Chapter 3: The Burial Ground of the Buffalo Tribe
Oo-Chapter 3: The Burial Ground of the Buffalo Tribe-oO
A vicious shaking and a choked scream jarred Twilight Sparkle out of her slumber. As she forced open her eyelids, her first impression was that somepony was shaking her awake because of something that had happened in one of the other quarters, but her clearing vision revealed to her that nopony was near her. Sitting up, she tried to clear the sleep from her mind and avoid slipping into a panic.
The lights were out in the chamber, and with what little moonlight filtered through the window, she could only tell that her companions were awake and fluttering above their beds. It wasn't Twilight or her bed that was being shaken, but the entire room. The pane of glass in the window rattled along with everything else, threatening to shatter at the slightest provocation.
“Is it a stampede?” Scootaloo cried out, failing to keep up her usual plucky demeanor.
Twilight lit her horn so that the others could see her. “I don't think so,” she replied with a shake of her head. “The buffalo should still be camped for the night.”
“It's probably an earthquake,” Goldenrod replied flatly. In the lavender glow of her light cantrip, she could see there was concern on his face, but not one ounce of surprise.
“That doesn't make any sense though!” Twilight replied. “There hasn't been any recorded seismic activity on this side of the Macintosh Hills for almost six hundred years! How can you remain so calm about this?”
“I'm anything but calm. Where I lived, I never once experienced an earthquake. If anything, I'm terrified, but I don't really have time to be scared.” He let out an anxious snort. “Besides, an ancient relic tying the Earth Element to the embodiment of Equestria was unseated. A mere day later, an area not known for earthquakes experiences its first in almost six hundred years. Tell me you don't find that the least bit curious.”
“If this area is experiencing earthquakes, what about the others?” Scootaloo asked. “Somewhere in Equestria, there's probably a lot of fire, and elsewhere, a lot of water.”
The lavender unicorn couldn't help but feel that they were right. It was more than just coincidence. “If your assumption is correct, then that means without Gaea controlling the Fire, Earth Water, and Wind elements, Equestria is only going to get more and more unstable.” The earthquake subsided, punctuating her postulation. “The longer this quest takes, the bigger the risk to Equestria as a whole.”
“So I reckon y'all want to hit the trails early then?” Braeburn's voice came from the doorway. Looking over at him, Twilight saw that he already had on his hat, vest and saddlebags. Misinterpreting her appraising look, he continued speaking, “Sorry! Didn't mean ta surprise you any. I was just doing some last minute preparations before we left when that horrible tremor struck. I came running as soon as I heard the scream.”
Goldenrod landed in front of his bed and donned his saddlebags, and Scootaloo quickly followed suit. “He's right,” the blonde pegasus stated almost eagerly. “It's almost dawn, and the more ground we can cover in the desert during the day, the better. Our biggest nocturnal threats are the Palomino Puma and the giant antlions native to the area.”
The young pegasus mare dashed out the door, nearly bowling Braeburn over. “C’mon everypony! Let’s get going then!”
Goldenrod glanced over at Twilight, and she sighed. “Fine.”
“Not just yet,” Braeburn said. “First thing’s first! We need ta get some breakfast in us. It’s going ta be a long day and we’ll need ta be well fed. Besides, I still want ta wish Ma and Pa farewell before we go.”
Oo-3-oO
An hour and a stack of apple pancakes later, the group was marching west through the plains outside Appleloosa’s limits. Considering the circumstances, all of them were about as rested as they could be, and a full stomach went a long way to helping them feel ready. In truth, the four were terribly anxious for what lay ahead. They’d barely begun their journey and the earthquake was nothing if not ominous.
The events of their awakening did not deter them from moving on though. If anything, their anxiety only spurred them forward. Even as they trotted across the mostly barren landscape in the morning twilight, they could feel their resolve solidifying. Their mission was too important for them to be plagued by doubts.
As Celestia’s sun crested the horizon at their backs, Twilight Sparkle took stock of her surroundings. Immediately, she noticed that the elongated shadows provided a lot of cover for anybody that did not wish to be seen. Braeburn seemed to have realized the same thing and moved in front of Twilight. The next thing that struck her was how deathly silent it was, there wasn’t a single cricket chirping.
Glancing up at Braeburn, she asked, “Is it always like this out here?”
