//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven // Story: Codex Ponera - Cliffside Eyrie // by Pepperbrony //------------------------------// Apple Bloom and Gabby crouched down on the ground at the eastern edge of the forest. The land before them rose up to a ridge running almost directly across their path, and appeared to curve away from the travellers both to the north and south. The griffon looked around for signs of pursuit, while the pony pricked her ears, swivelling them this way and that. “I don’t see anygriff,” said Gabby. “I can’t hear anythin’ either. What do ya think?” asked Apple Bloom. Gabby pondered for a moment before replying. “All right, let’s go.” The pair bolted from the tree line, headed straight for the ridge. Upon reaching it, they crested it and ducked below the ridgeline, before peeking back over the top to check for their pursuers. Seeing none, Gabby balled a talon and bumped it against Apple Bloom’s raised hoof. “I think we lost them.” “Me too,” replied Apple Bloom with a grin. “Now, which way?” “Eyrieport is south of straight east from here, more or less,” replied Gabby. “We’ll get home shortly after nightfall if we keep up the pace.” “Okay then, after you,” Apple Bloom said. They turned around, and stopped in shock. The land sloped down before them, becoming a valley, several miles wide, completely encircled by the ridge they had just come over. The valley was the site of a dense rainforest, wreathed in fog even with the sun high in the sky. “By the furies,” breathed Apple Bloom. “It’s beautiful!” “How did I not know about this place?” wondered Gabby. After taking in the gorgeous sight for a minute, Apple Bloom shook her head. “Come on Gabby,” she said. “Let’s go.” “Yeah,” replied Gabby somewhat distractedly before shaking her own head and speaking with a little more focus. “Yeah, okay then. South of east, through the rainforest.” They made their way down hill into the valley, shortly entering the rainforest itself. While they walked, Apple Bloom looked around at the trees, her experience with nature coming to her thoughts. “What kind o’ trees are these, do you know? They seem different, somehow.” Gabby looked at a few of them herself. “Hmm? I’m not sure, they all look the same from down here.” With a final look at the nearest tree trunk followed by a shrug, Apple Bloom decided not to worry about them. They’d be through the forest after a couple of hours anyway, and if they managed to stop the fighting then she could probably come back to visit later. Apple Bloom and Gabby continued through the rainforest for about some time, Apple Bloom telling Gabby about life on a pony farm, while Gabby spoke of her time living in the griffon city of Eyrieport. After a mile or so, Apple Bloom paused. “Uh, Gabby?” she asked. “I’ve gotten all turned around. Do you know which way we’re goin’?” “Wait here,” suggested Gabby, “while I fly up top and figure out which way is which.” With a few quick flaps of her wings, Gabby made her way to the treetops. Apple Bloom, meanwhile, waited patiently on the ground. She suddenly heard a growl, and whipped her head around toward the source. Seeing nothing amiss, she backed into the nearest tree. “I spotted the sun easily enough,” said Gabby, descending to the ground. “But I also saw some griff- Apple Bloom? What is it?” “I heard a growl,” whispered Apple Bloom, lifting a hoof to point, “from that way.” Gabby turned to look where Apple Bloom was pointing. After glancing at a few suspect shadows, she said, “I don’t see anything.” “Neither do I,” replied Apple Bloom. “I can’t hear anythin’ anymore, either.” “Maybe it was nothing,” suggested Gabby. “After all, we haven’t heard any animals so far.” Apple Bloom considered that for a moment, before gasping in horror. “We haven’t heard any animals. In a rainforest! Why not?” Gabby’s eyes widened as she followed the the thought to its conclusion. “Because something has been hunting them!” “We hafta go back,” said Apple Bloom. “We can’t,” Gabby replied. “I was trying to tell you, I saw some griffons back where we came from. If we go back, they’ll catch us.” “Uh-oh,” said Apple Bloom. “You can say that again,” Gabby said. “So we hafta go forward,” Apple Bloom said. “Into the rainforest full of some kinda predator that might be huntin’ us.” “Yeah,” said Gabby, “so let’s go very quietly.” “Good idea.” After a few silent steps, Gabby stood stock still. “Oh, Arimaspi,” she whispered. Apple Bloom looked around to see what had spooked Gabby. “Now what?” “Remember how I said I didn’t know about this place?” asked Gabby “Yeah...” “I was