//------------------------------// // Bandits in the Woods // Story: Trapped in the Mirror of Worlds // by Silver_Wing //------------------------------// We had made good time in our flight across Equestria towards the town of Far Stables. We were only a few hours from it now, but we had decided to spend the night in a small thicket and rest before our first mission truly began. It would also be better to meet with the Sheriff in the morning, and it would be easier to gather what we’d need to set up our trap for the Bandits. I sneezed and crept closer to our campfire for warmth. “Getting a cold Silver?” Sky Flare teased from across the fire. “No,” I sniffed, “It’s just colder out here than it is in the Everfree.” Sky Flare chuckled. “Of course it’s colder,” she said, “It’s fall Silver. The Everfree isn’t controlled like everywhere else in Equestria. It has its own seasons and weather, remember? It still feels like summer in there, but it’s well past that everywhere else. You haven’t had much chance to notice since it’s always me, Gale, or Clyde that goes in to Ponyville for our supplies.” She shook her and sighed softly. “It’s what you get for playing the Hermit and staying behind at the Guild every chance you get.” I shifted closer to the fire and spread my wings out to try and catch as much warmth as I could. “I’m not a hermit Sky,” I grumbled, “I’ve just been busy with the repairs and getting everything else in order. Besides…” I glanced over to our tents and listened a moment for the sound of Gale’s soft snores before I continued, “You know I’m not as good at shopping here as you are. I have no idea what’s worth what still. You do.” “You’ll have to learn eventually,” she said, “But don’t worry about it for now.” “I’m not,” I said, “Right now I’m only worried about warming up.” I sniffled as I felt another sneeze coming on and held my breath till the growing sensation faded. “This is stupid,” I sighed, “I’m usually really good with the cold.” I caught the muffled sounds of snickering and frowned across the fire at Sky Flare. The light played tricks with the shadows of the night and I couldn’t make out her expression, but I knew she was grinning at me. Shuffling into a more comfortable position, I looked into the fire and tried to think warm thoughts. “Would you like to learn a trick to stay warm?” She offered after a time. I frowned at her once again and watched as she walked over to sit beside me. “A trick?” I repeated, “Why didn’t you offer this trick last night? Or the night before when I was chattering like a wood pecker!?” “Because Gale wasn’t asleep then,” Sky Flare said in a softer voice, “And this is a Pegasus trick even a colt would know by the time he took his first flight. Gale would have been more than a little suspicious if I brought this up around him.” I glanced at Gale’s tent, where the sound of his snoring still carried on in a rhythmic pattern. He had stayed up late the last two nights and only turned in early tonight to be well rested for the morning. Sky Flare was the only Pony who knew who I really was, what I had been in my world, and just how lost that made me here. If this really was something that everypony knew, Gale would have been understandably suspicious, or at the very least, curious enough to write about it to the Princesses. I sighed at her and nodded my understanding. “Fair enough,” I said, “Now what’s this trick?” “Look at me.” She said softly. I did as she asked, but she didn’t seem to be doing anything special. She was just sitting there, with a content smile on her face. Her eyes shimmered their rich golden amber in the firelight, and her red coat almost seemed to glow from this angle, but other than that she was the same as always. “Are you going to do something…?” I asked after almost a minute of silence had passed between us. She shook her head at me and raised a hoof to her chest. “Watch here,” she whispered, “Closely.” I felt a flash of embarrassment at her asking me to stare at her chest in the firelight like this, but I shook the thought from my mind quickly. This wasn’t my world. Staring at a woman’s chest didn’t matter here, since there was nothing to stare at. Looking closer, I still didn’t see anything happening. I was about to say as much, when Sky Flare seemed to literally shrink before my eyes. About an inch all around her just flattened in on itself and I gasped in surprise. “W-what!?” I stammered. “Shh!” Sky Flare snapped, “Keep your voice down or you’ll wake Gale.” “B-but, how?” I asked more softly, “You shrunk yourself!” She smirked at me and shook her head again. “This is how I normally am you goof,” she chuckled, “I was puffed up before, look.” I stared in stunned amazement as Sky Flare seemingly inflated that extra inch once again and I half reached a hoof out to poke her before I stopped myself. “I don’t understand.” I said. “You ever seen a bird rouse its feathers on a cold day?” Sky Flare asked. I thought for a moment then nodded. Birds would rouse their feathers to trap more air between their feathers to help insulate them and keep them warm when needed, but we weren’t birds. We only had feathers on our wings, not our entire bodies. “Yeah,” I said, “But we’re not covered in feathers. Aside from our wings anyway.” “True, but we Pegasai can still rouse ourselves a little when needed,” Sky Flare explained, “It serves the same purpose as a birds feathers, though it’s less noticeable on us. It’s also most noticeable on our chests, though it does rouse the hair on our legs and sides too.” I looked down at myself and frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever done that before,” I said, “How do I do it?” “You’ve done it plenty of times,” Sky Flare chuckled, “You probably just never noticed.” “I have?” I asked, “When?” “Usually when you’re flustered,” she smirked, “Or really into a good fight. It’s kind of cute actually. I know exactly when you’re losing yourself in the heat of the moment when we spar, because you fluff right up every time.” I frowned at her, not sure if she was making a joke or not. “I’m not sure I believe you about fighting like that,” I said flatly, “But how do I go about doing it on purpose?” “Well, it’s something most every Pegasus learns on their own, usually before they can even fly,” she said thoughtfully, “It’s not something that can just be explained… It’s more a feeling. A muscle you need to realize you have before you can use it.” “Okay, so what can I do then?” I asked, “Sit here all night thinking fluffy thoughts?” Sky Flare grinned at me and tilted her head thoughtfully. I felt a knot well up in the pit of my stomach as I recognized the gleam in her eye and tensed, unsure of what she was thinking. Like a cat, she stalked towards me. She practically slithered across the intervening space between us, fluid and graceful. I swallowed nervously and slid backwards out of reflex until my back struck something hard. Glancing back, I found a large tree to be barring my escape and before I could get to my feet to run, Sky Flare was in front of me. She placed a hoof firmly to my chest and pressed me back against the tree, holding me in place. My body went rigid as I tried to figure out what she was doing. I could feel my breath quicken and my heart started to race as Sky Flare’s face drew dangerously close to mine. I was wholly caught off guard by her sudden advance on me and my body refused to help me try to escape. “W-what are you doing Sky!?” I gasped. I felt like I was in shock. She didn’t answer. Instead, she licked her lips and grinned alluringly into my eyes. I tensed anew as she drew even closer to me. My heart was racing so fast it felt like it would leap from my chest and I could hear it pounding away inside my ears like a constant thunder. “W-w-what are you d-doing!?” I stammered, but my mind just was not working. I had no idea where this sudden change had come from and for all my usual strength, I was too stunned to react. I could feel her form gently press up against mine and tried to slide back, but the tree gave no ground before my feeble attempt at escape. Sky Flare moved as if to kiss me, then slid her face along the side of mine until her lips came to rest beside my ear. After a tense moment that seemed to last an eternity, a hot breath blew into my ear and I shuddered at the sensation. I felt a shiver run up my spine like a jolt of electricity, and as if that shiver had somehow loosed her spider web hold over me, I lurched to the side awkwardly and scrambled to my feet my feet as quickly as I could. “Like a charm.” Sky Flare purred as I turned to face her once more. “W-what?” I said, now more confused than ever. I had thought my heart was racing before, but it was setting a record now. I felt like I could barely breathe. She smiled victoriously at me and chuckled as she sat back against the tree where I had just been pinned. “I told you,” she cooed, “You usually fluff right up when you get flustered. So, I flustered you. And it worked perfectly.” It took my overloaded brain a moment to understand what she’d said. ‘I fluff up when I get flustered?’ the words repeated in mind again and again until it slowly dawned on me, ‘She flustered me on purpose…?’ When it finally made sense, I glanced down at my legs and sure enough I was very much fluffed out. I had no idea how I’d done that, but this type of teaching method was too much for heart to handle. “It didn’t work at all!” I barked. I heard my own voice crack a little as my shock crept through, but I forced myself to ignore it. “I still have no idea how I did it!” I went on, “And I don’t want to go through something like that every time I get cold!” “No?” Sky Flare said, tilting her head innocently, “Too bad. I rather enjoyed it myself. And seeing you flustered like this always brings a smile to my face.” I frowned at her and felt a chill rush over me as my body settled back down. “Ivora enjoyed it too you know,” Sky Flare went on, a mischievous grin crossing her lips, “Because of you, she doesn’t think she’ll be able to sleep comfortably again without a Pegasus of her own for a pillow.” My mind flashed back to that morning a few days ago when Sky Flare and Ivora had snuck into my bed to wake me up with their twisted prank and I felt another shiver run up my spine. “Oh my,” Sky Flare mused, “Looks like that thought’s a winner.” I glanced down and once again, my body had fluffed right out. That shiver up my spine seemed to be what was setting it off. It reminded me of when I’d get goose bumps in my old body, only it seemed to be controllable in this one. I’d dwell on it more later though, right now I was still too wound up to relax enough to think about it too much. “That was not funny Sky,” I grumbled, “How would you like it if I did that to you? Got you all flustered and tongue tied?” “You have,” She stated, “Remember the river near Canterlot? When you were first teaching me to fight like you?” I thought back for a moment, then recalled the time I had I caught her mid swing and moved as if to kiss her, before dropping her spluttering into the river with a laugh. I looked away from her and frowned into the fire. “As for whether or not I’d like it…” She said softly, “… You already know the answer to that, Silver.” I sighed at her words and sat down again. I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I knew she liked me, but I just couldn’t bring myself to return those feelings, not yet. It was still too strange a thought to me, too against what was considered normal or appropriate in my world. And even if that wasn’t the case, how could I justify trying to pursue anyone here when there was a chance I would still get back home to my own world? How would that be fair to her? Or me for that matter. It was hard enough making friends here that I know I’d never see again if I ever could get back home, but a lover? Then I’d be stuck longing for a different world no matter which I wound up staying in. I heard a faint snort then the sound of hooves walking away. “Don’t worry about it Silver,” Sky Flare’s voice called back me, “I’m turning in for the night, so I’ll see you in the morning.” “Y-yeah,” I said weakly, “See you…” Maybe I was being stupid, trying to hold onto the chance of getting home like I was, but I couldn’t help it. It was my home. It was all I had ever known until I found myself here. I had to keep that hope of returning in my heart, or I’d go mad. The only reason I wasn’t a depressed wreck as it was, was because Dawn was working so hard to get me home. The Guild, the sparring with Sky Flare, my whole life now was just a way to pass the time while Dawn worked to fulfill her promise of getting me home. I couldn’t give up on that, and if I let myself get too close to Sky Flare, or anyone else… I don’t know if I could handle that. I’d be trapped between two worlds then, not just one and I couldn’t say which I’d pick. It was just too much to consider, too much to face. I groaned aloud and dropped my head to the grass beside the fire. I focused on my neck and tried to summon that electric shiver along it, and gradually felt myself fluff out again. I focused on keeping myself like that, and before long I did indeed feel warmer, physically anyway… “Looks like a little bird’s having himself some Mare troubles.” An amused voice chuckled from behind me. I bolted up to my feet and looked around for the source of the unexpected voice, but the firelight blanketed the area outside our camp in darkness. “We’d be right happy to help you with her if you need,” a second, deeper voice chimed in, “Though I can’t say we might not decide to keep her for ourselves.” I frowned at their shared laughter and finally caught sight of movement off to my left. As I watched, an Earth Pony nearly as big as Clyde stalked into the firelight, and trailing after him a much smaller Earth Pony of a matching look. They both had dark brown coats and shaggy red manes. They didn’t look like the masked Bandits that had attacked Clyde, if mainly due to the fact that they had no masks. But they didn’t look like a friendly sort either. They stopped a few paces from me and looked around the camp appraisingly. “We’ll make this simple for you and your Mare friend,” The smaller Earth Pony said with a laugh, “Give us your bits and whatever you got in those tents over there, and we won’t do nothing to you. Refuse…” He looked up at the larger Pony beside him and shrugged, “Refuse and my little brother here will be forced to ask you in a more direct fashion, and we doubt you’d like that.” I opened my mouth to reply, but Sky Flare’s laugh cut in like a knife. “Seriously!?” she chuckled, “You two are stupid enough to just waltz into our camp? Talk about making this easy for us.” I heard her coming up to join me, but I didn’t take my eyes off the two Ponies standing before me. Looking away made openings, and the last thing I wanted to do was create an opening for these Ponies. “Easy for you?” The smaller Pony said, “What’s that supposed to mean?” I raised a wing to stop Sky Flare from saying any more and smiled at the two Earth Ponies. “What she means,” I explained, “Is that we’re here with the Princesses authority to bring you and your Bandit friends to justice. We had planned to go hunting for you tomorrow, but you came right to us instead. Ironic really.” I couldn’t help but smirk at the situation. Gale had to be awake after Sky Flare’s outburst, which made this a three on two fight if it came to it, though I was certain I could handle this on my own if I needed to. The smaller Earth Pony didn’t look strong at all. He was too skinny to be a very good fighter. He wasn’t underfed, just weak looking and weaselly. Or at least, as weaselly as I thought a Pony could look. No doubt he relied on his so-called Brother to get everything done. By the look of his Brother though, I’d have to hit harder than I would with most and I’d need to stay out from under his hooves, but that wouldn’t be too much of an issue. I’d yet to meet a big brute that did anything more than charge headlong into a fight and yell a lot. I wouldn’t let my guard down and assume too far however. This was a different world after all and it had surprised me almost daily since I’d found myself trapped here. “Oh, is that a fact?” the smaller Pony snorted, “Well, we don’t think we like the sound of that very much at all! So we’ll be running you two into the ground and taking what we want now. Princesses authority or no!” He jabbed the larger Pony with a hoof and nodded towards us. The big Pony smirked and dragged a forehoof through the grass in front of him, mimicking the motion of a bull about to charge. “I’ll take the big one,” I said, “Make sure his friend doesn’t get away.” “Don’t take any risks,” Sky Flare whispered to me, “This isn’t a demonstration for the Princesses. You don’t have to hold back here and be gentle. Ponies like this don’t deserve it.” I half frowned at her but stopped myself from taking my eyes off the larger Pony. “I know that Sky,” I said, “I have done this before you know.” “Not here.” She said simply, then leapt into the darkness above our camp and disappeared with a rush of wind. “Your little miss sure didn’t take long to turn tail and run!” the bigger pony laughed, “Not that I mind. She’ll come back on her own after I’ve run you down and had you sing some. They always