8. Edicts of Neutrality
Rarity’s attempts to converse with Huntress as they walked along the edge of the forest had been less informative than she had hoped. Either it was her guide’s knowledge of the subject or her willingness to share such knowledge that was lacking, which made most of her answers to Rarity’s questions frustratingly dissatisfying. She knew nothing of the southern lands and questioned why Rarity would even consider going to that region. Rarity decided to keep her reasons to herself, a decision she felt reaffirmed after Huntress had little to say in regards to the Fey. Huntress had made mention of fables known to every foal of this land and said that her father had personally dealt with such beings on very rare occasions but did not elaborate on either point.
“If you want to hear a fairytale so badly, wait until bedtime,” she had finally snapped after Rarity’s continual insistence.
“Well, there’s no need to get snippy. I was simply curious.”
“Hm.” And that had been the last word before the beginning of a blissful era of peace and silence, which lasted only about a couple of minutes once Rarity continued with her questioning.
At least Huntress knew more about her destination. Though she had never been to Baldursgait herself, the port city’s less than stellar reputation preceded it. It was a home to mercenaries, a sanctuary to smugglers and pirates, a den to criminal organizations and vigilante groups. The gathering of such dangerous individuals as well as having one of the regional adventurers’ league headquarters made Baldursgait an attractive place to everyone looking for a way to make some quick coin and didn’t mind getting a little dirty and to those with the economic shrewdness to capitalize on such a market. In Rarity’s case, it was a place to lay low.
“Baldursgait doesn’t exactly sound very, inviting.”
“It’s not,” Huntress agreed. “But it’s also one of the last big cities that hasn’t been destroyed by the Squid Wizard’s forces. Kind of hard to conquer a city when just about every inhabitant can swing a blade or throw a fireball. You’ll be safe from the Squid Wizard at least.” She paused for a moment before adding, “Probably.”
“Probably?” Rarity repeated, slowing to a stop.
“Just keep your identity, or your supposed identity, a secret,” Huntress said. “I wouldn’t put it past a pack of thugs and pirates to sell you out the second they smelled a hint of a reward. Heck, I’m surprised no one there has tried selling themselves to the Squid Wizard’s service.” She shook her head. “So just stay low and don’t draw attention to yourself, and the worst you’ll need to worry about are your new neighbors.”
“Well, do you have any advice on surviving the inhabitants of Baldursgait?”
Huntress shrugged. “Keep your head down, watch your purse, don’t piss off the wrong individuals. Use your common sense.” She slowed to think for a moment, giving Rarity some time to catch up to her. “You might be able to find some individuals still loyal to the royal family, maybe at the adventurers’ league, but that’s a huge maybe. Be smart with your trust. Probably better not to trust anyone there. Like I said, use your common sense.”
The more she heard about the place, the more discouraged Rarity felt about going to Baldursgait, but it wasn’t like she had any real alternatives. “And the road to Baldursgait, the one on the map,” she said, changing the subject, “what can you tell me about that?”
Huntress let out a tired sigh. “It’s a road. Dirt. Long. Used to be part of a big trade route, pretty much abandoned ever since the Squid Wizard came to power. It’s probably not too dangerous during the day, but you don’t want to be traveling down it when it gets dark. There should be plenty of towns along the way that night shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I remember there being a few labeled on the map. Any of them worth mentioning?” Rarity inquired.
“Well, some probably no longer exist, now that the trade route’s gone. The map’s based on Elder Woods’s memories, and, well, neither of us have kept up with the ongoings of those settlements in a good while,” admitted Huntress. “Bakersfield’s gone, we know that much at least.” Her frown deepened as her expression became grim. “I saw what was left of it myself.”
“Bakersfield.” Rarity considered taking the time to pull out her map. How easy it would have been to rummage through those saddlebags for it with magic without having to stop. She wondered if she’d ever grow accustomed to the lack of her horn. She certainly hoped not. “What happened?”
