Barter shivered, something she thought a batpony would never do.
Her fur was quite thick but she could still feel a cool breeze that was mostly blocked by the surrounding trees. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for the batponies who traveled to the northern caves. The forest was a silent and confusing maze. Nonetheless, Barter continued trudging onward.
It was quiet, so quiet, like the entire world hadn’t woken up yet, or was just now going to sleep. She figured that by now her family, if not her entire colony, would’ve started their search of the caves. She felt a bit bad, leaving without giving them so much as a note saying that she’d be okay. If she had left a note then maybe they would all be going to sleep now, care free.
She shook her head, it was too late to worry about such things. Though telling herself that didn’t cheer her up as much as she hoped.
There was a noise, it caused the pony’s ear to perk up and swivel. The sound wasn’t any more than a tiny scuffle made by something fairly small. As it moved again making the same noise it alerted Barter of its location completely unknowingly. Batponies prided themselves on having the best hearing of all other ponies, she wondered briefly if she had the best hearing of all the creatures in this forest.
She wandered closer to the sound, looking up at the general area it was in. She could see a mass on top of a branch high up in a tree. At once she took off her saddlebags and took flight, she got closer and still couldn’t see much more than a silhouette. She wanted to take off her blindfold but worried about her eyes. She didn’t want to feel the pain of the sun glaring into her slit eyes again, but her curiosity begged her to risk it.
She raised a hoof and pushed one side of her sash up, revealing the brightness of the world to just one eye. And revealing a feathery gray thing sitting in a nest. She blinked a long blink, her eye felt better in the dark, but when she opened it, she got a slightly more clear sight. It was a bird! With a rounded black beak and red feathers that laid at the bottom of the nest. She flew closer without hesitation, “Good morning.” She smiled.
The bird turned its head to look at her puffed up, opening its beak and letting out a jarring squawk.
She practically screamed as she pushed against the air and propelled herself backwards. She took a moment to catch her breath, letting her eye rest behind her eyelid before flying closer again.
The bird eyed her cautiously, “It’s okay,” she said softly, “I’m not gonna hurt you.” She cooed.
The bird stared at her and she stared back with the same uncertainty. It felt like an eternity passed, but eventually their eyes broke away from each other as a smaller bird shoved its head above the edge of the nest.
Barter gasped, “Oh! You were just protecting your baby!” Two more heads popped up, “Babies.” she quickly corrected herself.
The bird seemed to have relaxed some, seeing that Barter had yet to attack her nest.
“I understand, you probably don’t want a big fanged creature around.” She joked, “I’ll leave you be, I wish I could ask you where the ponies are though.”
“‘Ony?” A voice squawked just as Barter was about to fly away.
“You can talk?!” she asked.
“Talk.”
Barter thought for a moment, “Right. I read in a book that some birds can repeat Ponish. You’re not a corvid though.. That means your a parrot?” she looked around, “Wait, am I in a jungle?”
The bird just looked at her, “‘Ony?” she kawed.
“..Do you know where ponies are?” She felt stupid, she’d read just about every book in the caves and somehow didn’t recognize this to be a jungle, and now she was actually asking a bird for directions.
The bird nodded yes, making Barter have to stifle a gasp, not only was this bird copying her but it was understanding her! “I wish I could understand your normal squawks,” She sighed, “But can you point me in the direction of the ponies?”
The bird nodded and raised a wing, pointed to the right.
“Thank you!” Barter smiled, almost darting in that direction, but she stopped herself, “Oh yeah!” She turned around and flew to the ground, putting on her heavy load and flying back to the bird, “Hmm,” she hummed, “Here!” she turned awkwardly and managed to pull an apple out of her bag, it was her only fruit she brought with her, they didn’t get many cause not much could grow in the caves, but it felt like a fair trade for the info the bird gave her.
She carefully approached the nest and gently set it next to the mama bird. She responded in kind with a cheerful sounding kaw. She bit into it with her sharp beak and tore a piece away to eat.
Barter smiled, “Pleasure doing business with you.” and with that, she flew to what she assumed must’ve been the closest village.
…
Discovery was so excited. While his fiance had been busy planning for their wedding, Discovery was planning for something even more amazing; His next adventure! He’d been planning it since he got back from his last adventure, He was trying to be a traveling merchant after all, he had to know how to travel and get used to doing it all the time.
“Pops, have you seen my charcoal?” He called out, double checking that he hadn’t put it in his saddlebags already.
“Yeah!” He heard his father’s voice call out from his study.
Discovery quickly trotted over, “Where?”
Traveler Rise sat in his wooden chair, writing with one of Discovery’s sticks. He chuckled and set it down, “You didn’t need it did you?”
He trotted up and took it, “You have plenty of quills.” he said matter a factly.
“That I do.” Traveler Rise said with a smile, “I take it you’re heading out soon?”
“Yes,” Discovery practically buzzed with excitement, “I’m gonna say bye to Sun and then I’m off!”
“Well, you have fun out there, make sure no one’s trying to scam ya when you trade.”
“I’ll be careful Pops.” Discovery said, “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”
“No siree!” His father said, “Those unvoyaged paths are for young legs.”
“I’m sure you could still keep up.” Discovery spoke.
“Nah, It’s my time to live like Rum and drink my life away.”
Discovery smiled, “Don’t drink it away to quickly.”
“‘Course not,” Traveler smiled, “Now go, I’m sure your lady’s waiting.”
“Okay,” Discovery turned, “See ya.”
“See ya.”
Discovery stepped out of his home and took a deep breath, the sea wasn’t far and the land always smelled like salt, it was wonderful. He could vaguely hear chatter coming from the seaside market. The sound almost made him want to stay for another week. The market only stayed there for a few weeks out of the summer after all.
He turned and started his trott. He wanted to see new land, trade with new ponies, not the same few who always came every year by ship. As he approached Sun’s house, he saw her step out. “Sun!”
Sun looked towards him, she seemed a bit more tense than usual, especially considering that usually wasn’t tense at all.
“Are you okay?” He asked quietly once he got closer.
“I’m fine, just-” She forced herself to breathe, “Busy with the wedding.”
They trotted together toward the end of town, “You don’t need to worry about it too much. If you want to take a break, you can just change the date for later.”
“Even if I did that, I don’t think I’d want to take a break.” She said, “I’ve been imagining this since I was a filly, I want it to be perfect.” She glanced at Discovery, “Or as perfect as it can be.”
“Well, you do whatever makes you happy.” Discovery smiled.
“I..”
“Hmm?” Discovery looked to his soon to be wife.
“I just thought you’d put the um.. Adventure off for a while.” She said.
“Sun.. I’ve been planning this for weeks.”
“I know, adventuring’s just in your nature.” She said sadly, “It was a part of the deal after all, I’m just.. I’m just a bit off, maybe I will take a break.”
“You should.” He confirmed, “I’m sure that the wedding will be amazing no matter what, so you don’t have to worry too much, okay?” he turned to look at her as they had arrived at the town’s exit.
“Okay.” She smiled.
“Is there anything you’d like me to bring back?”
She shrugged, “I was thinking of setting up a bakery for the market next year, so I should start practicing. I guess if you find anything that’d suit that.”
He smiled, “I’ll find something.” He leaned over and kissed on the cheek, “Good bye.”
“Bye.” She said back.
They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, then Discovery turned and began his travels, heading toward the great wilderness of the unknown.