King of Diamonds

by Midnightshadow

There and Back Again

♠♣♥♦King of
Diamonds
The Ambassador's Son - Book 2
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The cave is protesting, rumbling in warning, but still Ruff digs at the crack. The light calls to him, deep inside. Some ancient yearning striving for fulfillment. He has to break through! He must! Suddenly, rocks bouncing off his skull send stars shooting through his vision and the contact with the glorious sliver of home is lost. He blinks; he's deep underground, he has no idea how to get out, and the whole cave system is collapsing around him. He is, quite probably, not going to live to regret it. Turning around and around, the frightened pup whines and screams, scrabbling as best he can.
The falling debris worsens... but just when Ruff thinks the end has come, a large form bursts from a newly dug tunnel in the rock wall, shielding him as huge chunks of granite and limestone topple from the ceiling.
"Mishka!" he shouts out, grabbing onto her legs tightly.
"Yes, Ruff, Mishka here. Ruff must help now. Ruff must dig, we must go!"
"But," Ruff cries, wincing as debris rains around him, "Ruff not know how!"
"Claws. Rock. Rock, claws. That is all. Place paws here, feel rock. Rock talk to you. Tell rock: move! Do not dig with claws. Dig with heart!"
The elder troll puts her paws onto his, guiding him. Scooping a hold of the wall itself, Ruff feels an electric tingle race through his body as the ancient magic of the diamond dogs courses through him. It is as if another set of eyes he never knew he had have opened, it's an explosion of sensations. The rock itself is talking to him. Every vibration, every tremor passes through him like a mutual conversation. The veins of precious metals in the rock sing to him, the scent of gems wafts through his nostrils, the tantalizing touch of water in fissures miles deep runs across his hide. He can never be lost underground, he realizes, never. Mishka falters as a large lump breaks loose from the ceiling, smashing onto her back and driving her to the ground. She cries out, weakened and shaken, but Ruff grows stronger. Now he is the one digging, parting the rock, telling it to split with the force of his mind as much as his claws. But he tires. It is slow going. It is exhausting. He fears it is futile, but still he fights on...

Carmine trembled as she gasped for breath, her feathers fluffing out in time with her heaving sides. She was breathing heavily, lying on one side on the ground, shedding dust, coughing spasmodically. Bella wasn't much happier, having collapsed to her knees. Chip, though, stood numbly before the dark crevice in the rock, catching his breath.
The rumbling crash of rocks. Screams in the darkness. Silence. Dust.
Chip shook himself and trotted forwards. And stopped when a claw grabbed his tail by the bolas.
"Stop, Chip," croaked Carmine, as she heaved herself up. "There's nothing you can do."
"I can still save them," said Chip, his voice sounding distant even to his own ears.
Carmine shook her head in the negative, and then shook herself head to tail. "You can't, really you can't. Tons of rock, tens of feet of collapsed tunnels. You're not a diamond dog. The only creature that would have a hope is—"
There came the faintest of scrabbling noises. Chip perked his ears up and he motioned Carmine to silence. Scree settled as it rattled down the mountain. Chip held his breath, the pounding of his heart the only thing he could hear... he'd been so sure!
"Chip?" Carmine hesitantly asked, letting go of the colt's tail.
"Do you hear that?" Chip danced backwards, flanking Carmine.
The griffon stretched her wings out, blinking, her head moving left and right as she struggled to discern that which had caught Chip's attention. "I'm not su—"
"I think I hear something too!" Bella shouted. She ran to one side, and placed a hoof on the bare rock. "It's from under here!"
Chip dashed over, shouldering the filly roughly aside in his haste. He turned his head and flicked his ears about, listening intently, then he slowly raised one hoof and struck the mountainside in a single, clear blow. Chip motioned for silence, and placed one ear against the rock. Seconds passed, the colt straining to hold his breath, and then it came. An answering tap, tap from deep underground.
