Thunder roared across the hills as rain gushed forth from black clouds. A few trees were bent with the force of the storm. Occasionally, fierce lightning streaked from the clouds to meet the earth, providing a brief instant of blinding light.
A small figure in a ragged, cloak still trudged on through the mud that served as a road here. It took a look up at the sky, cracked its neck, and kept walking.
It was too dark to see, so it had to rely on the lightning to see. The same lightning that nearly struck it a few times already. No matter. A single storm isn't going to stop this one. Not even a second one. No amount of rain, or mud, blasting wind would ever stop this one!
*CRRRACKK*
The figure stopped and frowned, then chuckled to itself.
Although that lightning might.
****
The figure kept walking through the entire night. Thankfully it petered out mostly right before dawn, although it was still sprinkling a bit. It said a quick prayer to the sun as it rose, but then quickly cursed as the soaked earth began to dry.
That darn musty, uncomfortable feeling quickly settled into the figure, made worse by the drenched cloak. It groaned, but kept walking. Maybe somewhere out here there'd be a dry spot to lie down and rest.
It took a quick check of its surroundings. Not likely.
****
By now the figure was dead tired. It had been walking all day in the middle of one of the worst storms ever without ever taking a break at all. Of course, it knew it didn't have anyone to blame but its self, but hey. Places to go.
Finding a comparatively dry patch of grass in a ring of nearby trees, it lay down and began to stretch itself out and get ready to have a well deserved sleep. There were even a few big boulders around for shelter. Still, it had something to do before it could finally sleep.
It shied off its still wet cloak and reached around for a small saddlebag on its flank. He opened up the depressingly small pouch and sighed. It used to have another much bigger bag. Mentally berating himself for losing it, he reached in an removed the one thing it held- a tiny cracked mirror.
It held it in one hoof, trying to remember how it was cracked, frowned, and began to look itself over.
What the figure saw was the face of a young colt. Its coat was covered in mud but a few patches of amber fur managed to stay clean. The mane, or least what was left of it after several obvious bad self attempts, was a reddish brown. Its face was a soft yet obviously boyish once, deep orange eyes, and a few scars on his right cheek that never quite healed right.
"Ha," he said to himself as he brushed back his mane, "Still lookin' pretty sharp eh, Amber?"
"I'll say," A new cheery voice piped up, "Quite a way to pull off the rugged look huh? You're doing it pretty well!"
Amber stood and craned his neck around searching for the owner of this new voice. Company would be nice, but sometimes he ends up with the wrong folks at the worst of times.
"Show yourself," he growled, "I've no time for shenanigans."
There was a slight pause then a chuckle, "Alright, he he,"
One of the nearby rocks started to shift. It stopped moving for a movement, but then rumbled again twice as much. A small sound floated up to Amber's ears...Was this rock laughing?
The 'rock' shifted slightly in its merriment and tumbled to its side. Amber blinked- this was no rock- it was another pony!
It had quite the odd coat, a grayish color with what looked like to be some sort of molted discolorations, giving the appearance very much like a oddly shaped boulder. Its mane and tail were also the same color as its coat, another a few bits of a deep blue-ish color poked out here and there. Oddly, there was no cutie mark.
'Must be some sort of dye, which would explain the lack of the mark. Otherwise that would...' Thought Amber, but any further thoughts were brought to a halt as the 'rock pony' opened its eyes to look at him.
Its were the clearest eyes he'd ever laid his own.
Those new white eyes stared straight into orange ones.
After what seemed like a few minutes, Amber broke it off, slightly unnerved about how the other kept eying him curiously.
"Soo...whatcha up to?" It asked, eyes full of an odd excitement.
" Uh..Just passing through...and nothing at all?"
"Well, which one is it? I mean 'cas you can't exactly do both of those things at once."
Amber cut it off with a wave of a hoof, "Let me ask you the same question."
The other quickly became quiet.
It then smiled and offered a hoof, "Nice ta meet'cha Amber! Although that is kinda a silly name for a colt."
Amber bristled, "Is not!"
The other placed a hoof on his lips, "Oh hush. I was only joking."
Amber stared for a moment, then whipped his mane back, shoved the mirror back into its pocket, and started to walk off.
