//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: The Avalanche 
// Story: Lost 
// by MLPTMNTPegasister 
//------------------------------//

After facing a Grim and descending the second mountain, the ponies moved on to the third Icy Mountain. 
"Zach, what nifty creature lives here?" Pizza asked again, but this time Zach smiled. 
"This creature might be the best, it's a Phoenix family that made a nest. The only one to watch out for is the dad, when you get too close to the nest, he gets pretty mad." 
"Got it," Elusive said, trotting to catch up. "I'll just saunter on by." 
This mountain was smaller than the Grim's, so the ponies had an easier time climbing up. They passed shiny stones, moon rocks, fireflies that glowed blue, and butterflies that liked eating butter. It was unbelievable how many bugs and insects inhabited the mountain, since the Grim's mountain was so deserted, or at least until Sundown pointed out that the Grim sucked organs out of anything and anypony it could find. Then it made sense. 
"We're almost at the top!" Hummingbird yelled from above when he flew up. 
"Great!" Sundown yelled back, galloping up a slope. "We'll be at the orchard in no time." 
A caterpillar, about the size of a cow, ran past them. Then a butterfly, then a flock of tiny birds, then a stampede of fireflies. 
"What's going on?" Scarlett asked, shaking. 
"Scarlett, this statement will put you in a scaredy-cat trance, for these animals are running from a big--" Zach began, but Elusive interrupted. 
"AVALANCHE!" Elusive pointed to the big gathering of snow and dust running towards them. 
"Yes, that's what I was going to say." Zach grumbled. 
"What do we do, Sundown?" asked Pizza, disturbed greatly. 
"I'm not climbing down the mountain, we made it this far." Sundown replied. "So we're taking shelter in that cave over there." 
The ponies ran for their lives, looking from the avalanche to the cave, and back again. Sundown made sure that everybody made it in the cave, from Zach to Pizza. But then he realized something. 
"Hummingbird! He's still out there!" 
"What do we do now?" asked Scarlett. "The avalanche is hitting, there's no way we could go out there right now!" 
"You're right, there's no way we could do it. But I can." Sundown flew out, right before the avalanche hit the cave and hid it from Sundown's view. 
"Hummingbird! Hummingbird?" No answer. The Pegasus colt was nowhere, but Sundown knew he could find his cousin. He had to, or else he would probably go insane. But just when he thought hope for Hummingbird was lost..
"Sundown? Is that you?" 
"Yes, Hum! Follow my voice!" 
The Pegasus found his way indeed, and both winged ponies were relieved when he did. 
"I'm sorry, Sundown. I was checking to see if I could see the Phoenix nest, which I couldn't. But, when I decided to fly down, the avalanche had hit. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, bro. Let's just find the others, shall we?"
"We shall."