Twilight awoke to the dim predawn light seeping through the canvas. It was quiet – pleasantly so – and she shuffled around to poke her muzzle out the tent flaps to get a better idea of the time.
Or rather, she tried to. Rainbow, as she’d learnt so many weeks back when they’d shared a bunk in Sunrise, waiting for the schooner to take them across the Calise Sea and off to Avalon, was a natural cuddler. Back at Cherry Point’s inn she’d foiled the mare by simply sticking a pillow between for her to latch onto instead, but here? She was effectively trapped, pressed against the little pegasus’s side, arm slung over her chest.
It wasn’t that it was unpleasant or anything – quite the opposite, come to think about it – she just really wouldn’t mind being able to see whether or not they should be getting up. She made a soft clucking noise whilst gently poking her friend’s side to see if she was awake; unfortunately Rainbow’s only reply was to stretch out more, covering her with a fluffy wing and clamping down all the snugger.
“Guess I’m getting up later,” Twilight mumbled as she settled in for some more sleep.
“Hey!”
Twilight started in surprise at the shout from right outside the tent.
“You two sleepyheads up yet?” Squirrel called out to them.
“Yes, yes,” Twilight called back as she rolled over to crawl on out – luckily the shouting had startled Rainbow enough to let her go.
Nudging aside the flaps she found Squirrel already disassembling her tent in the bluish morning light. “Close to seven, isn’t it?” she guessed as she awkwardly stepped out onto the bare ground. “We slept in.”
Squirrel grunted. “Needed to. No immediate rush either, although it’s probably best we eat on the move.”
“Yep,” Twilight agreed – the sooner they got to a clear stream, the sooner she’d get her bath. Leaning back into the tent she gave Rainbow another nudge. “Up you get, Dash – we’ve slept long enough.”
“Blppth,” Rainbow mumbled as she tried to curl around somepony that was no longer there.
“Oh no you don’t,” she briskly nudged her again. “Up! There’ll be plenty of time for bed tonight.”
“But sleeeep.”
“Rainbow...”
“Ugh! Fine, fine,” Rainbow grunted, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Gimme a second.”
Twilight hummed, pleased, as she pulled out their panniers, jackets, and scarves. Finding them dry, she nodded in satisfaction as she sat back to pull on her own jacket, its coziness only slightly diminished by its thick mud splatters. She had her scarf on to help against the early-morning chill and was already rolling up her sleeping bag when Rainbow finally came out.
“Alright,” the pegasus yawned, “let’s get this done, then.”
It was a surprisingly short time later that saw them fully packed up and ready to go. The tent and sleeping bags weren’t as tightly packed and furled as they were when she got them – which annoyed Twilight more than she cared to admit – but she didn’t want to waste any energy magically forcing them into shape.
It was overcast and cool as they struck directly southwest towards the lower Sul as it flowed south out of the wetlands. “Ideally we follow this right down to the Whither,” Squirrel chatted amiably – they’d been lucky to chance upon a wild apple tree and found their moods much buoyed by the unexpected fruit. “That’ll then take us straight down east-ish to Autumn.”
“Is this the same route you took last time?” Twilight asked as she carefully navigated her way down the steep, shrub-strewn slope they were switchbacking on.
“Nah – I went further east then, along the mountain slopes; was going to meet up with some friends in a little mining town that way.”
“So you don’t know this route at all then?” Rainbow said, shooting her a skeptical look.
Squirrel gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Don’t get your feathers all in a fluff, Rainbow – I said I’d get you two to Autumn and I meant it.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Oh for goodness sakes, Dash!” Twilight practically shouted, frustrated by Rainbow’s persistent problems with the mare. “Squirrel’s been doing a fine enough job thus far and there’s no reason whatsoever to split up now when we’re going to the same place!”
“That’s – dangit, that’s not what I meant,” Rainbow said, her wings ruffling in irritation. “I just wanna know if we can expect another bug-infested super swamp – that’s all. If Squirrel’s not been this way before then she wouldn’t know one way or the other, right?”
“Oh.” Twilight wasn’t quite certain what to say to that. “Right. Sorry.”
Rainbow sighed, blowing strands of her disheveled mane out of her face. “It’s fiiine, Twi – really. I don’t hate Squirrel or anything – I just don’t like her.”
“Smooth,” said the eponymous mare.
“I mean, she got us lost, what, eight times now? Bought us things without asking – ”
“Which you two needed. And what do you mean, ‘eight times!?’”
“ – almost got us eaten alive by bugs – ”
“Okay, you can’t possibly be blaming that on me.”
“And!” Rainbow said loudly. “And! She’s totally charging us, like, a billion bits for this!”
“What’re bits?” Squirrel asked, not even bothering to argue the fact.
“Currency back home,” Twilight volunteered. “About three drams to the bit. And Squirrel only got us lost the once, Dash.”
“Yeah, well, it was a really big lost.”
Twilight nodded sagely. “Well, when you put it that way, I suppose that sounds reasonable.”
“How’re you taking her side in this!” Squirrel spluttered. “I thought you were the sane one!”
“What, Sparkle here? My best bud Purple Smart? Sane!?”
“I thought we agreed not to call me that...”
“Actually, now that you mention it, she’d have to be mad to be your best friend.”
Twilight smiled, her mind drifting to the thick sheaf of banknotes tucked within a waterproof satchel deep within her panniers. “You know, strictly speaking we haven’t actually paid you yet.”
Squirrel snorted at that. “How the heck did it seem like a good idea to remind me of that?” She laughed at the spooked expression on Twilight’s face. “Haha! Don’t worry about it though – keep holding onto it til Beech – it’s not like I’ve suddenly acquired somewhere safe and dry to stuff ‘em.”
“Right,” Twilight said, pleased that Squirrel hadn’t taken her comment the wrong way. “Because we will be paying you, all jokes aside – you’ve been very helpful so far.”
“I know, I know,” Squirrel flicked her tail at her. “You two hardly come across as the sneaking-thieving type, anyways.”
“I can be sneaky!” Rainbow said, looking offended at the idea that anybody might think otherwise. “Totally ninja-like.”
“Uh huh.”
“I can! You agree with me, right Twi?”
“Uhh...” Twilight hesitated. “You can definitely be, umm... yeah.”
“There, see? Twilight says I’m sneaky!”