wrong. I think we’re in Bowl Valley.” “Okay,” said Apple Bloom. “Does that mean you know how to get through safely?” “No! Every griffon is warned about Bowl Valley,” Gabby said. “When we’re just fledgelings our parents keep us in line by threatening to ‘send us to Bowl Valley’. As we grow up, we’re taught about how everygriff who has gone into the valley has never come out again. Apple Bloom, we’re going to die!” Apple Bloom moved to comfort her panicking friend. “Hey, Gabby! Calm down. We are not gonna die here. Do you know why?” “Why?” Apple Bloom looked Gabby in the eyes. “Because for the first time, a griffon has gone into Bowl Valley with her pony friend,” she said. “And we are going to get out of here so we can get Gilda to help stop the Effai clan from attacking Cliffside Eyrie. Got it?” Gabby looked at Apple Bloom’s determined face, and found her confidence again. She took a breath, and let it out. “Okay. We’ll get out.” “That’s better,” said Apple Bloom. “Now let’s go. Which way?” “This way is east,” Gabby said, setting off deeper into the rainforest. After a few minutes, they stopped when they heard another growl from the deep shadows. “You heard it that time, right?” asked Apple Bloom in a low whisper “Yeah, I did,” answered Gabby in kind, gaze locked on the suspect shadows. “Let’s go this way.” Gabby led Apple Bloom slightly northward, away from where the growl had come from. After a few steps, they heard rustling, as though something was shadowing their movements from the right. Apple Bloom nudged Gabby, and gestured that they should adjust their course a little to the left. Gabby nodded, and they turned further north. Several minutes later they tried turning back toward the east, only to be met with yet another growl. Apple Bloom shot a determined glance at Gabby, tilting her head eastwards. Gabby’s eyes widened for a moment, before she nodded with a gulp. Then, they bolted as one towards the source of the growl and ran east as fast as they could, Gabby taking to the air to keep up with the galloping Apple Bloom. They shot past something in the darkness, but did not stop to see what it was in their mad dash for freedom. The something roared as they went past, spurring the fleeing youngsters to still greater speeds. A howl came from somewhere ahead of them in response to the roar. The source of the new sound was revealed when the runners rounded a tree and almost collided with a timberwolf, hunkered down low to the ground and glaring with glowing green eyes at the nearly panicking Apple Bloom and Gabby. The timberwolf let loose the lowest growl they had heard yet, and stalked towards them. Gabby tugged on Apple Bloom’s foreleg, turning left before they ran once again. “Why didn’t it attack us? Why don’t any of them attack?” she asked. “I think they’re herdin’ us somewheres,” replied Apple Bloom, voice coloured with concern, “I’m startin’ to feel like a sheep. Notice we’re goin’ north again?” “We’ve got to get out of here!” cried Gabby. “I don’t suppose you could carry me out with those wings o’ yours?” suggested Apple Bloom. “I’m more of a glider than a flapper; I could carry you, but not far and certainly not fast,” Gabby replied. “Horseapples,” said Apple Bloom. “Well, we’ve gotta do somethin’.” “I’m open to ideas,” Gabby said. Apple Bloom thought for a moment. “How about we try west, see what happens?” With a shrug, Gabby turned left, followed swiftly by Apple Bloom. They made it past a few trees before a manticore jumped out at them and let out a deep roar, bat wings spread, lion’s mane spread out and scorpion tail raised to strike. With a yelp Gabby and Apple Bloom turned back north. “Yep,” panted Apple Bloom, “we’re bein’ herded, all right.” “I’ve never heard of manticores and timberwolves working together like this,” commented Gabby. “Must be why there’s never been any griffon who got outta the valley,” said Apple Bloom. “Reckon we can outrun ‘em?” Gabby looked back. Her eyes widened and she picked up the pace. “I hope so!” Apple Bloom looked back to see what Gabby had seen, and was rewarded with the sight of the manticore chasing after them, no more than two or three ponylengths behind her. A little way behind the manticore ran the timberwolf. “Yikes!” she cried, increasing her speed to keep up with Gabby. After a few more minutes of wild flight, they found themselves headed uphill. At the top of the hill Apple Bloom saw the widest tree she had ever seen. It appeared to be hollow, with an opening in the form of a gap just wide enough for a full-grown stallion to pass through. “Get right up against that