//------------------------------//
// Mer de Sable 
// Story: Quete 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
//------------------------------//

The two of them woke up as the sun was setting on the horizon in front of them. The whole world was thrown into a deep burnt orange hues. The sky burst with fiery red colors on the west that were slowly being over taken by the soft lavender and darker blues as the moon rose on the east. The two of them took down the temporary shelter and waited in the shade of one of the dunes.
"Dusk here you go." Escutcheon offered he a sip of red potion. She didn't take it, she just looked down at the shades that she still held in her hooves. "Dusk." He put his hoof over her shoulder.
"I-I don't know what to do." She started leaned in and started to shake. "I don't know what to do, I don't know." Pulled the goggles up to her chest.
"Dusk, it's alright. I know your Dad's just on the other side of this desert. Trust me." She finally looked away from the goggles, and wiped her eyes. "Come on, let's get going. You don't want to keep your dad waiting do you?" She shook her head, he smiled. "See just don't give up. You'll see. Tomorrow you'll be home." She took the bottle and took a sip. In moments the burning in her eyes faded away.
"Alright. I'm ready." She wiped the last couple tears from her eyes, and slid the goggles over her eyes and headed up the dune. She stared down the sun set. "I'm coming Dad."
"Dusk don't look at the sunset!" She laughed.
"It's fine these goggles block out enough of the light." She looked over her shoulder. "Meaning I can travel go as long as you can." She took the last gulp of her canteen, and headed down the dune followed by Escutcheon.
The two of them pushed deeper into the sea of dunes. As the sky above them grew darker and darker before the final beams of sunlight fell below the horizon. The stars appeared in all of their brilliance. They stayed low traveling throw the troughs of the dunes. Not even an hour past before the coldness of the desert night enveloped them.
"Hot, cold. Hot, cold. I wish that the desert would just make up its mind." Dusk mumbled as they pushed huddled together. The tarp wrapped around the two of them as they pushed further and further. The night wind whipping around them.
"Ditto." The two of them pushed on doing their best to stay warm. As mid night approached they gave up trying to get through the desert night. They pulled the tarp over them, and huddled together at the base of one of the dunes. Hoping to wait out the night.
The dawn brought with it the sun's warming glow. The two of them basked in the golden rays for a minute letting it warm the numb bodies before turning and continuing west, across the dunes. Dusk slid the goggles down over her eyes as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky. They drank through the their bottles before noon, and continued deeper into the blazing sand. Dusk continued long into the after noon. She had long since stopped sweeting. Her body felt light and she was starting to get dizzy.
"Dusk!" Escutcheon looked behind him to were the little bat pony filly lay collapsed in the desert sand. He stumbled over to her. "Dusk come on Dusk get up." He focused on his horn. Nothing. "Come horn." Nothing. "I'm not leaving you behind Dusk." He picked her up and headed to the top of the dune. He was barely able to crest it before falling down. He rolled down the hill. Slowly losing consciousness. Something pony shaped stepped between him and the sun. Something pointy pricked his throat. "Dusk, help Dusk." With those last words his world faded to black.