//------------------------------// // Where's Thor? // Story: The Elements of Salvation // by Slick Dash //------------------------------// "Woooooowwwwwww!" Sweetness exclaimed, craning her neck upwards at the rocky cliff that lay before them. "That's tall!" "It's a cliff Sweetness, it's gonna be tall!" Angelica said exasperatedly. She stretched and looked around, "I don't see anywhere we could sleep for the night, but it's too late to start climbing." "What about the train?" Ruby suggested quietly. The group turned to her. Thor spoke up. "The changelings will probably be watching the trains, or at least pretending to be other ponies. A line straight from Ponyville to Canterlot is too obvious." "O-oh..." Ruby said, opening her mouth to say something else before thinking better of it. Apple Seed saw the unicorn retract slightly, and decided now was the time to help. "She wasn't taking about taking the train." Ruby glanced at him, and flashed him an appreciative smile, so he was right! "She means the bridge the train takes before it goes into the cliff's tunnels. That can't be too far, and if we hurry, we'll have shelter for the night!" The group all murmured in agreement. "Nice one Rubs!" Archy commended patting her lightly on the shoulder as he moved away from the rocky outcropping and approached the clear grass just behind them. As the dark stallion passed his orange friend, he whispered. "Thanks." Seed simply tilted his head in reply modestly, while inside he was jumping with glee at his gallant words! "I'll get up there and see if I can find the bridge!" Thor said quickly. He spread his wings, and in one strong push, he zipped into the quickly darkening sky. For a few moments there was silence, then a cry from above called their attention. "I see it! It isn't that far, just head east it's about ten minutes walk!" Though he didn't mention it, Seed was sure something was wrong. Why didn't Thor just come down to tell them? He began to try and catch up with Archy who had taken the lead, but a yawning Ruby came to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you." She said quietly, wiping all other thoughts from the orange stallion's mind. As the group headed east, the farm pony still kept an eye on the sky, searching for the dark blotch against the sky that would be Thor, ready to get help if it was needed. Up in the sky Thor was uneasy. The reason he had been so eager to get into the sky wasn't just a case of withdrawal, but a reason to get out of the way of the others and search. He was sure they were being followed. After years of flying in the sky and arranging the weather, he knew what it was like to be watched, be it by other Pegasi trying to pull a prank, or wild creatures gazing in curiosity. Either way, it felt like that now! It had felt like that for the entire day's travelling. Thor wasn't about to let him and his friends get stopped by some unknown force, not when they were now only one more day's hike from Canterlot! But first, he needed to spot what it was following them. Changelings maybe? Or something else? Suddenly, from above his head came a blood curdling shriek, which caused the Pegasus to lurch away quickly is self defence, he was grateful of his fast action when he saw a large black thing swoop across the air where he had just been hanging. Thor looked to the ground, and with a sigh of relief he saw that his friends where already halfway to the bridge, well away from him. At least that meant whatever had just come past him was obviously interested in him and not his allies. As Thor watched his friends, he was distracted, meaning he didn't hear the speedy gust of wind from behind him. This meant that when the second screech came, he wasn't prepared. He turned in time to see a flash of talons, and the maw of a large beak. ..... "This is perfect!" Angelica exclaimed as they reached the underside of the bridge. She trotted into the clearing underneath the overhanging bricks and metal and looked around, "Spacious, sheltered, it's wonderful! Good idea Ruby!" The platinum and purple pony gave a small squeak of thanks as she covered her mouth, trying to hide another large yawn. She was still using Seed as her support for standing. The gentlecolt took the mare to a particularly shaded area of the archway, and let her down gently to the ground. The group all followed, seeing the area was the best place to camp. So they all sat and breathed a relaxed sigh. After several minutes of appreciative silence however, the group became a little restless. Just like Seed, they had begun to wonder where Thor had gone. "Do you think he's been hurt?" Angelica murmured, no one needed ask who she meant as she looked up into the darkening sky, trying to spot the absent pegasus. "Noooo!" Exclaimed Archimedes, causing Speed to spin around and stare. Before the farm pony could speak however, his dark friend flashed him a look which said, "We don't want to panic them!" Then he turned to Ruby and Sweetness. "He's just gonna be blowing off some steam, you guys know what he's like when he doesn't fly that much." The two worried looking mares gave understanding nods, but their concern was still obvious in their eyes. "Hey," Seed said quickly, trying to keep their minds off their absentee friend. "Why don' you two go see if there's any food or firewood round here huh? When you get back Thor'll should be here, and you can rest easy. Huh?" "Y-yes, I guess you're right." Ruby mumbled, as she picked herself up. "Come on Sweetness." She said morosely, glancing up at the sky again, and back to Apple Seed before leaving. "Okie Dokie Lokie!" Sweetness chirruped, even if slightly less flamboyant as usual, and followed the beautiful mare out of sight. Another moment of silence passed, before Angelica spoke, her voice resolute and knowing. "So what you think's happened to him? REALLY?" Archy glanced at Seed in surprise. "Ummm, Like we said cous', he's just flyin' round is all." Seed defended, but as he saw his cousin's steely gaze he knew it was hopeless. "Ahem. Element of Leadership here, isn't part of that knowing when the groups bein' lied to?" Angelica questioned, to which both stallions grimaced. "So," She continued. "What yah thinkin'? Changelings?" Archy shook his head. "That makes no sense, to let us live in Ponnyville only to take us down here... no... I think it may be something else." "What do you mean something else?" Seed asked, noticing a