Apple Bloom and Scootaloo galloped towards the canal, vaulting over the boundary fence before pulling up to a stop at the rope bridge. They inspected the ropes and wooden planks comprising the structure.
“Looks good to me,” said Apple Bloom, taking her first steps onto the bridge.
“I don’t know…” said Scootaloo. “Are you sure?”
“Come on, Scoots, or the ship’ll be gone before we get there!” encouraged Apple Bloom.
“It’s just so far down,” said Scootaloo.
“Yeah, it is,” Apple Bloom said, suddenly shocked at how far below her the water was. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after- wait a minute.” She blinked and twitched her head before glaring at Scootaloo. “You’re doin’ it again, Scoots. Cut it out.”
“What are you- oh. Sorry AB,” said Scootaloo. She focused her will on Elizabeak for a moment, watching Apple Bloom relax when the fear pushed on her by the fire fury relented. “You know how I get with heights.”
“Yeah, a pegasus scared o’ heights,” teased Apple Bloom.
“A flightless pegasus,” replied Scootaloo. “No wind furies, remember?”
Apple Bloom jumped up and down a few times, shaking the bridge. “Still feels fine. Well, if you’re not comin’, I’m goin’ on without ya.” She continued across the bridge.
Scootaloo closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She released it and stepped onto the first plank. Opening her eyes, she took her second step, then a third. Once her weight was entirely on the bridge, she felt more confident with the structure and set off after Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo caught up in short order, and soon the fillies were cantering their way to the far side of the canal. They stopped when they reached the far side.
“And now we’re in the Grifflands,” said Apple Bloom. She looked around at the trees of the forest. “I thought it’d look different, somehow.”
“I know what you mean,” replied Scootaloo, “If we hadn’t just come over the bridge, I’d think we were just outside Sweet Apple Acres.”
“I suppose that makes sense, if ya think about it,” Apple Bloom said. “The canal wasn’t always here; they earthcrafted it open years and years ago. Once upon a time, this land really was just outside Sweet Apple Acres.”
Sure enough, the pine forest looked the same on this side of the canal as it did back over on the Poneran side. The path coming from the bridge led into the forest, roughly in the direction the airship had gone. Trees blocked the airship from view, but the fillies decided not to let that stop them. They set off to investigate, making their way along the path.
“Who do ya reckon they are?” wondered Apple Bloom.
“Maybe it’s griffon spies,” said Scootaloo, “reporting in on what High Mare Granny Smith had for breakfast!”
“But griffon’s can’t furycraft any more than I can,” Apple Bloom pointed out with a small wince. “So how could they make an airship fly? I reckon it might be ambassadors from Equinopolis, tryin’ to make a deal to sell apples to the griffons.”
As they continued along the path, the fillies suggested various ideas about the possible identity and purpose of their quarry, each more exciting if less likely than the last. After a mile or so, they started seeing the occasional glimpse of the airship through gaps in the trees, so they slowed their progress.
“We’re getting close now, Scoots,” said Apple Bloom. “It looks like they’re in that clearin’ up ahead.”
They moved into the forest to the right of the path, and made their way around the treeline bordering the clearing as quietly as they could.
“There they are,” said Scootaloo, pointing with a wing at the airship. It was hovering about fifty pony lengths above the ground at the far side of the clearing. “I think I can see some ponies on the ground below it.”
“I think I see ‘em,” replied Apple Bloom. “Come on, let’s get closer and see what they’re up to.”
They began to slink their way around the clearing, making their way towards the hovering airship. Having been raised on an orchard, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had plenty of experience moving around trees, and knew how to keep very quiet. They made it to the far side of the clearing without incident, where they hid in the shadows behind a wide tree set back a little way into the forest. They peeked around opposite sides of the trunk to see and hear what was happening.
There was a small crowd of ponies on the ground, loosely organised into two groups. A sleek-maned earth pony mare with a grey coat and a violet symbol of some kind for a cutie mark seemed to be in charge of the first group, her companions taking their cues from her. Standing with her was a pair of yellow coated unicorns wearing striped shirts, with identical red-and-white manes and tails, distinguishable from each other only by one having a moustache while the other was clean shaven.
A little apart from those three stood the second group, apparently led by a huge dark gray earth pony stallion. His head was bald on top, surrounded by a long black mane sprinkled with gray. His cutie mark seemed to be a belt of black leather. At his side stood a lanky unicorn, coloured blue, with an orange mane and tail. His cutie mark was of a book and quill. His job seemed to be clarifying the earth pony’s orders for the benefit of the others, a trio of pegasus stallions. One was brown-coated, one red, and the last was a light green colour.
“How much longer are we supposed to wait?” demanded the grey stallion.
“Relax, captain,” replied the posh voice of the gray mare. “We got here ahead of schedule, remember.”
“That’s right, sir,” said the blue unicorn. “We had favourable winds after we passed Oats, and made excell-”
“Stow it, Improper Place,” barked the gray pony, “before you bore our colts here to tears and they fly back to Scavenger without you.”
