I came to realize that the pain in my heart was from being without you...that I loved you, thatâs when it kicked in. It gave me literal strength.â
She looked back at the purple unicorn, smiling. âYouâve been saving my life this whole time, Twily. My love for you kept me going to get back alive. And now...your love keeps me going to make sure we all get out of this alive.â
Twilight sighed and pulled Cadance closer until they were chest to chest, looking into her eyes. âWhen all this is settled...weâre going to have a long chat with Princess Celestia.â
âMust we?â
âBut before that, you are going to give me the full details and Iâm not letting you go for a full week.â
Cadance giggled. âIs that a promâ!â
She didnât get another word out for a while. Her mouth was too busy.
Great job as always, Fuzzy.