"It's them!" Chip shouted. Grunting with effort, Chip struck again, and again. And again. Sparks flew and slivers of rock-shrapnel hissed through the air as the valley rang with the sound of smashing rock. Bella stood watching Chip for a few moments, a mixture of irritation and hurt crossing her brow, before she gently laid a hoof on Chip's withers.
"Chip," she called out. "Chip!" The second time, she spoke louder.
The colt paused briefly, blinking. "What?" he asked in a distracted tone of voice.
Bella had to fight to keep his attention as the sweat-soaked colt sought to leap at the rock-face in a frantic rush of senseless digging. Urgency was writ large across his face as his head swung to and fro between the face of one friend and the seemingly impenetrable barrier between another. "We do this together, okay? Two heads are better than one. We're all here together. You can't tear that mountain down alone."
Finally, intellect won. "Y-you're right. You're right." Chip stood there breathing for a few moments, gathering himself, then he and Bella nodded to each other. Small smiles graced their muzzles, and they both turned back to the cliff. As Bella used what magics she could to shift the rubble split off by Chip's furious kicks, Carmine and Beth joined in, dragging the stones further, their claws screeching in stacatto bursts as they tore through the rock. The pair shifted what rubble they could away with their foreclaws and hind legs.
Hairpin and Penny circled above, motion being the only solace from worry.
"They've found him, right? Tell me they found him?" begged Penny.
"They're doing their best, hon, they're doing all they can." Hairpin comforted the younger pegasus with soothing words, though the truth was, she was just as anxious. "Let the master and Bella dig, Car and Beth are hauling the debris. They'll get through, I promise."
"How can you say that?" yelled Penny, flicking her tail in annoyance, her eyes white with distress.
"Ruff's a diamond dog, if anything could survive a cave-in, it's a diamond dog. The rock to them is like the air to us; you'll see," Hairpin replied, almost believing it herself. "You'll see."
The two pegasi circled above the makeshift work-crew, unable to do much but watch as the rocks and stones fairly flew from the mountain. Suddenly, something gave way and Chip's hoof plunged through into a fissure. Hairpin saw him stumble, and she cried out, but was waved off by Carmine. Hairpin remained airborne, nervously hovering, seeking to protect, console and aid her master. As the colt pulled his leg out, a plume of dust followed, billowing forth and enveloping them all. Coughing, the pegasus finally landed and shouldered her way closer.
Carmine and Beth swept their wings back and forth to clear the air, revealing a small, dark hole in the pile of rubble. As the dust settled, Hairpin heard the sounds of laboured breathing and coughing, petering off into silence.
Chip could see nothing as he all but threw himself into the breach. "Ruff!?" he called frantically, his muzzle pressed roughly up against the mountain. His nostrils flared as he breathed heavily. "Miskha!?" Chip took a few steps back and waited, heart thudding in his chest. As the seconds passed, turning into a minute or more, what brief hope he had held began to flicker and die. Chip fell back onto his haunches, head drooping. Silence reigned.
Suddenly a small, bloodied, dirty paw rose from the crevice, clawing weakly at the sides of the hole. Chip looked up, his hopes renewed.
"Ruff?" he called, scrambling over. "Ruff! You're okay!"
The paw waved about in the air, before coming to rest on Chip's muzzle. "Ruff not sure," the pup said, chuckling between coughs, "but Ruff thinks Ruff lives."
"You're alive," Bella replied, prancing forward with tears in her eyes. "You're alive."
"Please," huffed the troll pup, the voice echoing from the hole was weak but audible, "please help... Ruff cannot dig alone."
"We'll get you out," affirmed Bella, as she redoubled her efforts to free her friend. Ruff didn't slouch either, bloodied paws scrabbling at the hole and pulling chunks off until it was enlarged enough that the diamond dog pup could fit his head up through it. He choked up, wheezing and crying, huffing and puffing in long, drawn-out sobs as four forms leaped forwards to help and comfort the traumatized diamond dog.
