//------------------------------// // Historical // Story: Forgotten // by milesprower06 //------------------------------// Sunny awoke with a yawn and a stretch, with the roof of the tent coming into view. Sitting up, she removed the top half of her sleeping bag and rolled onto her feet, seeing that Izzy was already up. She walked out of her tent and saw the Zipp and Pipp already over by the fire with Izzy making hay cakes for breakfast, and Hitch was coming out of his one-pony tent and immediately went for the coffee. Aside from what they just needed to prepare breakfast, they had spent the latest part of last night packing up and getting ready to return up the mountain. While there was undoubtedly more to go over in there, they had already collected just about as much as they could reasonably carry; the gems combined weight, even when split amongst the five of them, increased the weight of their packs considerably, and the rough forest terrain was nowhere near suitable for a wagon. That, and Pipp's battery packs were beginning to run low, which meant light sources were becoming quickly finite in there. "Smells delicious, thank you." Sunny greeted as Zipp passed her a plate, and Hitch came over and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Don't know about you fillies, but I am looking forward to getting back home." Hitch said, sipping the steaming beverage. "It's certainly been an enlightening couple of days, that's for sure." Zipp agreed. "It's a good thing I have those gems to get back to Maretime Bay, otherwise I don't think I'd ever leave." Sunny admitted. "Well, you've certainly showed me what is so exciting and adventurous about archaeology and history." Pipp told her. "Let me know when you've got everything ready in that museum, and we'll be the first in line." Their breakfast was interrupted by the sound of approaching hoofsteps... ...Armored hoofsteps? Indeed, their attention was drawn to the north, and a pair of golden armored pegasi, one sky blue and the other mint green, came through the treeline, coming up to their campfire and coming to a halt. The gear on their backs suggested they were here for awhile. "Can we help you, sirs?" Sunny asked. The guards exchanged curious glances, if but for a moment. "Apologies, ma'am, I assumed we were expected. Zoom Zephyrwing, Detachment from the Fifth Zephyr Heights Regiment. My partner, Thunder." Zoom said, motioning to the sky blue pegasus. "Ah, now I remember you two. From... Before." Sunny said, recalling her first time coming to Zephyr Heights, and proceeded to excitedly bombard Thunder with questions about pegasi during the elevator ride up to the castle. "Ooh yeah, the shield!" Izzy enthusiastically added. Zoom gave a curt nod. "Yes ma'am. I hope you're doing well. As this forest is within the Zephyr Heights provincial limits, Queen Haven has elected to mark this... tree... And the surrounding area, as a site of historical significance. We are the first of four rotating shifts that will keep watch over it around the clock, until a suitable traveling path can be made through the forest." "Surprise," Pipp told Sunny. "I knew you were a little nervous about me posting my videos about this place, so I asked mom what we could do to keep an eye on it." Sunny smiled at her friend. "That's really awesome. Thank you so much, Pipp. That does put my mind at ease a little." "Hope we're not going to crowd you." Thunder said. "No worries. We're just about ready to break camp. We'll be out of your manes in about an hour." Hitch told them, as they went to unload their gear in the next closest clearing. "I don't know about all of you," Izzy began, finishing off her hay cakes. "But when I get back up there, I have an appointment with the dungeon." "Izzy, have you ever thought of, oh I don't know, an actual spa?" Zipp asked. "Is the dungeon still free? I pick dungeon."