do.” I glared at his words and rose to my hind legs as I assumed my ready stance for a fight. The two eyed me oddly for a moment, then the larger leapt towards me with his head down, just like the charging Bull he seemed to emulate. I was surprised by his speed, but I was ready for a straightforward attack like this. I waited until the last second then dashed to the side with a hard flap of my wings. As he trampled through where I had just been, I dug my far hoof into the ground to brace myself and stop my dodge. Tensing my entire body, I used the combined muscles of my legs, core and shoulder to throw a full force punch straight into my attackers’ ribs as he sailed by. Earth Ponies were tougher than most, my experience with Stalwart had taught me that, so I put my all into the blow to try and wind this oversized brute. He was too big to let get a hold on me, so I intended to try and end this fight as soon as possible. My hoof struck hard and I winced as I felt at least one, maybe two ribs snap like branches under my strike. The big Earth Pony cried out in a trembling gasp from the pain in his side and tumbled end over end as his front legs buckled. He wound up on his side near Gale’s tent, wheezing and trembling in a ball of agony. I felt sorry for him and took a half step to try and help before I remembered the other Pony and turned my focus on him. I’d have plenty of time to go over my mistake later. It was clear that Stalwart was a bad threshold to gauge the whole of Earth Pony durability off of. It was because of how durable Stalwart had been that I clearly overestimated how much this Pony could take. I’d need to work on that in future to avoid hurting anyone too badly, but for now it wasn’t important. What was done was done and I still had work to do. “R-Rock!?” The smaller Pony gasped, “Y-you no good Pegasus! I’ll pluck every last one of your-” Whatever he was going to say cut off abruptly as Sky Flare landed on him from above. She came down hard, rear hooves striking first atop his head. She drove him to the ground with the force of her impact and he slammed into the grass without another word. I winced for him too as I watched Sky Flare hop off his limp form and snort down at him in disgust. “Easy Sky Flare,” I said, “We don’t want to kill them...” “He’ll be fine,” she said simply, “I’ve hit smaller Ponies harder than that at the Academy. You’re the one that needs to learn to pull his punches. I heard that idiot’s ribs break from all the way up there.” I looked back at the larger Pony and grimaced as I saw him still whimpering as he curled into a tighter ball. I knew all too well what broken ribs felt like and it was not something I’d wish on most. “I didn’t mean to break anything,” I said sympathetically, “I just wanted to end it quickly.” “Well you did what you aimed to do then.” she chuckled. A rustle of wind drew my attention skyward and I watched in surprise as Gale dropped between us. “There are no others that I can find in the area,” he reported, “Near as I can tell, it was just these two that tried to get the jump on us.” “I thought you were asleep?” I said, ignoring his report for the time being. “I was,” he said, “But Sky Flare’s laughter at these two’s coming woke me. I slipped out the back of my tent and checked to make sure we were alone while you handled things here.” I had assumed he’d have woken up by now, but I didn’t expect him to sneak off and scout the area like he did. I was impressed to say the least. “Good job,” I said, “If you’re sure this is all of them, grab some of our rope and tie these two up for now. I don’t want any more trouble from them, but I do want answers.” Gale nodded and dashed for the supplies in his tent. “I doubt the big one will talk much,” Sky Flare said, “Not sobbing like that.” “He seemed more muscle than brains anyway,” I said, “The other one did most of the talking, and hid behind the bigger. I’d bet he’s a coward on his own, so he’ll be the one that’ll talk. When he wakes up at least.” Sky Flare glanced at the smaller Pony and grinned before nodding her agreement. “Fool should have kept his eye on the sky with a Pegasus around,” she commented, “Did he really think I’d just fly off like some startled school filly?” “I doubt he’ll make that mistake again,” I said, “Not that I think he’ll get the chance.” I took a deep breath to settle myself and was surprised to realize just how calm I felt. I was usually good under pressure, especially in a fight. But I had just had two Ponies come up on my camp in the dead of night and try to rob me, and had even fought with one of them, albeit briefly. Yet, despite all that, my heart was steady and my mind was calm. Aside from my regret at the injury I’d caused to the bigger Pony, I felt rather good about the whole situation. Sky Flare may be able to get my heart racing, but not much else could out here. Gale emerged from his tent a moment later and quickly hogtied the two Ponies that had tried to rob us. He took care with the larger of the two, due to his ribs, but otherwise treated them both with indifference. “With luck these two are with the ones we’re after,” I said, “And not just some chance thugs we happened across. Either way though, Equestria will be safer with them behind bars.” “Agreed.” Gale said. I looked their bonds over and nodded approvingly. They would hold quite nicely for the time being. I yawned abruptly and shook my head to wake myself up. I looked up into the night sky and frowned. In all the excitement I had actually forgotten that it was the middle of the night. “Hopefully the one you knocked out wakes up sooner than later.” I sighed. “Why’s that?” Sky Flare asked. “I don’t want to be up all night.” I admitted. “You should get some sleep then Silver,” Sky Flare suggested, “If anypony needs to be rested come tomorrow, it should be you. Gale and I will take turns keeping watch and wake you when that moron gets his wits back.” I looked at her quizzically. “And why shouldn’t we all take turns keeping the watch?” I asked. In truth, I didn’t mind the idea of sleeping the night away if I could. We had been flying a great deal the last few days to get here as fast as we did, and even though I was in good shape for a Pegasus, I was beginning to feel the strain on my muscles. Sky Flare sighed and looked at me with an almost motherly expression. “Because unlike us, you’re the face of the Timber Wolves Guild,” She explained, “And you act with the authority of the Princesses. As such you have to watch your tongue more than anypony else when we deal with others. Anything you do or say can and will be attached to the reputations of both. And we both know you already have a chip on your shoulder with the Sherriff in Far Stables, so what will happen if you snap because you’re grumpy from lack of sleep when he tries to ruffle your feathers tomorrow? You know he will. And if that’s not reason enough, think how the Princesses will react if Gale reports back to them that you knocked out a Sheriff because he rubbed you the wrong way? You need to be at your best, and that means you need a good night’s sleep.” I frowned at her peremptory tirade. I wasn’t a child that needed to be lectured on my manners, especially not by her! If anyone needed that lecture it was Sky Flare, not me. Not that it mattered anyway, even if I was tired tomorrow I knew how to hold my tongue and be civil when it was needed. It had been a long time since I had someone talk down to me like this and it struck a very large nerve. I took a breath to give Sky Flare a scathing piece of my mind and reflexively moved to cross my arms. Unfortunately for me, in the heat of the moment I forgot the fact I wasn’t in my old Human body anymore. I was in the form of a Pony, back on all fours, and this body liked to remain as such. Had I thought to stand up first, like I did while fighting, I would have been fine, but I was so irritated that I didn’t think. The usually simple act of trying to cross my arms only succeeded in making me stumble forwards and I threw myself off balance with a yelp. I staggered back onto all fours with an embarrassed flush and glared at Sky Flare angrily, daring her to say even one word about my less than graceful maneuver. Amazingly, she kept silent, but her look still held the air that she knew she was right. I glanced at Gale as my embarrassment made my ears burn like fire, but he was looking off into the forest, clearly intending to have no part in our conversation. I was too embarrassed to think of a suitable recovery for what I’d just done, so I shook my head and stomped towards my tent. “Fine!” I growled, “But you wake me as soon as he comes to. That’s an