“Not usually,” he admitted. “Then again, I’ve never been out about the edge of buffalo territory during the twilight hours or the night. We’re probably being watched this very moment.”
“Nothing happens on their land without them knowing about it?” Goldenrod offered, fluttering above them. “I’ll go ahead and check with Scootaloo. She should have checked in by now, but if anything hokey is going on, she’ll have spotted it.”
“Alright,” Twilight replied with a soft smile, watching the pegasus fly off into the dim skies ahead. His adopted sister had been flying point for at least half an hour, scouting out the route ahead for danger. For the first fifteen minutes, they’d been able to make out the beams of light from her goggles thin mist rising off the nearby river, but as the first vestiges of sunlight peeked over the horizon, the orange pegasus had exited their sight.
“I sure hope that young one’s alright,” Braeburn said with a smile. “She seems like a brave enough gal, but she seems a mite brash. If she meets up with the buffalo and says the wrong thing, they’re likely to refuse us passage through their lands.”
Twilight nodded somberly. It certainly wasn’t the sort of incident they could afford on a mission this grave. At best, they’d refuse the four passage. Worse off, the buffalo might actively impede them. She couldn’t even come to think about the absolute worst case scenario. She had to remember that Scootaloo wasn’t by any means a stupid pony. “If she does get caught, I think she has enough sense to not put her hoof in all of our mouths. Besides, she has Goldenrod to keep her out of trouble.” If he can keep himself out of it, that is, she thought to herself.
“I sure as rain hope so. He seems a tad skittish ta me.” The apple stallion sighed, tilting the brim of his had back. “I just hope I didn’t say something ta make him uneasy.”
Fighting back a giggle, Twilight turned her attention from her companion back to the skies ahead. It wasn’t her place to play matchmaker, a lesson she’d absorbed from one Hearts and Hooves Day gone awry thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Even if it would alleviate some of the awkward tension between Goldenrod and their new companion, if Braeburn couldn’t pick up that the pegasus was attracted to him, she couldn’t push the issue.
Either way, she didn’t get much opportunity to mull over the thought. Up ahead, Goldenrod and Scootaloo were flying back toward them at a decent clip. Despite the distance, the panic on their faces was as clear as the light of the dawning day. The pair drew nearer and nearer, until suddenly a rough net shot out from behind a boulder. Scootaloo was agile enough to avoid being ensnared.
Her brother wasn’t as lucky. His forward momentum was too great for a pony of his build to change course in time, leading him straight into the path of the thrown net. That same forward momentum quickly became centrifugal force as he strained against the anchor point of the net. Without any semblance of grace, he arced into the ground with a jarring thump!
In spite of Scootaloo’s cries to regroup, and that it was a trap, Twilight and Braeburn rushed to the aid of their fallen ally. As they drew closer, however, a single buffalo stepped out from behind a large boulder and rushed to the side of the fallen pegasus. The look on her face was distraught, and she seemed to be attempting to free him from the net.
Twilight and Braeburn trotted up to the buffalo and their friend—Scootaloo quickly landed beside them, scowling at the buffalo—just in time to hear the buffalo speaking to Goldenrod. “Please accept my apologies for the fall,” the buffalo pleaded in a very clearly female voice. “I only hoped to catch you, not injure you!”
“I—but if you affix a hover pod to the shed, how will you keep it from blowing away?” the dazed pegasus muttered. “I can’t even divide the lettuce into cheese!”
Now that they were close enough to see their apologetic assailant, Twilight could see by the light of the rising sun that the buffalo was a bit larger than Braeburn, and very familiar. Her orange-brown coat and dark amber mane were a big enough giveaway, but the white and purple patterned headband bearing two gryphon feathers sealed it. Standing before her was a Not-so-little Strongheart.
“Don’t worry about him, Little Strongheart.” Twilight said diplomatically. “He’s been through worse, and I have it on good authority that pegasi are incredibly durable.”
The buffalo didn’t look up immediately. “Please, it is just Strongheart now. Buffalo cast off their diminutive titles once they come of age. If my tribe heard you, I would surely be ridiculed,” she replied. She watched anxiously as the fallen Goldenrod shook himself and struggled to his hooves. Contented that he was relatively unharmed, Strongheart turned her attention to his companions. “Braeburn, it has been many seasons since we last met. Many more to you, as well Twilight Sparkle. I hope the winds bring with you good tidings.”
