//------------------------------// // Swamped II // Story: Amethyst Star Isn't Prepared For This // by MagicS //------------------------------// A lot of thoughts were swimming through Amethyst Star’s head as she found herself on the wrong end of a few spears. One was that she was still pretty wet and had a lot of swamp slime clinging to her that she really wanted to get off. Another was a cynical voice saying that she should’ve expected something like this. But the biggest and loudest thought going through Amethyst Star’s head was: “Oh please, oh please, don’t let them stab me.” The three ponies were keeping a careful eye on her to make sure she didn’t make any sudden movements or try to use her magic. If she wanted to run back into the water and leave without a fuss they wouldn’t complain though. The central one wearing the reeds who had told her to stop in the first place squinted at this interloper, ready to hear any excuses or explanations she might have and discard them just as quickly. The two behind him stayed silent, they didn’t wear anything but mud still caked their bodies, painted in swirling patterns all over them with lines across their faces. Amethyst Star figured it was supposed to be camouflage to help them blend into the swamp but it could’ve been a cultural thing too, she had no way of knowing. What she did know was they weren’t very clean and they didn’t smell very good. Especially the middle one missing the teeth. He was short and fat and his big brown eyes showed no trace of kindness, the two others behind him were much taller and slimmer but they as well didn’t offer any warmth or sense of hospitality to Amethyst Star. She couldn’t even tell for sure what color their manes and coats were thanks to all the mud and swamp junk covering them either. The fat one frowned even harder than he already was and spoke again. “You’re a Flytap aren’t you?” Amethyst Star’s wits (partially) came back to her and she moved her eyes from the spear tips to the pony, registering his question she vehemently shook her head. “N-No, I’m a pony.” The two taller guards gave each other confused looks while the fat one raised an eyebrow at Amethyst. “I think you broke her, Quargyle,” the tall guard on Amethyst’s left said to the fat one. Quargyle groaned and lifted his spear away from Amethyst Star’s face. “No, I know you’re obviously a pony. What I meant was, are you a pony from the Flytrap Clan?” Amethyst Star was relieved when the other two pulled their spears away as well. Now she could finally breath again. “I have absolutely no idea what that is.” She answered, shaking her head again. Even though they weren’t threatening her anymore they didn’t seem to believe her. Quargyle continued to scowl and the other two warily kept their eyes on her. This was not turning out to be a good first meeting with whoever these ponies were. On the one hoof though it screamed the possibility of “adventure” to Amethyst Star. But as she had been complaining about earlier to herself, did she really want to go on an adventure in a swamp? And these ponies just seemed so mean. “Uh huh, I’m sure you don’t,” Quargyle said. “Some outside pony that doesn’t know anything just randomly comes into our swamp. Yeah, really believable. Even if you aren’t a member of the Flytrap Clan you must be a spy or something.” “I am not!” Amethyst Star glared right back at him. “I came into this swamp from back there, I’m just traveling through, okay?” She pointed behind her back to the east. “A likely story,” Quargyle scoffed. “Anyone could easily travel from the Flytrap Clan’s home and go the long way around the swamp to make it here.” “I don’t even know where here is! Who even are you ponies?!” Amethyst Star yelled. Quargyle chuckled at what he thought was her lying but he decided to humor her anyways. “Heh, well unicorn, you’ve happened across we of the Foxtail Clan. We’ve been living in this swamp for generations.” “Okay...” Amethyst Star wasn’t exactly surprised to be hearing about ponies living in a swamp for a long time. That was common enough in Equestria. But these guys were just jerks too. “The Flytrap Clan are our mortal enemies,” the same taller guard who had spoken earlier said. “Like she doesn’t already know that,” Quargyle rolled his eyes. “Unless the two of you actually believe her?” Both of them shrugged before the so far quiet guard spoke up. “I just don’t think there are many unicorns in the Flytrap Clan. I mean there are hardly any here either.” “That doesn't stop her from being a spy they hired or something,” Quargyle snapped at him. Amethyst Star was starting to get angry at all these accusations and the circular reasoning. It wasn’t exactly fair to her. But she couldn’t really think of a way to convince them she wasn’t from that Flytrap Clan or whatever with how paranoid they were being. At least that was the case with Quargyle, the others seemed alright now. Regardless, she was tired of being stuck on these steps and really wanted to clean herself off. This place looked pretty interesting and she wanted to explore it a bit too. And they had to have boats if they lived here, maybe they’d let her borrow one if she asked nicely? “Look, can’t you give me the benefit of the doubt here? I mean even if I was from that other clan or whatever you’re talking about what could