//------------------------------// // 8 Hideaway // Story: Prince Blueblood: Master Ambassador // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// In spite of Lunaris' hope that they would make it to Griffonstone before the day finished they, to put it bluntly, didn't. Not even close. Moments after Gruff left, promising to talk to the other griffons of the Golden Aerie, the land was abruptly plunged into darkness. Only the light of Lunaris' horn allowed the two ponies the chance to set up their small tent, nestled between two larger stones that served as a windbreak. Golda planned to fly off a short distance, nesting in the trees to the east, promising to return at dawn. Aspide had grimaced at that, worried about the griffon spending the night in the cold and wind and snow. Lunaris had responded that her heavier down clearly showed that she was used to it, and there was absolutely no way she would spend the night in their already cramped tent. Lunaris grumbles as he awakens, feathery dust clogging his nostrils. Even he, despite having argued minutes before that they should be friendly, thought it was being far too trusting. Especially of an opponent who mere minutes before had been trying to kill and eat them. But, as Aspide had quietly whispered to him over their evening meal, it was likely the first kind thing anypony, or anygriffon, had ever done for her. And it would go a long ways towards helping their relationship. Also, Golda was taking just as big a chance, sleeping next to a being who, not minutes ago, successfully injured one of her relatives. This did not make Lunaris feel any better about it. And yet, here he is, not murdered in his sleep. He hates being wrong. Not as much as he hates being murdered in his sleep, though. So, silver linings. To go along with silver linings, there appears to be at least a foot of new snow outside. And, far off in the distance, the thin fabric of the tent barely serving to hide the light, the morning sun. Just waiting to peek over the horizon, faintly visible between the mountaintops. Lunaris pushes to his hooves, stifling a yawn, feeling like he didn't get enough rest. They had traded off, trying to sleep as the other watched, the potential of Gruff returning with a cadre of griffons enough to keep both of them from getting any true rest. He shrugs off the two blankets spread over himself and Aspide to cover just her. His two rapiers levitate from underneath him, the canvas bag levitating and strapping to his side, donning his scarf and hat as he steps out of the tent. The unblemished landscape stretches for miles, Lunaris marveling at the sight. He slowly scans up the mountain, looking for any disturbances in the pattern of rocks and snow. He should take up painting. An insufficient medium to immortalize this beautiful sight, and the many others should the job with Horizon come through. He stares, fixing the small details in his mind: the way the rocks are arranged, the small channels carved from melting snow, the outcroppings where an intrepid sapling tries to grow, roots burrowing into the stone outcroppings. Perhaps a glacier carved its path through the sloped ground. Or, more likely, Discord or some other primordial being lopped off the top of the mountain, dropping it off the west side instead of to the east where the contours of the land suggest it should have gone. Maybe that's why it snows so heavily on the east side of the mountain, on the opposite side of the water. Or, he grimaces, maybe it snows even more on the west side. Not like they have pegasi around to control things. Looking down, a completely different image. The tops of the trees, a forest stretching for miles and miles. Only the white capped tops visible as he looks farther out, the swaying in the constant wind creating an odd illusion, as if the entire forest is covered in a blanket, gently rising and falling as it sleeps. Closer, the edge of the forest, with many dark shades of green and black, shadows cast from the approaching sun, while the snow reflects glints of the moon through the overcast layer above. Hopefully he would be able to see the glorious sunrise through the clouds, even out in this forsaken land. Further to the east, even higher mountains, their caps permanently white, much like Canterlot Mountain to the west. Were these mountains just not visible from Canterlot, the curvature of Equus enough to hide them from view? What other civilizations lay beyond the mountains, that looked otherwise impassable? Higher than any common flying machine could travel, certainly; perhaps some of the universities had something capable. Or the Wonderbolts had some flight suit that assisted with the loss of oxygen. Or perhaps Princess Celestia knows. Or, more likely, her focus has remained on her little ponies. Their numbers certainly grow every year, and she purports to know every single one. The soft crunch of snow next to him distracts Lunaris from his musings, glancing over to see a blanketed gray form approaching from the tent, somewhat difficult to make out in the twilight haze. He smiles, one side of the blanket coming up and over his barrel, Aspide snuggling next to him. "I'd tell you to go fetch something warm, but it seems you already did." "Yeah," Aspide snickers, "I am hotter than you." Lunaris rolls his eyes as he smiles, the two watching as the sun quickly bursts over the mountains to the east. It rapidly climbs before slowing to a crawl, eclipsed by one of the clouds. Exactly the spot, Lunaris notes, that would appear to be dawn if one's eye rests at Canterlot. But from here, the angle suggests it would be just after eight. Nine, given the winter month. How must that feel to the rest of the races? The celestial objects, played with as toys by the ponies. At least they keep to a regular schedule, most of the time. The Winter Solstice Celebration - commemorating Princess Luna at the very start of the year - must be simultaneously awe inspiring and terrifying, if one knows nothing of pony history. Maybe nothing lies to the east. Just mountains and water, never complaining about the sun stored on their side of the world for hours. Or does Celestia keep the sun's