sudden drop in his friend's tone. "What's out in these parts." Archy glanced up at the sky again, hoping Thor would fly down, and prove all his worries wrong, but there was no descending pegasus coming. So he took a deep breath, and began. "We just got through the entire Everfree forest, don't you think it's a little odd that we didn't spot any creatures?" Now that he mentioned it, Angelica realised, though they may not have confronted any, they should have at least spotted a few of the infamous beasts of the well known infested forest. "So what do you think?" She asked again, her chest tightened at the question dreading an answer. "There are literally hundreds of different things in that place... my guess..." Archy looked pale as he looked up at his two companions. "One followed us out." "DARN IT!" Angelica yelled, her worst worries realised. She stood up and stretched, readying herself to get in the air. "I'm sorry, what the hay do you think you're doin'?" Seed piped up, going over and squaring up to his slightly younger cousin. "What's it look like? I'm gonna get up there and find Thor, you know, help him." Seed's gaze grew deadly serious. "If you even think that I'm gonna let my cousin go up there and get caught by that... whatever's up there, you've lost your marbles!" The comment made angelica angry, her eyes glinted dangerously and she stopped stretching. She stood straight and looked her cousin straight in the eye. "He needs help if something came after him." she argued. "If it caught him, it'll catch you, he's a far better flyer." Seed rebutted. "Well there's nopony else who can get up there!" She yelled, growing furious at Seed's stubbornness. Though a little nervous to get in the middle of the family conflict, Archy coughed, causing both heads to snap towards him menacingly, making him jump. "J-just 'cos it got him while he was up there, doesn't mean it'll stay up there." His horn began to glow gently, and he glanced up at it. "With the right spell, I should be able to track him down, provided I can get to where he is." "And what the hay am I supposed to do then?" Angelica snapped, her voice filled with fury, her wings twitched and shook, showing how anxious she actually was for the other Pegasus's safety. "Just sit here and wait for you to come back with nothing? I aint waiting to find out you were too late Archy! I'm getting up there, and finding Thor before he gets hurt!" "Naaaawwww! Guys, you should have just told me you cared that much!" The three remaining travellers spun around in shock and surprise, immediately searching for the source of the voice. They knew it, and the fact that it was joking filled their hearts with gratitude and relief. "Thor?" Seed called out, looking around into the gloom, as he yelled, his voice echoed oddly against the walls, creating the illusion he was in some massive cavern, and not a simple archway. "Where are yah buddy?" A short high pitched whistle sounded from above them, they looked up and saw nothing. But as his eyes grew accustomed to the gloomy dark sky. Archy spotted something protruding from the railway line above them. "He's up there!" "Aaaawwww, ARCHY!" With that Thor jumped off of the railway tracks, and soared down in a dive. Though he came down fast, he levelled out and landed as soft as a feather. "'Sup guys!" Seed and Archy both chuckled in anxious joy, he looked ok, no harm had seemed to befallen him. But while the stallions relaxed, Angelica's eyes filled with furious wrath, she stormed up to the burgundy pony and glared at him. "Hey-hey! Angy, sorry about the worry I-" SLAP! Thor's face swung to the side at the contact from the side of Angy's hoof. He reeled back in genuine surprise, and stared at his fellow flyer. "Angy, what the heck!" He shouted, reaching up and rubbing his throbbing cheek painfully. "Don't EVER," Angelica growled as she stared at the other Pegasus, "do that to us again!" With that, she backed off a few feet, and glared at Thor. "Do that to us?" Archy whispered, leaning into Seed, "Or to her?" Seed found the joke reasonably funny, but inappropriate, so he nudged his friend back and spoke out loud. "Where'd you go bud?" the orange pony asked. Thor gave a fleeting glance at his friend, before looking back at Angelica, hurt still obvious in his eyes. Finally he rubbed his cheek one last time, then answered. "I thought that there was something wrong, like we were being followed." "And?" Seed prompted. Thor looked his orange friend straight in the eye, and as calmly as possible, he said. "We were." "WHAT?!" Angelica snapped, her eyes suddenly wide in panic, "Why didn't you say?! We let Sweetness and Ruby go off alone!" She Turned and began to run in the direction the other mares had gone, but as she set off, she was called back by the calm and collective voice of Thor. "Angy, don't worry! It wasn't changelings!" When she turned back, the yellow Pegasus looked bewildered. "I-it wasn't?" Thor shook his head, a large grin spread on his lips. Seed was a little unsure about this nonchalant attitude the pegasus stallion had suddenly adopted. Usually he was focused, not so, mocking of a serious situation. "Then... what was following us?" The farm pony asked slowly. "Wanna meet him?" Thor whispered, his voice filled with glee, and his eyes gleaming with wonder. "H-him?" Seed was beginning to worry. Thor pierced his lips, held a hoof to them and gave a long whistle. For a moment, Seed was reminded of his uncle, calling Angy to come down. "T-Thor... what-" Angry began, but was cut short by the male pegasus. "Ssshhhh! Listen!" Sure enough, there was the sound of rushing wind, the beating of a pair of enormous wings. Then, with an impact that made the very ground shake, and the dust come loose in the brick work, something large and black came down, and struck the ground. The three elements stared at the creature, it was large, larger than the pegasus it stood behind, it's breathes were loud and deep, those of a primal monster. It stood, reaching out with clawed, talloned feet, the sharp points dug into the ground as it's digits twitched. Archy's jaw dropped, his knowlege of Equestria's many creature's immediately springing to mind. "T-Thor... Is that..." "Yup!" The pegasus laughed as he moved aside, to reveal a large birds head. It looked up and stared at the four ponies in interest. Archy breathed the single word, awe and amazement filling every letter. "It's a Harpy!"