“Suuure,” Squirrel drawled. “That’s definitely what she just said.”
“Oh look!” Twilight cut in, eager for a change of subject. “Is that the river?” Below them, just now visible around the trees and rocky slopes, was a dull, choppy little stream, barely as wide as a house, snaking its way southwards.
“Yup,” Squirrel confirmed, relief evident in her voice. “There’s our water; now’s our time to fill canteens and bathe. Since we’ll be following it all the way onwards we won’t have to worry about being parched anymore too.” That latter was particularly welcome considering how low all their water supplies had gotten since Cherry Point.
“Wonderful!” Twilight moaned as she could hardly wait to wash off the mud and sweat of the last day and a half. It was a pity she couldn’t have justified taking along a small brush – her mane and tail were a nightmare of clumped-up, filthy hair that she was really hoping wouldn’t mat.
“If we’re heading down there right now, then first I’m going for a final fly-around before I’m weighed down by all that water,” Rainbow said, before, with a nod farewell, she bounded forward to take off gliding downhill towards the Sul.
“Heh, I bet you’ve been wishing for some wings all this time, eh?” Squirrel chuffed as she watched Rainbow circle rapidly upwards on some unseen thermal. “Would’ve saved you more than a little fuss.”
“No kidding,” Twilight agreed. “We’d probably be back by now if I did. Mind you, if given the choice between a horn or wings... well, I just don’t know where I’d be without my magic.”
Squirrel nodded in understanding. “I know what you mean – I can hardly imagine not feeling the plants around me – I think it’d be like I was blinded.”
Twilight’s ears perked at that. “I’ve always wondered what that was like! I’ve never found a spell that could emulate earth pony magic in the least to know.”
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you,” Squirrel said as they came to an especially steep bit. Carefully sliding down, she stood at the base of the rock to lend Twilight a bracing hoof. “Just scootch down to me – I can catch your weight, no problem.”
Twilight nodded uneasily as she slowly scrabbled down sideways, dust and moss scraping off beneath her hooves. A few uncertain steps later and she was being supported by Squirrel who quickly helped ease her down to flatter ground.
“There we go,” Squirrel said, falling back to all fours as they carried on towards the river. “So what was I saying? Oh right – since it’s the only way I’ve ever lived I can hardly describe what it feels like. It’s not like you won’t have asked others, either.”
“True,” Twilight conceded. “Still – it’d be fascinating to feel what is was like.”
“I’d imagine being able to levitate things would be too,” Squirrel mused. “I can think of more than a few times that would’ve been helpful.”
“Helpful enough to give up your earth pony qualities?”
“Hah! No.”
They continued quietly save for the sounds of their laboured breaths, while Twilight pondered if there wasn’t some spell that could give unicorn magic to a pony for a time.
The water was cold, brisk, and clear as Twilight trotted through the stone-bottomed shallows. “You think this is potable?” she asked, smiling as she envisioned her long-awaited bath. “I’ve got a collapsible pot if we need to boil it.”
“Should be good here – the river’s always flowing on the west side of the wetlands and doesn’t really mix much, as I understand it.” She gave the water a scrutinizing look. “Or maybe it does? Shoot – I can’t remember; best boil it til we’re further downstream.”
“That’s going to add some time to the trip,” Twilight sighed, stepping back onto the weedy grass. “But better safe than sorry I suppose.” Luckily for them, she’d taken the time back home to refine her fire cantrip for just this purpose. After Squirrel hastily scrounged some wood, Twilight set it alight, letting her magic-born flames mingle with those wrought from tinder and branch. It took some finesse, but she was soon able to blend the two into a small, pseudo-arcane blaze, burning with all the heat of a natural flame, but with the control of a magical one. She leaned in close, ears folded back as she concentrated on keeping the blue-hot flame stable, the water already simmering. “Swap the water out with more from the river,” she began, still staring nigh-unblinking at the flames. “When it’s done – I need to keep focusing.”
Judging by the movement in her peripherals Squirrel was readying to do just that, pulling out their quartet of canteens and lining them up. “There’s no huge rush,” she clarified, “it’s just quite a bit more difficult and draining to get this going than to keep it going, so I don’t want to drop it.”
“What about the feather-head?”
“Dash’ll show up soon,” Twilight replied tersely, ignoring the slight. “Once she sees the fire.”
True to her word, the water was only just roiling when an airy thump heralded Rainbow’s arrival. “Canteens out,” Squirrel said. “We have to boil the water, with us so close to the swamp.”
Rainbow grunted, but complied. In short order, Squirrel, her hooves covered by her jacket, grabbed the pot handles and filled a pair of their canteens. Right after that she hurried to the river, refilled the pot, and got it back on the flames – now edging towards purple – to get boiling.
Not five minutes later they were done, and, fire tamped, had some time to bathe while they waited for the canteens to cool enough to put back in their packs.
“Finally!” Twilight sighed as she sat down in the shallows and splashed herself down.
“No kidding – the smell of salt gets real old, real fast,” Rainbow said as she and Squirrel did much the same. “Only downside is we can’t wash our heads here,” she clucked – it would be rather silly to go through all the fuss of boiling the water just to end up drinking some while washing off the sweat and dirt.
“It’ll be cleaner downstream,” Squirrel assured her. “Might even be here – just want to play it safe.”
“Meh,” Rainbow shrugged, staring doubtfully down at the clear water. “Does this even come out of the swamps? ‘Cause it sure don’t look like it.”
“The river and its tributaries pass around it, feeding into the lowlands we were in yesterday,” Squirrel elaborated as she walked back to shore, briskly shaking the water off. “So I suppose if the water’s only flowing in – and this is all mountain-born – we’re good.”
“Nevertheless!” Twilight butted in, “I didn’t go to the fuss of boiling all that just to drink from this anyways.” She shook herself down as she headed back to her gear. “So we’re following this due south, then?”
“Mmhmm – as much as we can, at any rate,” Squirrel said as she wrung out her tail. “As long as we keep it in sight, we’re good. The main plan then is to find any ol’ village or town and get ourselves a boat, or a couple of canoes.”
“Which we’ll be paying for, I imagine?” Rainbow said from the little spot in the sun she’d found to laze and dry off in – luckily the spring sky had cleared and warmed a great deal since dawn.
Squirrel snorted, not rising to the bait. “Nah – just take it out of my pay.”