I even do on my own? And If you’re still so worried I’m a spy why don’t you just escort me around. I really want to rest for a bit after all the swimming and walking I’ve done today,” Amethyst Star reasoned with Quargyle. Quargyle was mid-breath from shooting her down when the left guard interrupted him. “Sounds fair to me.” Quargyle clamped his mouth shut and shot his fellow guard a dirty look. “Oh fine, be that way you dupe. But if she does do anything I’ll hold you accountable.” Quarglye glanced back to her. “You can come on up I guess, I’ll be watching you though, spy.” Amethyst Star didn’t bother getting in an argument this time, she was happy to be able to walk up that final step onto the main platform of this stilt town and not have spears thrust into her face. Even if the holders of said spears were still a little apprehensive of her and watching her every move. The thin wood beneath her hooves clunked and creaked with every step she and the guards took, it made her wonder if anyone ever fell through them, maybe it was deceptively sturdier than it all felt. Hovels made of mud and reeds were all around her and she occasionally saw the heads of other ponies peeking out of their doors or windows to take a look at her. Yes, not exactly the friendliest of places. The three guards led Amethyst Star to a log and rope bridge that led to a big floating crannog that was anchored to some of the other platforms and trees around it. Unlike the stilts that held up this platform and most of the houses the crannog floated on a huge bed of bundled up reeds and it was absent a roof, being completely open to the air like the other wooden platforms. While Amethyst Star crossed the bridge to it she looked out over the water out of curiosity to see what was around and was happy to spot a large number of canoes moored by another few crannogs that drifted right at water level on the far side of the big crannog. Yes! They’ve got plenty of canoes. Maybe they’ll let me borrow one? She allowed herself to be temporarily optimistic. Or more accurately foolishly optimistic. She was forced out of her thoughts when Quargyle and the rest of them stepped from the bridge and onto the large crannog. Amethyst Star wanted to walk right over to where those canoes were but the guards had other ideas, they walked straight for another path that led onto a lone walkway with a large, reed hut with sloped walls sitting on the end. It was nestled in a grove of large swamp trees that would’ve made it invisible and difficult to get to from the outside. And on the top of the hut’s roof a tattered red flag hung limply, no breeze to make it flap today. “Uh, hey?” Amethyst Star said. “You guys don’t need to bother with me anymore, if you could let me borrow one of those canoes over there I’ll gladly be on my way.” “Want to steal one of our canoes huh?” Quargyle looked over his shoulder at her. “So that’s what you were after? Well too bad, we don’t give out canoes to strangers of any sort.” Amethyst Star groaned in annoyance. “I just want to get out of here without having to swim the whole way.” “Hah! I bet you’ll take our canoe right to the Flytrap Clan,” he doubted her. “I don’t even know where they are!” “Yeah, yeah. You can tell that to the Chief. He doesn’t take kindly to Flytraps or any sort of ponies that associate with them,” Quargyle said. “Chief?” Amethyst Star was kind of confused. “We still need to let our leader know about you,” the guard who so far hadn’t spoken as much said. Amethyst Star gulped, it was a little worrying but hopefully this Chief was fair and he’d be willing to lend her a canoe. I mean leaders are always supposed to be the most sensible ones. Right? Just look at Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia. Yeah, she was sure things would be fine now. The party of four walked onto the walkway, it was lower to the surface of the water and wasn’t held up by stilts, making the wood soggy and her hooves a little wet. She didn’t exactly understand the design choice. It was kind of creepy looking here now that she noticed, the trees surrounding the Chief’s hut cut you off from the outside and the level of light was lower, the water of the swamp was still and eerie and could contain anything. It was just… what’s the word? Foreboding. The door to the hut was made of simple twigs tied together with reeds and Quargyle pushed it open for them. “Chief? We have an intruder.” Amethyst Star wasn’t happy to be introduced that way but there was nothing she could do about it. She quietly walked in after him and looked around. The boards of wood making up the floor were far thicker than what had been on the walkway, they didn’t let a single drop of water in, the walls of the hut were covered in tapestries hanging from them and at the far side of the hut a lavish carpet sat over the floor, flanked by two large torches (that seemed particularly dangerous to have in such a flammable place). At the head of that carpet a wide couch sat. Perhaps if this was a more luxurious place the couch would’ve been fancier but instead it looked to be made of old driftwood and over-stuffed green cushions. On that couch sat what could only be the Chief of the Foxtail Clan. He was a moss-green earth pony stallion with a sunflower-yellow mane tied in multiple thick braids and wearing