"H..hey! Where are you going?!?" The rock called out.
"Don't care!"
"That doesn't seem very smart!" The rock started after him, "I mean, you gotta know where you're going right?"
Amber groaned. This trip was going to be a lot longer.
****
The rock pony was not showing any signs that it was going away. It followed him for at least two hours by now and even managed to track him down once Amber finally managed to lose it on his fourth try. It was starting to get annoying, even creepy.
Amber pegged the rock pony as another colt, and managed to coax it into telling him so. He wouldn't answer any other questions though. Not his name, his age, or his reason (if any) for following Amber around. Amber decided to refer to him as 'Rock', and he answered to it readily.
The two continued on the muddy road, Rock telling Amber, in much detail, why he thought Amber was a funny name and that Amber wasn't very smart seeing as he doesn't care about destinations. This quickly turned into an argument with Amber getting nowhere at all. He was about to launch into a tirade of his own when Rock pointed out a large forest that took up most of the next horizon.
Despite being ready to drop along with the sun, Amber reasoned it would be safer to camp out in a forest than out in the open regardless of what was in said forest. Rock had no complaints and was almost rushing Amber into the forest.
Once inside the forest Rock seemed to have forgotten the concept of 'personal space' and was constantly getting close enough to Amber to trip him a few times. Amber would try to scare him away with his angriest glares but only received sheepish grins in response, After the eighth time, he gave up on trying to chase Rock away and grudgingly accepted his presence.
Rock was being only quiet now. Every now and then he would get really quiet and whip is head around as if he was looking for something. Amber commented on this, but only got offhanded 'nothing's as a reply. Amber's trip with his unwanted companion continued much like this up until nightfall, and then Rock firmly planted himself down and declared that he'd be going no farther.
As much as Amber wanted to continue without him, another pair of eyes would defiantly be useful, so he tried his best to convince Rock to keep going, at least for a little while. Rock refused.
"Come on Rock, just a bit farther. It's not that hard." He reasoned.
Rock shook his head like a foal, "No way! Besides, we got no idea what's out there!"
"Neither do we here."
Rock sighed dejectedly, "Oh alright...it you really want to."
Amber rolled his eyes, "Fine, we can rest here."
Although he could never prove it, Amber swore that he saw a tiny smirk on his companion's face. Amber shrugged and smiled too. He just got played like a mother and her foal! 'I'll get him next time,' Amber thought as he lay down to sleep for the first time in two days.
"Uh...Amber?"
"What Rock?"
"Thanks."
Amber let out a puff of breath as his response and was about to drift off when he remembered just how he lost his old saddlebag.
****
"Ya, no worries Mr. Amber, I gotcha covered all nice and safe!"
"Th..thank you very much for watching my bags! I be right back ok?"
"No, no. Thank you..."
****
And that's why Amber was short his favorite saddlebag. Tired as he was, he didn't feel like getting robbed a second time. Angrily the stomped over to where Rock was laying down, with the latter looking terrified.
"OK," Amber shouted as loudly and threateningly as he could manage, "Jig's up! Where's all your little bandit friends hm? Tell me and I won't have to hurt you too badly!"
"Ahh! Ahhhh!" Tears started to form in Rock's eyes, much to the confusion of the now savvy Amber, "What..wha...whaddya...mean? Rob you?!? I..I thought you where going to rob ME! That's why I stayed still when you found me! I thought you were a nice pony...and...and..." Further comments were downed out by full out crying.
"Uh...I...erm...I..." Amber was at a loss for words, caught completely off guard by Rock's reaction He tried to pat Rock reassuringly saying he wasn't trying to be mean, but was swatted aside and called 'A big mean, rude, un-smart, meanie mean face' between the hiccups caused by Rock's tears.
Amber sat and shook his head. This was...unexpected. Amber searched his head for anything he could do to calm down the crying Rock. Objectively, his noise could attract more unwanted attention- but personally the teary eyed Rock reminded him too much of his younger brother back home when one of Amber's pranks got out of hoof.
Then he knew exactly what to do. He lifted Rock's head and made him look at him, then wrapped his arms around the other.
After a few more hiccups Rock quietly whispered: "Apology accepted.'