“Done,” Rainbow said primly.
The three of them idled a little longer, until they’d dried enough to sling their jackets and panniers on their backs without chafing. That done, they carried on, accompanied by the cheerful, burbling sounds of the river.
“I think I see something,” Rainbow said, peering into the distance. They’d been travelling for some hours, sometimes by the riverside, other times detouring off to the side to get by some unpassable clump of thickets and thorns, or some water-abutting cliff, but always while keeping the Sul in sight. Standing now side-by-side on a small rise, they were hoping to spy some sign of civilization that had escaped the map-maker’s notice or care.
As she was finding was often the case around the Basin, that very sign was in the form of terraced paddies or gardens. “You two want me to fly ahead? Won’t take more than half-an-hour, tops.”
“Sounds good to me,” Twilight said, puffing after the climb and already looking for a place to sit and doff her panniers; beside her, Squirrel nodded and moved to do the same.
Rainbow immediately took to removing her own neck and flank satchels – even without the mostly-empty canteens they were still too heavy for her to fly properly – and took off flying. While gaining height she checked for landmarks to find her way back again. Below her were Twilight and Squirrel atop that greeny moss-and-shrub-covered rise they’d spent the last quarter-hour climbing; around them were similar rises surrounded by increasingly-dense clumps of trees – something they’d been seeing steadily more of since that morning. A moment’s flight to the west of them was the river, while not far off to the east was a great mountain range – Squirrel couldn’t remember the name of it, but she did say that there was apparently a giant, underground gnoll city somewhere in there.
Looking back to the north she could just make out what was probably that backwater Cherry Point, while ahead to the south... yep! Definitely terraces. Double-checking the landmarks beneath her, she gave several powerful pumps of her wings, the ends of her long scarf trailing behind her as she rocketed forwards.
It felt great to take to the air once again – she’d been grounded for far too long for her tastes, ever since the ship went down. Nothing to be done about it, mind – but still. Only a hooffull of clouds dotted the otherwise blue skies as she neared the distant village.
There, the river cut through a long, squat mesa, branching several times between sharp cliffs as it traveled through, with the terraces in question built up on the softer slopes just north of it. Much like Cherry Point, small, grassy-roofed stone-and-wood houses lay around it, trailing along the riverbanks and into the canyon itself.
Maybe they’re built into the rock all underground-like? Rainbow wondered; certainly there were so many splashes of colour within the canyons that she knew something must be in there.
Much of the unshaped land was covered in thin forest, unsurprising considering that most of the people Rainbow could make out below were deer.
Even as she got nearer she still couldn’t make out any signs of danger about – nodeer looked armed in any way, there weren’t any walls or the like either. Despite that she thought there might be a dock around the western side, and maybe more buildings atop the mesa too, she figured she should just turn back now so the others wouldn’t have to wait any longer than necessary – they could always just check it out together once they got there.
After one last scan she circled back, still reveling in the feel of the wind, of the feel of control – of freedom! that flight always gave her. Smiling wide, she checked the ground below to see what paths they could take to the deer village – a trip of not even an hour by her guess. By the time she neared the rise she’d left the other two on, she’d already spied a couple different routes.
Bleeding speed, she passed over a few times before landing deftly right next to them. “Looks clear,” she began as she headed straight to her packs. “Little deer village along the river – goes into the rockwalls, too!”
“Should have what we’re looking for, then,” Squirrel said as she stood and stretched, looking eager to carry on.
“Unless they’re too small? I doubt a, umm, place as rural as this even knows how to make boats with any sort of efficiency,” Twilight fretted. “Might not have anything to spare.”
“We’ll have to play that by ear,” Squirrel assured her, looking bemused at the mare’s utter lack of subtlety. “Did you happen to see any good paths, Rainbow?”
“Yeah – a few. Hey! This means I get to lead for once, right?” Rainbow perked up at that – it had been all Squirrel up front at first, until Twilight had gotten fed up in the swamp and taken point – she hadn’t had her own turn in charge yet. “’Cause that’s totally what this means.”
“Lead on, then, Dash,” Twilight smiled good-humouredly.
“Alriiight,” Rainbow said, taking the nearest path down the rise’s southern face, the others close behind. “I’m the boss now!” After a short distance though she figured there was no point in wasting a perfectly good downhill and so, flaring her wings and giving them the slightest of pumps, she took off for an easy glide.
“You know it’s not really leading if you’re just flying above us!” Twilight called out to her.
“I’m just gliding here!” Rainbow shouted as she switch-backed in front of them. “And I’m technically in front of you, aren’t I? So kuee-ee-dee I’m leading!”
“That’s not what – that’s not how you use Q.E.D.!” Twilight shouted back, exasperated. “Just don’t get too far ahead! The trees are too thick for us to see where we’re going down there.” Although the tree cover they were heading into was hardly what Rainbow would call a ‘forest,’ she supposed she had a point.
“It’ll be fiiine – I’ll land at the bottom with ya.”
“You better,” Twilight grumbled as Rainbow took this opportunity to coast further away from the slope while she waited for them to descend the slow way by hoof.
The three of them reached the first of the many riverside outbuildings not long afterwards; it was more of a shed, really, sitting at the base of one of the many terraces. Although they’d surely been seen by any of the several deer tending to the crops, none had seemed bothered to do anything about them. “Too busy tending their... bushes?” Twilight wondered, her hooves shifting on the loose, pebbly riverbank beneath her. “Tea, I’d imagine, given the region.”
“Sounds about right,” Squirrel agreed. “I wouldn’t’ve expected any real reaction anyways – there should be enough boat traffic down the Sul that passersby are hardly noteworthy.” By now the river had widened and deepened, stretching perhaps a dozen metres across on average as various tributaries had merged into it. Although they hadn’t seen a single ship all day, if Twilight’s memory of the maps was correct, Squirrel was probably right. “Bit odd though – deer herds don’t normally settle down enough to bother putting up terraces or anything like that.”
The village – or perhaps it was a town? Twilight couldn’t quite remember when the one became the other – was larger than she’d thought, given the dozens of deer (and scattering of ponies) she’d seen so far working the crops or quietly fishing along the far bank. She’d tentatively given these ones a wave, but they seemed more perplexed than communicative, waving back before whispering to one another. Maybe they’ve never seen a unicorn before? “I’ve never understood why they still do that – migrate, I mean.”
