"Uhm are you okay Blackthorn? You haven't mocked or well said anything since we got on?" Spike asked, tiring of the silence in the wagon since they all got on, the dark stallion had just sat there staring out through the window only giving them both a nod as they got on.
"Hmm? Ah it is nothing lizard just enjoying the view..." Blackthorn blinked, glancing at the little dragon and giving him a quick wave of his hoof as he turned back to the window.
"Spike let him brood in silence." Twilight said, watching carefully not wanting to accidently rile him up.
"I am not brooding I am thinking." He sighed without looking at her, taking a deep breath after another long moment of silence before turning his head and looking her in the eyes.
"Twilight you have a brother, tell me what would you do if he ....disappeared?"
"Well uh I guess anything at all to get him back..." Twilight blinked, scratching her neck in confusion at the odd question and tugging a bit at the black metal band around her neck.
"Mhm, anything at all...." He nodded slowly at her answer, narrowing his eyes as she kept touching the metal band.
"Stop scratching at the collar!"
"It just feels a bit too tight." She mumbled as she squirmed under its pressure.
"Yes it is because you are thinking about escaping, I had the doctor made it so not only does it prevent magic, but it also tightens around your throat if you were to flee from me and just because I felt like it I had it made so it also reacts slightly to your thoughts of escaping." He said with a smile leaning back into the seat enjoying her being uncomfortable.
"Is there no ends to your sadism?" Spike said with a glare, suddenly swallowing loudly, quickly turning and walking over towards the window on the oposite side of the cart as blackthorn turned towards him with a glare of his own.
"I-I mean ehm oh is that a ....tree?"
"Firstly yes, it ends at skinning uncooperating captives, though you are a drakeling so I might have a few layers to work with, secondly yes long ago there was a settlement and that there was at its centre used as a gibbet tree hanging their criminals and unwanteds for days until they died." Blackthorn smiled as he leaned forward to look at the tree Spike was looking at.
"Guh don't-don't talk to Spike like that!" Twilight growled between gasps tugging at the black band constricting her.
"....Just enjoy the ride we are soon there." Blackthorn considered giving her an answer resigning himself to just sigh and turn back towards the window.
"Spike come here let us enjoy the ...gloomy landscape." Twilight coughed and patted the seat next to her, putting her hoof around him as he sat down and both sat down in silence.
----------------------------------- Some time later near a road in the wastelands---------------
"Captain I can confirm the ponies in that cage are Equestrians, I saw two survivors from my squad with them and it seems to be only four guards escorting them." Silverstream said as she returned to him after her scouting trip to their makeshift camp, they had been lucky enough to loose the ghouls a few hours back and find some remains from an attacked resource wagon and a safe enough cave to get atleast a little rest.
"Hmm they are transporting captives with so few guards? something is off." Iron Hoof said rubbing a scabbed over wound at his neck.
"I think it's more arrogance, seeing how this is their lands and are pretty sure noone will threaten them, especially after the battle." Silverstream nodded looking back at the tiny figures in the distance.
"Maybe... but can we take them down with just us?" Iron Hoof asked, grabbing a cracked spyglass and putting it against his eye.
"Depends on if they continue through that pass over there, we should be able to ambush them by pushing some of the rocks on them." she said grabbing the spyglass and turning it towards the road leading towards a narrow pass with steep cliffs on both sides.
"Guess we only got one chance at this, as soon as Whisper Wind returns we take those bastards down with whatever we got."
-----------------------------Meanwhile at the outskirts of Black Gulch--------------
"Why is there so many soldiers in such a small town?" Spike asked, as he looked out through the window seeing several black armored ponies walking around the area and putting up a cordon around the town, pushing a few straggling civilians towards the centre of town.
"Call me vain but I do so like showing my power even to backwoods peons like these, also I do enjoy the fear they exude when being herded togheter towards the town square." Blackthorn smiled, glancing out at the window giving a nod to a few of the guards saluting him.
"I don't like this Twilight." Spike said as he turned towards her, getting uneasy as they neared the town centre and saw the mass of ponies herded togheter.
"Seems we have arrived, welcome to Black Gulch." Blackthorn said, closing his eyes until the doors opened up and the massive black armored stallion from the day before who had been dragging captives stood and saluted flanked by two black armored ponies.
"You have done a great job captain I take it all of them are rounded up?" He continued as he rose up and stepped down from the carriage.
"Of course my lord, if there are any Equestrians hiding here we will find them." The captain answered, turning his attention towards Twilight and offering his hoof for her to take so she could get out of the carriage.
"What is happening? wha-" She begun hesitantly taking his hoof and looking around at the gathered guards.
"Sssh come Twilight." Blackthorn hushed her and motioned for her to follow him towards the town square, smiling as he led a small procession of black armored guards towards a hastily built wooden platform.
"Twilight I-I think we are going to a execution..." Spike whispered hugging her right leg tightly looking up at the platform infront of all the gathered ponies.
"Follow and not a word from either you or your pet." Blackthorn grinned nodding his head towards the stairs leading up the platform.
"You first my dear, you will get a nice view of the little spectacle I have prepared."