I took my leave from my Master's den, his... Hose. I left from his hose and sought out the Broodmother to let her know that the time had come. I'd avoided the inevitable for as long as I could, but even Foxy could tell that Maximus was unhappy with the amount of time we spent apart. He often attempted to find me where he could, and though I care not the silly creature's antics, I did find his love and loyalty more apt for myself than the Broodmother. Even if I were to have chosen her as my Master, she would not walk with me as Maximus could.
However, thinking of Maximus and the Broodmother at the same time made my muzzle itch. The Broodmother would likely be pounding away at her birth canal while Maximus was not there to satisfy her, or in recent times, the Apple-Bitch. I liked the Apple-Bitch to a point, but she still smelled delicious and if not for her found friendship with my Master, she would have been more delicious. Alas, Max is a house-cat for his loved ones and a leviathan against those who would harm them. Losing his favour sits ill in my stomach, and the same weighty feeling rested within on my way to my first stop before departure.
The Moon was full and the air sweetened on every third breath; Two omens, both good. Unfortunately, a bird had fallen from the sky and no one had eaten it, leaving the third message to be one of warning. I could smell a sickness on the bird, though whether or not it starved or faded mid-flight, I couldn't know. My ancestor's pelts brushed against mine as I walked, preparing me for what was to come, soothing my paranoia at the rapid decline in my Luck. However, I’d filled my stomach at Master’s den in his stores, so I could not eat the bird having to leave it for the carrion . I suppose that random things cross one’s mind when they know they face their demise, seeing as how I buried the bird. Inside, I knew I would not return for it, but a compulsion of some kind had me dig and fill a hole.
Perhaps a sign that I was truly ready.
I felt guilt for lying to Max about how long I would live with him. I had few enough years left if I remained outside of the Everfree, but if I were to tread my territory in the Hungry Forest, age would be forgotten soon enough. That, however, would mean that my Master would truly walk alone, and I will not allow such a thing. I am no pup to come when called, but Maximus is no Two-Leg who would only stroke my fur and call me 'good'. Not that I do not enjoy it, it is simply pointless. I would confront my journey and assume my birth-rite, thus meaning that my, as Master would call them, 'pupper petsies' would be far too demeaning for one of my stature. I had put off becoming the next Wolfmother for as long as I could, but Max’s life-energy was simply too vibrant to ignore. He would outlast nearly all that he knew, perhaps other than Alcohol-Sweet- The short horned one. The one that makes him feel better. I could have dealt with passing when he reached his sixtieth spring, but to know that he would go far beyond that left me with a yearning to be by his side during that time. My master was no fool: He knew the risk I was taking, but I’d given his warnings no attention, as he’d known that I would do. Such was the nature of our bond, though our ears would listen should the message matter.
I left my thoughts behind as I reached the Broodmother’s domain. Allowing myself entry was rote as no one was going to stop me. The prey creatures had long since grown comfortable with my presence, so I padded up the stairs to the Broodmother’s room. I entered there as well because I could, and no one had told me not to in recent memory. I found the Broodmother faking mating as she often did when the sun was not in the sky, though why she did so, I neither understood nor cared to understand.
“Greetings, Broodmother.”
“Lupa! Can you please knock!?” The Broodmother covered herself needlessly.
“I’ll disregard that request every time you make it. Find a mate to satisfy your urges.”
I felt her anger swell. “Well, not everypony can just come by whenever I want them to!”
“Then seek them out. This isn’t the reason that I’ve come for. I am leaving.”
The Broodmother sobered. “What? Already? I thought you said you had years to prepare!?”
“I do, but I can’t waste my relative youth while I have it. The journey is hard on the paws and pelt. I must complete it while I’m still free of the aches of old age.” At least the rest of them.
“... Be safe, Lupa. I know you said that it’s dangerous, but don’t take any unnecessary risks, okay?”
“When I return, I will ask you to call me Nashoba”
The Broodmother felt confused. “Why are you changing your name?”
“It has always been Nashoba. When I return, I will no longer be a servant to Master, Broodmother. I will be his equal, if not his superior, though I doubt that either of us would stand for such a comment.”