Bella awkwardly entwined her head with Ruff's. "You're okay now, you're okay. It's alright."
"Ruff okay, but please help Mishka! Please help!" the pup whined, voice muffled as he fought once more from the inside to make his path to salvation bigger.
"Get back then! Far as you can!" Chip shouted, watching and listening intently until he heard Ruff give the all clear and the clatter of hooves and paws as his friends dashed to safely faded away. Once done, Chip turned around, peering over his haunches at the rock before he lifted his tail, shaking it out carefully and tapping his hooves one at time on the rim of the hole. Then he trotted forwards, turned around again and set his shoulders. Giving a heavy snort and pawing at the ground, he galloped at the rock, spun, and whipped out with his tail. The bolas struck mercilessly, again and again, the stones shattering under the onslaught. In one final, mighty explosion, the rock face burst open completely, and Ruff stumbled into warm sunlight. With one paw, he dragged himself out of the hole. With the other, he held Mishka's tattered clothing in a death-grip that the pup's friends could not shake. Slowly, so very slowly, the prone form of the elderly diamond dog came free.
"Mishka!" shouted Ruff, falling to his knees and shaking the elder troll.
Mishka coughed, flailing impotently with her paws, before she opened her eyes. "King?"
"Ruff is no king," he sobbed. "Ruff just pup. Please be okay? Please, Mishka?"
Mishka laughed weakly, her chuckles devolving into a rattling cough. "Ruff, you bring ponies, you bring giffons. You even bring dragons. Only kings do such. Mishka proud to call you king." The troll whined, struggling to move. "Mishka can not move legs. Mishka think she not be coming with you. Mishka think... Mishka think she stay here."
"No!" shouted Ruff. "No! Mishka must come home! Must!"
"Pup, listen to Mishka now." Mishka coughed, painfully, her breath rattling in her lungs. Clearing her throat, spitting out a reddish glob of phlegm that rolled down her cheek and dripped onto the dusty green grass, she continued, "Take staff. Is king's staff. Is now your staff. Mishka's pack was sent to find lost tribe as much as guard home. You now take this duty. Please? Mishka... cannot do it any more. Find lost tribe, tell them of home. Staff will show them the way. Promise?"
"Ruff... Ruff promise." The pup squeezed his eyes shut as he hugged the elder troll. Tears stained her clothing as a wrinkled paw patted him softly.
"Thank you. Mishka did good? Mishka faithful?"
"Mishka very faithful. Mishka do good." Ruff's voice was small, muffled.
Mishka smiled. "That make Mishka very—"
"Mishka?" whispered Ruff, raising his head. "Mishka?"
Mishka just lay there, smiling, her eyes staring off into forever.

Overhead, the sun was shining. Distantly, against the backdrop of the sibilant rush of the wind rustling through the grasses, could be heard the melodious calls of songbirds. Insects wended their way from flower to flower, basking in the forever-spring of the lost glen.
In the outskirts of the broken-down village, near the shack so recently vacated, was a garden. It was vast and unkempt, but with a timeless, rugged beauty all of its own. A riot of colours dotted the landscape, and the very earth itself teemed with life.
In the centre lay a modest pile of rocks. Off to one side stood a small, eclectic group of creatures, somberly watching one smaller creature add one, final rock to the pile.
"It is done," Ruff said, standing straighter. He sniffed, wiping a bandaged paw across his muzzle. He turned away, and Bella embraced him as best as she could.
"It's okay, Ruff," said the unicorn, "you did what you could. You tried."
"But," Ruff replied, eyes shining with tears as he gazed up at her face, "it was Ruff's fault!"
"No, Ruff, it wasn't your fault. Mishka warned us. She had to have known what might happen. Maybe she thought... maybe she thought you could get her home." Bella held him with one forehoof, gently nuzzling his ears until the pup stopped crying. "Not everypony makes it home."
