//------------------------------// // Bitter // Story: Fellow Travelers // by ChillyKitty //------------------------------// Discovery took a bite of his apple and yawned. He trotted at a steady pace knowing his hooves would ache the moment he stopped. "It's not much farther." He told himself. Somnambula was the closest village to his home but it was still a long walk nonetheless. He was used to it by now of course but anypony would be tired from walking all day with few breaks. His apple was on the bitter side, being quite sour and unripe. He couldn’t really complain though, they were out of season and the pony who gave it to him did warn him that’s been picked to early. He could see the pyramids and the statue which the village held so dear. He hoped to Celestia that the market would still be open, he had to trade for something very specific. He didn’t know what that very specific thing was yet but he’d have an earful if he didn’t bring back something wonderful enough to captivate his daughter’s interests for at least a week before she found something new. He also wanted to trade for a fruit that was a little less bitter. Dawn Carnation was to much like her father for her own good, which, Discovery supposed, meant that his father likely thought the same about him. He remembered his desperation for adventure and his need to always be drawing something new. Though his daughter was not as interested in drawing as he was, she was interested in the sciences of things he drew. Naturally he began drawing everything he could in great detail and making notes on different properties, taking and drying samples if possible. His daughter loved to research his research, and though he’d always had that same interest as her, he’d never had it to her level. However, as much as she loved the research he brought back, bringing back drawings was something he did all of the time. This time needed to be different, because the next time he’d return, it would be Dawn’s birthday. He knew the best birthday gift to give her would be taking her on an adventure of her own, she wanted to go almost as much as he did as a foal. Dawn’s mother, of course, wouldn’t accept that. He understood, he did leave Sun for months at a time on occasion and she was one to get lonely and bored. She liked having her daughter around and, unlike Discovery, Dawn did have some things she liked doing in town. For example, since summer started recently, Sun had set up her yearly bakery for the market. When he was a colt the market was only a few traders who stuck around a few weeks, but now it had grown to be quite the event, partly because of Sun’s wonderful baking. Dawn had taken great joy in learning how to cook and has been trying to make new recipes for dishes to trade, only taking breaks to research the drawing Discovery made her. Before Discovery knew it, he was on the edge of Somnambula. Trotting into the village, he very quickly found that he was too late to make it to the market as all the barterers had packed up for the day. He sighed, he couldn’t blame them, the sun was going to set soon and even he himself was ready to call it a night. Without any though he headed to the Geddon Inn, the only inn in the village. He stayed there countless times while leaving and returning from his travels, it almost felt like a second home. He wore a small smile as he trotted up to the door and knocked. It swung open to reveal a pony he recognized immediately. “Rocky!” his smile grew, “Long time no see.” “Oh, Discovery!” Rocky Geddon returned the smile, he stepped forward for a quick hug, “It has been too long.” but then the friendly greeting was cut short with a frown. “What’s wrong?” He tilted his head. “I’m sorry, but we have no vacancy.” Discovery raised an eyebrow, “This inn has never been filled before.” he said, “I mean, I’m glad for your sudden increase in customers but I’m confused.” “There’s a storyteller in town, and apparently every pony in the village has been inviting outsiders to hear a story.” He rolled his silver eyes. “I suppose it must be a popular one.” Discovery sighed. Rocky shrugged, “You know it already, remember I told you of the time a monster came to the village?” Discovery nodded, “Well I’m no storyteller but that’s the entire story. You know, I don’t even think it was a monter, a jungle creature must wandered into the village and every pony was on edge since the whole sphinx thing.” The ‘whole sphinx thing’ was a well known piece of history that gave the village its name. The villagers of Somnabula, especially the older ones, loved to recount the story of the sphinx's riddle, he’d heard it a million times. “I don’t suppose another inn has suddenly appeared in Somnabula?” Discovery asked. Rocky gave him a sympathetic smile, “I’m sorry, the nearest one is in the Southwestern Trading Port. You’ve been there before, right?” “Yes, but it’s been quite a while.” Discovery scoffed, “Isn’t the path to it is through the mountain tunnel?” Rocky nodded, “Go through the tunnel and take the path next to the cliff, when you see the desert make a right.” Discovery closed his eyes and sighed again before looking back at his friend, “Thanks.” he said gratefully, having directions was better than wandering aimlessly.  “Have a safe travel.” Rocky said, “Good night.” “Good night.” Discovery nodded and turned. He knew the area well enough to head toward the right mountain which had a tunnel carved through it, though he normally never went south. Her wasn’t much down there unless you wanted to find bones of creatures that hadn’t survived the dehydration of the desert. The bones themselves had value of course but the travel was boring and hard if the pony traveling wasn’t prepared. As he left the village behind him, for a moment he wished he had wings, then he could fly over the mountains and straight to the trading port. Though being an earth pony did have it perks. He was much stronger and could travel longer than unicorns or pegasi. As he came upon the mountain, he noticed that Celestia was likely going to start setting the sun in a few moments. He pulled the half eaten apple from his bag, he might as well finish it before it starts browning. He took a bite and squinted, it was still bitter. The bitterness wasn’t just in the apple though, he himself was feeling quite bitter. When he finished his sour fruit, he tossed it into the trees beside him. On his other side was a steep rise in the ground, a cliff. He glanced up at it, it was quite tall, it’s top just barely going above the treetops.  He continued his path, when he’d reached the desert he saw that the sun was nearly fully set, and that he’d have to travel the rest of the path in the dark of the night. He kicked up a bit of sand, “Of course.” he sighed. “Well, I’d better make sure to stop by Somnabula before the traders pack up for the night on my way back.” He said, starting to make a mental checklist. “And I might as well see if the ships bring anything good at the trading port.” he yawned, “And when I’m traveling back i should draw one of the jungle plants.” Talking to himself allowed him to focus on something other than his want for sleep but he was still quite drowsy, “Maybe I’ll see a fish at the port, I could draw that.” He hadn’t made many drawings of fish for Dawn, perhaps she’d like that. It must've been a half hour of him mumbling to himself before he started giving up, “Maybe I should just sleep here, the sand’s soft enough.” He huffed groggily. “That’s a bit extreme.” Discovery blinked and quickly straightened himself out, he hadn’t noticed any pony else on that trail, but sure enough, a young mare wearing a cloak and a blindfold stood just under the cover of the trees. “Oh, my apologies, I didn’t see you there.” Discovery cleared his throat, overly embarrassed that somepony heard him talking to himself, “I um,” he started, he took note of the blindfold, the mare must’ve been been injured, perhaps even blinded, “Well the inn in Somnambula is unexpectedly full, so I’m heading to the Southwestern Trading Port.” He explained. “I assume you're going there as well?” He added after a moment, trying to make some form of small talk. The mysterious mare paused, but then shook her head, “I’m coming from there.” Discovery’s eyebrows creased, “Where are you heading?” Was this blind mare going in the wrong direction? There wasn’t exactly any other civilization nearby other than Somnambula, “Oh um,” He caught his rudeness, “If you don’t mind me asking that is.” The mare raised a hoof to giggle into, “I’m heading home. It’s not far.” She smiled, causing Discovery to avert his eyes away immediately.  Something was wrong with her teeth, they seemed strangely crooked, though Discovery couldn’t see much in the dark and he didn’t want to stare, just in case the mare could see. “Are you sure..?” He asked cautiously, he didn’t want to be rude, but there was no housing around them, unless she meant a campsite she’d set up. “Mmhm.” She hummed, “Do you need a place to stay? It’s not exactly normal for a pony like yourself to be traveling this late.” His mind was convinced that this mare was delusional and his body was just begging for a place to rest. He wrestled for his thought for a short moment but quickly gave in, “Yes, if you have the room, I don’t wish to intrude.” “Oh, you wouldn’t be able to intrude,” The mare said softly, “Though I can’t exactly lead you there without my sight so excuse me.” She said, and after a moment of fidgeting with the knot behind her head, she pulled off her blindfold. Discovery released a breath he hadn’t noticed he’d been holding as he saw that her were no injuries near her peacefully closed eyes. Before he had the chance to wonder why the mare was wearing the blindfold in the first place she opened her eyes and it explained everything. Well it explained everything and also provided a new set of questions. His jaw hung agape, as he stared at the slits. A small part of him wished for him to grab his paper. Dawn would love to see a pony a slits instead of pupils. But instead he stood completely still. The mare blushed and let out a laugh, which brought Discovery’s eyes back down to her mouth. She had fangs. Two sharp large and pointy fangs. “Fascinating.” he mumbled, but then caught himself, “Er, sorry.” he blushed. The mare tuned and nodded in the direction of the trees, “Come now, it isn’t far.” she said, not looking back to see if Discovery had followed her as she stepped in between the trees.