order!” “Of course, Guild Master Silver Wing.” Sky Flare said all too sweetly. I looked at Gale and repeated my order to him. Sky Flare may have agreed, but I knew her better than that. She might very well take it upon herself to get whatever she could out of the smaller of the two Earth Pony thugs, so I could sleep longer, but Gale would at least do as I ordered. At least, I hoped he would. I glanced at the two incapacitated Ponies a final time, then headed to my bed as another yawn crept over me. “Silver,” a voice called to me softly, “Silver, wake up.” I groaned and rolled over as I recognized Sky Flare’s voice. “What do you want?” I asked groggily. She snorted in apparent amusement, then I gasped in surprise as felt her tail whip me across my left ear. I bolted upright and glared at her, then winced as bright daylight shone into my eyes. “As you ordered, Guild Master Silver Wing,” Sky Flare cooed at me, “I am waking you up to inform you that your prisoner is awake.” “Prisoner?” I repeated. It took me a moment to recall the events of the previous night in full. As they came back to me, I nodded and rose to my feet. “Right, thank you Sky Flare. I’ll be right out.” She eyed me a moment then grinned and left my tent. I glanced down at myself and felt a slight wave of embarrassment wash over me as the cool morning air flowed into my tent. I was naked. I’d taken my vest off the night before because I’d been too hot after getting the hang of Sky Flare’s fluffing trick, and I stood there now with nothing but my bracelet on. I knew it was normal in this world to be naked like this, but it still felt awkward to me. I moved quickly to retrieve my vest, then paused as my saddlebags caught my eye. The armor Princess Luna had given me was in there. I still didn’t think it was necessary, but if I wanted to make a good impression like Sky Flare had said the night before, I should dress to impress. Though it still galled me to agree with her rant. Digging my armor out, I looked it over once again. Four well-made leg guards, sectioned to cover both the lower and upper parts of my limbs, and a multipiece chest guard completed the ensemble. Each piece was jet black and in pristine condition. Faintly mirrored silver accenting highlighted the edges of the pieces, and silver fur lined the rims nearest to my hooves and along the collar of the chest piece similar to my vest. It was light weight and I had no doubt it could take a serious hit without breaking. Thanks to my bracelet’s magic, it didn’t take me long to slip into it. After the last piece was secure, I rolled my shoulders and double checked every strap. I glanced at my left foreleg and felt a little odd at not seeing my bracelet, but the armor had been designed to fit over the golden band. It didn’t seem to affect the magic at all, and it would protect the gemstone in a fight, but it still felt odd not to see it glinting there whenever I looked down. Taking a breath to steady myself, I stepped out into our camp and the morning light beyond. I felt a little foolish to be the only one in fancy armor like this, but it would give a better impression than simply showing up in a vest with an antique on my leg. “Now don’t you just look the part, Guild Master Silver Wing,” Sky Flare mused as she noticed me, “And here I thought we wouldn’t need armor for this mission.” I fought not to frown at her. “Like you said,” I admitted, “As face of the Timber Wolves Guild I should look the part. And it may put that Sheriff off guard if he sees me like this, as opposed to my usual look.” Sky Flare nodded smugly but said no more. Instead, she gestured to the two Ponies tied up nearby. “The big one can talk now,” she explained, “His name is Rock, and the other one is his brother Pebble.” “Seriously?” I said, “Rock and Pebble?” Sky Flare glanced at me quizzically and I shook my head, ending that topic. Names here were nothing like my world, and they still struck me as odd from time to time. “You’ve been questioning them I take it?” I asked. “No,” Sky Flare said, “When Pebble woke up, he started yowling like a cat. Gale got their names and I came to wake you. We told them to keep quiet till you got out here, and for a wonder then listened.” I nodded my understanding and trotted over to stand before the two Earth Ponies. They’d been moved to sit before a large tree and tied securely in place, so they couldn’t escape. I frowned down at them and stood as sternly as I could manage while on all fours. Pebble and Rock looked at me guiltily for a moment then eyed their own hooves. “I take it by now you both realize the trouble you’re in?” I said. “T-trouble!?” Pebble gasped, “But we didn’t do anything! This is all just a big misunderstanding! We uhh… Thought you were the Bandits and we figured we’d take you to Far Stables, yeah. We didn’t know you were who you were, honest!” I stared at them flatly. Did they really think lying to me was going to help them? They made it fully clear they were trying to rob us last night. I resisted the urge to sigh and simply kept staring at them. More often than not, silence could bring out a great many answers with enough time. “W-we…” Pebble stammered as my silence grated on his nerves, “R-really it was just a big misunderstanding…” Sky Flare scoffed. “Says the Pony that wanted to keep me and take all our Bits,” she growled, “Don’t lie to us you little rat, or I’ll make last night’s beating seem like a dream come true!” I sighed at Sky Flare. ‘Shame she doesn’t know the trick of silent interrogation too.’ I thought wearily. “I-I never said we’d keep you!” Pebble gasped, “T-that was all Rock, not me!” “H-hey!” Rock gasped, “That’s no fair now, you’re the one that said she looked like a good time! What with how she’d pinned the other Pegasus to a tree and was all up on him when we were spying on them!” “I never said no such thing!” Pebble stammered, “I said we should leave these nice Ponies alone and-” “That’s quite enough!” I barked. It took all I had not to whimper as my embarrassment crashed through me from nose to tail like a tidal wave. They’d seen Sky Flare press me up against a tree last night!? She had just been trying to fluster me, to teach me how to fluff myself up and keep warm! We weren’t doing anything that could even remotely be considered a “good time”! But I could see how that scene would have looked to someone else. I didn’t dare look over at Sky Flare, but I could swear I felt her trembling with anger from where I stood. And I refused to look at Gale either. Who knows what he must think of us after that comment. “We all know you two tried to rob us last night so don’t waste any more of my time!” I roared, masking my embarrassment behind anger, “You will tell me the truth and only the truth from this point on or I’ll let Sky Flare be the one to ask you what we want to know!” I saw them both look to her and turn pale. She could glare paint off a wall at the best of her moods, but after their comment about us last night, something made me feel she could rout an entire army with a glance right now. “We did try rob you!” Both Pebble and Rock said in unison, “We’re sorry Sir!” I nodded. “We all know that,” I said, “But you’re not the only Bandits around here. Where are your friends, the ones that have been attacking travelers coming and going from Far Stables for the last several months now?” “We don’t know, we swear!” Pebble said quickly. “We came here not two days ago now,” Rock said more slowly as he struggled with his broken ribs, “We heard about the pickings here and wanted to get our hooves in the pot too. But we haven’t found anypony else yet.” Pebble nodded eagerly. “We saw your fire and thought we’d get what we could in the meantime,” he went on, “But we don’t know anything else, we swear!” I looked from one to the other. They looked terrified, and while I’d normally feel sorry for them, I was too embarrassed to feel anything else at that moment. “Gale,” I said, still not looking at him, “Get these two secured and able to walk. We’ll be giving them over to the authorities in Far Stables when we get there. And if they make any complaints, ask Sky Flare for help in keeping them compliant.” “Understood.” Gale said. “We’ll be compliant!” Pebble and Rock squeaked in unison. I ignored their blathering about doing as they were told and causing no trouble and turned back towards my tent. I tried to avoid looking at her, but Sky Flare was right there. She was glaring at the pair of Earth Ponies with an intensity unlike anything I’d seen from her before. I half expected them burst into flames with the look in her eyes and I had no doubt that she wanted to strangle them right then and