“... I know you won’t answer any questions, but can you at least tell me where you’re going?”
“Into the Everfree, as all journeys must begin for the Zgon. I will ask a few of our friends if they wish to accompany me.”
“If they want to, I won’t stop them, but please... Bring everypony home, Lupa...” The Broodmother requested.
I flicked my ear to let her know that I would and closed the door behind me on the way out. The Kendani swarmed around me, asking me to open the door for them. I refused, stating that I had only interrupted the Broodmother because of the nature of the Path of Ascension, but they are simple creatures. They understand little of the world besides emotion and food, so I could hardly blame them for understanding. In any case, it was impossible for them to understand that the Broodmother's false mating was not a display to show that she was in heat. That being said, dealing with Kendani for extended periods of time always made my muzzle itch.
Maybe I’m just allergic to stupid creatures? The smelly horned-one always makes my muzzle itch, so it's not unlikely.
I set the thought aside and asked Angel to gather the Zgon together for a meeting. He hopped off quickly since he knew better than to waste my time again, so I waited underneath the Gathering Tree and surveyed those that had come. Foxy would be a good choice if he decided to come along with me. His quick-witted solutions were often apt fixes for most problems. I waited around for Bearett, or as he is called in our tongue, Krel, but he did not show as soon as I'd thought he might. Molly the Border Collie would be another fine choice since her agility and endurance rival mine, though she is far weaker. She and Foxy had the same issue with being weak, which is why I’d wanted Krel or Suva to come. When Suva arrived, I could smell fear on her and Krel was absent yet. I sent one of the hares to find him as the falcon was clearly too scared to join me.
Krel finally made an appearance, so I began once he joined the circle. “Zgon, my friends. Three Gatherings ago, I told you of The Path of Ascension. Today, I am leaving to follow The Path. I ask those of you that are willing to follow me to speak now, though I must warn you; the journey will not be easy. Prey may be scarce, and plants may be tough, but it is nothing that we have not faced before while growing ourselves, sharpening our fangs in the Everfree.”
"I'll go." Foxy barked snidely. "Who else is gonna keep your nose out of your own dirt?"
I rolled my eyes as Honey the badger spoke up. "Ooo, ooo! You need someone ferocious, right? Count me in!"
I nodded at her. "Your assistance is valued, Honey."
Krel snorted. "A fool's errand, but a worthy task all the same. I will join you."
There weren't enough snickers to irk me terribly, but I nodded at him with annoyance anyway. I'd expected him to come. "Then The Four are final. We move at the earliest convenience."
All others in attendance wished us well on our journey before dispersing. I'd wished to have a creature of flight to accompany us, but there was little I could find fault with in my temporary Pack. With nothing else left to do, I set the pace and lead us into the Everfree. We were left alone by the Kendani of the Forest since Krel and I had reputations for being ruthless when the need arose, but Foxy and Honey would find trouble if they were alone as they often did in the Everfree. It was of little consequence at the moment, but if they needed to return without us, a part of me worried about their safety. There was no guarantee that any of us would return, and there was no promise of success in the first place. I'd faced worse before as long as I didn't think too hard, but that in and of itself worried me. I'm not one to worry.
We trotted through the Everfree as quickly as we could, but Honey slowed us down since her legs were even shorter than Foxy’s. Krel eventually tired of her speed, or rather, the lack thereof, so he picked her up in his maw and I allowed him to place Honey on my back as if she were a wounded pup. I did not mind too terribly, but that did mean that Foxy was now tiring more quickly trying to keep our pace, so he ended up on Krel’s back and we made much faster progress. Their weight was negligible at best for both of us. One of the many perks of being a large predator, though no one would deny the boons of being small.
After passing the Hydra’s swamp, we meandered through the evil flower's given path, known to Two-Legs as Poison Joke. Thankfully, as fellow residents of the forest, the flowers were happy to save their poison for another set of victims, so we were able to walk through them without an issue. It was unfortunate that we had to pass through the large patch of track covering flowers anyway. I myself had stridden through Poison Joke to lose extra tails before, but it was no use pretending that I secretly wished that someone would follow us to escort us back to safety. The time was not fit for doubtful minds, however, so we pressed on through the Everfree.
