Peatmoss blinked several times till the prismatic light faded. The wash of rejuvenation filling him with vibrating energy. "What was that?" Gene asked as he paused in stripping down the dead unicorn.
"I'm not sure but it feels great!" Peat looked over the artifact again. It seemed to shine with a new luster. "I guess this is why he wanted it so bad." The feeling reminded him of the warm, fuzzyness he felt when he hugged his mom or dad. A feeling that made the sadness and shame of the past experiences distant. Then he noticed the dagger wound on his leg was gone. putting his hoof to his neck, he felt it, then checked his hoof. 'No blood!'
"It heals wounds too?!" said Gene excitedly. "Let me try!" Grabbing the wing, he held it up and braced himself. Clenching his eyes shut. He waited a few seconds but nothing happened. "Did it work?" Gene asked, cracking an eye open. seeing and feeling no change, he lowers his arms and looks the wing over.
"Maybe it's a onetime use thing." Peat speculates as he watches Gene give it a shake.
"Well tha---"
Peatmoss stares in shock as Gene suddenly freezes mid sentence. The room around him fading to a dull sepia tone. "Gene? Gene are you ok?!" Gene doesn't respond. Remaining frozen in place. His brow furrowed as he looks down at the golden wing in his talons. "Gene! Speak to me!" Peat shouts in panic, reaching out and trying to give him a shake. But to his horror Gene stays stuck in place. Hard as a stone statue.
"No no no! What's happening?" He cries in confused terror, clamping his hooves to his head.
"let not thine heart be troubled, Peatmoss of Well shod." came an answer from nowhere. Spinning about, he saw a ghostly pegasus stallion standing in front of the disturbed sarcophagus. He wore a flowing white toga that was pinned at the shoulder with a golden disc broach marked with a cloud and lightning bolt. On the top of his head sat a laurel leafed wreath that framed the large curls of his mane.
"Wha-?" he stammered "Who are you? What did you do to my friend?!"
"I am name-ed Windcaller. Herald of the Rainbow Warrior and Patron Saint of the Pegasus of Crown. I have summoned thee forth from out thine time to treat with thee. And hence, thou hast answered."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Didst thou not come to this sanctum seeking clairvoyance?"
"Ah, well, only because Gerard suggested it. Bu- But I didn't think I'd actually get an answer."
"Forsooth. And low, se-est thee not how thine faith hast been rewarded?" Peatmoss just stares speechless at the apparition. "Behold," he went on taking on a serious tone, undeterred by Peat's look of confused apprehension. "the time hath come. The Windigo King's return draws neigh. And thou oh Peat moss hath been found worthy of bearing forth mine legacy to defend the good ponies of Crown from his icy hooves."
"Windigo King?" asked Peat, latching onto the only word from the ghost's dialogue that rings a bell. "Are you talking about the windigos from the Hearth warming tale?" For the first time the two pony's expressions swapped.
"Hearth, Warming? I. Forgive-est thou me. Whist is this lore of which thou speak-est?"
"It's a story we celebrate every winter down in Equestria." The ghost continues to stare. "You've never heard the Hearth Warming tale?!" Peatmoss sighs when the ghost simply shrugs. Feeling the weight of the teacher's cap dropping onto his head, he proceeded to tell the Hearths Warming tale. A story he heard every winter so he knew it by heart.
"Once upon a time long before the peaceful reign of Celestia, and the foundation of Equestria there was three pony tribes who did not know harmony. It was a dark and perilous time frought with hatred and selfishness.
During these evil days, the pegasi, the unicorns, and the earth ponies, cared nothing for what happened to eachother. Only for their own kind.
As they do now, the pegasi were Stewards of the weather. But in return, they demanded a third of the Earth ponies crops as payment for their work.
The unicorns demanded the same in return for magically raising and lowering the sun in the time of day, and the moon at night.
And so, bickering and arguing over their "fair share" of the earth pony's produce festered until it came to a boil. An upset prompted by a mysterious magical blizzard that fell over the land. Toppling the ponies precarious agreement.
The normally efficient and industrious Earth ponies could not farm the land while the fields were constantly being blanketed with piles of snow.
The pegasi were helpless to control the weather as the magical snow storms swatted them about like leaves in a hurricane.
Without any produce from the earth ponies, the unicorns got nothing for their diligent work. And so, each of the tribes blamed the others for their troubles. And the worse they argued, the worse the blizzard became.
Finally, with no end of the freezing storm in sight, one of each of the three tribes set out from their homeland to find a new place to settle.
After days of hard travel, they came upon a wondrous land none of them had seen before. The land was warm and fertile. The skies were calm and spacious. And the mountains were rich in magical gems. Each tribe, clinging to their old grudges, began to harass the others. Refusing to share the land. And all too soon, the mysterious blizzard swept across their new land, forcing them all to abandon their barely built towns, to take refuge in a cold and barren cave.
The three leaders immediately began to argue over how the small cave was to be split up, and their subjects finally saw the cause of the terrible blizzard. Windigos. Ghostly monsters that breathed ice and snow. And they saw that the more their leaders bickered, the colder and more terrible the Windigos became. Freezing the three leaders solid.
Believing their end to soon follow, the three tribes huddled together and began to tell eachother stories of their lives. Their hopes and dreams. What they lost, and what they loved about eachother. Even as the ice crystals closed in around them they found companionship. And as they began to sing and dance together, miraculously, the Windigos disappeared.
The fires of friendship spread through them all and opened up the cave. Together they left and founded a new land. A land they named, Equestria!" Peatmoss finished. Throwing his arms and wings wide in finale to the cheers and stomps of his ghost audience that had appeared around the room. Some even having pulled popcorn from the Ether to snack on as they listened to his story.
"Accolades!" shouted Windcaller as the host of pegasi faded away around him. "Accolades to the Herald Peatmoss!" Peat grinned sheepishly as he bowed to the cheering pegasus. "long hast it been since so great a performance graced these humble halls."
"Thanks." he replied. His cheeks burning as he rubbed at the back of his head. "You could say I practice every year. Heh heh."
"Verily. I hast no way of knowing what be-fell our way-word kin who hath fled south to parts unknown. Incline-eth now thine own ear. Forsooth, our tale in the north doth not carry an end so joy-est as thine."
"Back in days of yore, like thine own leaders, ours were just as bitter. Even as their fellow ponies starved, their necks ever stiffened. And they drew ever deeper into them selves. Till low, there came a day most desperate. I and my fellow Heralds, bringing forth all of our fellow tribes ponies that would follow us, forged through the wind and snow to meet atop the great hill named Gallops. There, embracing in fellowship we made our final supplication too the gods. Praying for deliverance from the howling foe. And with grace, the gods brought out from us the sparks of kinship. Together making manifest the Rainbow Warrior.
Bolstered against the cold of the Windigo's evil spell, we sallied forth, driving them back, even to the peak of the world. There, we made great battle, to once and for all banish the foe forever from the world.
But alas, before the deed could be done, a great betrayal arose from amongst us. A treachery most foul laid me and my company low, and thus shattered the Rainbow Warrior into three pieces."
"Yonder wing held by thy companion is but one piece of the Rainbow Warrior." Windcaller said, gesturing to Gene. "Collect all three together, and forge thee well the Rainbow Warrior anew in the fires of Kinship. This is the quest thou hast been sommoned to complete. If thou fail-est, then the world will be powerless to survive the Windigo King's reign. Go now. And speed thee well to Gallops Hill. There thou willst find more of like-mindedness." With that, Windcaller faded away. The room's color returning.
"-s disappointing." continued Gene as time resumes. "At least with a magic scroll you can get a few shots before it deteriorates."