“Couldn’t say. We only saw the aftermath, and there weren’t any witnesses, but the Squid Wizard’s probably a safe assumption,” Huntress said. “Anyways, even if they are abandoned, the buildings will still be around so there should be plenty of shelter when night falls. Speaking of which.” She looked up to the sky and scowled.
Rarity followed Huntress’s gaze, trying to see what her guide found so distressing. The blue skies were being painted in shades of red and orange as the sun slowly descended toward a distant horizon. All in all, a very picturesque sunset. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, and she couldn’t see anything that would warrant such a strong expression of dislike. Or did Huntress just dislike pretty things? “Is something wrong?” Rarity asked.
“We only have maybe an hour of daylight left, and we’ve barely made any progress today,” Huntress grumbled. “Come on, pick up the pace.”
And with that, she was off, again without any additional consideration for the pony she was supposed to be escorting. Rarity hurried behind, breaking into a brisk trot that quickly sped up into a run as she struggled to keep up. Patches of tall grass growing along the edge of the forest grabbed and clung to her legs as she dashed through them. A couple of such obstacles barely slowed her, but as time passed and she encountered more and more of these spots of overgrown shrubs and sod, she felt her strength slowly wane and her chest gradually tighten as her lungs grew strained from effort. And they were so numerous to the point where trying to run around the grassy patches would have spent just as much energy as forcing her way through them.
Huntress, meanwhile, seemed to glide through those spots effortlessly, passing through the grass as if it wasn’t there. It didn’t even appear like she was running, and yet, despite Rarity’s best efforts, the distance between her and Rarity was growing, and only when Rarity called out did it shrink even a little.
The skies darkened. The air chilled. Rarity tried to keep her guide in sight, but even as her eyes slowly adjusted to the decrease in light, Huntress seemed to melt into the dark background. She squinted, struggling to keep track of an equine silhouette, of the fluttering of Huntress’s cloak, of the shuffling of grass. Rarity’s eyes were becoming heavy, and she allowed them a moment’s rest, just a quick blink, and in that short quarter of a second, Huntress vanished.
Panic spurred her forward into a sprint. She cried out Huntress’s name, begging her to slow down. Something grabbed hold of her, and she screamed, flailing her limbs at her unseen assailant. Rarity’s hoof struck something hard, and there was a pained grunt. She directed a blow at the source of sound, but something blocked it and held it still.
“Knock it off,” hissed Huntress. Rarity opened her eyes and found herself right before her glowering guide. Huntress released Rarity and rubbed her jaw, as bruised as Rarity’s hoof.
“Er, sorry.”
“Shh!” Huntress raised a hoof to her lips. Immediately, Rarity clamped her mouth shut. She turned around, looking in the same direction as Huntress had been, but all she could see were the fading shadows of grass stalks and the first of the fireflies.
“What is it?” she whispered.
“You’re too loud,” Huntress responded in a low voice before turning away and moving toward the forest’s initial row of trees. “All that screaming’s bound to have attracted attention.”
For a moment, Rarity just stood there, fuming. “Excuse me?” she exclaimed, not bothering to control her volume.
Huntress stopped and groaned. “Keep it down.”
“No. I am not going to take this any longer.” Rarity stomped over to Huntress and stood in her way. “I’ve dealt with rude ponies before, with the boorish and the sleazy and the socially incompetent. But you! I don’t think I’ve ever met a more inconsiderate pony, especially not one who’s supposed to be helping me.“
“What are you talking about?” Even in the dark, Rarity could see Huntress’s piercing glare to which she fired back with one of her own. “I’ve been more than accommodating, answering all your questions, keeping you safe.”
“You left me behind! You disappeared on me only seconds ago!”
“All I did was stop!” Huntress shouted back, wincing at her own raised voice. She took in a breath to calm herself and at a lower volume said, “You’re the one who ran forward recklessly, and when I tried to keep you from getting lost in the dark, what do I get? A hoof to the face.”
“You could have said something! A warning would’ve been wonderful, but no, apparently that would be too much. Instead, you just decide take off and stop without bothering to check if the pony following you is ready. I don’t know what you would call that sort of action, but from where I’m from, that’s most definitely inconsiderate.”