"Stand back, Ruff, everyone," Chip said. He stood before the cairn silently for a few moments, and then he took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, the colt took a deliberate and bracing stance. His whole body taut with concentration, he opened both eyes and muzzle, and exhaled. White-hot flames bathed the cairn, the draconic breath rushing out in a prolonged roar of tortured air and rock. When it finally died, the carefully placed pile of stones had fused as one. Chip breathed heavily, the last of the flames flickering out as they played around his muzzle.
Beth's beak fell open in shock and Carmine's head-feathers raised as the pair took in the scene.
"I thought you had trouble with fire?" the latter asked.
"I didn't know if I could do that," Chip said as he gave a small, sad smile, "but I'm glad I did."
"Could've warned us," Bella said, checking her tail for burn marks.
"I thought I had," Chip replied nonchalantly. "She won't be disturbed, now."
"Dragons," huffed Bella, sharing a glance with Beth.
Carmine glared at Hairpin, who nickered in laughter at the griffon's words. "One crack about me getting used to it, and I'll pluck you bald."
Penny chuckled quietly, trotting around the red-hot, molten cairn, examining it in awe. The grasses surrounding it had flash-burned to ash, and even where she was standing, the radiating heat was almost too much for the pegasus to bear. She shook her head in wonder, and turned to leave, following the small procession.
"Come on Ruff," Bella said finally, lifting the grieving pup onto her back by the thick scruff of his neck. "Time to go."

Ruff sat forlornly on the shoulders of the lavender unicorn, one paw twirled into her green mane for balance as he gazed at the garden. He watched stoically as the mound faded into the distance. He finally sniffled once and then turned around to gaze forwards. "Ruff make Mishka proud," he whispered under his breath.
"What's that, pup?" asked Bella.
Ruff blushed slightly, but cleared his throat and spoke up. "Mama always says: 'What lies before was greater, but what lies ahead is greater still.' Ruff will make Mishka proud. Ruff will deliver the staff to his pack; tell them of home."
Bella chuckled. "It's not everyday you find a piece of history like that; that staff must be ancient! I wonder what she meant by 'it will show them the way'?"
"Ruff show, Ruff get staff first," said Ruff, mysteriously. As Mishka's hut neared, Ruff hopped down from his perch and ran to pick up the staff from the now-empty dwelling. He examined its smooth, worn surface and the ancient runic writing there for a few moments, before trotting back to Bella. He motioned for her to carry him again, and she complied. He squealed helplessly as she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck again, dangling in her grasp like a lost kitten. Once he was safely ensconced on her back, he began to talk. "Staffs tell stories. Stories tell of staffs. Staff in story of High King tells of journey from home realm, of royal jewels and royal palace." Ruff grew silent for a moment, before continuing in a thoughtful manner. "Staff belongs to king; is great weapon that only king may use. It opens High King's castle; is magical—"
"Wait," Chip interrupted, as he trotted closer to the pair. "You're telling me that the staff in your story had some sort of instructions on it?"
"Was story of journey," Ruff corrected, one paw raised.
"Like a map," Chip retorted in a level voice. The colt swallowed heavily; the words had just fallen out of his muzzle, but their truth rang in his mind like a bell. "Just like a map."
Ruff opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again, stymied. Then he looked down at the staff he held, turning it around and around as he stared at it. "Ruff... guess so? Maybe?"
"Riddles! Always riddles! Always maps!" Chip stomped his hooves in anger. "Ruff, what happened to the High King's staff?"
"High King's staff was broken into four pieces, sent to all corners of world."
Chip stiffened, blinking. Then he turned to the diamond dog. "Ruff, what if the story of the High King isn't only a story? I mean it's wrong; I think it's mixed up with old stories from before, when you guys came through that Way that Sharptooth found, but what if there really was some... pack leader of pack leaders?"
"King was Alpha of Alphas," said Ruff with a nod, agreeing.
"How come you don't have one now?" pressed Chip.
"Ruff not know, but there is a legend."