"huh?" stammered Peatmoss. not remembering were he left off.
"The golden wing." said Gene, holding up the gold wing. "Well at least Abirdy's going to be glad to see this back on his shelf again."
"Oh yeah." Peat's thoughts slumping back to his talk to Windcaller. "Gene. What can you tell me about Gallops Hill?"
* * *
Once outside, the glide back down the mountain was quick. Especially with the weight of all the loot Gene had collected along the way. It turned out that Gene didn't know much about the land outside of his town of Riverdale. So he took note of the sign at the crossroads pointing the directions to Gallops Hill before heading back to town.
Staring at the heaping pile of, though useless to the two of them, valuable odds and ends that occupied the counter in Woodlyn Trader. Peatmoss had to wonder how the hay Gene could've fit it all into the two little sacks. He had even, to Peat's revulsion, remembered to bag the thief's head.
All in all, it amounted to a whopping one thousand three hundred some gold pieces. Peatmoss could only shake his head in disgust at the profit that was gained from the bloody excursion. Still, he had more than doubled his money since he left home. He was forced to see the incentive for the creatures of Crown's violent tendencies.
"Ha ha! you found it!" crowed Abirdy as he hugged the gold wing to his chest. " Funny, it seems to shine more then I remembered. Back you go to the place of honor." Turning around, he places it lovingly back at the center of the display. picking up the thief's head he inspected it. "Yup! That's the horn head." confirmed Abirdy as he turned the grisly object around in his talons. "Not so smart now, are you? I have just the place for you." he said. Eyeing an empty spot on the wall above the display. "Give me a few minutes to count out your gold." Stowing the head underneath the countertop, he unlocked a strong box and started sifting through his stash.
"So... are we splitting it or what?" asked Gene hopefully. tapping his claws together. Peat gave a sigh before answering.
"I suppose it's only fair. What do you think? Fifty fifty?" Gene gave him an overjoyed expression, but quickly hid it behind a professional mask.
"Ok. Yeah, that sounds fair." Peat could still see the $ $ in his eyes.
After splitting the profits, they left the trader's shop and went across the street to the blacksmith's shop. Gene reveled at his plans to buy a quiver of real steel arrows. Peatmoss on the other hoof, wanted to get a sheath made for his sword. As he approached, the blacksmith, a big unicorn stallion named Evergreen, turned from his work to address Peat.
"I've heard you were up in Squirestone when that dragon attacked. is that true?"
"Yes." he answered. Caught off guard by the sudden inquiry. My son was working there and it's been a day since the attack. You didn't see him get out did you?" Peatmoss felt that stone of gilt knot up his gut as he asked.
"What was his name?"
"Juniper berry. He's a unicorn. light blue, with a green mane." Peatmoss cringed and Gene gave a worried look between them.
The memories of Juniper's death replayed in Peat's mind. The two opinions of his splitting morals starting to conflict.
'Don't tell him.' warned Meadblood. 'A little lie will make this easier for everyone.'
'We can't lie!" countered Peatmoss It wouldn't be right.'
"What happened to him?" pleaded Evergreen at Peat's reaction to the name. "Where is he? please tell me." Peat bowed his head and answered.
"He's dead."
"How did he die?"
'Don't do it!' hissed Meadblood. 'Just a little lie won't hurt.'
'But Gene knows.' Peatmoss interjected. 'What kind of example will we set?'
He raised his head, looked the grieved parent in the eye, and confessed.
"I killed him. Inside the keep." The confession lifted a weight off his shoulders, though the gilt remained. But Evergreen's face morphed from sorrow to unforgiving outrage.
"You son of a whoring fog stalker!" he shouted. Grabbing a chunk of iron and hurling it. The ingot struck Peat in the chest, knocking him back a pace.
"Wait Mr Evergreen!" shouted Gene as he put himself between them. "You don't know the whole story!" Peat took to the air and flew for the north gate. Evergreen's answer fading from earshot.
"I don't care! that murderer took my son from me." He flew for a few miles. His heart stinging worse from the stallion's condemnation then the blow to his chest.
'Just one little lie was all you needed.' murmured Meadblood. He landed and looked back. 'Now we'll never be able to show our faces there again.' Hanging his head he plodded on north up the road. It was like every time he took action, some creature got hurt.
"I'm such a screw-up." muttered Peat to himself. "Ok, enough pitty partying." he huffed. "Focus on the positives. let's see. One, I didn't die. Keep that one pinned. Two, I have over six hundred gold. good for getting a place to stay. Three, I have some food, protection, and I'm still healthy." He paused in his thoughts as he approached the crossroads.
Too the left was the path up to the barrow. There was a road too the right and the main road north. He looked up at the road sign. It had a bunch of names he didn't recognize, except for the three. Squirestone, Stormhelm, and Gallops hill.
'At least I know where I need to go next.' he thought to himself. Remembering what Windcaller had told him. Iron Bloom had encouraged him to go to Gallops hill as well. Something about family or companions there able to help him settle in. Maybe they could help him on his new quest and get a better view of the politics of the Crown.
As he walked, he looked at the beautiful landscape around him. It bore a wild, natural freedom to it. In Equestria, it was kept like a garden. The Pegasi tended weather keeping the grass and foliage at optimal waterings. Restricting them from growing out of control.
Here however, the flora was left to grow free and unkempt. He could see amongst the boulders and rocks, trees in varied states of growth and decay. The over grown grass and weeds intermingled with fallen branches and scraggly bushes. The pungent smell of tree loam carpeting the undergrowth.
It all awoke an excitement deep inside him. A long lost feeling of completeness and belonging.
He was so caught up in the splendor of the moment, that he didn't take notice of the sound of approaching hoofsteps until the big brown and tan minotaur came crashing through the undergrowth. It was cradling a bundle under one arm like a football and looking back over it's shoulder as it came onto the road. Peat tried to dodge out of the way but it tripped over him. Kicking him hard in the side before falling flat.
Before Peat could recover, the minotaur was up and stuffing the object into his saddle bag.
"Hey! what are you doing?!" protested Peatmoss.
"Listen up pony!" hissed the minotaur as he lifted Peat up off his hooves by his coat collar. Glaring him in the eye. "Hold onto that. I'll be back for it later. You rat me out or lose it, I'll make you sorry." Without another word he drops Peat and runs off back into the brush. In moments, the sound of it tearing throu the forest subsided into the distance.
"Did I just get reverse pickpocketed?" he asked himself. Getting to his hooves he dusted himself off. "Guess it could have been worse. What did that minotaur put in my bag?" Before he could reach back to find out, another sound of galloping hooves came through the forest from the same direction the minotaur had come.
Peatmoss turned, bracing himself to avoid being run over again. After a few seconds, out came a tannish-cream mare with an orange mane and tail.
She wore a split-front tunic, white shirt and brown leather boots. His eyes caught hold of a bit of her tuft popping up at the vee of her neckline, but he quickly tore his eyes away hoping she hadn't noticed his gaze. At her side she had a sword that was nearly as long as her. The ponytail tied high on her head swung back and forth as she looked up and down the road before focusing on him. She scrutinized his appearance for a second before giving a look of contempt and pushing up her shirt.
'Buck!' he admonished himself. 'She must've seen.' ignoring him and turning her attention down to the ground, she followed the tracks the minotaur left in the dirt across the road.
"Lady Shikari! Where are you?" came a distant distressed shout from the direction she had come.
"I'm over here!" she called back over her shoulder. "He's close. Pick up your hooves!" With that, she plunged on into the forest. Peat looked back to see a mound of canvas bags and camping gear come blundering through the brush.
