The team stood at the entrance to a cave. Velvet peered into it but saw nothing but darkness.
"It goes down quite a ways," Lily said to the group.
Silver laughed. "Then I guess we had better start trotting—after you Ms. Spring." Silver's horn lit up as he cast an illumination spell. Lily went first, with Silver right behind her.
Velvet cast the same spell and followed them with Ebony in the back. As they ventured deeper, Velvet began to see markings on the cave wall. "Hold up!" she yelled to Silver and Lily. The two turned and joined her.
"Can it wait Mrs. Velvet? We are-" Silver began but was cut off.
"Look at these markings," Velvet started. The four looked to the wall.
"Yeah, we saw those when my team went down here. We didn't know what to make of them though," Lily replied. Velvet looked closely at the markings.
"They look like ponies to me... all bowing before... whatever this is," Lily stated putting a hoof on another marking. The four looked to this marking. "Looks like a giant snake," she asserted.
Silver laughed. "What snake gets that large?"
"What do you think it is then?" Lily growled.
Silver moved closer until he was right next to Velvet. His right hoof rose to his chin and scratched it, pondering, until his eyes opened wide. He turned to Lily with a confident smile. "It's a dragon."
Lily burst into a fit of laughter. "A dragon?! What dragon is that large?"
"Actually, I think he's right," Velvet said, turning to them. Lily looked to her, shocked.
"Come on Twi, you aren't siding with Silver now, are you?"
"Not at all, but my daughter told me about a dragon named Torch who was around this size. Even so... Twilight said he was the only one that size, and lord of all dragons."
"But Twi, compared to the ponies in these markings, this dragon is big enough to stomp on half of Ponyville! It's massive, even for a dragon."
The group went silent; not even Silver had some witty remark to throw out. Velvet turned back to the markings. Her mind began racing. Whatever this creature was, it was massive in size and the ponies seemed to be bowing to it. Perhaps it was how these ponies viewed god to look like. Maybe it didn't even exist.
"Let’s keep going," Lily said. Velvet nodded and followed them again.
Lily was right, this cave kept going deeper and deeper. It had been at least an hour since they'd left the markings, and Velvet was beginning to wonder if Lily had forgot the way. It was a silly thought—the cave seemed to be just one way so far. Even as they trotted into what Velvet thought must be the planet's core, she couldn't help but think about the markings. The only thing that chased those thoughts away was a light at the end of the tunnel.
"Finally!" Silver exclaimed. Lily and Silver were the first to exit, followed by Velvet and Ebony. The group found themselves on a ridge overlooking an open plain with some mountains in the distance. Velvet looked around and noticed on the left was a way down into the plains. She also noticed a structure—that must been the temple Lily's team stayed at during their first night here.
"We should make camp here," Lily suggested. Velvet turned to her and for the first time since they'd set out, Velvet could see fear in her eyes.
"I agree," Silver stated. Lily turned to him, a bit surprised.
"That's a first from you," she chuckled.
"I'm no fool, Mrs. Spring; the ponies that live here don't know we're here. I'd like to keep it that way. And bumbling down to that temple like you did isn't the best way to stay subtle!" Silver stated in a commanding tone. Lily glared at him but before she could speak, Silver interrupted. "Make no mistake ponies... We've come to a dangerous place."
The "camp" consisted of four ponies, and four sleeping bags. Not much of a camp, but indeed very subtle. Velvet looked down at the plains again. A year ago Lily lead a team to this place. One was killed, Lily was badly injured, and the last two were missing—probably dead. Velvet averted her gaze from the plains and to Lily. Lily turned back and gave a half-hearted smile to her old friend. Velvet smiled back and trotted over.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you about," Velvet said.
"Sure! What's on your mind Twi?"
"When you showed up in Ponyville that day... you muttered “unspoken” before losing consciousness. What did you mean?"
Lily looked away. "I... I don't remember Twi."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Velvet frowned.
"No it's okay, I think... I think I heard one of them say it," Lily said, looking back to the plains. Velvet looked to the plains too. "You think they're still out there? My team?" She added
Velvet looked to the plains aswell and thought about her answer. She didn't want to lie, the odds certainly weren't in their favor, but there was a chance, a chance that she knew Lily was grasping at to keep going.
"There is a chance, don't lose hope, we'll find them. After all, we have three guildmasters! We can't lose!" Velvet stated with a laugh.
Lily giggled a bit. "Thanks Twi, I needed that."