there. Her tail twitched like an angry cats’ and her already red coat held a very clear hue of embarrassment around her nose. Her golden eyes met mine and for a moment and I tensed as they almost seemed to blaze, then she tore off into the sky. “I’m going to scout the area!” She barked back to us, “Don’t join me!” I heard Gale clear his throat behind me and I tensed anew. “I know it’s not my place to say,” he said softly, “But it’s usually best to keep any romance outside of most missions.” I felt my own tail twitch uncontrollably at his words. “It wasn’t like that Gale,” I said through gritted teeth, “She was just teaching me how to stay warm.” “Warmed us up too, and we were just watching.” Rock whispered none too softly to his brother. I shot a glare back at all three of them and they fell silent. Before anything else could be said, I slipped back into my tent and tried not to scream as I started to pack. Sky Flare and I didn’t do anything like they think we did! She was just trying to teach me something, that’s all! I struck a hoof against the ground and growled into my pillow in a mix of frustration and embarrassment. Three hours later, we were trotting into Far Stables. Sky Flare hadn’t so much as hinted at what had been said since she’d returned, though any time her eyes fell on Pebble or Rock, her glare said volumes. They had sense enough to hold their tongues around her, and so did Gale it seemed. I was grateful for that, as it allowed me to also pretend like nothing had happened, though my embarrassment still lingered in the back of my mind. I had hopped with every step on the walk to Far Stables that we’d run into the real Bandits we were after, if only to channel my stress into a good fight, but we had no such luck. The walk was slow, silent, and otherwise uneventful. Far Stables looked a lot like Ponyville, just smaller. It was about half the size, and while the Ponies here were friendly the town itself was far less colorful. Most of the buildings were simple and a dull brown or red. There were Ponies everywhere, going about their daily routines as usual and surprisingly few gave us a second glance. I could only assume they thought they were with the Canterlot Military and as such, saw fit to leave us to our business. Like me, Gale had chosen to donn his armor before we broke camp. His was standard for the Canterlot Guard, with its gold coloring and flair. And unlike my armor which had full leg guards he wore the standard gold shoes and even had the helmet on, complete with blue mohawk and stern-faced glare. Sky Flare looked a little out of place with just her saddlebags on, but she didn’t seem to care. I stopped as we came up to the local Sheriff’s building and took a deep breath to steady myself. ‘Just like any meeting with another agency,’ I told myself, ‘Be respectful and to the point, even if they’re not.’ “Let’s get started, shall we?” I said, smiling back at Sky Flare and Gale. We all trotted into the building and I quickly spotted Sheriff Colten Ironhorn. He sat at a large wooden desk at the back of the main room, using his magic to rummage through a stack of papers he had laid out before him. He looked the same as the last time I saw him, a grey Unicorn with a darker grey mane and tale. Unless something drastic had happened, I expected his personality to still be as dull and unyielding as his coloring. “Sheriff Colten Ironhorn?” I called, “We’ve come to help with your Bandit problem.” He glanced up at my words and snorted as he saw me. “I remember you,” he said, nodding to himself, “You caused a fuss over some hoodlums and gave me a right headache.” He tilted his head and looked past me, no doubt noticing Rock and Pebble leashed behind Gale. “And what’s the story about them, eh? They these Bandits that ruffled your feathers?” I took a breath and focused on staying calm. ‘Be respectful,’ I reminded myself, ‘Even if they’re not…’ Stepping closer to his desk I spoke with a strong tone. “These two tried to steal from us on the way here,” I stated, “I’ve brought them to you so you can send them off to Canterlot to be tried, unless you have the capacity to do so here. As for the other Bandits, we will be dealing with them shortly. We will require a wagon to lure them out however.” “You’re no law Pony,” Sheriff Ironhorn snorted in disgust, “You’ve got no right to take anypony into custody, and you’ve got no right to come in here asking me for anything. For all I know, you and your friends here robbed those two and scared them into submission. The look on your Mare friend there doesn’t exactly say she’s got pleasant thoughts on her mind.” I glanced over my shoulder at Sky Flare and caught her trying to hide a very clear glare at the two prisoners Gale led. I rolled my eyes at her and looked back to the Sheriff. “Now you tell me why I should take your word over theirs, hmm?” he went on in a huff, “You may have some shiny armor on, but that don’t make you the Law. If anything, I should be arresting you right here and now for trying to impersonate an officer and tying those two up!” I held my tongue and carefully withdrew one of the letters from Princess Celestia, the one giving me permission to act with her authority as leader of the Timber Wolves Guild. I smiled as I handed it to the arrogant Unicorn sitting across from me and waited as he read it over. His face visibly paled as he read through it, and I fought hard not to let a sheen of smugness taint my otherwise pleasant smile as I saw him read it over for a second time. “W-well,” he stammered, “I remember you from the last time, and I can’t just take the word of any Pony who canters in here saying they can help, now can I?” I took the letter back with my magic and ignored the surprised look on the Sheriff’s face. ‘That’s right,’ I thought, ‘I’m a Pegasus that can use magic, rack your brain trying to figure that one out.’ I gestured with a wing for Gale to bring the prisoners to the Sheriff and widened my smile. “Now that that’s cleared up, allow me to formally introduce my comrades and I.” Bowing slightly I introduced Sky Flare Gale and myself. “We are members of the Timber Wolves Guild,” I went on, “It is our duty to serve Equestria at the behest of the Princesses and take on the tasks that local law enforcement such as yourselves find beyond their capabilities. As such, we have been sent here to deal with your Bandit infestation, and you can rest assured that we will solve this issue for you.” I could see him reddening as I said my piece, but I didn’t give him time to cut in. “These two are charged with attempted robbery and assault,” I continued, “Please make sure they are tried and convicted. Gale here reports directly to the Princesses in Canterlot, and this entire scenario will be brought before them by both he and myself in great detail when we are finished here.” The Sheriff gulped at that, and whatever he had been thinking about saying died in his throat. “Now,” I said as pleasantly as I could, “We will need a wagon and a few empty crates to entice these Bandits into attacking us. Other than that small contribution, you can leave everything else to us. With luck, we’ll be back in a few days, and anypony traveling to or from Far Stables in the future will have far less to worry about.” The Sheriff huffed at me, then glanced at Gale and reluctantly nodded. “I’ll have one of my men bring what you need around front.” He said tensely. “Thank you,” I said, “It’s always a pleasure to work with a fellow Law Enforcement Officer.” He grumbled under his breath and took the rope from Gale, before leading the two Earth Ponies towards some cells further back in the building. I smiled at Gale and Sky Flare, then trotted back outside. “I thought he was going to choke when he read that letter from Princess Celestia.” Sky Flare whispered with a chuckle. “As did I,” Gale mused, “Whatever did you do to make him dislike you so much the last time you were here?” “I didn’t do anything.” I said. “Silver got his feathers right out of place when the Sheriff refused to go out into the woods after the Bandits and … How did you put it Silver?” Sky Flare said thoughtfully, “Actually do his job for a change?” Gale snorted as he stifled a laugh. “Well, he should.” I stated. “It is difficult for anypony to venture beyond their homes to brave danger,” Gale said, “By the looks of this town, Sheriff Ironhorn does a fine job with those in reach.” “I know, I know,” I sighed, “Sky Flare has well explained all of that to me. That’s why we’re here. To handle the things the locals can’t.” “Wow, he’s not wasting any time, now is he?” Sky Flare commented. I followed her gaze and spotted a Pony pulling a small