Amber and his now like-it-or-not friend Rock (who looked very much like his namesake) managed to get through the night in an unknown forest. Despite that neither pony knew anything about the other, they slowly began to warm up to each other.
Once Rock calmed down enough, he mentioned that he didn't have anything with him at all. This was fine with Amber since he was in the same situation- only he was armed with his incredible cracked mirror and still soggy cloak.
Unfortunately, neither pony had the tools or talent to build a fire at all so the night was spent entirely in the dark. It was only now did Rock mention his fear dark. Naturally Amber rolled his eyes. When questioned why Rock didn't mention that earlier Rock simply stated that, "It wasn't dark then." Again Amber rolled his eyes.
So the night was spent with Rock tightly clinging to Amber. Rather than let himself get too bored and to avoid further suffocation, Amber began a rather lengthy conversation which passed the night faster than they both expected...
****
Amber was feeling very awkward with Rock squeezing him as he was. Every time he would try to pry him off Rock would just squeeze harder, complain about Amber being mean again, and then bury his face as deep as he could into Amber's chest. Amber flushed with embarrassment as he gave up.
"So, uh, Rock?"
"Mhm?"
"That's not your real name, right?"
Rock gave a single muffled grunt in assent. Amber chuckled, 'What a kid.'
"Feel like telling me your actual one?"
Two more mumbles, an obvious 'no'.
"Why not?"
Rock gave three replies this time, although Amber couldn't quite make out what that exactly means.
Rock peeked his face out from Amber to translate, 'Idunno,' before forcing it back.
Amber scoffed. Definitely a kid.
After a few moments Amber noticed that the other pony was strangely quiet and still. Alarmed, he took a quick look at his companion. Rock's breaths were long and steady, and as far as he could tell Rock had almost fallen asleep.
"Hey...Amber.." asked a quiet voice, "How 'bout," a yawn, "You tell me about yours first..kay?"
"If you're in for a bedtime story then..."
A dozy nod from Rock.
Amber took a deep breath, "Well, okay. It's not all too complicated really. See, you know what amber really is right? Tree sap or somethin' like that. Sap that gets fossilized."
"Its...'caz you're amber colored isn't it?"
Amber tweaked one of Rock's ears. "No interruptions. And it isn't. What happens is that stuff from a long, long time ago can get stuck in it, and then years and years and years later, it still there. Stuck and preserved in the amber!"
"So...you...preserve things?"
"More or less. I'm...I'm a story pony." Amber smiled, "Kind of. It's a family tradition. And I'm sorta new at this. I mean I just started last month or so."
Rock's interest was piqued and out went the idea of sleeping, "Oh wow! A storypony? No kidding?"
Amber shrugged as best he could, "Yeah. I really am."
Rock pushed right off Amber and instantly turned around and pinned Amber down, his eyes alight, "Oh! Oh! So that must mean you've got a bunch of stories to tell! Ooo, ooo tell me one!"
"It...it doesn't work like that..."
Absolutely stunned, Rock sat back on his haunches. How could there be a storypony with nothing to tell?!?
Amber caught the look on his friend's face and explained, "I'm not that kind of storypony. Sorry. I guess it's more like...a story...collector...pony."
Rock cocked his head to one side, still confused.
"Look. I need to find a story worth having. A story cool enough to be told. A story which, by tradition (or at least so my pa says), I need to be a part of. I can't go around willy-nilly telling ponies the same old stories over and over again, can I? Like my pa told me before I left myself-"
Amber stood up and puffed himself up as best as he could. The effect was quite ridiculous, something more akin to a golden pony trying its best to imitate a cloud and barely keeping a straight face, "If ya think ya can jest go out there an repete everythin' everypony else is sayin', then ya ain't I bright as I hoped ya are. They already-"
Amber broke down into gales a hooting laughter with Rock quickly following suit. After a few breathless attempts, Amber got started on his impersonation again.
"They...ha...They already herd them stories already me boy...and....oh Celestia...they don't wanna here them same ol' same ol'. They want sometin NEW! So git yer lazy flank outta here and find us a new 'un. An' don't think ya can just go be on and not do anything! Ya gotta be IN it, ya hear? Now..."