“It seems fine by me?” Squirrel said, a questioning lilt to her voice.
“But with the agricultural advancements that even Avalon has surely seen this last century make seasonal migrations a waste of time! They could build something far more... grand than this” – she jerked her head at nearing cluster of buildings ahead, all small, grassy, rustic affairs – “if they gave up the practice.”
“And I suppose they could ask the earth ponies to help with their crops more, then, too?” Squirrel said, still with that odd tone.
“Exactly! Deer magic isn’t bad with plants by any measure, but you know as well as I do it’s far more animal-centric. Ponies are much better at agriculture.”
“Naturally,” Squirrel said, giving a satisfied bob of her head. “I understand you completely.”
They continued unaccosted until they reached a slow, wide bulge in the river. Here, a wooden pier jutted out a short ways, at the end of which a pair of bucks appeared to be fishing. The smaller of the two was bedecked in numerous colourful bead necklaces and bangles; his antlers too were decorated, their bases wrapped in thin gold chains. Teardrop-shaped earrings swayed in their hoops as he turned to peer at them.
His partner – large, with a rich, dark brown coat – was far less decorated, favouring only simple bangles and a voluminous scarf that trailed back over his withers. “Hello there!” he boomed at the three of them. “We don’t often get visitors on hoof – did you flounder or something?”
“After a fashion we did, in fact,” Squirrel said before Twilight could speak up. “Or these two did at least. We’re looking to buy a canoe or two to get us down to Beech – anyone we can talk to about that?” The ponies’ hooves clunked on the wooden pier as they tiredly climbed onto it.
“Hmm...” he dithered, glancing at his smaller companion. “Maybe. Boatwright’s at the southern part of the town – follow the river and you’ll find them.”
“That’s not exactly a ‘yes,’” Twilight spoke up, fearing her worries were true.
“Don’t think I’ve heard that accent before,” the big buck said, head cocked. “We’re not exactly a major harbour here – there might be something Channel’s willing to sell – but maybe not.” He shrugged, rubbing a hoof distractedly at the base of his antlers. “In the worse case you could probably stay around here until an open barge comes through, then hitch a ride downriver with them – won’t be long before another one passes through, I suspect.”
Squirrel flicked Twilight with her tail. “Thanks – we’ll ask around,” Squirrel said, raising her muzzle high in the air in a sort of inverse-nod. The two deer did much the same before staring at them owlishly as the trio carried on down the riverbank.
“What was that about?” Twilight asked as soon as they were out of easy earshot.
“The flick? That was to keep you from antagonizing them. Again. Obviously.” Squirrel looked to be restraining a roll of her eyes with great effort.
“I wasn’t going to antagonize them!” Twilight grumbled. “I just don’t want these people trying to pull a fast one on us.” They’d have a heck of a hard time bailing out if things got questionable within the river canyon itself.
“Uh huh. So I imagine that means these people are ‘rural hicks’ and not ‘charmingly quaint?’”
“And what’s that supposed to mean!?” Twilight huffed at the sheer indignity of it. “Are you calling me a tribalist?”
“I’m called you an Equusian,” Squirrel retorted, shaking her mane in irritation. “So kind of you to humble Avalon with your presence, by the way.”
“Stuff it, Squirrel!” Rainbow snarled.
“I’ve got nothing against deer, or any other kin for that matter! And just because Equus is considerably further along in its development doesn’t mean I think Avalon is backwards, Squirrel,” Twilight reasoned, wondering where in the world the mare was coming from with this. “Why, the art alone we’ve seen in Hurricanum has been fantastic!”
Squirrel snorted, but left it at that as she pulled ahead a few lengths, walking with her shoulders hunched and tail low.
“What the hay was that about?” Rainbow muttered to Twilight, taking the words right out of her mouth. “This some weird custom thingy? I kinda slept through the meetings about those.”
“I don’t” – she paused a moment, parsing through what she’d just heard – “no, I don’t think so.”
As they neared the mesa the river sharply branched, with one, wide path curving west to run along the cliff face, whereas the smaller, noisier path they were following cut right through. Signs hung above a large, stout wooden gate, thrown open to the world. Whereas at any other time Twilight would’ve been keen to look around, now she was far too lost in thought.
They passed through the gates and into the canyon in sullen silence, the cliffs either side of them enveloping them deeply in shade as they passed beneath banner-laden ropes strung across the entrance. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did she found that Dash had been right – there were buildings built into the rock.
Running down the canyon’s centre was the river, perhaps a dozen metres at its widest here; a bank about half that in width ran on either side, all cobbles and stones. Raised on either side were walkways, onto which opened homes, shops, storehouses – Twilight could only guess what, really. These were all faced with stone and wood, but were clearly dug some ways into the cliffs. A trio of giggling fawns ran past them and out into the sun, as a doe’s voice yelled at them to behave from the walkways above.
“Well, this is quaint,” Twilight said, cheering up at the ambiance of it all before realizing what she’d just said. “I mean – oh buck,” she cursed, trying not to catch Squirrel’s eye. “Still! It’s colourful at least, right Dash?” Smooth Sparkle – real smooth.
“Yeah,” Rainbow agreed, her gaze darting between the vividly-painted signs and banners. “Glad I didn’t try to fly into this though,” she added, looking up at the irregularly-strewn wires all about the place. “What’s up with all those?”
“Singers,” Squirrel said over her withers. “You’d hear ‘em if the river wasn’t so chattery.”
“Singers? What in the world would they need mana-cables here for?” Twilight paused before hurriedly continuing. “And it’s a legitimate question! I normally only see these things around the bigger workshops.”
Squirrel shrugged. “Don’t know – ask around if you get the chance.”
Twilight harumphed at the dismissal before turning her attention back to their surroundings. They were entering a large circular cutout, in the centre of which the river pooled before branching down a triplet of different, narrower canyons. The area seemed to act as an agora of sorts, with what were undoubtably several shops and markets bordering the walls. “It’s surprisingly busy here,” she noted as she glanced over what must’ve been a couple dozen deer and ponies moving about.
“Trade,” Squirrel answered, slowing down to once again walk alongside them as they crossed one of the several littles arch-bridges that spanned the riverways. “I suspect that bigger branch at the entrance carries the barges around – probably to a proper dock – and the crew would hoof-it around in here once they did.”