Out came a dark grey pegasus colt with a yellow mane. Besides the saddle piled high with gear, he wore nothing but a heavy metal collar around his neck, and a bridle with a lead. He collapsed on the road panting from exertion.
"Are you ok?" asked Peat in concern. trotting over to see if he could help.
"I'll be fine. I just need to," He strained to get to his hooves again for a few seconds before giving up and flopping back to the ground in defeat. "take a quick break for a few minutes." he finished with a wave of his weary hoof.
Then there came a shrill whistle from up ahead and the pegasus's head popped up again. "Sorry! Gotta go!" He desperately pushed to rise and with help from Peat, got to his hooves again. Doggedly he pressed on off the road and into the trees. After a moment in thought, Peatmoss, overcome with curiosity followed them.
Following their trail, he soon came to find them at the foot of the mountain. Where the trees thinned and gave way to rocky slopes and cliffs. As he approached, he heard the mare, Shikari grumbling.
"All this way and he doesn't have it with him. He must've used a drop spot back the way we came." Standing over the now headless minotaur, she gave it a hard kick before going to her companion collapsed on the grass. Picking up his bridle lead and tying it to her belt, she gave it a snap. "Come on. Up on your hooves." After a few seconds of him failing to stir, she gave the lead a tug with her teeth to compel him.
"Can't, huff, we take, gasp, a short, pant, break?" he weezed. Giving a feeble attempt to rise. A look of angered annoyance crossed her face.
"The longer we delay, the colder the trail gets. Now move it!" she snapped. pulling on the lead again.
"Lady Shikari. Please." he begged. "We've been tracking him, for two days straight. I can't-"
"I said, Get, Up!" she cut him off by throwing her weight against the lead. He cried out in pain as he was dragged a few feet over the rough ground.
"Hey! Stop that!" shouted Peatmoss as he ran up to stop her. "Can't you see he's worn out!? You're going to kill," Suddenly Meadblood realized she had drawn her sword in the blink of his eye and was holding it across his neck. He instantly jumped back in surprise.
"Mind your own business Helm," she growled at him around the hilt. "and I'll mind mine." For an earthpony she had been frighteningly swift and precise with her bladesmareship. "Go back to your boozehall and tend to your mug. Or Scorpan help me I'll open you from muzzle to tail." He took another step back. Her stance like that of a wild animal ready to strike. And her glare, as sharp as the edge of her sword.
"Woe now. Hold your horses." said Peatmoss. Holding up his forehooves defensively. "I don't want a fight. I get you're frustrated. I just don't want you to hurt him." This response seemed unexpected, and she eased up on her combative stance.
"It's none of your concern helm." she answered. "This out-of-shape weakling is costing me time. I'm on a job and I can't afford his lazyness."
"All I'm asking is you give him a few minutes to recover. Here, I'll even give him one of my stamina potions." She eyed him sceptically as he pulled out a green bottle and held it out to her. She gave a dismissive snort and sheathed her sword.
"Fine. But I'm not paying for it."
"Who was he?" Peat asked. Nodding at the minotaur as he administered the potion.
"A thief." she answered bluntly. Spitting at the body. "He stole something from the Jarl and I was contacted to track him down. And now that he chose death over giving up where he stashed it, I'm going to have to backtrack all the way back to town." She sat down and crossed her forehoves as she scowled at the minotaur's corpse.
"Well when he ran into me back on the road, he stuffed this bundle into my bag and told me to hold onto it." digging out the bundle, He held it out to her. "Is this what you're looking for?" She looked over the package before taking it and undoing the laceing binding the brown canvas cloth.
Pushing away the fabric, it revealed a blueish green cristal chalice. It was gilded with gold and studded with blue and red gems. Around the silvery band was runes etched in fine swirling designs. It definitely looked fit for a king's treasury. After a few seconds of looking it over, she rewrapped it and stuffed it down the front of her tunic. Giving Peat another brief glimpse of her generous tuft. He felt his wings give a responding need to fluff. He quickly turned his head to his hooves as he fiddled with the empty potion bottle.
'Get ahold of yourself Peat!' he chastised himself. 'You don't want to come off as some kind of creep.'
"Well?" she suddenly asked. He snapped his head back to her as she placed her hoof on her chest. "What do you want for it?"
At that moment he felt a rush of panic. his colt-ish mind jumbling her question to translate too, "Do you want it?"
"I, ee, ye, uh, duh?" he stammered. His cheeks on fire as the bottle tumbles from his grasp. She rolled her blue eyes and gave a sigh. Her tone lending evidence to her fraying patience. 'Good Goddesses.' he threw up in his mind. Wishing she would've mercifully cut his head off rather than allow him to be this jibbering mess before her.
"I meant, how much money do you want for helping me return it?"
"Nuh, nothing at all." 'Kill me.'
"Nothing?" she asked. Cocking her eyebrow.
"Yup." 'Death please' "I I just know if I lost it I would want it back." 'Celestia take me now!'
"Do you have any clue what this chalice is? What it's worth?" Peat just clammed up and shook his head. "This cup is an ancient unicornian artifact capable of magically changing any drink you pour in to it, into fine wine."
"Oh."
"And you're just giving it to me?"
"Heh. To be honest, I just got finished with a similar quest, chasing down a thief through a dungeon to retrieve a gold wing that was stolen from the shop keeper, and return it to him in the town back up that way. So, one might say we're in the same business. And if our places were swapped, I would think I could expect the same of you?" She just crossed her hooves over her chest and narrowed her eyes. "Right?" She leaned back away from him, allowing his question to hang in the air till the pause drifted into awkward silence. "Oh."
He looked down at his hooves as he rubbed them together. Her posture for all the world asking, "Is this pony crazy or just plain stupid?"
"You're not from around here, are you."
'Good Goddess. Instead of a creep, she sees me as some kind of mental patient.' His wings just flop to the ground, as he sighs in dejection.
"Words to the wise," Shikari says, getting to her hooves. Her tone that of a mother to a foolish foal. "you're not in Equestria anymore. Most ponies out here in the wilderness, if you're a drifter, well, let's just say if you wave to someone, they're sooner going to put an arrow between your eyes then wave back." She emphasized her statement by reaching out and jabbing him in the forehead with her hoof tip. "You're lucky you ran into me sooner rather than later. I suggest you get yourself to a town or hold capital. Get a job and surround yourself with ponies that would give a shit if you go missing. Or at least pay to track down were your sorry plot got dumped."
"Yeah. Thanks for the advice."
"Are you rested enough to get back home yet Bolt?" she asked the pack pony.
"Yes my lady" he answered. Grunting as he got to his hooves. Together they moved off the back the way Peatmoss had come. Getting up, he starts off dragging his wings back towards the road.
"Ah, hey." Shikari calls to him from the edge of the treeline. Pausing, he looks back to her. "Listen, I know this is noway near worth what you did for me but, if you're ever down near Jaegervale in need of a warm bed, I own a inn there called the Bloated Mare. Tell the Keeper there Lady Shikari sent you. They'll see to it you get a safe place to sleep for the night. Till then, safe travels." With that she gives a wave and moves off into the forest.
'Well, at least I turned some one's misfortune around.' he thinks to himself as he waves back and continues on.
* * *
After a couple hours of trotting along the road, he reaches the end of the valley. Down the road the mountains curl away and he sees the vast grasslands stretch out before him.
Following the road with his eyes, he sees it wind down by a small river, across a stone bridge, and out thru the ocean of green till it rises again at a stone wall surrounding a city set on the hill. Gallops Hill consisted of three gradual tiers. Atop the foremost crest sat a tall structure of wooden beams and thick thatching.
All that open air, after the long trot thru the forest land, hemmed in by the encompassing trees, he was overcome with the urge to spread his wings and soar out across the flowing fields of green.