Again, Amber was cut short by his laughter. He tried to explain, "See...my pa was horribly drunk when he told me that! Haha, and he's a professional storypony...really...ha..good with accents.....he lapsed into four different ones when he told me that!"
The two friends laughed and laughed throughout the night.
***
Or at least killed off the better part of an hour. Now the two's situation was reversed- Amber managed to laugh himself to sleep while Rock was wide awake was wasn't about to fall asleep again anytime soon.
Rock pranced around the 'campsite' giggling to himself. Amber's dad seemed like a hilarious pony, somepony he ought to meet some time. He looked back at his amber-furred friend. He looked so peaceful, yet so strong and brave for falling asleep out here. And so utterly boring!
Filled to the top with excited energy Rock was ready to do...something! But..not too far from Amber. It was still dark- just enough light to make out where Amber lay. Some of Rock's exuberance died out just then.
Rock groaned and began pacing around Amber in a tight circle. Rock didn't mind the dark too much if Amber was around. He seemed to know what he was doing. 'He's been out for a month,' Rock rationalized, 'So he must know how to handle himself.'
He briefly contemplated waking him up to ask him why he wasn't as bothered as he was, but wisely decided against it. He'd probably just tell him to go back to sleep, which was totally impossible.
Rock frowned at glared at the dark for be so...dark. He sighed and began trotting slowly away from the safety of Amber. He wouldn't mind if he just took a look around. Of course not.
***
It took a few tries, but Rock managed to take enough brave steps away to get a better look of the surrounding forest. So far it was just...a bunch of trees. Big, big trees that were really tall with enough leaves to block out most of the moonlight. A bunch of bushes, a few smaller trees, and lots of moss. Otherwise a forest.
Rock was about to turn back and try to sleep when something caught his eye. A couple trees off there was a large patch of moss growing on the side of one of the larger tree trunks. What was so special was that particular patch of moss was glowing a pale blue glow.
Drawn to it like a moth to a light, Rock slowly made his way towards it. He took one glance back towards sleeping Amber and kept going. Totally fixated on the moss, Rock forgot all about the encompassing dark and found himself at the moss patch faster than the thought he'd be.
He turned around to call out for Amber to check this out, when. He gasped. He must've forgotten how dark it was or misjudged how far off this moss was or something- but...the important thing was that Amber was nowhere in sight!
Panic welled up in Rock before he forced it back down. Gritting his teeth the tried to think of a solution. Naturally, he figured that if he were to walk back exactly how he did when he got here, he'd end up where he started. Easy.
Right before he started, he rushed back and swiped his tail across the moss and dragged a hoof across it too for good measure. Now, in case his plan didn't work out, he'd at least know where he came from. Rock silently congratulated his good thinking. He felt oh-so confident and even a little bit smug as he trotted off in the same direction he left in.
****
Amber was having a nice dream about sunshine and rainbows and rolling around on the grass with a old mare friend of his. Key word being 'was'.
Having been just recently accustomed to Rock's endless chatter, the odd quiet surrounding him was jarring enough to even invade his dream. Talk about a loud silence. At first he chalked it up to being Rock just needing to take care of his 'business', Amber calmly waited a few minutes for him to come back.
After the fourth, he decided it was time to go looking for him. Unfortunatly, it was still to dark to see and nowhere near daytime. Judging by the moon, an hour or so had past. Not good. Worse than not good.
Without anyway to see for himself Amber would just get lost trying to find the lost Rock. The obvious solution was to make some light- which wasn't going to happen- or to wait until the sun rolled around, which wasn't happening either.
Amber groaned and thought things over in his head. Why should he care anyway? He was just a random stranger, nothing wrong with them going seperate ways. But still, a lingering doubt hung in his mind. Rock was obviously young and more than a little naive, but he did meet him all the way out here in the wilderness. So it was all a facade most likely.
Amber rolled through the possible scenerios through his head over and over. Rock could've just gone out to chase after something, or maybe wanted some privacy after all. Or he could've just ditched him. Or maybe something awful happened to him!
As Amber saw it, he had two options: either accept the loss and move on, or spend the rest of the night tearing down the entire forest looking for him and not get any sleep at all and just be rewarded with a hug or somthing stupid.
He donned his cloak and let out an exasperated breath, "Once I find him...oh Celstia help him..."