“This place must be a lot bigger than I thought it was, then.”
“Likewise,” Squirrel admitted. “Never actually been in here before.”
“For that matter, this place wasn’t on any of the maps I got – what’s it even called?”
“Must be some crummy maps then,” Squirrel snorted. “It’s Nestle.”
It was about now that Twilight realized they’d managed to misplace Rainbow. “Oh for goodness – where’s she gotten to?” Twilight reared up on her hinds and did a quick pirouette, quickly spotting her friend’s rainbow mane a little ways behind them. Worried, she stalked back to find Rainbow staring hungrily at a row of sizzling kebobs being worked on by an amused-looking doe.
“Twi!” Rainbow called out once she’d noticed her. “Food!”
“That is indeed food – well done Dash,” Twilight snipped, still a bit on edge. “Don’t go wandering off like that! We’re strangers here and it’s not like you can just fly around to find Squirrel and I if we get separated.”
“But, but food!” Rainbow whined as she tried to tear her gaze away from the veggie-sticks. “I don’t even recognize like, a third of the vegetables on that! And if the food’s good, then today can’t be all bad, right?”
Twilight sighed, but she couldn’t really argue – food was one of Rainbow’s major motivations for... most trips, really. “Fine – but if we get sick, it’s on you!” She rooted around her panniers for some notes while Rainbow eagerly selected their fare. After a moment’s hesitation she decided to get something for Squirrel as well.
Before long the three of them were munching away at their surprisingly-tasty snacks as they continued down the snaking waterways. At some point the buildings here had become multi-layered, with stairways leading up to a second, or even a third level; rope bridges crossed between scaffold walkways well above them as the general hustle-and-bustle of the place grew.
“Okay, I’ll admit it – this place is much bigger than I thought it was,” Squirrel said as they wove through the crowded walk.
“Maybe there’s a main entrance somewhere? And we just took the quieter side one?”
“It’ll be the docks – there’s not much in the way of river-level supply stops in the Basin. This place must’ve grown a lot since Callow came through here.”
“Callow?”
Squirrel shook her head. “Old friend that told me about this route, ages back. If this place is as big as it looks, we should probably ask for directions soon.”
“Laaame,” Rainbow said as she blithely chewed on her wooden skewer. “That buck said downriver, right? And we’re going downriver, aren’t we?”
“How far across was the mesa, anyways, Dash?”
“Few hundred metres I think – it’s thinner in some bits, but it’s more like a mini-mountain on the east side.”
Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “Should be out of it soon enough; we can ask for help if we’re still not by then.”
As luck would have it, it was only around the next bend that they found their exit, the daylight blazing in from without. Passing into the afternoon sunlight, they found themselves in a great beach-fronted alcove of sorts, at least a hundred metres across at its widest; numerous warehouses and workshops were set against every face. The smaller riverstream they’d followed out continued on down a worked-stone channel before merging again with the main body as it flowed eastwards far in front of them. Judging by the general noise coming from the western extreme, Twilight figured the docks were likely just around the corner.
“Ya know, I can’t exactly imagine them not having boats for us here,” Rainbow said as the three of them stood and looked around for some sign of a boatwright. “’Cause this place looks nearly as big as Sweet Apples.”
“Sweet Apples?” Squirrel asked. “And we’re looking for canoes, not barge repairs.”
Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose you might be right – let’s ask around.” She led the way towards a nearby arch-bridge that crossed the stream – there was a pony and deer in local beadery leaning on it that didn’t seem too busy to answer a question. “Oh! And that’s where we’re from.”
“Sounds nice,” Squirrel mumbled before speaking up. “You two’re from an orchard town?” she asked, giving them an appraising look.
“Not originally,” Twilight shrugged. “But it’s nice – it’s peaceful there.”
“I’d imagine; don’t think I could handle that myself, mind – it’s not home if I can’t hear the thump and grind of docks and forges.”
“That’s right! Wanderbelle’s a mining city, isn’t it?”
“Yep!” Squirrel chirped, her tail twitching. “Only city in the northern passes, so it’s got a little bit of everything! Can’t wait to get back.”
Rainbow chuffed and giggled. “Shoot – hey Twi! Look! I think Squirrel’s actually happy about something for once!”
Twilight looked back over her withers just in time to see Squirrel shoot Rainbow a red-cheeked glare before settling into a pout. “Oh look,” Squirrel said, “people to ask for directions.” She darted ahead to grab the bridge-pair’s attention.
“Maybe she’s homesick?” Twilight wondered as the two of them sat back and watched the mare converse. “We are keeping her from getting back with this.”
“We’re hardly holding her hostage, Twi,” Rainbow insisted, head tilted as she studied the mare. “Plus, the fees! Oof.”
Twilight cocked a brow, a faint smile adorning her lips. “Wow – did you just say ‘oof’? Aloud?”
“What? No.”
“Uh huh.”
“Hey – Squirrel’s coming back! And she’s got a partner too!”
Squirrel had indeed returned, a lithe, pale-furred doe in tow. “Back!” she said, pointedly not looking at Rainbow. “Serenade here has offered – well, insisted – on guiding us.”
“Hello,” the doe said in a quiet, little voice. “So it’s canoes for the three of you then?”
“That seems to be the plan,” Twilight answered with a glance at Squirrel – the transport was kind of in her hooves, she figured.
“If we’ve any to sell, they’ll all be at Channel’s,” she said gently, nodding her head towards the eastern portion of the alcove. “His workshop’s this way.”
The three ponies followed close behind Serenade, near enough to hear the quiet jostling of her bangles and beads as she walked. Some sort of local custom? Twilight thought as they crossed the trodden-down green. Nodeer back home was so reliably done up; plus, several of the ponies around here are too.
“We don’t normally have people looking for canoes or the like around here,” Serenade started saying, her head half-turned to watch them. “It’s mostly ship repairs. With a little luck Channel will have something big enough built up or dug out that he’s willing to spare.”
Not the most fortifying of words.
“I could always fly?” Rainbow offered. “If a two-pony canoe can take my satchels that could work.”
“You sure you can keep aloft all day?” Squirrel asked, doubt clear in her voice. “Even with periodic rests we’ll be covering a lot of distance on the river.”
Rainbow gave a humourless snort. “Don’t worry – I can keep pace, easy.”
“I don’t doubt she can,” Twilight added before Squirrel could say anything more. “Dash is an exemplary flyer.”