“I wish they did,” Braeburn replied, smiling at his old friend. “Why were y’all chasing my friends here?” He motioned to Goldenrod and Scootaloo with a hoof. “Did they cross too far inta buffalo territory?”
“Yes,” Strongheart replied. “The orange one flew right over the tribe’s camp in the middle of a funerary rite, startling many of the tribe’s elders, and continued in the direction of our most sacred burial grounds. The interim Chief insisted I be the one to bring her, and any that were with her back to the camp. It is certain that Chief Thunderhooves would have wanted peaceful dealings with intruders, and interim Chief Blackhide is very insistent on following Thunderhooves’ path.”
To Scootaloo’s credit, she looked every bit as guilty as a pony who had accidentally interrupted a funeral should. Her ears drooped low, and she lowered her eyes to the ground. “I’m so sorry, Strongheart.” Scootaloo’s voice was so soft that it was almost unheard. “If I’d known I—”
“But you couldn’t have, young pegasus.” The buffalo’s tone was soft, sad, and bearing no hint of anger. She turned to the others. “Please, come with me to the camp, so that you may discuss your intrusion with the interim Chief.” Locking eyes with Braeburn, Strongheart gave him a sad smile. “I am certain having known Thunderhooves, you would be welcome to pay your respects.”
Braeburn lowered his hat from his head, and held it to his chest. Returning her sad smile, he replied. “It would be our honor, Strongheart.”
Oo-3-oO
As Twilight Sparkle and her companions were lead into the buffalo camp, she could feel a strange atmosphere about the place. It wasn’t just the sombre demeanor of the tribe as a whole; the air was tinged with something else entirely—fear and suspicion. Making their way around a large interlaced wood stack at the center of the camp, she caught more than a few restless glances from the youngest buffalo gathered around the pyre.
Once they were passed the mourning mass, Strongheart lead them into the largest tent erected nearest the pyre. Inside, they were greeted by an unusual sight. A large white buffalo turned to greet them, turning her piercing blue eyes across each of the group. “Strongheart, are these the guests?” the buffalo said in a gravelly voice. With a sad smile, she added, “Come closer, young ponies, so I might better see you. This one promises she shall not bite.”
“Chief Blackhide, these are Twilight Sparkle and Braeburn. Do you remember them? They helped our tribe settle the stampeding ground dispute with the Appleloosans four years ago.” Strongheart replied in a tone that spoke nothing but the utmost respect. “With them are their traveling companions, Goldenrod and Scootaloo.
“Friends, this is Blackhide, our shaman, interim chieftain, and first wife of Chief Thunderhooves.”
“It is an honor to be in your presence.” Twilight replied, bowing before the great white buffalo. Quickly, Braeburn, Scootaloo and Goldenrod followed suit and prostrated themselves before Blackhide.
Blackhide eyed the ponies curiously, her unfocused gaze flitting between the pegasi and the two earthbound ponies. Sighing, the buffalo wet her lips before speaking. “What brings young ponies into this tribe’s territory on this solemn day?” There was a glint of recognition in her eye. “Are you the ones following the star?”
“Yes, Chief Blackhide,” Braeburn replied, after an approving nod from Twilight. “We were asked by the Princesses to...”
“It is alright young one. This one has foreseen your coming. You may of course travel across this tribe’s lands,” wheezed the elder buffalo. “Before you go, however, this one has a tale that may serve you as both use and warning. Your hurry does not go unnoticed, and of course the tale is optional.”
“We’ll listen, honored one!” Goldenrod quickly exclaimed. He glanced at his companions and noted their wary stares. Lowering his voice, he whispered, “Don’t look at me like that. The first rule of adventuring is never scoff at information. Daring Do would do no such thing, and neither shall we.”
“You know that there’s fiction you’re referring ta, right pardner?” Braeburn nickered in response. “Daring never did ‘cause Daring never was!”
“It doesn’t make the point any less valid,” Twilight whispered approvingly. “I agree; any information we can get isn’t without its merits. Your thoughts Scootaloo?”
“We listen,” she said with a nod. “If not because she wishes to share with us, at least because Goldenrod thought to mention Daring.”
