One Last Tease · 11:31pm Nov 26th, 2013
A bit of prose from Of Solicitude, which is still planned to come out on the 11th of December. Just a tidbit with the names removed (to avoid a few spoilers).
PONY1 lugged a bag onto his back, one of the lighter ones. Some would have tried to carry more, to prove their worth as leader. Some would also worsen their injuries through vain stupidity and lose the ability to lead. He motioned for PONY2 to move, and the pegasus did, hissing gently as he tugged his blanket tighter while he moved.
PONY1 slipped out right after, cringing as bright, warm light sizzled into his eyes and the creeping fingers of cold latched onto every bit of exposed fur. He moved forwards, sinking into the snow up to his calves with every gingerly placed step.
It didn’t crunch or make so much as a whisper as he slogged through it. He opened his eyes, peeking out to stare at the forest rising out around them.
Behind the wrecked Pelican was a furrow in the ground besides which fallen trees lay, their majestic branches snapped like mere twigs against the power of the crash. He breathed, trying to sniff through the faint odour of fuel and friction, but only a spike of cold pain replied. It climbed up to the fore of his head and sent a sharp chill through his brain.
“You can get a brain freeze from breathing too fast, be careful. Oh, but never stop moving. Ever. Or you’ll die,” FILLY1 slid out of the Pelican and looked around with wide eyes, the snow reflecting against the blue gems encrusted upon her delicate features.
“Duly noted,” PONY1 said, his breath turning into fog that drifted away on the soft wind. “Let’s get moving, ponies.”
He pointed the way, and with a nod PONY2 started pushing through the snow in that general direction. They followed, placing their hooves in the dents the pegasus left in the ground.
PONY2 started off fast, trotting at a brisk pace for nearly an hour between trees and rocks, occasionally conferring with PONY1 to make sure their path was straight. Slowly, however, he was pulling ahead of them, building a rift between himself and the rest of the party. It didn't last; soon he was he was right with them, huffing and puffing with exertion. A sheen of sweat played out across his coat, turning into stalactites of ice as it dripped off.
PONY2 stopped, slumping into a sitting position in a pile of snow. PONY1 trotted up to him, touching his shoulder. “Good work. I’ll take point, you get to the back, it’s easier there. If you’re too out of it, call ahead.”
PONY1 trudged by. As he did so, he caught sight of a certain look in the pegasus’ eye, one he recognized, but was nevertheless surprised to see.
Loyalty.
Trailing through virgin snow was harder, far harder than the trampled snow left by PONY2.. With every long step. PONY1 felt a pulse of pressure along his ribs. He ignored it, keeping his head low as he pushed ahead.
He heard, rather than saw, the little steps of FILLY1 as she trotted up behind him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, trying to keep his tone even, without reproach.
“Why are you angry at me?” she asked, striking at the issue like a fencer jabbing into an opening.
He flinched and almost misstepped. “I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. Why?”
With a sigh and a few moments’ thought—time was plentiful—he began. “It’s not you. Not you-you. It’s what you represent. You’ve come to me from the hooves of somepony I don’t trust. You came at the time when I was weakest. You arrived to complicate matters when they were already complex. And you were there as every last thing I had was taken from me. But it’s not you, it’s me. You’re not to blame for any of that, as far as I know.”
“And if I were to blame?” she asked, naivety and innocence filling her voice.
“You wouldn’t be trotting behind me asking silly questions.”
Maybe next time I’ll post something from Of Defenestration!
Also, do you guys like this sort of prose? Or should I try something different?
....You posted like 6 of these.