Huntress’s mouth opened. Her hoof was raised and pointed at Rarity. It shook as Rarity tried to make sense of the sputtering sounds that Huntress was making. The mare slammed her hoof down and, with her lips pursed tightly, she stomped past Rarity. She made it a few steps forward before coming to a stop. Huntress’s shoulders sagged, and she sighed.
“We need to make camp for the night,” she said, pointing to the dark outline of trees at the edge of the forest. “Best if we stay out of the open.”
“Don’t change the subject.” Rarity started to march toward Huntress. “We’re not done discussing this matter.”
“I’m done discussing this matter,” Huntress said. “Like I said, you’re going to draw attention to us if you keep making so much noise.”
“Attention from what? There’s nopony here.”
“Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they can’t see you. Are you ready?”
Rarity had just arrived at Huntress’s side with a mouth full of arguments prepared to spring off her tongue and cut through whatever other excuses the mare had. The sudden question, however, caught her off guard. “What?”
Huntress shot Rarity a sideways glance. “Are you ready to move?” she asked, again motioning to the forest.
Rarity’s temper flared, setting aflame the shackles of eloquence and etiquette that kept it in check. Now is the time she decides to be considerate? How dare she, after everything she put her through, and her reaction is to mock her with this sudden display of thoughtfulness, to make parody of Rarity’s utterly justifiable grievances? Every snarky comment and barbed word she had in her mouth, spurred by her fury, fought for passage past her lips to be the first blow in a righteous verbal crusade.
The anger burned out as quickly as it exploded, leaving Rarity mentally exhausted and emotionally drained. All those arguments building up inside spilled out as a single long sigh as she re-evaluated Huntress’s surprising show of tact. There was nothing in Huntress’s tone or what Rarity could see of her body language that suggested of any malice intent. If anything, the mare just appeared tired and sick of arguing and almost even a little remorseful. Had she actually understood Rarity’s position, maybe even, dare she assume, agree with her? It certainly seemed more likely that this gesture was to demonstrate that she could change and show more consideration than a way to mock Rarity’s concerns. It was probably the closest she was going to get to an apology from the perpetually grumpy mare.
“Yes, I am ready,” Rarity said. “Thank you,” she added with a small smile she wasn’t sure Huntress could see.
Huntress simply nodded and started toward the tree line. She still moved at a rather quick pace, but at least she had waited for Rarity before marching off. Given that Rarity hadn’t gotten very far in her panicked state before Huntress successful caught up to her, it didn’t take long before they returned to the forest’s edge and walked past the first row of trees.
“This is far enough,” Huntress declared, coming to a stop. She removed the bundles from her back and set them against the trunk of a nearby tree, before rummaging through the pockets of her saddlebags. “Get started on gathering fuel for a fire. There should be enough around here for a small one.” She paused and lifted her head from her bags. “Actually, I‘ll work on the fire. You can get the beddings ready.”
“I can handle finding some dried twigs and leaves, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Rarity declared. It was a tad snippety, she had to admit, but Huntress’s condescension was sapping what good will she had earned just moments prior. “This isn’t my first time roughing it out.”
“Good to hear.” Huntress returned to her bags and removed a spool of string and, oddly enough, a number of bells that jingled as she moved. “I’ll be within earshot, so yell if anything comes up.”
Rarity watched as the forest appeared to swallow up Huntress, leaving her alone in the dark as the last of the daylight left with the sun, giving way to evening. Even with her traveling cloak on, Rarity shivered from the cold night air. Better get working on that fire, she thought to herself.
Now the gathering of fire starting materials was normally left to Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo whenever Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack took their respective little sisters and little sister figures on their yearly Big Sister-Little Sister camping trips to Winsome Falls. Coincidentally, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were the ones in charge of getting all the tents and beddings ready. Still, Rarity knew what to look for, Applejack had made sure to drill the basics of every camping skill into all of their skulls after the fifteenth accident, and though it took some time to get past having to dig through the dirt with her bare hooves, she eventually had a sizable pile of dead branches, dehydrated brambles, shredded bark, and crisp brown leaves, all carefully arranged within a circle of stones.