a crown of flowers picked from the swamp. There was a mare sitting behind him wrapped head to hoof in a flowing yellow gown so only her pink eyes were peaking out and at the foot of the couch a filly with the same moss-green coat as the chief sat. His daughter or little sister maybe. All three of them looked at Amethyst Star with curiosity, although the chief had a steady frown on his face as well. “My lord,” Quargyle bowed and gestured to Amethyst Star. “Here she is for you.” He appraised her with narrowed eyes. “And why have you decided to intrude upon our home? Did the Flytrap Clan send you for some nefarious purpose?” Amethyst Star did her best not to roll her eyes. “No, I’ve never even met them. I didn’t even “intrude” either, I’m just passing through this swamp. I had no idea any of you were even here.” “Hah!” The Chief barked. “We know better than to trust the words of any outsiders. Our noble Foxtail Clan was betrayed too many times by the false peace offerings of the Flytrap Clan and the machinations of their flunkies pretending to just be innocent ponies not associated with our enemies. We were the ones who first settled in this swamp, only to find ourselves accosted and continuously encroached upon by the Flytrap’s in but a year’s time. And I am not allowing them to get one over on us anymore! So if you think you can fool me, well the joke’s on you I’m afraid. Whatever you want to do here you can just forget it!” “Oh come on!” Amethyst Star was fully fed up at this point. “I’m not from the Flytrap Clan, I wasn’t sent by the Flytrap Clan, I don’t know or care about what the Flytrap Clan is, all I want is to get through this swamp!” “She’s lying, she said she wanted one of our canoes!” Quargyle accused of her. “Only because it would help me get out of here faster!” She countered. The Chief rubbed a hoof under his chin, a distrusting look on his face. “Oh? And just what would you do with this canoe?” “What?” Amethyst Star didn’t even try to keep the sheer confusion out of her voice and she looked at him like he had asked her the dumbest question possible. “I just said I want to get out of here faster with it, and not have to swim through all this gross water and stuff. It’s not like I plan on keeping the thing forever, I just want to borrow it for a bit.” “Yes and where are you going to go with it, hm? And how do you plan to return it if you’re only borrowing it? Or were you just planning to leave it somewhere and let us find it later?” His annoyance was plain to hear. “Uhh…” to be honest she hadn’t really thought about that. If she was just “borrowing” a canoe to get out of this swamp how would she return it? He had a point. They were still being jerks though. The Chief may have had his priorities straight in looking out for his own but it clearly led to him and at least some of his Clan being far too rude and distrusting in her opinion. “Clearly you’ve been sent by the Flytrap Clan to try and steal or finagle us out of our canoes!” The Chief pointed an accusing hoof at her. “Okay, no. Look, I’ll admit I wasn’t thinking about how I’d return the canoe but I really didn’t have any ill intentions,” Amethyst Star continued to defend herself. “And what direction were you going to paddle this canoe in?” The Chief asked. Amethyst Star raised a confused eyebrow at him and pointed to the west. “Uh, west. Why?” “Aha!” The Chief leapt his hooves and shouted, causing the filly sitting under him to squawk in surprise and fall over. “The Flytrap Clan is to the west! You’re clearly trying to bring the canoe to them!” “Oh for the love of-” Amethyst Star rolled her eyes. “I. Didn’t. Know they were there. And that’s just the direction to get out of the swamp and that I’ve been traveling in for daaaays.” She was growing increasingly frustrated. “And why would I tell you I was doing that if you think I want to steal the canoes?!” “Yes, why indeed?” The Chief mused, clearly suspicious of her motives. Amethyst Star threw her hooves into the air in defeat. “That’s it, I’m done. I’m done here. You can keep your canoes, I’m gonna leave anyways even if I have to swim through the dirtiest most monster-infested water there is.” “Heh, given up on your nefarious plan already?” Quargyle smirked at her. “I didn’t have a nefarious plan!” She screamed. “Whatever you claim you should just hurry up and depart from our domain,” the Chief said. “We don’t want you here. Quargyle, take her to wherever she wants to go and make sure she leaves. Watch so she doesn’t take anything.” “You guys are jerks! I’m not gonna take anything!” She sat on the floor and yanked on her mane in frustration. They didn’t care about her protestations and Amethyst Star was led from the Chief’s hut by Quargyle again, the other two guards going off back the way they had originally come while she was taken to the western side of the Foxtail Clan’s village. Quargyle had a smug grin on his face the entire time, proud that he had “defeated” a spy sent by the Flytrap Clan who wanted to cause who knows what kind of chaos in their swamp village. Amethyst Star ground her teeth in frustration the whole way and was actually happy to wade back into the swamp water and start swimming away, putting all these mean ponies behind her. Good riddance. She just hoped this wasn’t what qualified as an adventure for her.