Crouching as he extended his wings, then thrust himself into the sky. With a few strong flaps, he gained speed enough to do a quick roll and swoop down close enough to the river to hear it's gurgling song. Giving a loud chuckle, he rose higher and banked left then right, taking in the early summer crops laid out below. They were cut up into irregular squares and angular shapes by narrow hoof paths to connect them to the main road. On a lark, he flew down as close as he could to the tight, orderly rows of what he assumed was wheat or barley. Looking back, he laughed as he saw the tall, closely packed stalks make a vee shaped wave out to eather side of him as he passed. Reaching the edge of one large field, he brought himself up short and flipped around intending to do it again, but somepony shouting caused him to pause.
"Hey you! Yeah you with the green mane!" Turning his head about to triangulate the direction, he spotted a Earth pony off to his right on a hoof path waveing his forehooves in the air. flying over to him he asked.
"Hey there. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?!" he echoed in a yell, bordering on a screech of anger as his tan and brown face turned red. "Who do you think you are?! Dive-bombing out of the sky and stomping all over our crops?!"
"I wasn't going to land. I was just," Peat tried to explain in a calming tone, but was abruptly cutoff by the irate pony as he went on.
"Hog manure! I saw you! You think, just because you can fly, you can flop down and roll around were ever you please."
"But I wasn't," he was cut off again as the pony continues his rant.
"Yes you were! I saw it all! You were all like, "I'm a stupid paguses. I can't see where I'm going. Hurp a derp a doop a dip." Peatmoss narrowed his eyes in annoyance as the pony proceeded to do a mocking impression, moving about on his haunches, his eyes crossed, Tongue out, and flapping his forelegs comically. "But not today! You're lucky I'm not calling the town guard on you!"
"Look mister, I was just,"
"Typical, stupid sky skeever! Your kind just drop out of the sky and trample anywhere you please. Then when winter comes around, You're all like, "Where's all the food? you dumb mud ponies didn't plant enough." Then the moment we turn our backs, you grab up all you can and fly off." Peat just hovers there, crossing his forehooves and waits for the crazy pony to run out of steam.
"That's it! Isn't it?" he shouts in accusation. Jabbing a hoof at Peat "You thought you could swoop down a steal a quick snack! Even if it's not harvest time yet! Oh but you didn't count on me being here to catch you. Did you?! You know what, I am going to call the guard! See how smart you feel when your spending the winter in a dungeon cell with nothing to eat but a single bowl of rotten gruel a day. Won't feel too clever then I'd wager."
'Geez.' thought Peatmoss as he floated there. 'Next he'll accuse me of trying to carry off the entire town in the night.' Quickly he came to the conclusion that this pony had made up his mind what he thought he saw, and wasn't going to hear anything Peat wanted to say. "Ok. It was nice chatting with you. Bye bye." he said in a sarcastically cheery tone and flew off across the field towards the main road. The shouts and screams fading behind him.
"Hey! Where do you think your going?! Get back here! I'm going to..." After a few minutes of flying, he touched down on the road and decided to walk the rest of the way to avoid any other crazy pony's accusations. But after another few minutes of trotting, as he passed nearby a pair of large houses to his left, he is again hailed.
"Hey you! With the thing!" Giving a groan of annoyance he stopped to look around and spotted a yellow coat, and brown maned filly galloping towards him. "You're one of those ponies that kill things." she said running up to him panting. "The warrior type from the place in town?"
"Well I," he stared to say, confused
"Yeah yeah." she said. Waveing away his response. "We've been waiting for one of you guys for days now. Come on." She insisted. Beckoning with a hoof to follow.
"Now wait a second. I think you're confusing," he stammered
"Oh no you don't!" she said with resolve. Darting around behind him, she butted him towards the house. "You're not pulling that again. You're here now so do your job!" she insisted. Jabbing his rear with her hoof.
"Ok! Ok! Stop it." he whined. stumbling forwards. He hated getting poked. Another thing his brothers liked to do to invoke a reaction from him. At least it was a filly this time so it didn't bother him quite so much.
The house was tall and square with a little structure connecting it to the broader one nextdoor. On the outside was nailed a large sign. And written across the top in big letters was Buzzy's Brew, and on the bottom was Meadery. in the center was a cute cartoon filly wearing a bee costume. Snuggled in her forelegs was a fat, round honey bee.
Shoving him through the door she proceeded to yell.
"Ma! Hey ma! I found one!" Popping up from behind a counter an aged mare with similar palette responded.
"Well it's about dang blasted time ya showed up! Another day and another batch would be ruined!" Hobbling over to a large door, she unbars it and swings it open to reveal a darkened stairwell descending down. Without further instructions, the filly shoves him thru it.
"Now hold on!" shouts Peatmoss spinning around and wedging himself in the doorjamb before they can slam it shut on him. "What exactly do you need me to do down here?!"
"There's a humongous spider down there. Kill it!" With one last shove, Peat allows them to dislodge him and close the door.
"Spider huh?" he mutters to him self as he turns and walks down the short stairwell to a cooler, lower floor. "I can deal with that."
Looking around, he saw the entire neighboring house was one big room with tall thin windows letting in just enough sunlight to see. In the upper rafters, on a lattice of scaffolding sat three giant wooden vats accessed by a central block and tackle pulley system lift. The second lower level held several smaller vats, half the size of the ones above. The bottom level, which was lined with cool stones, sat hundreds of bottles and stoneware jugs of various sizes and shapes. To his right was a cellar door, which was framed in old stonework, lead deeper into the Meadery. It appeared to be locked with a big iron padlock hanging off it's latches. Further to the back of the room, under the scaffolding, stood rows of narrow shelving. Each one filled with empty bottles and jugs, but no obvious evidence of the eight legged intruder.
The air was full of a heavy sweet smell of honey, and the bubbling belches of the water locks on the vats above. Taking in that lovely scent of liquid gold reminded him of the night he spent out on the tundra outside Crown. With a fond sigh, he goes about inspecting the room for signs of the pest he was sent after.
It appeared that the ponies upstairs had been in the middle of bottling one of the upper vats when they had abandon the room. Because many of the filled bottles had been left uncorked, and the one under the pipe coming down from above had overflowed and left a golden sticky stream down to a big drain in the middle of the floor. The iron drain grate was knocked askew, no doubt the method of entry by the creepy crawly. Trotting over to the cellar door, he gives it a test pull. Sure enough, it's locked tight.
Seeing no other signs of the spider, Peat took wing and jumped up to the hanging lift. It rattled and swayed, but seemed to be locked in place at the second level. Continuing up to the third, he jumped and flitted around each of the large vats, but found only cobwebs amongst the wood beams and up in the corners. Fine strands from tiny spiders. Not the thick fibers he was looking for. Working his way down, all that was left to check was the shelves at the bottom.
Sure enough, back in the corner he found it's den. A dead rat swung just above it wrapped up in silk. Like the ones he fought before, it had built up a tube of silk about four hooves wide. Too small for him to enter so he began to poke at the silk to coax it out.
"All right. Eviction notice. Come on out." After a few pokes, it came to the entrance suddenly and froze. "Aw, you're just a little one." He lowered his sword. "Come on out and go back down the drain and I'll let you live." Stepping back, he shooed it towards the drain. "Come on. Come on." He said in a soothing tone. But instead it skittered back into it's nest.
Sighing, Peatmoss went back in and using his sword he began to cut around the hole and collapse the entrance. Stamping it down, he pulled away the bottles that it was attached to. Hoping to use it's den like a sack, he pulled it out of the corner, when suddenly it tore open. Like a jack in the box, out jumped the spider, leaping right at his face.
