//------------------------------// // Well, This Blows Part Five // Story: Making Friends // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// Silverspeed stared down at the wooden enclosures from her tree she sat perched on. She had dropped her helmet and armor in a nearby bush, rolling around in mud to cover up her silver coat and mane as she narrowed her purple eyes. She had been quietly stalking one of the deer that had taken the others as he walked back and forth outside a gate. “Why does life have to be so complicated?” Silverspeed mused as she examined her small knife she had brought with her and the bow she had made from random items she found in the woods. She inhaled and notched an arrow and exhaled as she let go, watching in slight satisfaction as her arrow slammed into the deers chest and he swayed on his hooves as she flew down, picking him before he fell and dragged him back to her tree. "Let me go-" he wheezed as Silverspeed drove her knife into his sternum as he gasped and went limp before flapping her wings with a grunt. “You looked lighter up there,” Silverspeed grunted as she dropped the deer on a large tree branch and tied him down with some string she had found. “You stay there.” Silverspeed turned around and picked up her knife with a hoof as she slung her makeshift bow on her back, resisting the urge to vomit as she dropped to the ground. “One down, potentially a hundred or so more to go,” Silverspeed sighed as she snuck up on a small doevwith her back turned. The doe tensed up as Silverspeed pressed the knife to her throat from behind. “Don’t move or scream, if you do I’ll cut your throat and watch you drown in your blood. Don’t even bother trying to fight back because you’ll kill yourself. Now where are my friends?” “The court room,” she answered finally. “Why?” “Ponies aren’t really our allies. They want to steal our forest,” she said as Silverspeed shifted slightly. “We arrest them and bring them here for trial. Most likely they will be executed.” “Not happening,” Silverspeed grumbled as she tightened her grip. “Take me to them.” “I have to stay here at the gate so no.” “You’re really not in a position to be arguing. I really don’t want to hurt you like I did your friend but I will,” Silverspeed threatened quietly. “Now what’s your name?” She stayed quiet as Silverspeed applied pressure on her throat and a small trail of blood dropped onto the dirt. “Fern,” she said finally and Silverspeed relaxed her grip on the knife. “Good. Now I’m gonna let you go. I’m faster than you so don’t try to run off or attack me,” Silverspeed warned as Fern nodded and Silverspeed lowered her knife and Fern sighed in relief. “Now take me to them.” “The others will kill me if I do that,” Fern shot back as she faced Silverspeed for the first time. “And if you refuse, I’ll kill you. Now get moving,” Silverspeed gestured forward threatening with her knife. “Fine but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Fern sighed and gestured Silverspeed forward. “I’ll try to avoid the bulk of the others, but you have an advantage. I can’t smell you at all.” “Well that’s an upside,” Silverspeed said dryly as the two walked quietly. “Ponies hate the forest. We never come in here unless we have to. It’s scary in here, we usually avoid it at all costs. Ponies don’t even know you’re all in here.” “Then why are you in here?” Fern asked curiously as she pressed Silverspeed against a wall and the pegasus reached for her knife again as two deer walked past and she paused. “Haven’t you seen the sky?” Silverspeed asked incredulously and waved a hoof. “Eternal night and all, Nightmare Moon? We’re trying to find her so we can stop her somehow.” “We all noticed the sky. The council said it was the ponies trying to cast a spell on us,” Fern stated as she lead Silverspeed further into the camp. “Hmph. Sounds to me you’re being lied to,” Silverspeed noted flatly. “We really don’t like this whole eternal night thing either. How does the trials go?” “Don’t know. We aren’t allowed in during the trials but if they are found innocent, they get sent back to their families.” “Who’s the jury then if you aren’t allowed in?” Silverspeed asked and Fern gave her a confused look. “What’s a jury?” Fern asked and Silverspeed raised an eyebrow. “You know, twelve ponies who have to be there and overlook the evidence to declare a pony guilty or not guilty. It’s like the law I’m pretty sure. You don’t have a jury?” Silverspeed asked and Fern shook her head. “That’s unusual. So how do you know the courts aren’t rigged?” “Well I guess we just trust them to make the right decision,” Fern shrugged and Silverspeed snorted. “So you don’t have jury’s, you aren’t allowed in the room when trials are going on. Have you even seen the ponies leaving your village?” Silverspeed demanded and Fern paused before shaking her head. “No I haven’t now that you mention it. But if they don’t get released then where are they?” Fern asked Silverspeed gritted her teeth. “That’s what we’re going to find out.” The pair approached a dome shaped building as Silverspeed examined a rusty lock. “How exactly do you plan on getting in?” Fern asked as Silverspeed let go of the lock, turned around and bucked it with her legs and the lock shattered. “Like that.” The pair snuck into a room with a large platform over some water as Silverspeed narrowed her eyes at the five mares on top. “Can you move?” Sunset asked as Silverspeed grabbed Fern and flew to a nearby beam above them. “No,” Derpy whispered back as she tried to bite the vines off. “Silence or you’ll be held in contempt of this court!” The oldest deer shouted and Silverspeed glared at him. “I have nothing but contempt for this court!” Sunset shot back angrily as she stared at them. “Let us go.” “Guilty or innocent?” “Innocent,” one said dismissively as the platform fell and Silverspeed dropped Fern on the beam as the doe stared with wide eyes and Silverspeed inhaled, diving off the beam and catching them. “Silverspeed?” Shoeshine asked as she set them down and cut the vines off. “The one and only,” Silverspeed smirked as Derpy hugged her. “We thought you abandoned us,” Derpy admitted as Sunset stretched her legs. “Nah. Just had to find a way in,” Silverspeed pointed at Fern as the doe jumped off some nearby pillars and landed in front of them. “Of course, I had to threaten to kill her repeatedly but you know, wasn’t about to let you all be executed.” “Thanks,” Roseluck smiled back as Sunset levitated up the shark and dropped it. “Does that thing have freaking legs?” “What is that?” Fern screamed as Sunset shrugged “You tell us. You’re one of them after all,” Sunset scoffed as the shark snapped it’s jaws at them. “Kill them!” One of the deer shouted from his throne and Sunset slammed a hoof on the floor. “I say execute them!” Sunset snapped and pointed a hoof up at them as the shark looked between the two. “Okay,” it shrugged and ran at the older deer. “Did that thing just speak?” Derpy asked as her jaw dropped. “I think so. After all this, the talking shark thing surprises you?” Roseluck pointed out. “Talk later, run now!” Trixie suggested as the seven took off running to the doors. “What now?” Silverspeed asked as she galloped next to Sunset. “Get your armor and find the castle. You’re very brown,” Sunset noted as Silverspeed blushed. “Mud.” “Ah.” “I can show you the castle,” Fern admitted as they all looked warily at the smaller doe. “I’ve been there, not far from here.” “Fine but don’t make me regret this,” Sunset warned as the seven made it outside and ignored the terrified screaming coming from behind them. “Which way?” “This way,” Fern paused and pointed as she took off. With a wary glance at her, the six took off after her.