"Let me guess – the king will return?" Chip raised one eyebrow.
"Uh huh." Ruff nodded to Chip.
"With his magic staff," Bella added, sharing a glance with Chip.
"And his jewels, I bet," Chip finished. Chip sat down on his haunches, staring at the ground with a furious intensity that threatened to ignite the grass. "You guys don't have a high king, but you have stories of one; oral stories, and at least one book written by somepony long ago." When Chip looked up, Ruff found it hard to meet his gaze. "Stories important enough to kill my parents over... what if Lord Sapphire thought that a staff like the one in the story actually was a map? And that my parents had found one?"
"If High King returns, then all packs will follow High King. All packs come from High King's pack." Ruff wrung his paws as Chip growled low, deep in his throat. It was a very un-ponylike action. Ruff glanced at his friend, and didn't see a pony. He saw a dragon; calm, focused, and filled with a terrible sense of purpose.
Carmine clicked her beak nervously, feathers ruffling as a chill seemingly swept through. She looked anew at the strange colt who had literally fallen into her life such a short time ago. At first, he'd been all knees, tail and mane. Now he was steadfast, determined and somehow more real. She shook her head. He was pony shaped, but he wasn't a pony, not any more. She wondered, fearfully, where it would end.
"Swiftwing wanted to control the entire Diamond Dog Nation," hissed Chip. "And he thought my parents' deaths would help get him there." The colt had felt sad, but no longer. He had shed all the tears he ever would. Now the dragon felt angry. Beneath his stoic façade churned the burning rage of a true son of the Diamond Expanse clan. He fed that rage, yet tightened his grip upon it. He would not allow it to boil over just yet. "He wasn't looking for the diamond dog home realm; he was looking for the king's jewels. He wanted to put his own High King on the throne. He was hunting jewels that never were, a throne that doesn't exist and a king that died over a millennium ago."
"Because he thought a staff like that was a map," agreed Carmine, butting in, sharing glances with Beth and the two pegasi. "There probably was a staff, long ago. Maybe—"
Chip's blood ran cold. "Ice and ashes!" shouted Chip, interrupting. "If anybody finds out about this staff, we'll have every would-be despot from here to the griffon kingdoms after it, all because of some ridiculous story! We've got to destroy it!"
"No!" Ruff snarled, baring his fangs. "Mishka gave this staff to Ruff! Ruff keep it!"
"Then we need to get it to safety! To keep it a secret! To make sure it's put where it cannot cause trouble. Ruff, I don't think you want to have your parents die over a stupid legend." Chip glared.
Ruff flinched, gripping the staff worriedly. "No. Ruff not want that." The pup looked down, at his feet.
"Then we're agreed. Get it to safety, find out if it has some sort of message and then work out how to stop everybody getting the wrong idea once we do know what it says."
"Ruff can read staff," the pup stated nonchalantly. Six pairs of eyes snapped to the little pup, and he blushed. "Ruff not so good at ancient writing, but... Ruff can read it."
"You can!?" Chip asked, taken aback.
"Is in same language as book."
"What does it say?"
"Is message from High King of home realm... or King's brother, Ruff not sure."
"So the alpha of alphas has an alpha?"
Ruff head-tilted, looked down at the staff held in his paws and then back up. And shrugged. "Lost tribe not lost any longer, welcome to come home... something about a sky-beast..."
"I think that might be my dad," chuckled Chip. "It sounds like your old high king was really just an alpha, and he accidentally found his way to Equestria. Maybe he got lost in some Way, maybe that's what that 'burning sky' was about. I don't know... but they couldn't get home. And then all these old stories from your home realm—"
"Got mixed with the adventures of that alpha!" finished Penny, who'd been silent up until then.
"So it's not a map," sighed Chip, as he continued walking. "I guess that's that, then."
"There is more to message, Ruff need time to read it all," said Ruff, waving his staff in the air. Bella glared as it glanced off her horn.