The elder turned towards Strongheart. “Thank you for being patient, young one. You will make for a fine chief one day. Go and tell the others to continue the funerary service. When the phoenix-fire burns down, we depart for the tribe’s burial grounds. Tell them that in addition to the bearers of Thunderhooves’ remains and the stones for his cairn, we will need two volunteers to bring our guests with us. They will be accompanying us.”
For a long minute, Strongheart did not move. The very idea of outsiders entering their most sacred of grounds did not sit well with her, but didn’t seem to compare with disobeying both the acting village chief in addition to their spiritual leader. Nodding gently, Strongheart backed out of the tent. “It will be done.”
Twilight looked anxiously at the others. They could afford so many diversions in a single day. The others seemed to be thinking the same thing. Goldenrod in particular seemed to be about ready to say something in objection, but his objecting frown was quickly replaced by a knowing smile, as though he’d recalled a critical piece of information.
The lavender unicorn was about to ask him to stop smiling like that and tell them what he was thinking when something Strongheart had mentioned crossed her mind. “Scootaloo flew over the camp, and was flying straight for the...of course!” She smiled at Scootaloo. “If it is not too much trouble, Chief Blackhide, we’re ready to hear your tale.”
“Of course young one.” Blackhide let out a gentle chuckle. “This one would not presume to idle. Many sleeps ago, a mighty buffalo warrior went west into the desert to commune with the spirits of old, as has been tradition for many a millennium. He sought to meditate beneath the laughing mountain. For many days and nights without water, he waited, hoping for some guidance from the spirits.
“No spirits came to him in his meditations this lunar cycle. Instead, he witnessed a single star descend from the heavens and land in the desert before him at the base of the laughing mountain. From that crater, a massive armored serpent rose. The serpent did not see him, so much as feel him on the sands; it struck out at him with its barbed tail, and scrambled into a cave at the base of the mountain.
“The warrior could feel terrible venom coursing through his veins, yet still he carried on. Stampeding all the way across the barren sands, he made his way to the edge of the desert before collapsing upon the outskirts of this very camp. He died but just one night prior, but not without naming a temporary successor and regaling her with his tale in his dying breaths.”
“That was Chief Thunderhooves, wasn’t it?” Braeburn said softly, once Blackhide had made no further motion to speak. “He was a good, strong leader.”
“Yes,” Blackhide replied. “That one was the best this tribe has had for many ages.”
Oo-3-oO
Goldenrod—flying high above the buffalo funerary stampede—couldn’t help but wonder just how many have died in the other areas. Had others inadvertently ended up around those temples that night? Worse off, had anypony settled near one of the temples? It wasn’t something he wanted to imagine, but he couldn’t help it.
Seemingly picking up on her brother’s dismal mood, Scootaloo drifted over to fly by his side. “What’s up?” she poked his side with a hoof. “I can feel your gloom halfway across the sky!”
With a sigh, Goldenrod eyed her carefully. “It’s this whole thing. With the stars, the unseating of Gaea’s artifacts, and now Thunderhooves, I can’t help but feel the situation is escalating into something terrible.” He gave her a serious look. “It’s like... we’re coming up on a river, and our only options are to ford and get swept away in the currents, or stay where we are and die of dysentery. Either way, a lot of ponies are going to die, and I can’t help but be bothered by the ones we can’t save.”
The fuchsia-maned pegasus shook her head at her brother. He’d shown the same regrets over what had happened in the human world months after their return, and it had taken many more for him to accept that some things were simply beyond his control. “C’mon. You know you can’t save everypony!” she replied sadly. “Nopony can... All we can do is make sure that we help those we can. Remember what you told me when you finally got over what happened with Morrigan?”
“I said ‘I’m not fated to save everyone. I’m no hero; I’m just the guy who helps clean up the aftermath.’” he groused. “I know! I’m just tired of all the needless death!”
“So don’t think of yourself as helping save Equestria.” Scootaloo replied with a smirk. “Think of yourself as cleaning up the mess beforehoof. Besides,” she continued, pointing a hoof down at the ground. “I think we’re here.”
Following her extended forelimb, he stared down at the ground through his flight goggles. Below them was an intricate pattern of stone lines and stone mounds. It reminded him vaguely of something akin to a pentacle. His first thought was of an aerial shot of a burial ground he’d seen in a film so long ago. At the very edge of the burial ground, the land dropped off into dunes of sand.
