//------------------------------//
// Mountains and Manticores 
// Story: The Last Apprentice: Equestria's Redemption 
// by general cat4 
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Our boots left deep impressions in the soft dirt. It had rained throughout last night, and the clouds in the air probably meant more rain was to come. The Spook and I walked in silence on the way to the mountain, which was almost a full day travel by foot. The walk was silent, as usual. As Spooks we rarely talk, because it can distract us and hinder our hearing sense. We only speak if it's an urgent matter.

Eventually the mountain's foot drew near, about a mile away. A large and ominous forest stretched far up the mountain cutting off at the snowy peak. When we arrived there we took a small break to focus our minds. The Spook drew a square slab of light colored cheese from his cloak. He broke off a small piece and handed it to me, as well as take a slightly larger piece for himself.

"Here lad. It's not as good as the old cheese, but it will have to do." The Spook complained.

I could see him thinking about his yellow crumbly cheese from the county. He was always attached to it.

As I chewed on the cheese I looked up at the sun, it was passed midday, and there was a long journey to our destination.

'Will we have enough sunlight to make it to the cave?' I thought. I looked up at the mountain. Not likely. Which meant we would have to camp nearby. 

We soon got up, and began to look for a path up the mountain. It was a hard thing, considering we were taking a route that never existed. We climbed for what seemed to be forever, and the sun wasn't much help. The clouds were very dark, and were about to start pouring rain. We decided to suppress the ache in our bodies, and increase our pace, to look for shelter.

After an hour of traveling through the rain we came across a small mining clearing. We unpacked the bags, and I was asked to collect firewood. Luckily there was the edge of a forest that covered most of the bottom of the Mountain. I couldn't find a large amount of firewood at the edge, so I ventured slightly deeper into the forest. I found plentiful amounts of wood there. I collected as much as my arms could carry and began to walk back to clearing when I felt a cold chill. The kind Spook's get when The Dark is present. Then I heard a girl's laugh. It was innocent, yet intimidating. I saw something to my right. I looked over to see a face. It had long white hair, and two brown eyes. I blinked and it had disappeared.

'Alice?'

Deciding it was nothing a continued back to the Spook, at a somewhat faster pace. I soon arrived so we lit the fire with my tinderbox. We warmed our bones and ate some more cheese. After that we slept...for a few hours.

"Get up lad!" The Spook commanded in an urgent whisper.

I looked at my master with blurry eyes, but quickly sensed the urgency in his voice. I grabbed my staff and got up. I scanned the dark forest, and saw several rustling bushes. I stood next to The Spook, our staffs in defensive position. I pressed my thumb into the recess of my staff, and heard a relieving click as the blade in the staff clicked out of the tip. The amount of rustling grew larger and growls were emerging from the shrubbery. Quickly, two large beasts jumped out at us. They were bulky and muscular, and walked on four large legs. They had piercing red eyes, and webbed wings. The growls they emitted were loud and vicious.

"Have you seen these before?" I asked The Spook.

"Nay. Use caution, we know nothing about these. Although...they look like a creature native to a country back home. Lions?" He replied, eyes intently focused on the beasts. 

One of them let out a roar and pounced at The Spook, who raised his staff to deflect its massive paws. Using the opportunity, the other jumped at me. I underestimated it's weight which allowed it to tackle me to the ground when I tried blocking. It's massive body pinning me to the ground.

The monsters face was murderously close to me, mane brushing against my face. It let out a menacing roar, and it's breath stank of meat and death. I couldn't move my staff arm, and The Spook was busy, but I managed to reach into my cloak pocket and grab a fistful of salt, which I jammed into the creature's eye. It soon got off me to try and remove the salt from its blind eye.

In a panic, the other beast slammed into the first, causing it's skull to land in the cliff side. A loud crack echoed, and blood started to pool. The second abomination had The Spook's staff driven into it's back, stopping it from moving. It also had several cuts and lacerations along the body. The lodged staff in it's spine caused it to shudder with pain, causing the cuts to ooze blood heavily. I calmly picked up my own staff and slit it's throat. No living thing should suffer that much pain. 

The Spook retracted the hidden blade into his staff and leaned on it, catching his breath. "Strong body, that creature."

"Maybe Twilight knows what they are, we should ask her on the way back." I said.

"Aye. I'd like to document it in my bestiary as well. Having a proper name is the first step." He replied.

The Spook and I carried the bodies away, as not to attract other things. After which we were too exhausted to do anything, but hope we weren't bothered until morning...