Dawn was coming by the time we came to the Heart of the Everfree, which meant that we had but a few moments to wait for the Watcher. Krel and I laid down on the bare earth that surrounds the Heart and waited for an hour before the Thunderbird came and landed. Watcher took his time in addressing us, preening and generally wasting my valued time.
“Nashoba.” He cried, hurting my ears.
“Watcher.” I replied.
He flapped his wings, blowing any Kendani with wandering ears further into the forest. Honey and Foxy held on for dear life. “Have you decided?”
I rose from the ground. “I have, Watcher. It will be done.”
"Then you are prepared for your quest?"
"I am."
"And your companions are those that you have chosen?"
"They are."
"And-"
"Get on with it, poultry."
"I will eat you."
"You might try."
The Watcher glared at me and ruffled his feathers, bleeding Sky-Magic as he did so. "Insolent bitch. In any case, you have chosen to stride you path in full. This, Nashoba, will not be your greatest test, but the first of many."
"I know."
The Watcher let loose another cry. “Then so be it! Travel across the Wolf Mountain, through the Sun-Drenched Sands, across the Grand Lake of Salt, and to the Place-Where-Moon-Meets-Equus. The Lulamoon will be your guiding star.”
“I understand. What is the Lulamoon?” I asked.
“The Lulamoon is a creature of fortune for her companions, lost in pain, dwelling in delusions. You will seek her out on the Wolf Mountain, practicing her magicks. There she shall wait, and so she shall guide you to the Place-Where-Moon-Touches-Equus. Ask not where she will take you, but what you may learn from her. What fortune she will bring to your path.”
"And the verse?"
He cried because he's a pup in an adult's body. "I was getting there!" When I did not reply, he carried on. "The Lulamoon humbled be truly splendid; Three souls shattered again to be mended. Once the Bright Dusk fades and the Warped Sun bursts; The Fauns once lost will tread this earth. The Foreign King shall rise on Darkest Day; Let the Madness inside provide The Way."
I nodded . "I understand."
He clicked his beak. It was enough for me to know that he was done talking and that he knew I was full of rot and dirt. I drew the first breath of the quest, bringing the pelts of my ancestors closer. Their voices were to join mine as we let loose a howl to signal the end of more than just my mortality. The end of my puphood. The end of my illusions. Krel, Honey, and Foxy offered their own roars to aid the cacophony, signaling the true beginning of the quest. With nothing left to say, the Watcher took flight, beating Krel and I down into the ground as he rose. the overgrown pigeon always made it a point to show off whenever he could, despite being told by many of the Gathering's members that he often lost plumage by taking off so hard. He ignored every warning most days, and rarely listened to those that were not Guardian Spirits.
Damned birds.
With the Watcher gone and my ancestor’s spirits fading, we began anew, this time, heading toward the Wolf Mountain. It would be a simple task to avoid it in its entirety, but it was a part of the quest, and would likely be the easiest, shortest leg of the journey. We set off without another word, and for once while I was traveling the silence wasn't because of some silly reason. Zgon just don't speak often. Krel lumbered alongside me as we traveled through the undergrowth of the Everfree, though we took the time to hunt near a fruit-bearing tree to fill our stomachs. Not eating while we could was foolish for my companions with small stomachs, even if they could save energy by riding Krel and myself. Food would likely be scarce further into my Quest, so the time was spent making sure that everyone present could handle their own prey. We waited for a Kendani jungle deer to pass by, and after a few hours, a few did. I had Krel take a far loop around them so I could chase our prey into his claws, and once he was in position, I sprang, clearing enough distance to put me but a few tails away from them.
The deer were startled, and made easy prey once I made my second leap. Tearing my target’s throat out was the quickest and easiest way to make my kill, and from a distance, I could hear that Krel had been successful in making one of his own. Honey had found a jackalope and Foxy had caught a bird for himself. There was no accounting for taste in foxes by any means. He could have gotten a jackalope himself more easily. The creatures ride the line between cat and canine too finely, thus making them brilliant, but insane. Much like the accursed raccoons.