"You'll have time, it's your staff after all. The more you can tell us, the better. If we know it's not some mythical map, maybe we can convince anyone else who finds out about it that it isn't, before they do something stupid."
There was a chorus of agreement as the group continued to pick their way through the lengthening undergrowth. Shortly, the wagon came into sight and they left the town and its memories behind them. With lighter hearts, the group of friends made ready to depart. They checked their belongings, searching through and securing the last of the preserved or dried food and other supplies, and tieing down what luggage remained. Shortly, everything essential had been packed and the wagon was ready. Mock-scowling at Bella, Ruff and Chip for her renewed burden, Penny struggled into the first harness whilst Hairpin helped fasten the straps. Then Hairpin repeated the maneuver and was assisted herself by Ruff and Chip.
"Time to go home?" Hairpin asked, grinning.
"Yes please, Pin," Chip said, chuckling. "Thanks, guys. Thanks for everything."
"Don't get me wrong, dufus," Carmine said, sidling up to Chip and poking him in the nose with a talon, "but let's not do this again soon." She tried to scowl, but couldn't keep it up long, and soon everyone was laughing.
A few minutes later, two griffons rose in the air, followed by a chariot drawn by two pegasi. The diverse group of friends circled a few times, catching the updrafts, before banking and finding their final heading. With a great flurry of wings, they were gone.

The sun hung suspended in the azure blanket of the sky, as timeless and eternal as the hidden valley itself. Silence reigned in the deserted village. Its streets rang no more with the clamouring of barking, busy diamond dogs. The only noises other than that of the birds, insects and other wild animals was the soft pling of cooling rock from a small mound in the garden.
Rocks crunched underfoot as two sleek forms made their unhurried way down the mountain. They ruffled their batlike wings as they moved, glaring about. Slitted pupils took in the scenery and thick nostrils flared as they investigated, their iron-shod extremities cleaving all in their path.
The garden was investigated, and the still-warm, glassy tomb was examined.
"They have it," said the first.
"The mistress must be informed," the other replied as he tapped a glowing jewel in his breast plate. In a brief, multi-coloured explosion of light, a glowing sphere of magic appeared. It hung motionless before the two forms. Both bowed, not raising their eyes
"Report, my minions." The feminine voice that issued forth was haughty and proud, and would brook no insolence.
"They have the staff. The guardian is dead. What shall we do, Mistress?"
"Pursue them. I would have that staff for myself." It was framed as a request, though it was anything but.
"Thy will be done."
The glowing orb of light dissipated, and the two bat-winged forms took to the skies.

Lady Akhekhu simmered from her weyr. Prostrate before her were four diamond dogs, whimpering and shivering with fear. Not one of them dared look up.
"You come before me... with nothing?" She spoke carefully, her tone measured and calm. The silence stretched as she regarded the four cowering dogs with distracted attention. She picked her foreclaws with her teeth, biting away at them until they were sharp and clean. Idly, she dragged one claw along the wall and floor of her throne-room. "No,” she drawled. “You come to me with less than nothing. An upstart mongrel usurps my clan's honour and claims a good number of your worthless hides as his own thralls, whilst you return to me with empty paws, begging forgiveness, your pathetic tails stuffed between your pathetic, useless legs."
None of the four spoke, each discretely sneaking furtive and panicked glances at the others.
Akhekhu inhaled deeply and sighed, holding one immaculate talon to her temple. "I should have expected less, and then I may have been pleasantly surprised. Or at least less frustrated. I tire. Feed me. You, fetch a platter of gemstones." The dragon gestured, torchlight glinting off her gleaming, alabaster claws and her deep blue scales. The troll yelped as if physically reprimanded and bolted from the room. Still the other three daren't move a muscle.
