//------------------------------//
// Snurch 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

Food for at least a week, of the kind that wouldn't spoil. One of the advantages of being small. The nearby river would provide water for the time being, and rain could as well if it came. It would not take long for Twilight to hear about her. The ponies back at the bar were most likely already getting word out, it could be a matter of just minutes before the news reached her. More likely it could take a bit longer than that, but she couldn't afford to play any way other than assuming the worst case scenario for her. Not at that point at least. That was why she was flying as fast as her wings would carry her and her bags.
But she'd needed the food. Food meant she wouldn't depend on others or on any other place. If she managed to escape capture right then, she could go anywhere. Twilight wouldn't be able to track her, and though she'd definitely start searching for her right away she wouldn't keep at it herself. She'd leave guards around, but that was something that could be planned and played around. Living theft by theft would have meant staying in the city, needing a hiding spot there, running risks any time she could potentially be found. Even organising a single food theft big enough to compare to what she'd gotten would have required too much preparation, too many risks along the way.
The obvious counterpoint was that exposing herself like that was an even bigger risk than any of those. Especially by doing what she'd done, Cozy knew she was painting a giant target on her back, and giving away her approximate location. But she was fine with it. She was fine with playing with some of her cards on the table if it meant she got to pick what those cards were in the first place, and she'd done just that. Everything Twilight knew of her had gone exactly the way she'd wanted it to, so it was a fair trade in her mind. She refused to even entertain the thought of having to go around thieving and hiding in Canterlot.
She had plans ready. If she managed to get away with what she was attempting to do, and she almost certainly would, she had plans ready. Twilight couldn't possibly check the whole mountain, neither could she dedicate enough guards to checking the area. She was leaving no tracks behind, all she needed was to find a hiding spot and keep going from there. She'd move at night, stay under the trees, keep above ground. The back of her throat hurt from breathing, but she ignored it. She ignored the way her legs hurt, the way her wings tired, the way her vision blurred at times.
She'd make sure not to leave any bottles behind. She couldn't afford to leave tracks. She was fine with playing the game she'd set herself up to. Letting Twilight known she was there.