The pegasi chuckled as Improper Place fell silent. Suddenly, the chuckles stopped and the pegasi whirled their heads towards the eavesdropping fillies.
Apple Bloom was about to run for it, but then she saw that the pegasi weren’t looking directly at her and Scootaloo. They instead seemed to be focusing on something off to the side, up above the treetops. “Easy there, Scoots,” she whispered. “They ain’t lookin’ at us.”
Scootaloo didn’t look too sure of that herself, but before she could bolt she heard what had attracted the attention of the pegasi - the sound of flapping wings approaching from the east. Shortly, four griffons arrived from over the forest, landing in front of the waiting ponies. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged intrigued looks, before returning their attention to the meeting taking place below the airship.
“Octavia Melody,” called one of the griffons while the others assumed positions of attention.
“Garry,” replied the music-marked mare.
“I represent the Effai Clan of griffonkind in these matters,” said Garry
“And I represent Duke Svengallop of Jewelport in these matters,” responded Octavia Melody. Scootaloo’s eyes widened when she heard Svengallop’s name. “Now that the formalities are done with, let’s get to business.”
“Agreed. This is the ship that is to call the spirits against our foes?” asked Garry, glancing up at the airship.
“Yes, it is,” Octavia replied. She gestured to the grey stallion. “This is Captain Black Strap. The ship is his, and his crew will furycraft against the defenders. That should level the playing field for you.”
The three griffons behind Garry grinned at each other at that, before Garry clacked his beak and the trio resumed their alert poses. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged confused expressions, wondering why these ponies were apparently planning to work with the griffons.
Garry tilted his head at Black Strap. “And your ponies will willingly call the spirits against your own kind?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” drawled Black Strap. “If they know what’s good for them they’ll craft at anypony I point them at.”
Garry looked up to the airship again, apparently considering what he had heard.
“They’ll fight on your side, Garry, don’t worry about that,” said Octavia. “Does Svengallop have a deal? If not, we can all go back home right now. Or, you agree, and this airship and her crew will assist the Effai Clan in their invasion of Cliffside Eyrie, returning the city to its original owners. Then, when things have settled and everypony and everygriff has accepted the new status quo, the Effai can start trading with Ponera through Svengallop’s city of Jewelport. That way, Svengallop gets to embarrass Coloratura before the Stable, and he gets extra trade revenue. Meanwhile, the Effai Clan improves their standing with the griffons and the Poneran market opens up for you. We both get what we want. What do you say to that?”
The looks of confusion that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had been sharing became expressions of horror at what Octavia was offering to the griffons. Any griffon attack on Cliffside Eyrie could result in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers on both sides, but ponies had the help of their furycraft and would easily hold the city against even a large number of griffon invaders.
On the other hoof, if the griffons were backed up by furycrafting ponies of their own then a surprise attack could potentially breach the city’s defences and the battle would take to the streets of the city. Such a battle would end the lives of thousands of innocent ponies, not to mention the destruction of a sizable portion of the city.
Garry narrowed his eyes. “I cannot guarantee any specific trade agreements at this time,” he said. “But otherwise I believe that, in principle, we can work with this arrangement. We have a deal. The attack will begin tomorrow evening.” Garry extended a claw, and shook Octavia’s hoof.
“Scoots, we hafta warn somepony,” whispered Apple Bloom.
“Yeah. Let’s go before they spot us,” replied Scootaloo. She backed away from the clearing and took her first steps toward the rope bridge. She kept an eye on the ponies and griffons in the clearing, and so wasn’t paying attention to where she put her hooves. Which is why she made the mistake of stepping on a stick.
CRACK!
“Who was that?” roared Black Strap. “Find him and catch him before he gets away!”
Without hesitation, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom bolted out of hiding. Scootaloo continued making her way around the clearing at top speed. Apple Bloom, however, was on the other side of the tree and in her panic she galloped the wrong way. By the time she realised her mistake she was too far away from Scootaloo to do anything about it. Looking about for her fellow filly, Apple Bloom instead found four griffons flying after her at top speed. With a yelp, she turned and ran deeper into the forest.
There was a massive gust of wind, followed by a few thumps and muttered curses. Apple Bloom chanced a look behind her and saw three griffons on the ground nursing battered wings. The fourth griffon seemed to be entangled in the branches of a tree. Spurred on by the sight, Apple Bloom picked up the pace. Ducking and weaving around the trees, she glanced back again and saw the griffons were now pursuing on the ground. With a grin, Apple Bloom poured on the speed. No griffon on paws and claws could keep up with a pony galloping all out.
Apple Bloom tried to think of what to do next. She decided that once she was sure she was safe from pursuit, she would circle around, try to find the bridge, and get home. Applejack and Big Mac would know what to do. She swerved around a few trees, trying to break from the griffons line of sight. The calls and cries of her pursuers gradually faded away.
After a few minutes of galloping for all she was worth and hearing nothing from behind her, Apple Bloom figured she had shaken her pursuers. She slowed to a trot for a moment to relax, and tried to figure out which way she needed to go to reach the Canal. She made her best guess and set off in that direction.
That was when she rounded a tree and collided with a griffon.