Rainbow puffed up her chest, smiling smugly.
“I suppose that simplifies that, then,” Squirrel hedged as she changed the subject. “Hey Serenade – what’s with all this bustle? It can’t be this mad all the time.”
“Part of the herd is going south on kinsday,” she answered, an amused twinkle in her eye. “Where did you three come from not to know that?”
“Cherry Point,” Squirrel answered easily. “On hoof. I didn’t think anydeer in Nestle still migrated.”
“Most don’t,” Serenade admitted. “But some do. There’s good land south of here, across the Whither; it’s not far. It’s only because of this that Channel might have a spare canoe at all, as we won’t need replacements for a few months afterwards.” She came to a stop in front of a large, open workshop at the extreme edge of the clearing. The unfinished ribs of some larger ship sat in its braces in the shop’s centre. The air was laden with the scent of wood chippings and pine. Out of one of the bay doors wooden beams and slats led down a pebbly beach and into the river. “Channel should be around somewhere – please wait here while I look.” Without waiting for a reply, Serenade took off, quickly disappearing into the back.
Twilight found a pile of cut lumber to sit down on while they waited. “I suppose he might be out and about – looks like the rest of the workers are,” she gestured towards the empty workshop.
“Geez, I hope not,” Rainbow said, plopping herself down next to her with a relieved sigh. “Would suck to be stuck walking all the way to Beech.”
“Might be able to barter passage with one of the trade barges,” Squirrel said, rearing up on her hinds to lean lazily against the weathered shop wall. “If one’s going east, that is.”
“Well, as you said,” Twilight began, pausing to take a swig of water. “Let’s just play this one by ear.”
Rainbow wasn’t half bored by the time Serenade came back. Frankly, she was rather hoping they couldn’t get a canoe big enough for three – she was already finding herself looking forward to spending the next few days flying near and around the other two, and not just to prove Squirrel wrong.
Although I guess I could do that even with a three-pony canoe...
“Apologies for the delay,” the doe said with a dip of her head. “But you’re in luck! Come – Channel’s in the back.”
They followed Serenade into the workshop proper, hooves kicking up little whorls of sawdust as they went. Weaving around benches piled with tools and half-finished fittings, they passed into a rear supply room; here, amidst stacks of fresh-cut lumber and cluttered shelves they found an older buck sitting cozily in a sunlit corner, pouring himself a cup of steaming tea. “Channel,” the doe said, muzzle briefly raised.
“Thank you, Serenade,” he answered, blowing gently on his tea before taking a tentative sip. “You three are looking for a canoe, then?” he asked, shifting in his seat to better face them.
“Three-person, ideally,” Squirrel said, taking point. “Although we can likely make do with something else if needed.”
“Well, you came at the right moment.” He leaned far back in his chair, his antlers tapping softly against the rear wall. “I’ve a spare one ready, and what with the migration already well prepared we won’t be needing it anytime soon. Lucky for you you had Serenade here – technically I’m closed right now for the festival.”
“Ah – thank you, then, the both of you,” Squirrel said as Twilight echoed her; Rainbow just settled for a nod.
“Well now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let me show you what I’ve got,” he said, lurching off his seat with a clatter of hooves before sidling past them towards the door they’d come in through. “Right this way.”
The trio followed as the old buck continued chatting, but Rainbow tuned him out in favour of wondering just how many more drams this was going to set Twilight and her back.
“And you’re sure he didn’t just rip us off?” Rainbow pestered Squirrel yet again. They’d settled on a price for the boat – a pine canoe just a squeak over three metres long – after a little bit of haggling, but Rainbow couldn’t shake the feeling they’d been taken advantage of.
“For the last time Rainbow, no, I’m not – but I am certain that if he did, it wasn’t by a huge amount.”
“Easy for you to say,” Rainbow grumbled, kicking a stray stone at the riverside.
“Settle down girls,” Twilight chided them with a much put-upon air. “What’s done is done. We were never going to get out of this cheaply, Dash” – she shot a disapproving glance at Squirrel – “but priority’s on us getting out, period, drams be danged.”
“I guess,” Rainbow sulked. Despite having paid for the canoe with their rapidly-diminishing bank of probably-technically-stolen banknotes, they decided against picking it up until the morning – that way they’d have the full day to travel and find a solid place to put down for the night; plus, now they could use the remainder of the afternoon and evening to restock on food, as well as follow up on some advice they’d gotten about a better route through the passes.
Their loose plan now was to tent outside the town – away from the noise – and be ready for an early start. “Let’s get going then,” Squirrel said, ceasing her pacing. “If we’re still sleeping under the stars we’ll want all this well done by nightfall.”
“Right,” Twilight agreed. “If you’d like to purchase what we’ll need in food, that’ll leave Dash and I to ask after those route suggestions.”
Squirrel nodded – since the changes were for after Beech, they weren’t really any of her business anyways. “Sounds good.”
The three of them crossed the green, reentering the crevice before splitting up at the first fork – Squirrel to go back to the agora, and the other two to follow what directions Serenade and Channel had given them. “We’re looking for a junk shop, right?” Rainbow double-checked.
“Curios, but yes.”
The whole thing sounded a touch odd to Rainbow – why would a shopkeep know more about course-plotting than Twilight? But they had the time, and Twilight seemed interested so... here they were.
The little passage they were in – well divorced of the stream now – was visibly cut from the stone itself, its walls gouged smooth from whatever tools or magics were used; singers ran the length of the ceiling, while brilliant faery shards hung at rough intervals, bathing the hall in warm light. Side passages came and went, noise echoing out of all of them, but this one seemed more like a steadily-ascending backalley than anything else.
“Definitely bigger than I thought...” she murmured over the dull, echoey sound of hooves as they slowly gained height.
“Wealthier too,” Twilight chipped in as she reared up for a moment to squint at one of the shards. “To’ve had these side tunnels cut, that is. Lights are a bit cheap though – I can practically see the weave.”
Rainbow nodded, peering up at a shard herself. “Oh yeah. Definitely. I totally saw a loose thread dangling from one back there too.”
Twilight gave her a strange look. “I’ll never understand how someone so very competent with her own magic can be so ignorant of even the fundamentals of academia.”
“Natural talent.”
“Of course – how could I forget.”