travel on that side of the planet regular, just like she does when the sun is visible? Given how tired Celestia seems when she rests the sun, could she? Or is that just from having to raise the moon? Lunaris wonders if any unicorns had offered to help. They had controlled the sun and moon in the past, of course. Before the Celestial Sisters took over. Or maybe some magical artifact could take their place. Maybe somepony had offered, perhaps without asking, and the Badlands was the inexorable response to the usurpation. But, enough speculation; the tent is moving again, this time a disheveled griffon stepping out. She nods to the two ponies, stretching her wings. Aspide rises, one of the rations opening, revealing heavy bread. Lunaris takes half the offered loaf, munching on the honeyed wheat. Aspide rips off a chunk, offering the piece to the griffon. It disappears down her gullet, whether or not she enjoyed the meal impossible to tell. "You ready to go?" comes the gruff voice. Aspide and Lunaris nod, quickly moving back to the tent and beginning to pack up their gear. Lunaris looks at his packs, "Did you take my rations?" Aspide nods, "Yeah. Why? Did you want something else?" "No, I just thought you would have used your own." Lunaris shrugs, swinging his the pack over his barrel, "But, if not, that's fine with me. I don't mind carrying less." "Um, what do you mean my own? We ate those yesterday, on the trip here." Aspide says, walking out of the tent. "Pretty sure I made room for all the other necessities, remember? We'd just forage, or buy stuff off the griffons." Lunaris stares at her as Golda leans over, helpfully adding, "I make a mean rock biscuit! Just, um, one bit each!" "No more rations?" Lunaris finally utters, looking at the packs strapped around Aspide. "What do you mean, no more rations? The spiced oatmeal! The fruits and nuts! Bread, for Celestia's sake!" "Eyup. All gone. Bartered to the fishermare, if you remember. It worked, too; got her to offer to look out for us on the return trip." Aspide finishes packing up the tent, now securely strapped to her back. "So, which way are we heading?" Golda's eyes smirk as she points a talon up the mountainside. She takes wing, flying and searching for a thermal to make the arduous climb a little easier. She circles a few times, slowly blowing around the nearby clouds, though they would need a double wing to really combat the nimbostratus. Lunaris stares at the spot Golda left for a few seconds before he turns to Aspide, "You didn't dump the water, did you?" "I should dump the water!" Aspide yells down, already starting the climb. "Look at all this snow around us! We could just boil that, you know?" "Oh, please, I only drink All-Natural Canterlot Spring water. Nothing else tastes quite right." Lunaris follows the path Aspide carved in the snow, quickly catching up. She steps to the side, letting him pass her. He pushes through the snow, now making a trail for her. "Water is water. Besides, that taste you love is just minerals. Little pieces of dirt and rock, mixed in with the water." The two round a bend around some of the larger boulders, Golda flapping her wings in the sky above them. Lunaris rounds another slab of rock, "And, as anypony can tell you, those are good for you! Necessary, even! Besides, would Princess Celestia allow such impurities right at her front door?" Lunaris shakes his head, marveling at the quiet that follows. He glances back, a hint of worry at not seeing anypony behind him. "Aspide?" Silence, or perhaps the slight echo of his voice against the rocks. "Aspide!" he shouts, spinning around; his ears twitch, listening for any sounds of distress while his eyes widen, rapidly scanning around the mountainside. He nervously stamps a hoof, about to gallop back down the slippery slope. "Oh, you're too easy!" Aspide snorts, coming around the slab. Lunaris pulls himself to a stop, skidding against the packed snow. "Lots of dirt and rock around here, I could mix some of that into your water." Aspide startles as Lunaris pulls next to her, embracing her in a hug. "Um, okay, I wasn't gone that long." "Just, don't do that again, okay?" Lunaris says, squeezing Aspide. "I thought I lost you." He coughs, slowly letting her go, "And, um, Princess Celestia would have been very unhappy with me if I lost you. So." Aspide snickers, "Right, okay, sure." The two begin walking back up to the slope as Golda flies down, landing next to them. The two look over as she says, "So, you two done ponying around? This next part isn't too bad, but it's going to be a steep grade the rest of the way." "It can't be that much further, can it?" Lunaris asks, trudging along. "We're nearly at the same elevation of Canterlot. I thought they were about the same height." "Never been to Canterlot, but I can tell you it's just another mile or so." Golda smirks, her talon drifting from pointing west to pointing upwards, "That way." The three continue trekking up, quickly breaking out above the clouds. The ground stays snowy, but not as fresh, the dry crunch of snow likely never trod before. Perhaps an hour of grueling hiking later, they finally reaching the top of the mountain. Griffonstone lays before them, a massive rock formation in the shape of a gargantuan tree. It branches out in every direction, many wooden or thatch houses dotting the landscape. Lunaris and Aspide breath more easily, their destination finally in view. Lunaris takes another few steps forward before coming to a halt, looking at the massive gorge between them. "Um, what is this?" he asks, pointing towards the opening. It is far too wide to jump over, and the wind gusting through the fissure makes even flying nearby difficult. "Is this the Abyssal Abyss?" "Yeah!" Golda says, landing next to them and hunkering down. "Why?" "Um, how do we get across? There a bridge somewhere?" "Uh, no. We're griffons. We just fly over it!" Golda smirks, "Duh!" A hoof connects with Lunaris' head, the unicorn massaging his growing headache. "And, do you fail to see the problem, or?" "HALT!" comes a cry from across the Abyss. The three nervously glance at each other as four griffons advance, spears pointing towards them.