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// We Follow the Tracks to the Desert City 
// Story: Her Eyes Reflect The Stars 
// by Lynwood 
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Dear Diary,

After we left the Mountain City, we traveled back through the destroyed town. I was extra careful to look out for machines and Children, but we didn't encounter anything. We dropped off most of the heaps of things we'd recovered from Canterlot in the cellar (I could go on for pages about the texts we got from Twilight Sparkle's School for the Gifted Magicians!) and then we began southward, following the old railway line— more twin lines of rust than rails, really.

That was a long trek with not much of note. We didn't encounter any Children or Machines, though we did find a machine that was actually dead, torn into chunks by some force I can only guess at and surrounded by corroded sets of old armor. The few towns along the route had already been picked clean of valuables, save for a medical almanac in good condition, and our nights were so peaceful that Auburn declared we didn't need to keep the second watch. Still, it was empty, and we found no living towns. Food still doesn't grow nearby.

In good news, the others seem to have forgiven my blunder, and I feel no hostility towards me around the fire! Even Four Score seems to have let the lost time in the detour slide. We predominantly play team-based card games now, and for reasons beyond me, Compass chooses to play with Score against me and Auburn. It's baffling to me because they always argue with each other no matter what we're playing, but I like having Auburn as a partner teammate. She's much more clever than she lets on, and her favorite trick is letting Score underestimate her before producing a winning hoof. (I've also seen her sneak cards off the table, but what can I say? I like to win.)

Once again, though, I owe Auburn my life. The bridge over Ghastly Gorge was built before the Event, but it was also built for trains and built to last. Its wood and metal are so heavily warded that it's only just begun to degrade in recent years. Compass insisted that it was perfectly safe. Of course, about two-thirds of the way over, a bit of wood gave way beneath me.

Before I knew it, I was falling. I thought for sure that was it for me, but a big, strong leg wrapped around my middle and hoisted me up. Auburn set me down, wide-eyed and shivering, on the track. It took me a few moments to process it, but then I thanked her profusely. You know what she said? You know what she said?

She said: "At least it wasn't your own fault this time." 

I really should stop letting these life debts pile up.

We made it to New Appleoosa the next day. Its walls are almost as impressive as home's! Almost. We exchanged some of the Mountain City jewelry that we had kept with us for new supplies and a couple of rooms to stay the night, but honestly, I kind of preferred spending nights outside, playing games around the campfire and sitting next to Auburn

We did go to the local saloon and enjoyed a break, though. We all bought drinks and played a game of pool. Score and Compass beat me and Auburn in pool even though we were cheating because they were cheating harder.

We set out for the Dodge ruins tomorrow.

Signed,
Quick Quill