The two of them had a small breakfast of oat that Dusk had packed in her saddle bag. As the sun rose higher into the sky, Dusk put her saddle bag between the two of them. "Escutcheon could you help me get this on please?" she asked holding up a golden necklace. Escutcheon nodded, grabbing it in his magic he fastened it on her. She rubbed a small black opal that now hung around her neck by a golden chain. The black opal glowed for a second.
"What was that?" Escutcheon asked swallowing down the last hoofful of oats.
"It's called an Eclipse Amulet." Dusk answered. "It protects my eyes, so that the sunlight won't hurt them." She looked down at the necklace. "Does it look nice?"
"Yeah. It looks really good on you." She blushed.
"Yeah!" She jumped on him wrapping him in a hug. "I'm glad. It was my mom's."
"Dusk why are you all the way out here?" Escutcheon asked as she let go. "I mean I'm glad to see you, and I'm glad that you're here I'm just, confused."
"Well I wanted to travel with you." She smiled. "I mean you got me back home safe, you saved my entire colony. And then when the fire happened. I-I thought that you were dead." She gulped and rubbed her eyes. Escutcheon put a hoof on her shoulder. Turkeylegs watched like a guard dog. "Then when I saw the lights, I knew that it was you. I had to go. I just had to."
"I'm sorry." He looked away.
"It's okay." Dusk leaned in and nuzzled him. "Let get moving 'kay?"
"Yeah." He the three of them stood up he started heading east toward the sunrise.
"Uh, Escutcheon, where are you heading sleepy head I thought that you were heading West?"
"I'm not I'm going back to the forest?"
"Why?" She tilted her head.
"Dusk, it's just not safe there's a massive ocean, it's the edge of the map. The only lead I have for getting across is Marine. I'm done I was heading home to you and the colony."
"You're giving up?" She stepped back.
"I can't do it anymore Dusk, especially if you're with me."
"What's that suppose to mean?" She scrunched up her face, and glared at him. Her voice was much louder, and her tone had become harsher.
"Dusk, it's not safe I'm done I can't do it. Let's just go home." Escutcheon took a step back.
"What's wrong with you. Who are you?!" She pointed a hoof at him. "The Escutcheon I knew wouldn't give up, he was better than that, stronger than that. He beat a dragon and saved my whole colony." She glared at him for a second. "You're not him."
"Dusk." Escutcheon looked physically hurt at that.
"No!" She poked him. "You're not him. He was strong. He wouldn't give up no matter what!"
"I CAN'T, I got, a pony killed." Escutcheon's voice broke. "Because of me Story Teller died. Please I couldn't live if it was you. I can't do it, I can't do it anymore."
"Escutcheon." Dusk's voice softened, and she sat down next to him. "What happened?" He sat down and told her everything from where her found Turkeylegs, Grazing, the sphinx, Rocky Coast, the harpies, and finally about Story Teller. She just sat there next to him for the longest time. "Escutcheon it wasn't your fault," she said looking at him with a soft smile.
"They all said that."
"Because it's true." She nuzzled him. "Now let's go." Got up, and put a wing around him. "Now where is this Marine place?" she asked.
"Dusk it's too dangerous."
"Then protect me." She smiled. "Now where are we going?"
"I can't."
"Trust me you won't need to." She nuzzled him again. "Somepony has to tell you mother and father that you've given up so that's what I'm going to do, or you can come with me, and the two of us can get you home, just like you did for me. I had given up in the cave. This is your cave. And I'm going to help you out." She nuzzled him.
"North."
"Then let's get going. If we can't find a way to get you home we'll go back to the forest. Okay?"
"Okay." The three of them headed north a soft breeze carried the smell of the sea from the west in the early morning air.