Now came the tricky part, generating the initial spark. Rarity removed the provided tinderbox from its pocket and stared at the separate pieces that fell out of the case. She had just assumed, rather erroneously, that a tinderbox was simply an outdoorsy way of saying matchbox.
She turned and flipped the parts around, looking for instructions or symbols, anything that could be used as a clue to how this thing operated, but the darkness made it hard to see much. However, while her sight failed to discover anything, her hooves felt and found several light scratch marks on a slab of dark metal almost invisible in the night.
“Not done yet?”
Rarity looked up. She could barely make Huntress out of her surroundings as she approached. Huntress turned her gaze down to the gathered materials, then to the metal parts in Rarity’s hooves. She couldn’t see it past the shadows that hid most of Huntress’s face, but Rarity knew, somehow, that one of Huntress’s eyebrows was being raised, and she could all but hear it that patronizingly incredulous look.
“I, er, no,” Rarity said, lowering her hooves. “Sorry.”
Huntress sighed. “Give it here. I thought you said you’ve done this before.”
“I have.” Rarity placed the parts into Huntress’s extended hoof. “Made a campfire, I mean, just not with whatever this is.”
Now that she was close, Rarity could easily see the raised brow. “Sure. Well come here and see if you can pick something up.”
The two mares made their way to the ring of rocks. There was a hum, of approval Rarity hoped, from Huntress as she knelt over the pile of dried plant matter. Rarity watched Huntress press the iron piece against the black slab and scrap it across the surface towards the tinder. Sparks flew from the slab as she did so, brightening the small area they occupied in the air shortly before they went out. Huntress repeated the motion, creating more and more sparks over Rarity’s sticks and leaves. Most died before they even made it to the ground, but eventually, the sparks lit the fuel, and after a little bit of fanning, a modest flame sat within the stone ring.
“That’s all there is to it,” Huntress said, putting the two parts back into their case before returning it to Rarity. “Now help me with the bed rolls.”
There wasn’t much to set up, just a couple of simplistic sleep bags and some blankets, and in just a short while, everything was rolled out and readied just close enough to the campfire for warmth while maintaining a safe distance. There were no tents or any other form of shelter, Rarity noted, and when inquired, Huntress explained that that had been deliberate.
“Too cumbersome,” she had said. “We’re trying to travel light here, and you won’t need anything like that once you’ve reach the road and all its towns. Until then, this is all you’ll need.” Huntress gestured to the fire. “It’ll keep you warm and scare off the wildlife,” she elaborated when Rarity gave her an unimpressed look. “Most of it, anyways.”
“Most?” It was becoming something of a habit, Huntress adding a quantifier and Rarity repeating it worriedly.
“Some are desperate. Some simply don’t follow the laws of nature. We have other ways of keeping them away.” Huntress patted the bow beside her. It was strung, Rarity noticed, and an arrow was already nocked and in place. “It won’t be a problem once you’re on the road and as long as you reach a town before dark, so I wouldn’t worry too much.”
“If you say so,” Rarity said. She sat on a blanket and let herself enjoy the heat of flames as she stifled a yawn. She removed her saddlebags and placed them to side before digging through them and taking out the bag of travel mix. The porridge from this morning was nothing more than a distant memory, and she couldn’t recall if she had eaten anything else since.
“Save that for the trip on the road,” Huntress suddenly called out from her side of the campfire. From her own bags she pulled out a small stem and muttered something under her breath. “Here, catch.”
Something flew from Huntress’s hoof and bounced against Rarity’s cheek. It fell to the ground, rolling in the dust between her forelimbs. Rarity picked it up and brushed off the dust. It was a plump, red berry, she discovered. Just the one, hardly what anypony would consider a mouthful, let alone a meal. Rarity watched Huntress pop in a berry of her own before returning the stem, now suddenly colored with dots of red, back into her pack.
“What?” Huntress said, noticing Rarity’s attention.