Akhekhu sighed again as she re-settled herself into the hollow depression in the floor of the cave, tucking in her great wings. "No matter. My idiot nephew ever was deficient in wit, his ambitions far outstripping his abilities. Perhaps this 'Chiphoof', petty mongrel hatchling that he is, will prove entertaining for a while. My faithful hounds, you dwell amongst Chiphoof's slaves." The dragoness traced a claw around the quivering trolls, tail lashing every so slightly. "You are my eyes and ears. We may yet force our quarry to bolt, where before it was ensconced deep and safe, out of my reach. If only I could be assured of your true devotion to your mistress. You, stop breathing."
Akhekhu pointed a claw at the middle-most troll. The diamond dog whimpered, but shut his muzzle, clamping his paws over his nostrils. Seconds passed, then a minute, and the mutt began to shake, eyes pleading. His mistress ignored him as the first diamond dog re-entered with a silver platter, upon which was heaped a generous amount of precious stones.
"Stand, slave. Raise the platter." The dragon heaved herself slowly to her claws, stretching her wings one after another, her joints popping and cracking. She glanced at the troll that she had told to remain breathless. He had fallen to his side and was jerking spasmodically as his body desperately tried to draw breath, the binding command from his owner denying him release. The twitching grew more frantic until the doomed creature suddenly slumped. Akhekhu strode past without another look, her tail sweeping his body into the darker corners of the cave. Leaning down, she daintily picked a single jewel from the pile between her claw-tips, and lifted it up. Then she let it fall into the neatly collected pile held high above her slave's head. With a noisome, cacophonous clatter, the gems scattered across the floor.
"See, slaves? See what carelessness can do? And when you are careless, I pay the price. This displeases me. In this case, the solution is easy..."
Akhekhu’s long neck whipped forward, her mighty jaws snapping shut around the platter-bearing diamond dog, plate and all, before he could so much as flinch. She lifted him up bodily, grabbing his kicking legs with one claw before casually ripping them away. His screams echoed throughout the cavern as she opened her mouth again, throwing his legs in before crunching noisily. His screams ended with a sickening finality; she masticated the creature as lazily as if she were chewing a mere piece of rock, before swallowing.
"I do so hate object lessons, they leave such a bad taste in my mouth. Watch the upstart. Report on his actions. Do as he may bid you. Wait for further orders. You are dismissed."

"Okay, let's just get up above the cloud-layer. I'll take a look at the map," said Chip, unrolling the odd creation carefully within the cramped confines of the chariot.
"Going back, we don't have to go the way we came, right?" asked Penny, craning her head back.
Hairpin shook her mane out. "Naa, I don't think so."
"I hope not," stated Bella. "I'm not going back through that 'rain eye' for all the alfalfa in Trottingham."
Carmine and Beth's raucous laughter rang out, but quickly changed to alarm. "Chip! We've got company! Down there, in the clouds!" squawked Carmine.
Chip and Bella ran to opposite sides of the chariot, peering over the edge.
"I don't see anything," Bella stated.
"Ruff not see either!" The diamond dog was perched on the roof of the aft-section of the chariot, claws holding firmly to the fabric of the awning.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," said Chip. "Tell me, what did you see?"
"I... don't know, but they weren't pegasi. I think they were dragons. I didn't see them for long, but they were all spikes and leathery wings."
"Shells and shards," swore Chip. "Ideas?"
"Can we outrun them?" pondered Bella.
"I could," Hairpin answered, "maybe Penny too, but with you lot hitched up? Outflying a dragon is no mean feat."
"Ruff, you keep a lookout this side. If we can't outfly them," Chip said as he turned to the center of the chariot, and the map, "then maybe we can out-think them."
Ruff jumped down, nodding at the colt, before taking stanchion where Chip had previously stood.
"What're you planning, Chip?" Carmine asked, as she swooped around the chariot, eyes darting every which way as she scanned for the hostiles.
"I don't know how they got here, but maybe we can use this map and the rules of this place against them. Sharptooth said the Way was unstable, if you stray from the path it'll throw you off, right? Then that's all we've got to do: throw them off the path."
"That's a great idea, Chip, but how are we gonna do that?"