Honey made short work of her kill and Foxy devoured his own with a bit of time, though Krel and I were eating to load rather than because we were hungry. Honey was still hungry when she was done, which was no surprise. The little badger would eat Krel if she could get away with it, and had made the comment a time or two. As such, Krel was not fond of teasing her and offered her some of his kill as well as his back in order to ingratiate himself to her. Foxy was hesitant to eat deer, but I gave him little choice as he himself was not full.
With Foxy on my back, we continued to the main river of the forest and stopped to drink. Brambles nearby offered a relatively safe nest for the rest we were taking, though it wasn't the most comfortable place I'd lain. Manticores hated the smell of bramble and Orthus’ hated the feeling of them on their pathetically soft paws, so we were left alone for the morning until we decided to move again. The only disturbance we had was a Rock-Lizard that stalked us out of its territory. Neither it nor my pack would have found the rewards of victory worthy, though I had no doubts that it would have come for us if we'd hunted in its territory.
It took many hours of decently expedient travel to get anywhere with my journey, but the company was fair and the smells were interesting on the other side of the Everfree, that which I never felt obligated to go. I'd long since left the place to its own devices since my half was good enough for my tastes, but we stopped to hunt for a new flavor or two in the monotony that is eating. We finally broke the forest’s cover and walked onto the open ground of the plains. The Wolf Mountain loomed in the distance and there was much ground to cover, so Krel and I set our pace moderately. It took but a few words for us to make sure that we would not anger the Elder Spirits by rushing through their lands. I'd never understood the code which the Eldest Spirits follow or needing to travel slowly while not in danger. It was tedious, boring, droll, and stupid, but in any case, being haunted would be but one more issue that facing would do us no favors, so we traveled as slowly as we had to. We still heard the Elder Spirits howling with the wind, but we were abiding by their laws, so they could not lay so much as a claw on us, lest the Watcher wage war against them. Lest I wage war against them once I return.
Crossing the plain had largely been uneventful. I never did like the smell of field rabbits and their odor coated the plains thick and freely, but I had no reason to stop Foxy from trying his paw at hunting for himself. I knew that he would have little luck since we last fed not long ago, but much to my surprise, he managed three rabbits in the time it took for him to catch up to us. The Elder Spirits were appeased when he left one of his kills behind, so the wind stopped howling and our journey across the plains eased considerably since we were no longer fighting against gusts... I just... It was foolish, and I should have said so. Even then I had an inkling, but I could not know for certain.
It took us two days to clear the plains, despite being able to see the mountains for most of the journey. Our pace was the problem, and being able to finally speed up once we set paws to stone was a blessing that we’d desired since we started across the plains, though I reminded our party that the journey was not to be rush. None were happy to hear my words, but there had already been a bad omen in the beginning and another had come to pass in the form of a bloody sunset. The wisdom of those long passed on was invaluable and all of us knew it, so we accepted our fates for what they were. It didn’t stop us from going a little faster, however.
Mountains are not a wolves home, though Foxy and Honey were far more familiar with the rocky terrain from the instincts they carried, the prey of the mountain was far too nimble for Krel and myself. However, it was an odd occurrence when a badger decided that a cougar would make for a good meal. Firstly because Honey knew that I don't like cat meat. Second, because Honey only four or five times bigger than Angel. The brave, ferocious little she-thing battled a cougar straight into my paws, and I finished the job while Foxy took the time to hunt more rodents for himself and Honey. Krel and I shared the cougar, but the tough, musky, cat meat proved... Disgusting at worst, gross at best. It was just gross since we were hungry, but still. Cat meat is like chewing dried cow dirt on the brightest of days, but Krel had always been fond of the feline fragrance while I detested it to no end. I’d almost rather eat another wolf than a cat of any kind, but when food is scarce, you make do with what you have.
