Tread Lightly awoke feeling exhausted. Messer and Marigold were nowhere to be seen, leaving her alone in the dilapidated living room. Tread Lightly shifted up to her hooves and swallowed hard to try and get the cold dry air out of her throat. The purple mare was startled at the lack of her friends until the door opened.
She shifted to face the noise of the creaking hinges. Morning Marigold stood there and smirked, “Good morning sleepy head. Well, it's almost noon. We thought you should sleep in and wanted to make sure that bird was gone.” Marigold walked up to Tread and gave her a light hug. “Messer is outside patrolling from the air,” she explained and placed some grapes, a freshly thawed dragonfire fruit already de-pricked out for her friend. Tread Lightly picked up the fruit and took a bite quietly. She had fallen asleep on her watch and not wanted to wake the two of them; they had repaid the favor by letting her sleep in.
After a few uncomfortable moments and finishing the fruit in silence. Tread spoke up, “any plans on the next move? Other than turning back.” She asked as the purple mare looked to the green one. As tension started to build in the air between the two while Tread figured out what to say.
Marigold let out a laugh and a gave a gentle smirk, in her mind the only logic move was what Tread Lightly had already determined; move forward. She embraced her friend closer and gave a soft nuzzle of her cheek, “It is fine my dearest friend. I am prepared to see this one through and I know that look in your eyes. The decision is already made but you have still enough self doubt to ask for advice.” The green mare said, knowing the answer already.
Tread Lightly blinked a few times and sighed as she looked to her friend, then finally relented and gave a smile back. “You're right; we keep going,” she replied and adjusted her glasses. “We should figure out a plan to deal with that bird creature though. I just hope you can....”
Marigold placed a hoof over the pony's mouth and shook her head, “If you're there I will deal with the fear. Even if it means my worst nightmare incarnate.” Marigold stated and started towards the doorway.
Tread stared at her friend in disbelief. That she would face her fears was a statement of their friendship; especially for a scientific expedition that had started going south the moment they set out. She heard Marigold's voice through her thoughts as the other mare called out, “Messer! She's awake! Suggest we figure out how to get moving.” There was the sound of a distant landing pegasus and her two friends re-emerged into the tattered remains of the living room.
With the three of them gathered into the room, the air cleared up. It was like a breathe of relief had come about with them able to see each other all awake and unharmed. Tread Lightly gave them both a hug and looked her friends over. “So I know Marigold's answer but I want to hear yours as well. Should we continue or turn back? Because I want to go on.” The mare explained and looked to him for an answer.
Messer looked back and took his thoughts deep into consideration. He wondered where this could go and at the same time if it was truly something safe to continue to pursue. He weighed the possibilities and then his face steeled in thoughts.
Tread Lightly grew nervous. 'If he wants to turn back, then we go back. No questions asked. I won't pressure him. But I really hope....' Her thoughts were interrupted by Messer's speech.
“I'm in. We've gone over halfway and won't get another chance at this till the spring. No turning back and no I'm not going to second guess putting myself at risk. You promised me an adventure and that comes with the ups and downs. So where to from here?”
Tread Lighty's mouth dropped open and was remained slack for a few moments. She hadn't expected such an enthusiastic response from him. This student of hers was full of surprises and after she fixed her own jaw; she let out a sigh of relief. “We head into the woods past the beach and make for Mount Cracked Hoof. It's the closest deposit of Iridium and with any luck we can use the trees for cover from that bird creature.” The purple mare explained as her composure recovered.
Messer and Marigold looked at each other and exchanged glances. The two of them then looked at Tread and nodded in agreement. There was kind of a silent moment of decision and the three in unison started towards the door. The silence continued between the trio as they picked up their packs, now with the addition of dragonfruits from Tincent Von Trapp's kitchen and a new set of dried trail mix. Marigold had been busy while letting Tread Lightly sleep in.
Tread Lightly noted the heavier weight to her pack and smirked. They would at least be eating well; if this was their last meals. The air was crisp and full of salt from ocean. The bay teamed with sea gulls calls while the woods called with that of creatures preparing to hibernate. They walked towards the trees and the ominous feeling that haunted the previous days wasn't there.
Instead there was a cool breeze as the sights of fall and winter blended together here. Evergreen trees lightly powdered in snow alongside the leaf bare cousins with scattered colors of red, orange, and yellow at their roots. Beyond that, the massive Cracked Hoof Mountain loomed in the distance. The highest mountain on this side of the great Northern Divide. Not the highest in Equestria but still imposing. Its majesty bestowed upon those whom saw it while they would return its gaze with one of honor and respect. The trio had walked through the salt covered beach right up to the forest edge.