wagon around the far side of the building and head towards us. “No doubt the paperwork you gave for him to read has made him want to smooth over his first few minutes with you.” Gale said. “Probably,” I agreed, “Though I doubt he’ll be sorry to see us go when we’re done.” Sky Flare chuckled and trotted forwards to meet the wagon puller. “Silver Wing?” the Pony said, looking at me unsurely. “That’s me.” I said. “Sheriff said to give you this wagon and the empty barrels inside,” The Pony explained, “Was going to go fill them up later tonight, but I’ll not mind waiting a few more days to get my work done.” “It’s appreciated,” I said, “We’ll be sure to return it to you as soon as we can.” The Pony nodded and slipped out of the wagons harness before trotting off. “We’ll need that tarp Gale, and some more rope,” I said, “To cover the back of the wagon and make it look more attractive to our targets. Now that I’ve got my armor on, I’d like to keep it where it is, but I’ll have to take it off for this. You two will hide in the back while I pull the wagon through the woods towards the next town. One lone traveler with his goods will be a much better target than three in armor.” Sky Flare sighed and moved between me and the wagon. “You two do the hiding,” she said, “One lone Mare with her goods is the best target to a group of Bandits, and you know it.” “While that may be true,” Gale said, “You hardly hold yourself as Mare with concern of the unknown.” Sky Flare frowned at him and I struggled to hold back a laugh. “I can look the part when I need to, alright?” She huffed. Gale and I shared a glance at one another, then shrugged. “If you say so.” I said. She looked away from me and let out a loud snort of irritation. “We’ll wait till we’re out of town before we climb into the wagon,” I said, “And see how far we can get before nightfall. Try to take us towards where Clyde was jumped, and we’ll set up camp there if we can. It won’t be the most comfortable trip for us, hiding in the back, but we should be good enough bait to draw them in. The reports I was given say these Bandits are still around, so it shouldn’t take us too long to be noticed. Gale and I will refill our supplies and meet you at the edge of town Sky.” She nodded and slipped into the harness of wagon. With a grunt, she started down the road, the rumble of the wooden wheels rattling in her wake as she left us. “Hope you’re ready to lay in a wagon for a few days.” I laughed. “I brought a book, so it shouldn’t be too bad.” Gale said. “Ah… A Book…” I said, “I should have thought of that… I don’t suppose you have two?” “I do not.” Gale said. “Great…” I sighed, “Maybe I can find one in town here before we’re done.” Three days had passed, and we hadn’t seen so much as another traveler in all that time. The inside of the wagon was hot and muggy and there wasn’t nearly enough room for me or Gale’s liking. Sky Flare had been traveling around the woods at a frustratingly slow pace, making it appear as though her wagon was filled to the brim with a heavy load. I tried to sleep as best I could during the daylight hours, but armor was hardly comfortable to lay in, and every bump jarred me right to my teeth. Gale handled it stoically, though I could tell it was getting to him as much as it was me. Sky Flare was the only one that seemed to be having a good time of it, but part of me thought that was only because she knew we were roasting inside the wagon. We had to remain hidden though. One sight of us and the illusion would be broken. We only slipped out at night to stretch our legs and deal with the necessities, when the light of Sky Flare’s campfire hid the back of our wagon in darkness. Otherwise, we were under the tarp and hating every minute of it. I had long since came to regret this idea of mine was wondering quite seriously if scouring the forest wouldn’t be easier, when a voice that was not Sky Flare’s called out from somewhere within the forest. “This is the third time you’ve come through here Ms. Pegasus,” the voice said with a laugh, “You aren’t lost, are you?” I heard Sky Flare snort and frowned at the top of the wagon cover. ‘She can play the part alright…’ I sighed to myself. “I’m-” she started angrily, then cut herself off. She cleared her throat and started again. “I am not lost,” she said more timidly, “I’m just not entirely certain where I am is all. But I’m sure I’ll find my way eventually, thank you very much.” I glanced at Gale and shook my head. ‘At least she didn’t insult him.’ I thought. I caught the familiar rustle of wings and crawled silently to peer out of a crack in the side of the wagon. I couldn’t see anything through it though and frowned back at Gale. He shook his head at me from another crack further back. Clearly he couldn’t see anything either. “I must say,” Sky Flare said wearily, “I’m not sure how to react to three Ponies leaping out of the trees in front of me.” Her tone sounded surprisingly worried, and if I didn’t know her as well as I did, I’d almost believe she was afraid and not just giving Gale and I the numbers we were up against. I heard a laugh from ahead, then joining laughter from behind and knew that meant we had even more company. “Got two more behind ya Ms. Pegasus.” Another voice chuckled. “I see…” Sky Flare said hesitantly, “Well… Between the five of you, could one possibly direct me to the nearest town? My goods won’t keep for much longer.” “Is that a fact?” Somepony said, “And just what sort of good do you have?” “My goods are none of your concern.” Sky Flare stated, though her voice quivered slightly as she tried to sound stern. ‘Good acting.’ I thought, then tensed as I heard a rustle from the tarp tie at the back of the wagon. “You leave that alone!” Sky Flare barked, “Nothing in there belongs to any of you!” “I’m afraid you’re wrong there Ms. Pegasus,” the first voice said again, “We let you pass by the first time, but seeing as you came back, we’ll be taking what you got and then letting you be on your way.” That was good enough for me, but Sky Flare hadn’t called out for us yet, so I readied myself and waited tensely for her signal. “I had heard rumors of Bandits around here,” Sky Flare said softly, “But I thought that surely they were just old Mares tales, I can’t believe my rotten luck to find out they were true.” “Like I said, we let you by the first time,” the Pony said, “We let every so many through, otherwise Ponies would wise up and stop coming to us. So, your luck wasn’t too bad to start with, you just wore it out wandering in circles. Now our Boss will be wanting to have a few words with you, and if your luck holds out, you may just be home for dinner. No promises though.” “I take that to mean you’re not the leader then?” Sky Flare asked, her feigned fear growing, “Just how many more of you are there!?” “I’m the leader of our raiding parties,” the Pony said, “Boss is back at our camp, waiting for you to pay him a visit. Him and Bores. Rest of the gang’s right here to make sure you get there in one piece. Now come along quietly and we’ll be sure not to pull out any of those pretty little feathers.” “That’s what I wanted to hear.” Sky Flare said. All traces of fear were gone from her voice and I gestured to Gale quickly. I pointed from him to the back, then to myself and the front of the wagon. He nodded his understanding and slid to the back of the wagon. “We’ve got them all here,” Sky Flare called out, “So come on out and play.” Tearing the tarp from the top of the wagon, Gale and I leapt out into the open and were met with startled gasps from the five Ponies around us. I scanned the area quickly and counted out two Pegasus flanking Sky Flare with an Earth Pony further behind. Two more Earth Ponies were behind our wagon. Each of them wore a simple black bandana across their mouths and what looked like mud covered their cutie marks to better hide their identities. Before they could react to our sudden appearance, I’d leapt over the front of wagon and slammed a hoof hard into the nearest Pegasus’s head. He dropped like a sack of bricks, and as I glanced back at Sky Flare, I saw she was chaining a painful combo of strikes into the other. The fliers would have been the hardest to track down if they tried to run, all that was left now was the three Earth Ponies. Glancing back to check on Gale, I saw him holding his own against the two behind the wagon, but it was still two on one. Our surprise was over, and the remaining Earth Pony gasped as he caught my eye. “Y-you!” He stammered, “You’re that Pegasus from a few months back!” He turned around and bolted into the forest without another word, leaving his friends to fight us on their own. I