Three ponies slowly made their way through the Yaket mountain range, in the northwestern corner of Equestria. Below its snow-covered peaks was a maze of valleys and ravines, often covered by thick low clouds. The path they trended on was unpaved and was getting rougher with each hoof-step. This was enough for Rainbow Dash to ask the leading mare, “Twilight, are we lost?”
Twilight lifted her head up from the map she had been holding in her magic and took in her surroundings, “Ermm….” -She turns to face Dash- “I’m gonna have to say that we are.”
She gave a nervous smile as Dash ran a hoof down her face, “Eurgh. Tell me again, why are we here again?”
“Well, I am here on official business,” -Twilight folded up her map gestured it at herself and then at Dash- “You two were sent by the map and…”
“It was a rhetorical question, Twilight.”
Twilight shot her a bemused look but was stopped from replying by the trembling Fluttershy, who had just caught up with them, “Girls, please. This is certainly not the place for two friends to be arguing.”
Dash glanced over her shoulder at the slowly approaching pegasus, “Hey, are you ok?”
Fluttershy shifted nervously on her hoofs, studying her surroundings carefully. Hard granite footing, flanked by sharp rocky spires and boulders. All obscured by the low cloud, creating scary shadows that loomed around her, “I…umm…. I’m just not comfortable here. I feel like we're being watched.”
The two mares gave have her a gently knowing smile, which Fluttershy knew well. It's one her friends always gave her when she panicking over nothing.
“Fluttershy, relax. We’ll be out of here soon,” Dash reassured. "I'm just annoyed that this cloud is keeping me on the ground. I mean there is a reason why Cloudsdale doesn't deal with the weather in these mountains. It's just too strong."
Fluttershy put on a false smile while still trembling Twilight shook her head, "Just breath, Fluttershy." She gestured her to copy her breathing exercise that she had learned from Cadence. Fluttershy did so. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before exhaling.
When she opened eyes again, the looks on her friend's faces were very different indeed. Rainbow dash was hunkered down in braced position, seemingly ready to repel an incoming attack.
Twilight, however, was far calmer but also readying a defensive stance. Both were focused on the thing casting a dark shadow that fell over the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy, now filled with dread and foreboding, turned to see its caster. A griffon.
Fluttershy cowered at the mere sight of him. His gray fur was dirty and disheveled. He was trim yet clearly strong, with a hooked beak of a buzzard. This along with scars on his face, chest, and forelegs, gave him a truly menacing visage.
Fluttershy, now totally spooked by his appearance, darted for cover behind Rainbow Dash, who rolled her eyes at her.
Before anything else could take place, Twilight placed herself between them and faced the griffon, “Hello there. I’m Twilight Sparkle.”
The griffon did not respond but instead studied the form of the pony that presented herself before him. It didn’t take him long, however, to spot her horn and wings, the sure sign that he was in the presence of royalty. Upon this realization, he immediately bowed his head in respect.
To which Twilight returned the gesture with a smile, “My friends and I are heading to the mining town of Three Feathers Rise. I have been sent by Princess Celestia to discuss the proposed new railway with the town's officials,”
The griffon retained his plan stare, but as Twilight could not feel any hostile intent, continued, “Do you know of this town?” The griffon slowly nodded as a response.
“Well, we are kind of lost,” Twilight explained, trying to break the awkward silence. “Is it possible that you can show us the way?”
He nodded again and then beckoned them to follow with a talon, moving slowly towards an adjacent path to the one they were on. Despite his size, he moved with a strange grace. As if he were continually stalking an elusive prey. Rainbow Dash with Fluttershy particle hanging on to her tail, sidled up beside Twilight, “Hey, can we trust him?”
Dash was not as quiet as Twilight would have liked, but the griffin did not seem to hear her, “Yes, he is a little weird but we have no reason to distrust him. Either way, we are going nowhere fast by ourselves.”
Twilight then moved after the griffon, who was now disappearing into the clouds. Dash shook her head with doubts but followed anyway, with Fluttershy still keeping in her shadow, “I’m just surprised that he didn’t ask for any bits.”