I walked off the road for a moment and looked for a spot to make camp. I knew we needed fire and a place to sleep and well we had been thoroughly abandoned by Gilda. The area around us was dry and reminded me of a desert but i could still see trees. It was like the borders of a desert. I stopped as I happened to see an old fire pit. I didn't know how long it had been since it was last used but it would serve our purpose.
"We will camp here." I said and began to help Spike down and he tested his ankle.
"How is the ankle." I asked.
"Alot better I should be able to keep on walking after we hitch a ride on the train." Spike said.
"Lets set up camp where is your backpack?" I asked.
"It was on Cerberus remember." Spike said and my stomach knotted.
"Do you mean when Cerberus went all..puppy rolling in the grass..." I began and Spikes face looked just as I felt.
"Which would mean we left our supplies somewhere back at the bridge 4 hours walk back..." Spike said hollowly.
"Oh for fucks sake!" I exclaimed and picked up a nearby stick and began to hit the ground repeatedly in fury. Cerberus looked at us with a cocked heads not knowing why Spike's head hung in defeat and I beat the shit out of the ground in frustration. After several more minutes of beating the ground and cursing so much a sailor would be proud I stood there breathing heavily.
"What do we do now?" Spike asked and I looked up at him.
"Who else do we know. Do you know anypony in Dodge City?" I inquired.
"Gilda." Spike offered and I rolled my eyes.
"Get a fire going I'll inform her about our situation." I said opening my wings and thrusting them downwards and I took to the sky flying towards Dodge City.
I glided over the city that reminded me of a old time western town but bigger. The train tracks cut through the middle of the town like an iron snake. I banked towards the main road that lead from the gate. I beat my wings twice to keep my altitude and looked down. It was about 4 in the afternoon so it was almost closing time for most shops, I needed to find Gilda. I slowly descended till I flapped my wings and landed gently which I felt was an improvement. Several ponies looked at me curiously but didn't say much. I looked around for any inn's or motels. I saw three in my line of sight and so I approached the first place called the Barn stall motel that was painted on a board that hung over a large balcony. I walked up 3 steps and opened a door that led into a lobby that was occupied by a old earth pony stallion.
"What can I do ye fur?" He said looking up at me.
"You don't happen to have seen another griffin like me around have you?" I inquired the old stallion seemed to give a moment to think before shaking his head.
"Can't say I have son." He said before standing up out of his seat.
"I did happen to see one walk down the street here. The griffin went to Sour Grapes place." He said as he pointed to the inn that was past the second motel i was going to visit next.
"Lost your marefriend have yea." He said with a gummy smile.
"She is not my girlfriend." I said with a deadpanned look.
"Thanks for the info though gramps." I said as I left the lobby and went down the steps and made my way to the Juniper bow inn. I opened the door and walked into the lobby of the Juniper Inn only to be greeted by a colorful purple unicorn mare who had grapes as her cutiemark.
"Can I get you a room?" She asked immediately and the tone in hr voice seemed like she was bitter about something.
"A old stallion told me a griffin came to you for a room." I inquired.
"Ah yes...that one." She said with a glower.
"Is she here or not?" I asked more sourly then i wished. Her upper lip curled in a sneer.
"Shes here, but why should I tell you where she is." She said sharply as I felt a fire rise in my chest and it would be so easy to just force any information i would need from her. I blinked a moment, as I realized that was not the best way to go, my fathers way...not mine.
"I'm sorry, I've had a...crap day. I didn't meant to take it out on you I just need to see Gilda. I need her help." I said apologizing.
"What do you need me for?" Gilda voice said as I looked over to see her coming down some stairs.
"Can you help us get some stuff?" I asked as the pony I only could guess was Sour Grape went on with her business she was doing before I had walked in.
"Define stuff?" Gilda asked with a suspicious look.
"Spike forgot that he had left the backpack on Cerberus as he ran off and rolled around in the grass as soon as we had crossed the bridge." I explained and Gilda put her claw over her beak as she tried to hold back a laugh.
"Its not funny, we literally don't have anything but my arrows and bow." I said with an outward sigh.
"Ok so you want me to what...buy you new kit?" She asked almost looking confused.
"Maybe just some food and a sleeping bag for Spike." I said and she rolled her eyes and walked past me.
"Lets go. Shops will close soon." Gilda said as she walked past me and out of the door. She opened her wings and took to the sky and I was quick to follow her example. We were not in the air more then a minute before she banked down and landed in a square and I could already tell ponies were beginning to pack up for the day when Gilda approached a stall that was still mostly still up. A donkey wit a light gray mane and a unusual sunny disposition smiled at us.
"What can I do ya for?" He asked.
"I would like to get 12 apples, 10 carrots, lettuce, 3 Peppers, a bulk of celery, and ." Gilda asked and looked at me.
"What does spike eat?" She asked and I simply shrugged .
"Guess like a pony and gems as a treat." I guessed.
"Like I'm going to buy him precious stones..." Gilda said as she rolled her eyes as the donkey put all of he contents into a brown bag and thanked us for our patronage. Gilda tossed the bag at me i reflexively caught it.
"Lets get you some gear so i can go take a shower." Gilda said sounding impatient. We walked to the right came to a building with a sign that jutted out labeled Campfires camp accessories. We both walked into the store and were greeted by a brown coated and deep green maned stallion with a campfire as a cutiemark.
"Welcome to Campfires Camp accessories Names Campfire, what do you need?" He asked with a smile from behind his counter.
"A pack and some pots and pans and some canned food." Gilda asked and I tapped her shoulder and she looked at me.
"What?" she inquired.
"Can I get some spices?" I asked and she rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue.