Rainbow was saved a response when the two of them reached the end of the side passage and stepped out from underground, entering a bowl-like sunlit depression. Cottages, half-buried in the earth, were scattered hither and thither. “Looks about right,” Rainbow said, recalling what she could of their directions. “It’s ‘go straight and look for the sign’ now, right?”
“Mmhmm.” She and Rainbow carried on down a surprisingly soft dirt path, their hooves welcoming the reprieve from the hard stone. They’d been told the shop was really just somepony’s home’s main floor, so they weren’t even amongst the other shops, but rather out here, in a little clump of topside homes.
“This is nice,” Twilight smiled calmly at her surroundings. “Cozy.”
“Oh yeah – super quaint.”
“Oh don’t you start now too!” Twilight chuffed. “I can’t believe the nerve of that mare – accusing us of tribalism!”
“Just you, actually,” Rainbow grinned widely at her. “I’m totally clean on this.”
“She clearly meant – I mean – dangit, I’m not a tribalist!”
Rainbow gave her a companionable flank-bump. “I’m teasing! Squirrel’s just crazy.”
“Exactly! I can hardly help drawing comparisons to the way things are back home, and it’s not my fault that unlike here, we have a functioning continent-wide government and not this polis nonsense, superior airship design, a far better zephyric network” –
“No loose threads on our weaves.”
“That too! Wait, no – that’s not a thing, stop confusing me.” Twilight shook her head in frustration as she petered out. “The point is, these are all objective things, and being objective in saying that set ‘A’ is greater than set ‘B’ is fine. Completely fine.”
“Yeah! Although I do, uhh, think the whole ‘cities are their own countries’ thing is kinda neat,” Rainbow admitted. “Would make it waaay easier to manage the weather if I didn’t have to care about junk like ‘regional schedules,’ and ‘not flooding the neighbours.’ Plus we could actually start with that whole ‘fixing the Everfree’ thingy you guys wanted to try!”
“Well... alright, there is that,” Twilight agreed. “But I’m sure the regulatory forms will be back from Canterlot by the time we get home! They might even be approved,” she added with a grumble.
“The food’s not bad here either...”
“Okay, there’s that too,” Twilight said, thinking back to those veggie-sticks, as well as all the much-finer cuisine they’d had back in Hurricanum.
Refocusing on the present she took notice of what building they were about to walk past. “Oh! I think this is it.” They were standing outside a squat, two-story home that backed into the loam at the depression’s edge. Various knick-knacksand metal trinkets could be seen through the big window next to the door, lying on green-velvet-covered shelves and tables. Hanging above the door was a wooden sign, creaking faintly in the breeze.
“‘Waffles’ Relics’?” Rainbow cocked her head. “What kinda name is ‘Waffles’?”
“Possibly noone’s; now let’s go ask this friend of Channel’s for help.” After briefly discussing their intent to get back to Hurricanum – they needed to be certain the canoe was sufficient, and if it wasn’t, at what point would it fail them – the buck had suggested they’d likely have a smoother trip if they portaged across several tributaries after Beech, rather than risk getting swamped on some of the rougher parts of the South Whither and Coriander rivers. Apparently the mare here was well-traveled in those parts and could advise them best.
The door opened with a tinkle as a chime above it sang out. There was a soft thump somewhere in the shop. “Just a moment!” a voice yelled out to them.
“We can wait!” Twilight called back politely before she started poking her muzzle around the place. So far as Rainbow could tell there wasn’t really anything of interest here – sure, there were lots of neat looking things of crystal and brass, odd glowing whatsits, and far too many books for her tastes, but they all seemed like whatchamacallits? Mathoms. Come to think of it, the shelves looked pretty bare too.
So she waited as patiently as she could, taking care not to touch anything too delicate in case it broke, until a mare clomped heavily into the room. Turning, Rainbow saw that unlike most of the people here the mouse dun mare was dressed practically normal – just some tall boots, a vibrant green scarf, and a thin jacket over her heavily-muscled frame. “Howdy! You two don’t look like locals,” she said with far too much cheer. “Which means you’re practically guar-an-teed to find something wonderful to bring home with you here!”
“Riiight,” Rainbow drawled, put off by the mare’s enthusiasm. “A little help here, Twilight?”
“Hello there,” Twilight stepped up to bail her out. “We were told by the boatwright Channel that we could get some plotting advice by the mare that runs this shop, miss...?”
“Waffles!” the mare smiled widely with a toss of her peacoat mane. “And you got that right! I’m always bouncing twixt here and Riven, so I know those waterways like the back of my own hooves!”
“Riiight,” Twilight couldn’t help but drawl as well, shooting her friend a bemused glance. Shifting around, she made to open up her panniers. “So would it be alright if I took out my maps? Any help at all would be appreciated.”
“No trouble at all – just bring them to the counter,” Waffles said, blithely jerking her head towards the back. “And don’t worry about buying anything in return – I’m happy to help.”
Rainbow breathed a quiet sigh of relief – she was worried there for a moment that they’d be not-so-subtly told to do just that if they wanted the info. “Umm, neat shop you have here,” she said as she followed, hoping to be polite.
“Nah – you’re just saying that,” Waffles said with an amused flick of her tail. “Practically out of anything to sell at all, to say nothing of anything good.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything...”
The mare snorted. “Can’t compete with what the barges can bring in just in passing; think I’m just going to close up soon and head back home.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Twilight said, unfurling her maps on the clear countertop. “Is all this traffic new? It seems odd Nestle wasn’t on any of my maps considering its size.”
“Fairly so,” Waffles nodded, smoothing down the canvas and giving it a close look. “Last few years, really. Maps don’t update often, and seeing as this was just a cute little tea-and-orchard village before that, it’s little wonder it’s not on any of these.”
Rainbow reared up, setting a hoof on the counter to look over the mare’s withers. The map is question had the entirety of the Basin of Fangs on it, as well as everything as far east as Weld and Riven, and south right down to Chestnut lake; she was fairly certain she could make out where Nestle would be, but she’d always been far more inclined to finding her way via landmarks – not maps.