tree,” she called to Gabby, “and be ready to take me up into the canopy somewhere on the other side. I’ve got an idea.” “Okay,” panted Gabby, “got it.” They ran on either side of the tree, brushing their flanks against it, and were rewarded with the sound of their pursuers colliding with it. Thump! Thump!... Thump! “Ha! Take that,” cheered Apple Bloom. Gabby scooped her up and flew her into the branches of a tree partway down the far side of the hill. They climbed up into the branches, hoping to stay out of sight when the predators finally shook off the impact. They waited quietly, when suddenly Gabby started twitching her head. Apple Bloom was about to ask her what was wrong when she found herself thinking of Scootaloo, of how Scootaloo so often encouraged her to ever more mischief as they tried to get their cutie marks. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she asked Gabby what was wrong. “Nothing, sorry,” came the whispered reply. “Just got caught up thinking of Gilda, how she always tries to make things better for the clan.” “It’s okay Gabby, I was just thinkin’ o’ Scoots, myself,” whispered back Apple Bloom. “But we should focus. Once them hunters have gone, we should try to get outta this valley.” “Good idea.” They watched the great tree at the top of the hill, waiting for the predators to come around it in search of their escaped prey. However, they instead saw two green flashes from somewhere on the tree’s other side. Apple Bloom shot a puzzled glance at Gabby, who shrugged in response. “Apple Bloom?” called a voice Apple Bloom recognised. “Gabby?” called one she didn’t. Scootaloo stepped around one side of the tree, as a brown and white female griffon came around the other side. The pair began to make their way downhill. “Gilda? What are you doing here?” asked Gabby, leaning out of the canopy. “This is Bowl Valley!” “Scoots!” cried Apple Bloom. “Careful! There’s a timberwolf and a manticore around there somewhere. And how’d ya get away from them plottin’ ponies back in that clearin’?” Gabby and Apple Bloom made their way down from the tree to greet their friends, only for them to back up to the hollow tree. “Gilda? What is it?” asked Gabby. “Guys, there’s something you’ve gotta see in here!” said Scootaloo, pointing a wing at the opening into the tree. “Yeah, it’s totally amazing,” agreed Gilda. “Later, maybe,” said Apple Bloom. “Scoots, we’ve gotta warn Cliffside Eyrie, remember?” “Yeah, Gilda? We need to talk about that,” said Gabby. “The Effai want to attack Cliffside Eyrie through Effoh lands!” “Yeah, yeah, we’ll deal with that later,” replied Gilda. “Come on, check this out!” Apple Bloom and Gabby shared a frown. Scootaloo wouldn’t brush off the plot to attack Cliffside Eyrie like that. And although Apple Bloom hadn’t met Gilda before, from what Gabby had said about her she thought it very unlikely that the nest leader would be so dismissive about a rival clan moving forces through her territory. “Come on Apple Bloom, come look at this,” said Scootaloo. “Apple Bloom, something’s wrong here,” whispered Gabby. “Gilda wouldn’t just ignore me about the Effai like that.” “Yeah, Scoots is actin’ mighty odd too,” replied Apple Bloom. “Hey, you two,” called Gilda. “Have a look at this already!” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. We’ll have a look. It’s dark in there, though. Can you give me some light, Scoots?” Scootaloo took a few steps downhill before replying to Apple Bloom. “How?” “What do ya mean, ‘How?’ Firecraftin’, o’ course,” answered Apple Bloom. “Apple Bloom, she’s a pony,” said Gilda, taking a few steps forward herself. “How is she supposed to make light?” Gabby looked at Gilda, her beak hanging open. “Gilda, you know all about ponies and their spirits.” Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, looking back and forth between Gilda and Scootaloo. “Gabby, I’m startin’ to think it’s not really them,” she said. “No,” replied Gabby. “I don’t think they are either. We should get out of here.” But before either of them could make any movement away from the suspicious pair, Scootaloo and Gilda leaped at them, and with a dual green flash they became a manticore and a timberwolf. Gabby shrieked with fear before the timberwolf quickly tackled her to the ground, while the manticore sank it’s fangs into Apple Bloom’s shoulder, causing her to scream in agony. She struggled to free herself, succeeding only in losing the ribbon binding her mane. The last thing Apple Bloom saw was the timberwolf dragging Gabby’s prone body toward the hollow tree, before everything faded to blackness.