Goldenrod glided down to join the funeral procession on the outermost ring of stone mounds. As he flew down, he could see the bright shimmer of familiar crystals about the the stone piles in the morning sun. Ten buffalo were unloading stones from crude saddlebags as he landed beside Twilight and Braeburn, while six others began digging a pit along an empty arc of the furthest ring.
“I hadn’t realized that the cairn Chief Blackhide mentioned was to be a grave marker,” he said softly. “In hindsight, it all makes sense.”
Twilight looked at him quizzically, but didn’t make to speak. Instead, it was Braeburn that asked, “What do you mean?”
“Last night, Apple Bloom was going on about that Manacite stuff, mentioning the buffalo lands when asked about how she’d gotten a hold of some samples,” he replied solemnly. “When I’d flown down, I saw many of these cairns were adorned with large Manacite crystals. Think, why have the buffalo been so territorial and untrusting of ponies?”
The stark realization hit Twilight and Braeburn simultaneously. “The Manacite that Apple Bloom purchased came from grave robbers!” they said in unison. “But why would they bring four ponies to their graveyard then?”
Goldenrod didn’t answer them. Instead, he turned his back on his companions and trotted up to Strongheart and Chief Blackhide. Stopping a full body length before them, he bowed his head. “Chief Blackhide, I think I understand now just how difficult it is for your tribe merely having us here,” he said softly. “After what our kind has done to yours, you have every right to be suspicious of us. While I cannot make up for every wrong against your tribe, I must at least offer my services. If you would allow it, I would like to aid in the construction of Chief Thunderhooves’ cairn.”
To his surprise, Braeburn, Scootaloo, and Twilight had joined him in front of the buffalo leader. They each gave an approving nod, before offering their own services. They might have had a mission of monumental importance, but it wouldn’t matter if they trampled over those caught up in the whole affair. I can’t save everybody, but if I respect their sacrifices and give it my all, their deaths won’t be in vain.
Quest Updated: The Earthen Four - The party has reached the edge of the San Palomino Desert
Note Added: Chief Blackhide told of a ‘Laughing Mountain’, which is our best bet for finding the Temple
Note Added: A great armored serpent from the stars has entered the cave beneath the laughing mountain
Strongheart has joined the party
Strongheart has left the party
Reputation with the Buffalo has increased - Accepted
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Krass McWriter · 51k words · 206 34 · 7.6k views
- k12314 · 13k words · 41 3 · 961 views
- Minalkra · 18k words · 40 4 · 1.8k views
- Eeveexpert · 87k words · 102 3 · 8.6k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.096 seconds
Total duration
1,012 users online
325,580 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
........... For some reason, when I heard "laughing mountain", I thought of an old bottled water commercial involving a volcano and a dinosaur.
1397980 Oh, the Volvic mineral water commercials. I remember a whole arseload of YTPs being made from those.
Yuss!
It's been so long since the last update, I had to reread the entire story. I enjoyed every second of it.
So Strongheart joins the party and leaves a millisecond later. Well, okay then.
Why am I getting a serious Legend of Zelda vibe about these 'temples' they are heading for? Seriously. Four temples, each with it's own element of fire, water, earth, and going to assume wind. Each one has an artifact related to said elements, and each artifact is being guarded by the four beings brought down from the stars... Eeyup, total LoZ right there.
1662633
LoZ had more than four temples though, you sure you aren't thinking of Final Fantasy?
1790750Haven't played that many FF games. And I don't mean exactly 4 temples. All LoZ games have the original 3 (grass, fire, water) then go on to other temples. Just saying the elemental temples sounds like LoZ. And btw, Spirit Tracks has 4.
cancelled what where am i what dimension am i in????
WHY NO MOAR GAEAN CRUSADE????
1213119 Both tonne and ton are right, one's English, and the other is American-English.
Cancelled? Why cancelled?
3782079 I'll direct you to the blog on the matter. Here it is.
3782302 Ah, fair enough. I guess that's not so bad. I've seen some pretty sad reasons for cancelling stories.
so has this been adopted? Or is there any chance at all of it being revived in the future?
5309502 It has not, and it probably won't be. Sorry.
5309513 I guess I'll just avoid the sequel then when I get around to reading Displaced. Its like third in my read later folder, not including 'when a pony calls' and its follow up.
I get that the story is cancelled and all but no one got the Oregon Trail reference?