The Whither ran from here almost directly southeast, flowing past Autumn Beech before branching; one fork carried on eastwards, but more importantly the other flowed back southwest into Chestnut lake, where Hurricanum lay at its mouth. A series of tributaries ran due east between the arms of the Seven Mines mountain range; according to Waffles, these arms were riddled with old tunnels and mine shafts. “Ideally, you two could just portage the streams as needed and pass through the mines,” she said, gesturing with a pencil held in booted hoof. “It’s slower than taking the river, sure, but way safer – a little canoe like yours has a good chance of flipping over on the Coriander with how nasty those rapids can be.”
“I fail to see how walking through abandoned mines is any safer,” Twilight said doubtfully, grabbing a fine pen to begin marking down the different route.
“Nah – the old miners wanted to move supplies through them too, ya see, so a lot of the little rivers cut through the same stone that the main tunnels do,” Waffles waved away her concerns, still wearing that pleasant smile. “You’d barely have any portaging to do, really – just let the current take you.”
“Uh huh. And have you actually run this path before?”
“Yep! Just the once though, and not alone either. It was a bit spooky, sure, but it got us down to Chestnut quick, and most people have to walk the hundred-and-whatever miles between ports if they don’t want to take the really long way around instead.”
“I suppose...” Twilight nibbled her pen uncertainly, clearly put off by the risk. “Dash?”
“Can’t do the river rapids,” Rainbow said pragmatically. “And walking the whole way would suck. Doesn’t look like we could bail on this halfway through though. Do people use this mine-path often?” she asked Waffles, giving her a pointed look.
“Reasonably, yes,” Waffles said, fiddling with her scarf while avoiding Rainbow’s gaze. “I think. The more experienced ones take it, at least.”
“Squirrel seems pretty capable,” Twilight muttered before giving the counter a sharp rap. “We’ll have to take it up with her – see what she thinks. Any other advice about the area, Waffles?”
“When in doubt: follow the river. Ground’s a bit soft and reedy in some areas, but the grazing’s good and the water’s clear, so worse case scenario this route merely takes longer than anticipated.” She shrugged. “It’s why people started taking it at all despite how far it is from any towns or roads.”
“It doesn’t sound too bad then. Thank you, Waffles.”
“No problem! Good luck on your adventure.”
“‘Adventure,’ right,” Twilight snorted as she packed up her things, the map newly inked with the paths they’d have to take, more notes on landmarks besides written in her notebook.
“Feel free to hang around town this evening,” Waffles continued, walking them to the door. “Things are always festive for a few days before part of the herd goes on migration.”
“Perhaps,” Twilight hedged before they made their goodbyes, the door closing with a soft whump behind them.
“So what do you think?” Rainbow asked, rolling her wings as she enjoyed the warmth of the late afternoon sunlight.
“The rapids sound worrying, but I can hardly imagine anything good coming from abandoned mines.”
“She said other people use it?”
“I know... just worried – I was hoping something good would come up before we got to that point.”
“Still could – Beech is sure to have something or other, isn’t it?”
“Yep,” Twilight said, her voice echoing as they stepped back into the cool little passageway. “We’ll run this by Squirrel tonight anyways.”
“Yup.”
“Mines, eh?” Squirrel sat back on her haunches, back braced against the carved stone wall as she unfolded the map. They’d met up back at the agora within the hour, now much quieter given the time. People were still moving about, and the air held a certain sense of cheer and anticipation to it, but the noise of the day-market had faded.
“She said they were fairly well-traveled,” Twilight said, poking through the supplies Squirrel had picked up, checking that everything was there.
Squirrel hummed thoughtfully. “I know of this path,” she eventually said. “It’s what I would’ve taken you two on if I was heading down to Hurricanum myself. I’m not so certain you two could manage it on your own though.”
“And here I thought you were warming up to us.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “We can do this just fine.”
“And if you can’t?” Squirrel asked pointedly before folding up the map and hoofing it back to Twilight.
“We graze.”
“Lost in a mine, deep underground? In the endless dark?”
“Well what do you suggest then!?” Rainbow snapped at her, wings flaring. “Walking would take weeks!”
“But you’d still get there,” Squirrel insisted, glaring.
“Ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat, drawing the two mares’ attention to her. “Waffles told us this route was fairly straightforward – just follow the river and we’ll be fine. I can make light spells or even set a weave in a pinch.”
Squirrel deflated a bit. “And I suppose you hardly want to spend any more time out here in the sticks than possible, eh?”
“Yes.”
“Yep.”
“Weeell... you could probably manage it then,” Squirrel admitted. “If you’re cautious about it.”
Twilight nodded, smiling at Squirrel’s – albeit reluctant – approval of their plan. “With how much time this saves us there’s no reason not to be slow if needed.”
“If that’s settled then” – Squirrel shoved herself off the wall and back onto her hooves, jerking her head at the items on the floor. “I got what we needed here; food, mostly, although I got a rough smallscale map of the area – it has Nestle on it, and as you seem to collect the things I figured you’d want it.”
“Thanks,” Twilight said, unfolding a thick sheet of waxed parchment she’d glossed over at first, finding on it a charcoal map of the grounds and hills around them. Although it wouldn’t help their navigation any, she nonetheless appreciated what it would add to her journal. “Now let’s go find a good place to set up our tents for the night,” she said, packing away the new supplies in her and Rainbow’s satchels. “Noone will mind if we’re outside the town when we do.”
It was dusk by the time they’d finished setting up in a small copse not five minutes walk from town – close enough that the occasional shout of cheer could be heard echoing their way.
“Wonder what the food’s like...” Rainbow stared dreamily towards Nestle. “Festival food is always good.”
“You already had some local fare earlier, Dash. We should get some sleep.”
“Well yeah, but this could be the last time before Hurricanum!” Rainbow said, prancing eagerly in place. “Or, like, ever! Squirrel totally said we’re gonna die in the mines, right?”
“I didn’t say that...”
“And if we’re gonna die,” she continued, “then do you really want your last thought to be not eating whatever’s down there?”
“I suspect her last thought will actually something to the tune of ‘curse you Rainbow, you’ve doomed us all.’”
“And!” Rainbow plowed on relentlessly. “And, and, and! It’s local fare! We’re diplomats, right? Kinda? So we’ve got, like, a duty to eat the stuff!”
“We really do need to get up early tomorrow,” Twilight hemmed, but Rainbow could tell she was about to break.
“Please?” she tried. “Super please?”
“Oh fine,” Twilight huffed, grabbing her coat. “Let’s go then. But! Only for a couple hours – we’re getting up at the crack of dawn!”
“Alriiight!”