Tread Lightly smiled and listened to the sounds of the forest, relaxing and then looked to each of her companions and gave them a hug upon the shoulders. “We made it this far right?” she beamed and Messer nodded to her while Marigold smirked. This was the first time they had encountered something that filled them with genuine hope that this trip would go as planned. They took a step into the forest and it felt right, natural, and the worst was being put behind them.
The three walked in silence for a time, happy to just hear the animals of the forest preparing for winter and enjoy the sounds of the last fall insects dying off and preparing the way for the next generation in the spring. Tread Lightly's thoughts were not scientific but artistic for once. She observed the natural curves of the forest and how they formed shapes that together made something truly beautiful to behold. She kept clicking her glasses, trying to time it with the beetle's chirping so as not to interrupt the moment in order to see through to every spectrum available. Night Vision in the broken light, infra-red, five color base, seven color base, radioactive, everything her twin monocles could manage. Each set of lenses could paint an entirely different portrait and each one would have its own unique beauty of color and shape. Everyone of a new set of emotions to explore and new thoughts to provoke.
The purple mare was so distracted that she outright ran into a heavy branch with a hard smack and fell over. The other two ponies looking back to her and instead of rushing to check, both let out a giggle.
“Tread,” Marigold started through the laughter, “I get this forest is a sight for sore eyes but can we not have a sore head too?” the green mare said as she and Messer helped their companion to her feet. The laughter hadn't quite ended and Tread Lightly was blushing furiously as her attention and curiosity had gotten the best of her. Marigold was used to this and Messer was getting used to it now.
A scientist led by her interest rather than but one could call common sense. He wondered if perhaps one day he would follow in his new teacher's footsteps and become something like her. He thought it couldn't possibly be that bad to be Tread Lightly. In this moment away from her painful memories and away from the judgment of those in the city; it was like a perfect moment between friends. Nothing could describe the feeling of being out together on an adventure like this. One that is both exploration and discovery, along with the risks that helped make it all come together. This was what it meant, to have friends who were more than just people you hung out with. This was what having your best friends was like and none of the trio wanted that feeling to go away.
They shared a smile now, all three of them. Their hearts were light and hope had returned. The same enthusiasm they felt when they first set out from Marigold's shop was coursing into their veins.
The woods took nearly the entire remainder of daylight to transverse. They continued onward for what felt like hours determined to reach the mountain base before they took a rest. The sounds of the night started to echo outward. The last vestiges of fireflies whom hadn't died yet came forth and lit up their path. It felt odd at first to find a trail through here but so far they had taken the path less traveled; now was the time to tread forward where others had already blazed a trail for them.
The sounds of leaves crunching under their hooves and the dying sounds of fall started to fade as they neared the mountain base. Tread adjusted her lenses to look for traces of rare earth rocks. The glass she placed before her eyes lit up to everyone else in a sickly orange color as Tread slowed to a halt, the others stopping in her wake.
“What is she-” Messer started and was hushed by a hoof to his lips from Marigold.
“Her lenses can detect trace amounts of rare earths. This way she can find a outer vein of iridium we are looking for. That will hopefully lead us to a cave to rest the night and provide us with the metal we seek.” The green mare explained to him and he nodded to be quiet as his smile had faded and now he took on a series look to watch him internship mentor work.
Tread Lightly only took a few moments to identify the substance she was looking for through the lenses. She walked up and placed a hoof upon the vein and started to follow it. The two other ponies quickly trot after her. In the dim light of the waxing gibbous moon and flitting lightning bugs, Messer and Marigold could barely even see the ground, trusting completely in Tread Lightly. The ore was nearly invisible in the night sky, but shown like a pale orange trail through her glasses.
As the last of the fireflies drifted off, and the moon's pale light drew higher in the sky they came upon a cave. This massive opeing was ill-shaped. Its opening with several cracks and no uniform make up. Dust and broken off bits of mountain sat at its base. Heavy stalactites dotted the entrance of the cave itself.
Tread looked and saw the vein went inside. It grew larger as it went in. She looked to the other two with a confident smile across her lips and nodded her head towards the cave.
“This is the one.”
Messer pulled out a torch from his bag and handed it to Tread as they worked to light them, Marigold lit up her unicorn horn and it grew brighter than any torch. She was full of hope and confidence that it showed in her magical aura to the other ponies. The three of them, lights in hoof or a horn on their head, started into the cave. A cave that would lead them to a destiny and a revelation of fate that none of them were truly prepared for.