“It’s ah, well, it’s nothing really. Just, I’m not entirely familiar with this sort of berry.” It was a deflection, yes, but not a lie. The color was that of a strawberry or a ripe raspberry, but it was round and smooth, like a blueberry only maybe twice as large.
“Well you eat it like any other fruit, nothing complicated there,” said Huntress between chews.
“Right.” Rarity sighed. Try as she might, she didn’t think there was going to be a more polite, less direct way of saying this. “Is this going to be enough? It’s just, well, it’s just one berry.”
“If you really, really want more, I can give me another, but that one’s more than plenty.”
Rarity looked down at the berry in her hoof. At the sight of such a small morsel, she struggled with Huntress’s ridiculous claim. And yet, as Rarity turned back to face the other mare, it didn’t look like Huntress had eaten anything else after swallowing her berry.
It didn’t matter to her stomach. The selfish organ begged and pleaded and threw tantrums with each delay Rarity made. The portion didn’t matter, the berry was food, and the stomach was empty. Even the matter of it having fallen in the dirt didn’t really mean much to her stomach, despite Rarity’s own protests. She, at the very least, had the sense to wash the Berry’s skin with some water from her canteen before putting it into her mouth.
The berry was much less juicy than Rarity had anticipated, and the innards were crunchier than expected. It was like eating a miniature apple and tasted like one too, with the sweet flavor of a honeycrisp. It only took a couple of chews before her teeth turned the berry into little more than mash, and most of it was swallowed without any exerted assistance from Rarity.
Her stomach was silenced almost immediately. The discomfort of hunger was gone, leaving Rarity with the odd sense of satisfaction, as if that single berry had been an entire fruit salad. With a muffin. And a side of soup.
The berry had also left her mouth dry and sticky. “Still need another?” Huntress asked as Rarity washed it down with some water.
“I think I’ll be fine.”
Huntress nodded and returned to the campfire, occasionally throwing in a leaf or branch or prodding at the burning remains. Rarity, meanwhile, shifted until she found a more tolerable spot on the forest floor, a difficult task even with the soft layers between her delicate body and the hard ground.
“So,” Rarity said after a couple of long, silent minutes. Huntress didn’t respond, so Rarity tried again with another, “So.”
“More questions?” Huntress said with a sigh. “What is it now?”
“Nothing really. I just thought, now that we have a moment to relax, we might as well get to know each other a little better.”
It was a completely reasonable idea, nothing wrong with a little bit of socialization after a long day, at least Rarity thought so until she saw the look Huntress was giving her. “What?”
“You know, talking. Having a conversation. That sort of thing. I mean, you already know my story. Well, as much as I know of it in any case,” Rarity amended with a dismissive wave. “But I don’t know anything about you, and if we’re to be traveling with each other, I’d like that to change.”
Huntress frowned. “Elder Woods told you that I would be a good guide. What else would you need to know?”
“Well, it’s not that I’d need to know per se,” Rarity said, doing her best not to appear discouraged, “just that it would be nice to know a little more about you. Like, for example, how did you become such a good guide? Did Elder Woods teach you all those survival skills?”
“My mother.”
“Ah.” Rarity waited for an elaboration that never came. “Well, she must have—“
“My late mother.”
“Oh,” was all Rarity could think of saying as she mentally kicked herself.
“Hm.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up anything difficult.” Rarity hesitated, mulling over her choice of words. Comforting had always been more of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy’s speciality, their innate talents and nature making them better suited for sympathetic gestures, but Huntress didn’t seem the type to accept hugs easily nor did she seem very interested in sharing her feelings.
“It’s fine. That was some time ago.” There was a small, sad smirk, almost wistful, on Huntress’s face that quickly faded. “We should be reaching the main road tomorrow, and we’ll be parting ways then, so there’s no need to, um, get to know each other.”
She opened up her sleeping bag and slipped inside. “It’s getting late,” she said, turning her back to Rarity. “Get some sleep.”
With nothing else to do, their sad little conversation having gone nowhere, Rarity followed suit. She huddled under the provided coverings and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of their tiny campfire before eventually falling asleep.