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// Chapter Eight-Point-Nine: We Daren't Go A-Hunting 
// Story: The River Rising (Iota Force Issue #7) 
// by The Iguana Man 
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Domino groaned as she limped through the forest, making sure to use only three of her legs while keeping the one she'd burned during her escape elevated and resting. Her progress wasn't exactly quick, but at least she was able to make it. It had taken a lot of effort and calculation but, after the rocket she'd been riding had burst in the air, she'd managed to guide her fall into the treeline and soften it enough that she only broke three ribs and the shoulder she already wasn't using.

Fortunately, she was more than used to pain and knew she just had to get somewhere safe where she could tend her wounds in peace. Or as much as the world was capable of giving her, at least. She had no idea where she'd find such a place, but she was sure something would come along.

However, she wasn't expecting to find a sign of such a thing in its literal form – a huge arrow pointing west made out of a small, thin tree. After her mind informed her of every step that had been involved in making the arrow, her eyes followed it to a small cave nearby. Tilting her head, Domino hobbled towards it.

As she approached, her confusion only intensified as she observed that the cave was one hundred percent artificial. Furthermore, she could feel the shape of its insides from the wind gently blowing in and out of it, but she still gradually made her way inside to check.

After a few minutes, she'd gotten inside and down the short corridor before the cave opened up into a small, plain cavern. The walls were all solid rock, without a single crack or area of dirt among them, and were bizarrely smooth. Looking to her side, she saw a large rock standing by the exit that would be easy to roll in front of it. It wouldn't form a perfect seal, of course, though she did see that it would eventually be possible to fix that and keep out all forms of life without cutting off the air supply. Regardless, for the moment, it would do as a quiet place of isolation.

After she'd finished blocking up the exit, having had to push with her body while her three good legs drove it forward, her attention turned to the only other feature this cave had – a small note sitting in the middle of the floor. Domino hobbled over to it, her mind telling her the details of the pony who had written it long before she was close enough to actually read it. The pony had been close to her size, given the small scratches in the rock around that showed it had been written on the ground without difficulty, the pen strokes suggested their muzzle was that of a colt, the weight behind the pen suggested a well-built earth pony or maybe a crystal pony, which would mean...

After about half a minute of such considerations, she finally got her racing mind to a place where she could read the note:

Domino,

Sorry about how those interfering babies screwed up your plan – could have been great.

Couldn't help but overhear how you just wanted to make everypony “go away” and, well, that's, Domino could tell that he had paused a long time before continuing to write, kind of what I'm after too, even if I'm hoping to be a bit more, another pause, direct about it. Either way, I'm thinking that it might be worth working together in the future.

A worried hum seeped out of Domino at the prospect of working with another pony, but she kept reading. Of course, that won't be for a long, long time. You've got to heal and I've got to come up with a plan, plus maybe find some other, another, even longer pause had been taken before the colt had written resources. And I've got to do it all without attracting the attention of those self-righteous little snoops Until then, I figured a little present couldn't hurt, so I'm giving you this cave. No way anything's going to bother you in here. You can rest and relax until I've got something for you. And I promise that I'll never barge in on you. I'll give you a warning when I want to come in and talk to you and you can either brace yourself or just say no – your choice. Either way, I'll see you later.

Domino frowned. Despite his assurances, the possibility of someone coming in, or even just asking to, gave the cavern an underlying discomfort of unpredictability. That, plus the fact there was still plenty of substance to the barren walls to give her mind plenty to do and calculate, meant it was quite as peaceful as she wished, but at least it was something.

Still, that, plus whatever she'd need to do to live there long term, could wait. For the moment, she just curled up on the stone floor and gradually fell into a light, fitful sleep.