Meadblood threw up his forehooves just in time to stop it, as the arachnid drove him back into a shelf. The empty bottles rattled ominously, threatening to fall and smash on the stone floor.
Meadblood growled as the spider's venomous fangs reached for his muzzle. It's clawed legs hooking into his head and sides. Flaring his wings, he felt his way out to open space and leaped into the air. The gravity pulling the spider under him, he kicked as hard as he could with his rear hooves at it's abdomen. The spider squealed and sprayed him with webbing.
"Arg!" yelled Meadblood in anger and he dropped to the ground, slamming the spider beneath him into the stone floor. Pushing his forelegs wide, he shoved clawed legs off him and swiftly stomped with his right forehoof. Right on it's thorax where the spider's legs converged on it's underside. It squealed again as it's carapace began to shatter. Striking again, it's shell broke like the shell of a boiled egg. As it's legs began to spasm, he brought himself up and threw all his weight into one final stomp. CRUNCH!
Peatmoss fell back panting and watched the spider slowly go still as it gave it's final death twitches.
"That's what you get for not cooperating!" he huffs from exertion. After a few minutes of resting, he brushes the webbing off his rear legs and plods up the stairs to the door and knocks.
"Alright! Job's done. Spider's dead. You can unlock the door now."
"Are you sure?" came a reply.
"As sugar!" he affirmed. Glancing back at the smashed corpse on the floor. "You can come see for yourself if you like." There's a click and rattle from the door unlocking before it opens enough for the filly from before to peek through. Her eyes rove over him, noticing the stray strands of webbing and spatters of green ooze smeared on his chest and chin.
"Ok." she says with a resigned look. Opening the door and pushing past him. "Let's see what the damage is." Trotting down she begins to inspect the room. Giving the dead spider a wide berth. "Wow." she remarks with a surprised look. "You Mighty Helms don't usually leave a room so clean."
"What do you mean?" Peatmoss asked, confused.
"Oh. Ah. Well." she answered with an apprehensive look. "No offense, but a lot of ponies say you Mighty Helms often do more collateral damage then necessary." Then she suddenly takes on a frightened look. Waving her forehooves in front of herself. "Ah! not me of course! Ah ha ha ha." she finishes with a nervous laugh.
"No offense taken." he reassured. Kicking a hoof idly. "Honestly, I'm not even a real member. I just met one down south and was hoping to join them."
"Oh. Well that explains it." she said. Glancing in annoyance at the dead spider. "We've been waiting for them to show up for a week now. Thought we may have to dump another batch soon. I suppose since you beat them to it, you can have their pay. With a little something extra for not destroying the place." she said with a smile. "But before you go. Can you, take care of, that?" she asked. Gesturing to the spider corpse.
"Sure."
"Great!" she said as she trotted back up the stairs. "I'll go tell Ma the good news. Come on up when you're done.
Shoving the spider down the drain hole, he pulled the grate back in to place and stomped it down tight. Below he could hear the squeaking of rats thanking him for the treat before he made his way up the stairs.
* * *
Leaving the Buzzy's Brew Meadery, now with nearly nine hundred gold pieces in his saddlebags, he trotted with a bounce to his step. Partially from the satisfaction of a good job well done, and partially from a swig of sweet mead rolling in his belly. Around his neck hung a medallion bearing the Meadery's logo. A souvenir he bought to commemorate his triumph.
"Ah ha ha." he laughed joyfully. Feeling that happy, tingle in his bones he had experienced outside Crown under the stars. All those days ago. In the distance he could see the city gates. The place Windcaller had prophesied he would find friends to help him fulfill his destiny and drive off the Windigos.
"Help! Somepony help!" a call reached his ears from over the next rise.
"But first!" he declared to himself. "There's evil work ahoof. Meadblood to the rescue!" He galloped over the rise but skidded to a stop as he saw a small garden plot was under attack by a big hairy elephant.
It had stomped over a short stone border wall and was wandering across the soft soil to tare up what looked like young cabbages to stuff into it's mouth. At the side of the garden, a poor mare sat wailing. Tears streaming from her eyes as the beast ravished her defenseless plants.
"He's eating my Babies! Somepony please save my babies!"
'A bit bigger than a spider.' Peatmoss thought to himself. 'Maybe if I give it a few good jabs it'll leave.' Flying up to the beast he pokes it with his sword. "Hey! Hey you. You can't eat," He was forced to dodge away as it's trunk swung up nearly hitting him. "Hey watch it! You coulda," SMACK!
The trunk came back, catching him right in the middle, sending him tumbling through the air. Peat barely recovered before he hit the ground. Shaking off the hit, he looked up to see the elephant baring down on him. Scrambling to avoid being trampled, he made a desperate dash to it's side. But much faster than anything that big should be allowed to move, it teed up and struck him with it's tusk. As Peatmoss sailed through the air, he swore he heard somepony shouting, "FOUR!"
It took him a few seconds to dislodge himself from the furrow his body had made in the tufted tundra. Coughing and spitting up clods of dirt and roots, he noticed that the ground was starting to shake more and more. Looking back, he saw the big hairy beast approaching to fix his divot.
"Sword! Sword! Where's my sword!?" he shouted at himself, casting about till he spotted it stuck in the ground. Grabbing it between his hooves, he rolled over just in time to fend off being trampled. Instead the elephant just swung it's trunk, hitting the flat of the blade. With a pitiful TWANG! The top half of the sword went sailing away. Peatmoss stared in shock at the broken weapon, then up at the elephant rearing up on it's hindlegs. about to do to him what he had done to the spider not but an hour ago.
Then, a big rock about three hooves wide came flying through the air and struck the elephant in the side of the head. Peat used the opportunity to skitter away and saw four ponies in familiar brown canvas coats with light color fur linings. On their heads they wore heavy iron helmets with prominent brow lines, and small wings coming out either side, swept back to guard their ears. Roaring war cries, they surrounded the beast and one picked up the fallen rock and tossed it up at the elephant's head again. It bounced off to another of the group and they caught it, spun around and tossed it back up at the elephant. This went on from one to the next.
Peatmoss watched in fascination and clopped his hooves together in praise. The next one to catch it glanced in his direction before tossing it again. The rock bounced off the now staggering elephant and Peat jumped back in surprise as it thudded into the ground at his hooves. Looking back at the mare who had just thrown it, he saw her waving her forehooves at the dazed beast and shouted.
"Toss it! Toss it!" The others join in, chanting for him to toss it at the elephant. Waving their hooves excitedly. Wrapping his forehooves around the stone, he grunts as it leaves the ground. Then with as mighty a heave he can muster, it flew through the air and landed anticlimactically four hooves away. The four ponies stared in dumb silence at his pathetic toss.
"The hay kina toss wos thaa?" shouted the mare in indignation.
Meanwhile, the elephant shook off it's stun and began stamping the ground in rage.
"Alright! Weapons free!" the mare declared. Pulling out an iron mace and holding it aloft in her teeth with a howl. The other three did the same with their own heavy, sharp weapons. Joining her howl and charging the raging animal. Together, they leaped in and back. Striking, then dodging back to avoid any return hits. And soon, they all stood atop their defeated foe, cheering and waving their weapons aloft.
"Yay." called Peat halfheartedly as he winces at the twinge in his back from the recent over exertion he had foalishly put on it. Glaring, the mare jumps down and marches up to him. She shoves him so hard he is thrown onto his back as she proceeds to shout down at him.
"Alright ye nunkey! Where'd ya git tha coot?!" Peat just stares up at her in confusion.