checked to make sure my opponent was down for the count and seeing Sky Flare’s in a similar state gave chase to the fleeing Earth Pony. “Sky, you help Gale!” I barked, “I’ll get the runner!” I didn’t wait for her reply and tore off into the brush. The woods were too thick to fly here so I was forced to run after him, but the trail he smashed through was easy enough to follow. Without warning, I found myself in what looked to be a game trail of some sort and gasped out as I was struck in the side by something with enough force to send me hurtling through the air and straight into a tree. I felt all the air in my lungs burst out of me and I dropped the ground, gasping vainly for my lost breath. I cringed as I struggled to breathe and caught sight of the Earth Pony I’d been chasing some fifteen feet away. His back legs were just touching down on the ground and I realized that he’d kicked me with both back hooves as I came into the open trail after him. I was grateful for my armor at that moment, and Gales words flashed in my mind. “Any scratch on said armor is an injury lessened or prevented for the wearer”. Injury prevented was right. If it hadn’t been for my chest armor, I would have some seriously broken ribs from that kick. As is it felt like they may still have gotten bruised. Shakily I rose to my feet and tried to assume my fighting stance, but the Earth pony charged me, and I gasped again as I was slammed back first into the tree. “You aren’t getting the better of me this time, Pegasus!” he growled. I fell to the ground as he turned to kick me again and I gave a wild flap of my wings. I felt one wing strike the tree and winced, but the other sent me across the trail and crashing into the brush on the other side. I heard a pair of hard thunks as the other Pony missed me with his kick and I forced myself to my hind legs. This Pony was relentless however, and just as I turned to face him, he slammed into me once more. With a grunt I felt myself buckle around his head and shoulder, but this time there was no tree behind me. I raised my forehooves high and slammed them both down atop his back hard. He gasped out under me and I struck him again before he slid to a stop. I staggered back off him, only just managing to keep my balance thanks to my wings catching on the surrounding foliage. “Good hit.” He said as he rolled his shoulders, “But not good enough.” I rolled my own shoulders and readied myself for his next attack. I didn’t have nearly enough room to move around like I wanted too, there was just too much brush around and I couldn’t even open my wings properly. Even so, now that he’d let up on his surprise assault and given me a moment to breathe, I felt in control once again. “Give up.” I said. He grinned at me, then tore off into the woods once again. I cursed and ran after him, though far more hesitantly this time. I could not afford to be caught up in another sneak attack. After nearly twenty minutes of following his trail, I found myself in a large clearing. A few small fire pits dotted the area and an assortment of wagons and crates were piled off to one side. A cabin stood at the back of the clearing and two large tents were set up beside it. I frowned as I took in the scene before me. There was no one in sight, but the Earth Pony I was after had to be here. In all likelihood, this had to be the Bandits camp. Which meant their leader and that other Pony he mentioned, Bores, had to be here too. If I had a radio, I could call for back up, but as it was, I was on my own… If I went back to get Sky Flare or Gale, these Bandits would no doubt escape, but three on one would prove to be quite the challenge if they caught me off guard. A sudden crash drew my attention to the cabin ahead of me, and I saw the Earth Pony I had been chasing come sailing out the doorway and land sprawled in the grass unconscious. “Bores!” A voice barked from within, “Take care of our guest, then bring that fool back in here so I can make it clear why he should never have come running back here like a scared puppy!” I tensed as I awaited this new opponent and gasped as I saw a Minotaur step out of the cabin. He had to duck to get his horned head through the doorway and I swallowed nervously as I saw him drag a club that was nearly as tall as he was out with him. I’d seen a few Minotaur’s in Canterlot at one time or another. They were big bipedal bulls with huge horns and bad tempers in my experience and I had no desire to ever fight with one. They were way bigger than I was, and I didn’t doubt they were stronger than an Earth Pony, but what choice did I have now? I couldn’t just run away. What good would I be to the Ponies of Equestria if I ran at the first sight of something bigger than I was. Even if that something had a club that looked like it was carved out of a small tree… I laughed at myself. ‘Bigger than I was?’ I thought ruefully, ‘He’s half the size of that cabin!’ I had no time to dwell on it though. I rose up into my fighting stance and took a deep breath to steady myself. He was big, and he had a club, but just because he was big didn’t mean I couldn’t beat him. It just meant I had to fight smart. The Minotaur bellowed a roar at me then charged, pulling his club back as he prepared to swing it at me like a batter would strike a baseball. It was easy to read, and I leaped up and over it smoothly. Using the force of my jump, I swung upwards and struck him in the jaw with as hard an uppercut as I could manage. He staggered back from me and I landed shakily on three of my four legs. I stared at my right arm in shock. It was numb. From the elbow down, I couldn’t feel a thing. I looked back at the Minotaur I had just struck and swallowed nervously as he grinned down at me. I had just punched him in the face as hard as I could, and I was worse off for it than he was. “Not good enough.” He said in a deep, barrel of a voice. I swallowed nervously and shoo my leg frantically to get some feeling back into it. The Minotaur charged at me again and I dashed to the side to keep out of his reach. I tried to run but my right leg was too numb to support my weight, so I was forced to fly low to the ground instead. He growled after me and swung his great club again and again. I flew circles around him and dodged this way and that, but I knew I couldn’t win like this. I half hoped he’d tire himself out, but looking at him, I didn’t think that was likely. ‘Brute force won’t work,’ I thought quickly, ‘So think. Use his strength against him. Hit him where he’s weak. No one is unbeatable, no matter how big they are.’ I continued to roll and shake my right arm, trying to get some sensation back in it as I tried to figure out a plan. ‘Weak points,’ I thought, looking him over closely, ‘Where would he be weakest?’ Physically, he was very much shaped like a human, though with a bull’s head and back legs. In theory, he should have the same pressure points as a human would then, and the same basic muscle structure. Moving faster, I dodged another of his wild swings and struck him just under the armpit with my left forehoof. With a human, it hurt like hell if you punched someone there, so this would be a perfect test to see if this brute was built as I hoped. Even so, I made sure to pull this punch a little. After what had happened to my right arm, I’d be useless if I jarred this one numb too. The Minotaur winced and swung back at me again. I ducked under his return swing and struck him in the right armpit this time. I crouched low to avoid his counter swing and gulped as he snorted angrily at me. I watched with growing concern as he hefted his club high over his head in preparation to swing down and crush me with his next blow. An old movie flashed in my mind and I grimaced as I lined up my next strike for another weak point I knew all too well. Crouched before him as I was, I drove a hard uppercut into the fur right between his legs and felt my hoof strike home. The club dropped heavily to the ground behind the Minotaur as my blow landed and I leapt away as a high-pitched whimper escaped my momentarily incapacitated opponent. His hands dropped to where I had struck and he fell to his knees in silent agony. “Sorry.” I said through a wince of understanding. I wouldn’t give him a chance to recover though. I jumped up in front of him and slammed both rear hooves into his forehead in as strong a double kick as I could muster. His head snapped back and he fell to the grass, one leg twitching slightly as his hands still clung to himself. I sighed with relief. I didn’t like fighting dirty like that, but I didn’t like losing either, especially not to a giant club that probably would have crushed my armor like a tin can. ‘One left.’ I thought gratefully. I glanced at the Earth Pony that had fled from me before, but he was still unconscious. I approached the cabin in my ready stance and stopped just outside the open door. “Give up,” I called out, “The rest of your gang’s already lost. Surrender peacefully and you won’t be harmed.” I heard laughter rise up from within the cabin, then my heart sank as I saw a Unicorn in a red cape strut out to face me. His coat was a red that matched his cape and he had a black, short cropped mane. “I must say I am impressed,” the Unicorn stated, “You have done quite a number on my merry little band. But I will not be surrendering today.” I saw his horn flair up with a green tint and before I could move, felt a weight press in on me from every side. I felt myself slowly rise into the air and struggled against the magic I knew was holding me. I tensed and tried to break free from the unseen force holding me and cursed silently to myself. ‘Of course it had to be a Unicorn!’ I thought angrily, ‘Couldn’t have just been another bigger Minotaur, or someone who can actually fight! I hate fighting magic!’ “H-How are you so heavy!?” The Unicorn gasped. I glanced up at him and saw sweat beading on his face as he seemed to struggle to hold me aloft. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I tried even harder to break free of his hold at the sight of him struggling. Abruptly, I dropped to the ground and leapt towards him without hesitation. I didn’t know what had happened, but I knew an opening when I saw one. I struck him hard in the side of the head, but I swung out of reflex and had used my still numb right arm. I knew it was a weak hit, but even so, the Unicorn lurched back and caught himself on a table inside the cabin. I followed after him and saw his horn flair up again. I was in the doorway of the cabin and I saw the door take a green glow. I crossed my armored forelegs before me just as the door slammed shut in my face. It struck the doorframe with such force that it splinted as I was thrown backwards though the air like a ragdoll. I landed hard on my back and slid nearly to the unconscious Minotaur. I gasped for breath as I found myself winded for the second time in an hour and struggled to get to my feet. “Fool Pegasus!” the Unicorn yelled angrily, “You’ll pay for striking me like that!” Shakily, I managed to face him and tensed as I saw two slim blades float up from beneath his cloak. Unlike the swords I was used to seeing Unicorns wield, these were just sheer double ended blades. They were no longer than a dagger, but even from the distance I was at, I knew they were razor sharp. Like a flash, the two blades shot towards me. I barely managed to jump back in time to avoid them, but even so I felt one bounce of my foreleg guard with a tink. I forced myself to breathe and flinched as another metallic tink sounded in my ears. I wasn’t sure where the second blade had struck, but my armor had saved me again. I tried to catch sight of the thin blades, but they were too small and too fast to see. I dashed back and to the side more out of instinct than planned evasion and heard a steady grate of metal on metal as I somehow dodged strike after strike. Before I knew it, I found myself with my back to the forest and cursed as my wing struck a branch. A moment later a burning pain shot through my other wing and I glanced over just in time to see one of those thin blades pierce clean through it. I pulled my wings close to my body and shuddered at the pain. I heard laughter drift across the clearing to me and glared at the Unicorn still standing in the cabins’ doorway. “That should keep you grounded for a while,” He said smugly, “But don’t think you’ll be getting off so easily. I’ve no idea how you managed to evade me as good as you have been, but without your wings you’re a sitting duck.” I knew I didn’t have much of a chance, but if I could just reach him, I could end this with one good hit. All my frantic evading had worked most of the feeling back in my right arm, so if I could close the distance, I’d be able to end this. I took off at a full gallop in a wide arc towards him. A flash raced along the grass towards me and I leap over it, then winced as I felt the second of his blades slice along my left cheek. I hadn’t even seen it coming at me. I tried to follow the weapon, but they were both moving too fast for me to keep track of. I couldn’t see where either were until the last second, and by then it was too late. I couldn’t reach him like this. Leaping back towards the forest, I staggered and fell to my knees as I felt a blade slash along my left shoulder, then an instant later a matching slash split open on my right. I glanced at the blood running down from my cuts and half chuckled to myself. ‘At least it’s still red.’ I thought bitterly. With everything else about me having been changed, I was almost a relief to see something look like it had in my world. “Well, come on then,” The Unicorn laughed confidently, “Where is your bravado? Are you going to just kneel there and let me flay you, or will you come at me again?” I glanced around the clearing quickly for any ideas. There had to be something I could do, but what? I was too exposed like this, and I knew he could have killed me many times over by now if he wasn’t so smug. Off to my left, I spotted the Minotaur’s club a few yards away and frowned. I knew I couldn’t do much with it, but if I could just distract him long enough to get close. I got back to my feet and opened my wings, though I winced as I stretched the cut in my left. “Let’s see what you think of your own game!” I barked, hoping to further distract him. Using the magic of my concealed bracelet, I lifted the Minotaur’s club and threw it at him. I followed after it as fast as I could, flapping my wings harder than I ever had before. “That’s not possible!” the Unicorn gasped, “You’re no Unicorn!” His horn flared brightly and the club stopped in midair a foot away from him. My magic had no chance against his and before I could close the gap, the club swung around and cracked me in the side of the head. I tumbled to the ground and groaned as I clutched my head in a vain attempt to stop the pain radiating throughout my skull. I saw bright spots of light all around me and cringed as my vision blurred and my eyes started to water. By some fluke the blow hadn’t knocked me out, but it had crossed my eyes to the point that nothing looked right. I wasn’t sure if I was pleased to realize that or not. Looking through the haze around me, I found the Unicorn I’d been fighting leering over me, his twin blades shimmering in the light of the magic around him. “How were you able to do that?” He demanded, “Only a Unicorn can use magic, so tell me how you threw that club at me Pegasus!” I was grateful that my bracelet was hidden at that moment. The last thing I needed to was to lose it to some Bandit, but my head was ringing too hard to allow me to speak just yet. “Silver!” Sky Flare’s voice called from somewhere that sounded both near and far to my mind, “We’re coming Silver!” The Unicorn looked up at the voice and frowned before returning his attention to me. “I’ve no idea how you managed to use magic, but we’ll have to save that discussion for another day, Silver,” the he said, “I am Glint, remember my name well for we will meet again.” I winced as a bright green flash engulfed the Unicorn, then he was gone without a trace. “Silver!” Sky Flare’s voice echoed in my head, “Silver, what happened!?” I was vaguely aware of her kneeling over me, but my head hurt too much to think anymore. Everything was starting to seem distant and unimportant. Every thought was an effort, like wading through knee deep mud, and I couldn’t seem to remember what I had just been doing. “Gale, he’s bleeding, get some bandages!” she said over her shoulder, then leaned close to my face, “You stupid idiot, why the hay did you run off like that!? We could have tracked them down together!” “Tracked who down?” I asked slowly. I felt like I had just been doing something important, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember what it had been. All I could think of was the pain in my head and the fact that nothing looked right anymore. “Are you serious!?” she barked angrily. I winced and raised a wing to cover my face, then groaned as I found that it hurt almost as much as my head did. “Y-you know,” I said distantly, “You’re a lot cuter when you’re not shouting at me…” I heard her snort at me then, start to say something, but her words were lost as a pleasant darkness embraced me and washed all my pain away.