Traveling up the mountain was nearly as tedious as the plain, though far more dangerous and occasionally tumultuous. Foxy was nearly blown off of the mountain by a strong gale, so it was agreed that the smaller creatures would remain nestled my dense fur for the remainder of our time in the mountains. IT was no issue to me, though Honey’s claws felt amazing against my pelt. She’d chosen to hold next to the right spot which occasionally made my leg shake, though I tried to cover it. Krel spent far too much time being amused by it, so I nipped his shoulder and told him to straighten up before I went for something softer and lower.
He was less amused by that.
Still, he asked to mount me once we reached the summit of the mountain, but I, again, told him to find a she-bear to carry his seed for him. Cross-breeding never ends well, and despite how much I care for Krel, I can’t give my life for an abomination of an offspring. He was understandably put off by my denial of his mating offer, but he knew the reason behind it, so no one was surprised when I said no. It had been the answer he received every time he asked, and I personally thought he spent too much time on two legs around the Two-Legs. It had struck me before that Krel had a concept of love more developed than my own, though it mattered little to me... Dumb, smelly, horny bears; they’re just as bad as rabbits most days, but worse because they're heavy and taste bad. At least they weren’t ducks, however. Accursed poultry.
It had taken us days to reach the pinnacle of the mountain, and the trip was a pain in the tail, made my paws ache for the Everfree soil, and made Krel smell even worse. The air thinned and his stink was just that much more noticeable, but Foxy was starting to get smelly himself. Honey too. Honestly, I think wolves are the only species in the damn forest that don't smell like anything most of the time, but all of my companions were musty.
We slept on the summit, huddling together to keep our warmth while waiting for the Lulamoon to either arrive or show herself. After a day of hunting with no luck and the Lulamoon not turning up, we struggled to find enough water for the four of us. in the dawn of the second day, we found that the Lulamoon had been practicing her magicks in a cave and Krel essentially stole her from her next. She was absolutely coated in fear, bawling her stupid Two-Leg eyes out about being eaten alive, even though she was not being killed. It was annoying, so I yipped at her a few times and turned in circles to show that we were friendly for the time being. Then Krel put her down and Foxy nagged him about not doibg so earlier. She was hesitant still and there were plenty of things in her scent, though as we sat around her, she seemed to accept that she was in no danger. For the moment. However, to me, the Mare looked too tired to really be scared by the time Krel put her down.
She looked like she wanted to run and just couldn't gather the strength, so I asked Foxy to be the greeter as foxes were known as good luck to the Ponies. Foxy managed to nudge her a few times, but she was obviously exhausted, so we left her alone during the day as I went to her cave and gathered her supplied. There were some things that I have no names for, but little in the way of food. As little as she wanted to, Honey still collected some grasses and wildflowers for a meal, even though our own hunts had been running long and fruitless. When we returned, the Lulamoon was still wary of us, but all too tired to do much if we decided to make a meal of her. I let her have the things and moved the bag-with-carrying-strings so that the grasses and flowers were exposed. She stared at it, then at me. I nodded and took Honey to join Foxy with Krel still out for the hunt. The Lulamoon ate what we gave her quickly and found herself unable to move3 shortly after. She must have been starving.
Night was soon to fall and it was growing too cold for Foxy, meaning that the Pony would likely freeze without assistance. Honey and Foxy were quick to come alone since Ponies were known for softness and warmth, though the Lulamoon was not as soft as the accursed horned one or the Broodmother. She felt more like the short horned one, but less squishy. She tentatively laid her head on my side and allowed Honey and Foxy to warm with her in turn. Krel limped as he returned shortly after we were settled in, though the fact that he'd managed a goat outweighed his minor injury. The Lulamoon did not watch us feed, and she was fearful when we returned to her side. Krel commented on her cowardice, but the ever-attentive Foxy knew that Ponies in general did not like seeing things killed and eaten.
If only they knew of the Falora and the Dryads. Such hypocrisy is only amusing to a point when one considered how much more a Falora feels than a Kendani.
In any case, there was no longer any point in staying on the Summit. When dawn came, we would cross the Sun-Drenched Sands, and the toughest leg of the journey would begin.