"Fine." she said and I looked at Campfire who pointed with his hoof to the third Aisle and I quickly found what i was looking for, Salt & Pepper (premixed), and Tofu rub Spice. I Picked up the Tofu Rub Spice and opened the top and it smelled exactly like Montreal steak spice. Now my thoughts drifted back to a nice and juicy steak, my mouth watered.
"eak..."
"Feather Beak!" Gilda's voice broke my thought and I looked at her and both she and Campfire were looking at me perplexed.
"You done?" She asked Impatiently.
"Ah yea here." I said as I walked up and placed the spices on the counter and Gilda paid for them. We walked out of the store and I stopped and began to place everything in the pack before looking up at Gilda who only watched me put away everything.
"Gilda you saved us." I said with a smile and she simply rolled her eyes.
"I owed you for pulling me from the river. Now were square." She said pointing her claw at me.
"Sure were square, when will you be at the train station? The train arrives at 10 so be there before hand." I said and nodded.
"I'll be there. You guys don't be late." She said as she opened her wings and took to the air.
"Hope you have a good night." I said and she gave me a grin.
"Better then sleeping on the ground." she said with a smile and a joking tone. I smiled as she flew out of sight in the direction we arrived from and I guessed it was time to get back to Spike. I lifted from the ground and flew up carrying the pack in my front claws. I saw the fire Spike had started, I flew down and landed with my hind legs first and softly l put the pack down. Spike and Cerberus looked up at me.
"She helped?" Spike asked surprised.
"Yup, but now she doesn't owe us for pulling her from the river." I said with a smile and Spike chuckled.
"Good enough what did she get us?" Spike asked.
"Apples, Carrots, celery, lettuce, peppers. and some canned beans and other canned foods." I said lifting a can of peaches that I then put back. I unhooked a pan and placed it by the fire for it to begin heating up.
"What are you cooking?" He asked as he lifted a stick and poked the fire causing sparks to flare up and dance skyward.
"I guess ill make grilled veggies with spices..." I said as I got the carrots and celery out and began to look around for a knife.
"What are you looking for?" Spike asked.
"A knife to cut the veggies of course." I explained and Spike chuckled.
"Here give them to me." He said and so I did. Spike took all the veggies and tossed them up in the air and a flick of his wrists exposed claws and he diced the vegetables in the air and he lifted the pan and caught them. I blinked in surprise.
"Wow...that's impressive." I said impressed. Spike chuckled and gave me a toothy dragon smile.
"I'm the cook for Twilight, trust me without me there she would have fallen down in exhaustion and probably died long ago." He joked and placed the pan back on the fire. I opened the pepper and began to sprinkle it onto the veggies and began to stir them often as I found myself watching the flames lick the sides of the pan.
"After this I'm going to sleep I am tired from just the walk never mind the swim." I said as the smell began to waft up from the pan.
"Ok." Spike said as I pulled out two plates. I scraped half of the pan onto one and the rest onto the other. I put the pan down in the dirt and handed a fork to Spike. We ate in relative silence as Cerberus had already fallen asleep. Spike finished his plate quickly putting the plate beside the pan and walked over to Cerberus to find a spot using his large paw as a pillow. Cerberus's left head cracked an eye and then sleepily closed it when Spike did so. I was left with my thoughts as I looked at the fire and placed another log from the pile that Spike had collected. The flames were hypnotic like I was watching a TV but it was stuck on one channel. I laid down after removing my quiver and bow then placing my claws behind my head and looked up at the sky. I suddenly felt queasy from the large sky that spanned in my entire field of vision. My eyes suddenly felt heavy and I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes and saw that the fire was out and Cerberus and Spike were nowhere to be found. It was dark, like the dawn before the sun rose. I stood up on all fours and looked around. This had to be a dream. It looked odd and eerie as I heard the clatter of a glass bottle on the ground. I turned towards the noise and my father stood there hunched over with a cigarette in his hand half done and his unshaven face looking rough and his eyes bearing down at me with a seething hate. I felt my throat go dry as he stood upright and began to approach with muscles looking taught with rage.
"You shall not be welcome here foul abomination." A soothing voice decreed as I looked to my right and Princess Luna walked passed me as her horn glowed. Suddenly my father transformed into a shadowy creature with glowing yellow eyes and it hissed at her. It fled and disappeared into the forest.
"Are you ok young griffin?" she asked and I simply looked up at her in awe.
"Ah..y-yes." Its fucking Luna...the princess of the fucking night. Not to be a bit fan-girlish but she was is is my favorite princess.
"Y-your Princess Luna..." I said numbly.
"Yes...we are." She said with a slightly confused frown.
"Why are you in my dream?" I asked.
"Because you have had a nightmare. I wont allow dark dreams to dwell in my realm." She explained.
"Do you...see everyone's dreams?" I asked and she simply smiled.
"We are glad we go here in time." Luna said with a smile and then the world around us began to dissipate and blur.
"It's time to wake young griffin." She said and before I could say anything more my eyes opened up to see the smoke rising from the nearly dead fire. I rolled over and rubbed my eyes to see that Spike and Cerberus were still asleep and I picked up some more wood placing it onto the fires embers. They slowly heated the wood and flames ignited.
"Morning." I heard and I looked over my shoulder and Gilda approached our little camp.
"Morning." I said stretching my wings and arms.
"Are we going to get breakfast?" She asked. I looked at her slightly confused.
"You came out to us to take us out for breakfast?" I asked surprised. Gilda frowned.
"I didn't have to I can just go." She began and turned to leave.
"No! Its ok I was only surprised. Spike is still asleep so lets wait till he wakes up." I offered and Gilda sighed and sat down looking at the fire.