"Tha Coot! Tha Coot!" she yells louder. Jabbing him in the stomach, "Where'd ye steel tha coot from ye feather backed hootenanny?" she finishes. Hooking his collar with her hoof and lifting him up, shaking him roughly.
"It was given to me!"
"Fat gob a lies tha is!" she snorts. dropping him to the ground as the others gather around. "I'd wagea ya shived ah, an pinched er coot while she bled out. Ya cowardly sky skeevea."
"Or maybe he jus likes dressin in little filly's clothes. Eh Ax Haft?" said the big green buck across from her, pointing out the embroidery designs amongst the latticework of quilting.
"Oh! Is tha it Mace Head?" Ax Haft asked. Regarding Peat's outfit. "Aye! Tha be little Bloom's coot. A vicious grin crawled across her purple face as she dropped her hoof non to gently on his colthood and leaned in. "Fancy ya self a mare do ye? Ya crossdressin slop bucket."
"N-no!" Peatmoss strained as the pressure built. "At Squirestone! We were going to be executed! Dragon attacked! We fled into the keep. She got shot in the gut." he squirmed desperately to get free of Ax's hoof. "I had nothing. Before she died, told me to take her coat for protection. Said to me, if anypony asked, tell them it's her coat and she gives it to who she likes! Please!" he gasped. Now intimately aware of the heavy iron sabots she had shod to her hoof. "Garard! Her friend, was there to witness it! I swear!" She pauses her press to chew over his explanation.
"Garard. What's he look like?"
"Big griffin. Blue head, rusty white colored plumage and tan paws."
She eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds, before snorting and stepping back to allow him to get up.
"Old up." snapped Mace at Ax. "Ye ain't gonna jus swalla the ores shite of aah flyin feather bed are ye?!"
"Ach. Is story a mite to sure fer an off the hoof lie. Side's, ah ain't worried to much aboot no fog stalka gettn one ore Tin Horn." Mace gives her words a thought, then turns his glare down at Peat with a growl.
"Ah still dona like no limp hoof, feather dusta in a clan!" he barked. Advancing on Peatmoss. "Wha makes ye tink ye has any right ta join the Mighty Helms? Ya dirt nosed, grass wearin, Mc dodo!" Suddenly a pang of outrage came over Peat at the big buck's antagonism.
"Hey! I admit I don't know much about your gang, or even if I'd want to join. But given what I've learned from Iron Bloom, I thought I'd find a more respectable lot, Instead of a pack of the uncivil, foul mouths I've just met. Especially when it comes to the pony who brings them news of her passing."
"Ooo." chorus the two to either side of him.
"Ah. So jus cause ya have high flutin morales, ya thinks yer better than everypony else? Ye hat swipin, lightnin thrower." mace prods. Stepping up close. "Little Bloom musta got real soft in the head if-n she put er trust in a rainbow pissin, cloud bucker like ye!" Peatmoss felt a wave of heat wash over his face at the insults. The others just snickered around him.
"What did I ever do to you to make you such a jerk?" Mace Head gave a smerk as the audience rated Peat's question with a round of raspberries.
"Who do ye think ye are, some kind of hero? Is that shabby scrap oh metal layin in the dirt yours?" Mace asked. completely ignoring Peat's question and pointing at the broken sword laying at his hooves. "Ya be better off swingin a tree branch around instead of that rusty hunk of lead. Ya wobbly hoofed nunkey." Again the other ponies give him a round of chuckles at the insults.
'Let me at him.' growls Meadblood in the back of Peat's mind.
"I'll have you know, I'm actually on a very important quest to save the world. So you can keep your stupid club to yourself you big green lump!" His retort earns him more raspberries.
"Is tha so? What's her name? Maybe I've heard of it. Ya mudfaced, moss backed, road apple." Mace says as he swings his hoof out to bat at Peat's green, still dirt speckled mane. His insults continuing to earn him laughs. At that denigration, Peat's anger blossoms.
"I'm P..." he catches himself, not wanting to say his real name after such a humiliating comparison to poop. "Meadblood! And I've been chosen to be the Herald of the Rainbow Warrior by Windcaller himself!" The Mighty Helms all stare at him with looks of surprise for a second before throwing their heads back in laughter. One actually rolling into his back and kicking at the air.
"You?! The Mead blooded?! Haw haw haw!" guffawed Mace "You're not even half the size of me Nan. Haw haw haw!"
"Maybe, heh heh. Maybe he fell off a cloud, heh heh. And landed on his head. heh heh heh!" joined in Ax Haft. Stamping the ground with a forehoof.
"I am Mead Blood!" he shouts in defiance. Spreading his wings in a menacing stance.
"If that's true, and you really are The Mead blooded." Mace said as he took on a sudden serious tone. "I've heard a prophecy about you."
"Really, a prophecy? What prophecy?"
"Oh aye. Somethin about," Mace paused dramatically. Tapping at his chin with a hoof. "Bein the worst tosser of all time!" he blurted out. Renewing the laughter of his companions. Meadblood just sank into an even glare as his rising anger smoldered. "As if ye could do anythin with these limp noodley limbs oh yours." he grabbed one of Peat's hooves and gave it a wiggle. "Ye've got ta be the sorryest waste of bones an blood I've ever saw.
Meadblood just stood there in their midst, a board glare masking the seething rage within. A flame of anger hotter then he had ever felt before. Then slowly, a wicked grin spread across his face as he began to laugh. A low snicker at first, but growing deeper and more baleful by the second till it had bloomed to a full-throated cackle. Killing the laughs of the four around him.
"Ha ha haa! And what about you? At least my name comes with a great story. Ay Macehead? How in Tirik's name did you get a stupid name like that? Ya great green schmuck!" The ponies look between him and Mace, confused over the sudden change in Peat's demeanor. But before he can stammer out a response, Mead blood steamrolls on.
"Is it because you're an overweight, dull, clumsy, unbalanced, ignoramus? Or maybe it's because you're so boneheaded, that the only thing you're good for is smashing anything you sit on. You walleyed, scruffy, dumbbell."
Mace just stared with his mouth hanging open. The deluge of disparaging names that poure from Meadblood's mouth causes him to take a step back.
"But let's not stop there. Just look at what you have on your belt! Not even a mace! It's an ax! What? Did you grab the rong weapon because you were in a hurry? Did your Nan take too long buttoning up your coat for you? You simple minded, half witted, blockhead!" With that, they all stare in silence.
Realizing he was falling behind, Mace opens his mouth but only sputters out a half though out sentence. His mind fumbling to come up with a way to upstage his opponent.
"Mead blood! Mead blood!" the others begin to chant. Slowly at first, but getting louder as Mace continues to stutter.
"Y-ye stupid weaklin... You little weak, um, dirt, weaklin." he tries, but is drowned out by the rising chant.
"Mead blood! Mead blood!" Meadblood fluffs his feathers and sticks out his chest. Grinning in victory.
"Grah!" roars Macehead "Nopony calls me stupid! We'll see ow smart ya feels after I trample ye ta dust!" Rearing up, Macehead charges him. But before he can reach him, Meadblood beats his wings and sends a gust of wind at Mace. It blasts him so hard in the chest that it pushes him up onto his back legs, tipping him over just enough to cause him to fall down on his back.
Peatmoss stares in surprise at the unexpected results of his move, as Mace flails his hooves in the air.
"No fair! He cheated!" shouted the green buck. The others just laugh at him as he scrambles to get back on his hooves. "He used his wings! He's a cheater!"
"Whoa! Whoa there Macy." interjected Ax Haft as she got between them.
"Ye saw im. He cheated! Fight me fare sky skeever! no wings allowed!"
"Easy there Macehead. Save it for the colosseum. Ye'll get yer rematch. An all oh us can get a good show."
