"We're not the only ones," repeated the woman when there was no response from Claudia, "Wait, wait. There are MORE OF YOU?!" Claudia exclaimed, holding her head in disbelief.
"I have no idea whether to be happy or even scream in terror, " she snorted as she kept spinning around before getting stopped by Gallus. "Okay, okay, I'm calm, I'm calm." She breathes.
"Show us then," Claudia said calmly, "Then from there we HAVE to leave this place and bring you guys to Canterlot, probably we can do something,"
The old man got up to where he sat and gestured to follow him and the other followed.
"We also wondered if you also kept another 6 ponies in captivity?" Claudia humbly asked the old woman.
"Yes, sadly. Don't worry dear, we will let them ago but I don't know how you will explain to the rest of them," the woman scoffed, "I guess I haven't Introduced myself properly, I'm Kamilah, but people call me Kammy,"
"Claudia," she smiled.
"Terry," said the guys in the yellow cloak.
"Georgia," said the other woman, looking not more than twenty like Claudia.
"I'm Herman," said the other guy in a ragged brown cloak. He looked no older than the old man.
The old man didn't answer until Kammy tapped his shoulder.
He disgruntled, "McMirth, just call me Mirth," he still looked pissed and didn't even look at Claudia.
Claudia gives a little smile, happy to get to know these humans' names. They walked quite far from where they were, "How deeper did you guys even hide?" ask Gallus brushing off some branches poking out, out of the way, "Very deep," replied Kammy,
"When we seek shelter there are so many things we faced and endured, but learned to survive like nomads, thank goodness most of us have experience in jungle trekking and survival," Kammy continued, dodging every branch they meet.
"Cool,"
"Are we even nearby?" Claudia questioned while trying her best not to look at spiders that are just crawling on her shoulder then hops away to a branch.
"We are here," McMirth said, and it was a cave.
They entered, there were echoes everywhere it's not dark because they have put multiple men made torches and stuck them in between boulders. The unicorn guards light up their horns and the place shone brighter, there were cave paintings drawn over implicating days, even months of survivals.
Kammy and Georgia stood for a moment to look at the wonderful sight of the unicorn lighting the place up. Claudia smiled and told Kammy and Georgia that unicorns can do a lot of things than just that, "I want to tell you all about this so badly, I'm still happy to meet more humans." Claudia gleefully said, "Well, you're going to be extra surprised to see the others."
McMirth stopped at the bordered up holes, removing the structure and got in, followed by Claudia and the guards.
Loud voices echoed as they grew closer, the five already out and they were greeted by the sound of happy people and… children.
Claudia turns to face Gallus, "Is that the sound of...what do you call them? Kids?" Claudia shrugged but quickly entered the opening, her eyes turned wide upon seeing what's in front of her.
There were more than 20 people in one cave living in stacks, adults that seemed to be the same age as Claudia and the rest were children from the age of not younger than a teen nor preschoolers.
While the other busy greeted the five, one girl, a teen saw Claudia from afar, "ANOTHER HUMAN?!" the girl beamed in excitement but soon disappeared as Gallus and The Guards walked in. Everyone in the cave gasped, children, running and hiding behind teens while the others had spears ready in their hands. Some had guns too.
"Everyone, stand down! It's alright, they are friendly!" McMirth assured them and whistled to Claudia, "Young lady, you're up."
Claudia shakes her head, inhales before stepping up to shakily say, "Hi, everyone." She looked around and the whole cave was just silent. Talking about awkward situations, This was never Claudia's first stage fright, Gallus tugged her cloak and cough. Claudia flinches, looks at Gallus and nods, she does some breathing exercises before she manages to greet everyone properly, telling them about missing ponies and about how she is thrilled to see other humans around but also terribly uncertain about the fact half of the people here are mere children.
They released the other ponies that they kept inside of another cave and watched as the other followed the guards back out, one pony in particular hesitated for a moment and looked back to one of the children who seemed to have grown fond of the pony, they could only wave slightly before leaving the place. It was a strange sight for Claudia as she continues to ask more questions about how everyone even got together and formed a full community in the last 4 months.
Some of the adults tell them about how they just stumbled on each other not longer than five minutes after being transported to this land, the blue light appearing in front of them unnoticed. All their stories are the same, even the children and they are from an orphanage.
"There was glitter everywhere calling us," said one of the children.
"We don't hear any voices but the blue light just attracts us?" one of the teens added.
Claudia nods, "That's exactly how I got here too."
"Aren't you scared?" asked one of the adults that had been listening to the questions and answers circles.
"At first, until I got to know a lot of the ponies and other creatures, like Gallus here," Claudia smiled at Gallus.
Gallus nods, and stumbled back in surprise as one of the children suddenly stood in front of him, "What do you want, kid?"
"Can I touch you?"
Gallus's eyes swing left and right then to Claudia, "Sure?" He bowed a little and let the kid touch his head and feathers.
The kid laughed as she rubs her hands around Gallus head like petting a dog, then the other kids start to join in.
Claudia giggles and continues, "These creatures and ponies all like us, think of it as an alternate dimension, instead of humans, it's ponies and other well-spoken species,"
"Miss Claudia, help me, the kids are swarming me!" Gallus cried, helpless getting tickled by the kids and cuddled, the other guards just laughed, watching Gallus getting tackled by mere tiny children.
"What about them? What's with the armours?" asked a tall boy, as he stared at the guards.
"That's the Royal Guards," she sighed and walked to the guards, "Excuse me gentlecolts, I need you to ask for a request from Princess Twilight for carriages to bring all these humans back to Canterlot, can you help me?"
"Yes, Ma'am!"
“Oh, and please just pass the news about these humans I’m bringing to her, alright?”
The guards saluted and left the place.
Claudia gets back to the circle and asks Kammy to ask the children to stop smothering Gallus with love, "I'm sorry, folks, but all of you have to come with me to see the Princess so we can discuss your future, and finding a solution to bring you back to OUR world."
Everyone was muttering, asking more questions to Claudia for their safety.
"You will be safe I assure you, the ponies are very decent people. You will love it here too when you get to know it!" She grins wide, "Though I may suggest for all of you to leave every weapon you carried with you?" Claudia pleaded.
Everyone looked at each other before continuing to put down their spears and the guns - which they say only just a fake one, made out of sticks and elastic vines - they have and just left in the middle of the circle, "So what now?" asked one of the adults, "We wait for the guards to come by with the carriages so we can hopefully move to Canterlot before the sundown. All of you can pack whatever you want. I could ask the Princess to get all of you a place to stay," Claudia answered.
"For the TWENTY of us?" McMirth raises his eyebrows.
Claudia just gives a little shrug and mumbles, "Maybe?"
She then turned around, went to Gallus who was looking around at the human camp.
The whole structures for their beds are made out of hardwood probably from them chopping trees, dolls made out of twigs, and some phones and pictures on the beds.
One of the girls rushed forward and picked up her phone and took the pictures away from Gallus, "Rude!" She huffs, picks up her rugged bag; putting her stuff in while giving Gallus a squint before leaving him dumbfounded.
"What did I do?" Gallus scratched his head.
"I think that's her stuff, Gallus," Claudia giggles, "Maybe she thinks you were snooping, must be such precious photos," she added, looking around at the people starting to pack their stuff.
"I think I will go and wait outside till the other guards come with the carriages," he walked back to the entrance and left Claudia with the humans. Claudia sat on the bed and just stared.
The sound of the people she used to live with ringing in her head, sounds of going to Starbucks and McDonald's. Hearing children laughing from playing at the playground, but then her vision changes to the view of ponies. She's been living here for too long, she has forgotten what it feels like to live among humans again.