Chip frowned, furrowing his brow. Then he brightened. He turned to the back of the chariot and snagged the luggage-webbing in his teeth. Yanking on it, the thick strands ripped free of the siding and the luggage scattered across the cushions. The excited colt grinned wickedly as he spat it out. "Tie something heavy to the corners, it'll foul a dragon's wings... as long as they're small enough. Please tell me they were small?"
Beth nodded, "They are. That's the good news."
"Bad news is, they're here!" Ruff pointed, where two dark-hued shapes flickered momentarily just beneath the cloud cover.
"Plucked pinions!" swore Carmine. "Now what?"
"Bella, I need you to do two things for me, okay?" said Chip, eyeing Ruff, and the staff.
"What?" Bella looked back, glancing between Chip, Ruff and the two griffons.
Carmine's wings beat frantically as she grabbed onto the chariot. "What're you planning, Chip? It's not going to be something dumb, is it?"
"Firstly, I need you, Bella, to tie those tins of jerky and beans we've got left to the corners of this net. And secondly... how do you all feel about piñata dog?"

Dark shapes drifted through the cloying mists, hidden within the clouds, their quarry above them. Slitted pupils narrowed as powerful wings beat in unison. What glimpses there had been showed the group carrying on regardless. Soon, they would strike. Intervention would be quick, neat, and relatively painless. It was a maneuver they had practiced before, it wasn't something that one had down to an art, but—
"What the!?"
The cry of his comrade was cut off short as heavy black netting tangled itself neatly around his head and wings, and cans—of all things—slammed against his helm. Fluttering weakly, more surprised than hurt, his comrade fell, dropping like a stone.
The second's fate wasn't much prettier. With a screaming roar, more than a hundred pounds of enraged pony-shaped dragon dropped out of the sky, slamming bodily into him and bucking downwards with every ounce of force Chip could manage. Iron-shod hooves would have broken several ribs and probably at least one of his wings had Chip hit him without armour. That wasn't the worst of it, however. The worst was the screaming brown ball of fury, brandishing a staff that was slammed sideways into his head. The blow made him see stars, and sent him spinning and tumbling down into the depths below.

Chip couldn't help but laugh, even through the pain. Beth powered upwards, Ruff in her fore-claws. Chip, for his part, dangled helplessly once more by the tail.
"Oof, I don't know what you think is so funny, Chip. You're about two seconds away from joining whatever-it-was," griped Carmine, claws fastened around the end of Chip's tail.
"Are you calling me fat?"
"I'm not saying that, but you'd hardly be heftier if you were a heffer, chubby-buns."
"Bella!" cried Chip, through the giggles, kicking his legs about. "Piñata pony! piñata pony!"
A soft lavender glow enveloped his body as the unicorn in the chariot above used her light-as-a-feather spell on the dangling colt, and Carmine suddenly found herself speeding upwards as Chip's weight dissipated. She momentarily lost her grip on her charge, and Chip found himself flipped upwards, spinning randomly. He shrieked with glee as the world rotated, and couldn't help but plant a kiss on the beak of the nearest of his saviours as he tumbled past skywards. His motion arrested by the stolen smooch, Chip bobbed like a balloon, all four legs and tail very much akimbo.
Carmine, irritated, swatted at him, sending him spinning through the air once again.
"Oh come on! Get me back to the chariot! Before it wears off!"
Carmine couldn't help but crack a smile, her eyes bright. "Spoilsport."
"Besides," called Chip as he sailed past upside down. "They might come back. I've got another idea."
"Oh? Do tell. I might even let you back on the wagon."
"There's another path," Chip stated, balanced by his armoured helm on one of Carmine's claw-tips. "It's another Way, an easy one to get to this time. Whoever those two were, they probably don't know about it, and won't be able to find it in a hurry even if they did."
"And where does it lead, my little piñata?"
"Right where we want to go," replied Chip, grinning mischievously.