"Ya cana be thinkin oh lettin this featherback in ta Rossvaskr?" he protests.
"Oh I ain't worried. E'll have ta get passed ole Bernie first." she reassures with a grin. "Ye can guess ow she's gonna take this news." he blinks, then shares her knowing grin.
"Oh aye. She'll soon clear this up. I'd wager she'll av this slimy little barnacle out of his shell right quick."
"Oy! Mates, look at this!" shouts one of the Helms to Peat's left. They all look to see him pointing out a slow stream of yellow sticky liquid trickling down the barrel strap of Peat's saddle bag, and dripping to the ground.
"Oh, not again?!" cries Peat as he pulls off his bag and upends it. Sure enough, he finds broken shards of crockery from the bottle he had just got from the Meadery. The Mighty Helms stand there aghast. Watching him in fascination as he lays bare all his possessions at their hooves.
They exchange uncomfortable glances between themselves before retreating into a huddle. Peatmoss, oblivious to their collective reaction, grumbles to himself as he sorts out his things and organizes them back into his bag.
He finishes just as they break and turn their attention to the dead mammoth. He watched in morbid curiosity as they set about cutting up the beast. Breaking it down for it's valuable parts. he is interrupted from the grizzly show as Ax Haft hoofs him in the shoulder to get his attention.
"Oy, Mead blooded. If ye want ta join the clan, yer gonna need ta av a chat with Ole Tinhorn up at Rossvaskr. Near the rimward side of Gallops Hill. Ee has a gift oh knowin the measure of ponies jus by lookin em ore. Go see im, an he'll give ye a decent shake." she finishes making to go, but remembering something, she turns back.
"Ah. Ya may wanna see the blacksmith afore ye do. Macehead is gonna be expectin a rematch whens ye gets there." she says, as she hoofs over the broken pieces of his blade. "Ole Burnished Bronze ll ave somethin ye can buy with all that gold ye've been toten aboot. She'll fix ye up real good." Ax finishes with a devious smile.
"Uh, thanks." he answers. Not sure of her implication.
Looking down over his ruined weapon, he laments it's loss. His first sword he really had gotten attached to. He stuck the two broken sides together and speculated how it could possibly be fixed. Knowing he couldn't just will it back together, he sighs and packs it away.
Looking up, he finds the mammoth has already been stripped down to the red smeared bones. Glancing about, he sees the Helms trotting away. Their packs filled with still steaming meat as they disappear over the next rise.
Making his way up the gentle slope of the main road, it followed a part of the stone wall to his right. To his left, a low, partially crumbled rock wall, serving more as a retaining wall then defensive, guided him up to a sharp switchback. There, it lead across a drawbridge spanning a resivuore, through a portcullis gateway, and curved back to a main gate, closed off by two huge wood doors.
Before them stood two stallion guards and a Griffin. All wore a matching color and style barding. It was very similar to that of the Stormwing's chainmail and padding, except it was dyed in the Gallops Hill, straw yellow and tan. On their heads they wore wide brimmed, kettle style, metal hats with bright yellow plooms sticking up out of the top of the helmet. On their barding and shields was painted a stylized bust of a rearing stallion in white. The same as he had seen on the fluttering banners he had seen on the ramparts as he came up.
The two stallion guards stood resolutely to ether side of the doorway with their spears leaning out to cross the door. While the Griffin sat on the step. Seeing him approaching, the Griffin rose and came down the short stairway to the threshold of the gate to meet Peatmoss.
"Hold. What's your name, and what business do you have on Gallop's Hill?" he asked as he pulled out a crudely bound bundle of papers and pencil.
"My name is, Meadblood. And I was summoned by Windcaller to defeat the Windigos." The guard paused in his transcript to look down at the strange pegasus.
"Uh-huh? And...?" The look from the guard suddenly made him think he just might come off as crazy if he continued to talk to strangers about ghosts, Windigos, and stories of destiny.
"Aaand, I was told I could find a blacksmith to fix me a sword. Uhh. fix my sword." he finishes with a, I'm not a crazy pony, smile.
"Are you new to town?"
"Uh, yes." The guard rolls his eyes and gave a long-suffering sigh.
"First rule." The guard began, closing the book and holding up his one talon. "No flying within or over the wall. If you're caught flying anywhere higher then above shoulder hight, you will be charged with trespassing and put to death. Understand?" Peat nods
"Second rule." he goes on, raising his second talon. "When a guard tells you to do something, you do it. No questions. No ifs, or buts. When you don't comply, you will be charged with disrespect of the guard, and be put to death. Disrespect the law, and you disrespect me. Got it?" Peat nods again.
"Third rule." The guard puts up his third talon. "No, stealing." he emphasizes by jabbing Peat's chest with his talon. "If you are seen with something that doesn't belong to you, or things start disappearing around you, you will be charged with theft, and put to death. Understand?"
"Yes. Is there any rules that don't end in death?" The guard's eyes narrow.
"Do you remember what I said about the second rule?" the Griffin asked. Placing his claw on his sword hilt.
"No! No. I mean yes. I remember." Peatmoss stammered backing up a step. "I'll be a good pony."
"See that you do. Sky skeever." he mutters as he turns and climbs the steps to the door. with a wave of his claw, the guard ponies retract their spears and the Griffin pulls the door open just wide enough for Peat to slip through. He glances back to see the guard point at his eyes, then at Peat before pushing the door shut again.
"Alright. No flying. Do as you're told. And no stealing." he repeats to himself several times. "That shouldn't be too hard to do."
Trotting in he spots the blacksmith sign to his right. Just inside the gate like Ax Haft had said. Out front, under a wood-shingled awning stood a finely dressed unicorn stallion, speaking to a large, tan and auburn earthpony mare seated at a work table strewn with pieces of metal and stripes of leather. As he approached, he overheard their conversation.
"All I'm asking is you complete at least fifty by the end of the month. Most blacksmiths can do more then that in a week." pleads the unicorn.
"And I'm telling ya, I've already got me hooves full keepin up with the hold's usual maintenance on everythin from hauberk mendin, to replacement spearheads." Retorts the mare. "Not ta mention the Jarl's regular monthly order of arrow heads. I'm swamped! Why donna ya ask Iron Blood fer help ifn ya need it so bad?"
"Iron Blood?!" the unicorn exclaims. "You know why I can't. He's one of the natives. He might sabotage whatever he produces. I can't present faulty equipment to the,"
"Iron Blood's work is superior to anypony's craft, this side of the rim!" the mare shouts. Cutting him off with her big hoof slamming down on the table. "If you were to give him a good reason to forge for you, anything he makes I would trust with my life!"
"Ok. Ok." he says as he puts his hoof up in a calming gesture. "I just thought, since you were a fellow Equestrian born pony you,"
"I left Equestria for me own damned reasons!" she hissed in a low voice. "My loyalties lay with the good ponies of Crown! They gave me a good honest job, a home, an a family of me own. An I'm not gonna toss them under the carriage jus fer ye ta av more weapons so ya can force them to live by yer rules.
"Alright. Ok. You've made your point." conceded the unicorn. "I'll go and see what he has to say. I had no intent to make it personal." The mare gave an annoyed snort and slumped back onto her haunches. She watches him trot off before giving a shake of her head and returning to her work.
Peatmoss stands there for a few minutes just watching her work in fascination. Using just her hooves and muzzle, she wrapped a thin strip of wet leather around the handle of a steel sword. She grimaces as the brown leather smears and stains her tan muzzle. Holding it in place with a hoof as she spits to the side. Picking up a needle, threaded with a thick, waxed thread, she carefully coaxes it through some prepunched holes before pulling it tight. Sowing it together firmly.
Releasing it from the wood clamp, she looks it over, appraising her craftsmareship. Then she notices him watching her. Her eyes rove over him till she sees his coat. Slamming the sword down, she jumps up from her seat and marches right at him with a glare of angry resolve in her eyes.
Before Peat can even open his mouth to say anything, she thrusts her muzzle into his face and growls.
"Where did ya get that coat ya stinkin skyrat?!" With his vision filled with the look of a giant, irate mother about to gobble him up, he whimpers.
"I didn't steal it! It was given to me I promise! Please don't crush me!" Her heterochromatic eyes, one larger one green, the other yellow, bore into his skull, filling him with dread. They narrow with suspicion. "Iron Bloom said I should take it and go to Rossvaskr. She said I would be welcome there. I swear it's the truth. You have ta believe me."
She then suddenly wrapped her big hoof across his withers and he didn't resist as she forced him to the ground. Bitting onto the nape of his crest, she carried him off the street to the back of the shop like a cat with her kitten. Once out of sight of the street, she dropped him and pinned him back up against the wall with her big hoof.
"What happened to her? Where's Iron Bloom? Tell, me, everything!" She shouted, finishing in a menacing growl. Without needing any second bidding, Peat spilled his guts.
He told her everything from the moment he entered Crown, to his arrival at Gallops Hill. Suspicion at his account of the ambush in Southrim. Judging at the mention of the summary executions at Squirestone. Disbelief about the dragon's attack. Intense attention to Iron Bloom's last words and death. After that, her gaze turned distant and forlorn. Perking once in wonder at his encounter with the ghost of Windcaller in Featherfall Barrow. But falling again as he went on about his numerous encounters along the road to town.
"And then I arrived here. Ax Haft said I should stop in here for a new weapon. I was hoping that you might be able to fix my sword, or sell me one just as good. She managed a insincere nod, but then shook her head.
"I, I'm sorry. Give me a moment." she stuttered, turning and managing a few hoofsteps away before breaking down and crying in stifled sobs.
Not really understanding the reason for her reaction, Peatmoss just stared at his hooves, tapping their tips together. He felt an urge to comfort her, but uncertainty stayed his hooves, so he simply sat there feeling useless. After a few minutes, her weeping tapered off and she sniffed and wiped her muzzle before turning back.
"I'm sorry." she said, still fighting back her tears. "I was hoping, but when I saw you wearing her coat, I thought you may have, I'm sorry." she broke off as she scrubbed at her face with her hooves. Sobs threatening to bubble up and spring anew.
"I had no idea Iron Bloom meant so much to so many ponies." Peat spoke up. Trying to give her more time to compose herself. "I, still don't understand what caused her to gift me her coat. We didn't know eachother, and the little time I was with her, I couldn't talk on account of my broken jaw. I would like to think we could've been friends if we were able to travel together. But, well, she's gone to a better place now." The mare just stared sadly at the ground and nodded in agreement.
"Iron Bloom was my only daughter. She used to help me here in my shop when she was old enough. After awhile she started spendin more of her time up at Rossvaskr with her dad. Joined the Mighty Helms. Did alot of good for alot of ponies. But then the war started. Got ta talkin about joinin up. Things were really looking good for Balgriff's cause. She believed his vision fer Crown would be better for everyone. But when the Equestrians showed up, everythin for the rebels turned sour. She got frustrated at the Helms for not picking a side, and decided to leave and join the Stormwings. I tried to talk her out of it, but she was just as boneheaded as I was at her age. That day, I knew in me heart, I would never see her again."
After hearing her story, Peatmoss was moved to action. Undoing the buttons to the coat, he pulled it off. Folding it as best he could, he held it out to her. She looked at it, then gave him a questioning look.
"Go on, take it." he said. "It's clear that she meant alot to you. I never really deserved it. It's best to have it returned to her family, then be left in the hooves of some nopony." She took it with some hesitancy.
"Thank ya." she says in a near whisper as she traces the embroidered designs of the patches with her hoof. Peat nods.
"Your welcome. Besides, it's been more trouble to me then it's probably worth."
"What da ya mean?" she asks. Giving him a puzzled look.
"Well, every time anypony sees me wearing it, they jump to the conclusion that I stole it. Or murdered her. Or both for some reason. Maybe if I get a change of clothes, ponies will think better of me."
"No." she states after a few seconds. "The Pegasi of Crown have a reputation for theft. For hundreds of years many pegasi made a eazy living stealing from others. And Griffins have a special hatred for thieves. Trust me. no matter what ye wear, ya will always be seen as a thief."
"Oh." Peatmoss slumps in dejection. 'Great. Just great.' he thought to himself. 'How am I supposed to find friends if everypony writes me off as untrustworthy as soon as they look at me?'
"You, said something about a broken sword?" the mare asks. Breaking Peat's train of thought.
"Oh! Uh, ya. My sword I got from Featherfall Barrow broke when that mammoth tried to trample me. But, I heard you were too busy to do any new jobs so, I suppose I'll go talk to that other guy you mentioned. Iron Blood was it?"
"Oh nonsense." she interjected. "Bring it out. let's see what the damage is." Walking over to a nearby workbench, she sets Iron Bloom's coat down while he gets the broken pieces out and presents them to her. Taking them in her hooves, she looks them over for a few minutes before giving her prognosis.
"No offense to yer ancestors, but metallurgy has come a long way since this blade was forged. The iron has been poorly tempered. If at all. Ya see this jagged, crystalline edge?" she asks. Pointing out the broken cross-section of the blade. "The iron is just too brittle ta take any lateral hits without chance oh breakin.
"Ah." says Peat. Most of what she said flying right over his head.
"Now, I could dismount the hilt and reuse it. But the blade is gonna need some serious reworkin before it's a sword again.
"So, you're saying it's basically scrap metal."
"Well, aye." she said apologetically. "Like I said, I could reforge it to be better then it was before with the same shape and balance. But, it's not gonna be cheap. You're better off just buying a new one."
"Hm. How much are we talking?"
"Oh, I'd say I could do it as low as say, five hundred pieces."
"That's it?" he asked. Cocking an eyebrow. "I can pay that no problem." He smiled as he reached back and started pulling out bags of coins and dropping them at her hooves. She just stares in astonishment as the pile grows. Not believing her eyes, she puts aside his sword and opens one of the bags to check it's contents. "I need to count it but, I'm pretty sure I have over eight hundred here."
"Are ya sure you want to spend this much here? With this much cash, ye could almost buy a small plot of land from the Jarl outside the city." Then a look of suspicion crossed her face. "Where did ya get all this anyway?" she asked warily.
"Well, I got some of it when I escaped with Garard. Then a bunch more when I got back from the Barrow and returned Abirdy's treasure. And then a chunk from Buzzy's Brew Meadery. They hired me to kill a spider that had moved in. That's where I got this." he said pointing out the medallion hanging around his neck. she couldn't help but nicker at the way he puffed out his chest and fluffed his wings with pride. Displaying the trinket like a crowning achievement.
"I think I'm starting to see what my daughter saw in ye."
"Really?" he asked. "What?" she just chuckled and held out a hoof.
"My name's Burnished Bronze. But me friends call me Bernie."
"Pleasure to meet you Bernie. My name's Peatmoss." he returned. bumping his hoof to hers."
"Peatmoss ay?" she asks with a rye look. "It's not often I meet a pegasus named after dirt." Recognizing her teasing tone, he just shrugs and answers.
"I'm an equestrian."
* Level up *
Health increase +10.
New perk (Unarmed combat).
(Winged hoofstyle 1/3). Increased damage in combat when wielding just your hooves and wings. +20%