The security system within Twilight's Castle had been designed by Twilight herself a few weeks before moving to Canterlot, as part of handing over the place to Starlight Glimmer.
Since her student would soon be the headmare of the School of Friendship, Twilight not only wanted to give her a house but also a home where she could feel safe. Of course, this was an exaggerated idea, unconsciously born from the stress caused by her upcoming coronation as the ruler of Equestria. Nevertheless, it was a thorough job that went through up to five versions and four updates in its final version, the latter with Princess Luna's approval, so no one could say it had been irresponsible planning.
However, she didn't have enough time to implement it and only left the blueprints to Starlight, along with a manual and other instructions on how to improve the castle in the future...
A moment earlier, at the security post of Twilight's Castle.
"We need to tell Headmare Starlight right away!" said a worried voice.
"Wait! We should talk to Counselor Trixie first and apologize," interrupted another, calmer voice.
"That can wait," added a voice in a casual tone.
"Haven't you seen the ghosts outside?" replied the previously calm voice, now grave.
Listening to the discussion among her peers, Smolder loudly chewed gum. She seemed relaxed in her seat, but she was actually very uncomfortable with the situation. So uncomfortable that she felt like she could breathe dragon fire at any moment.
Just as a bit of smoke began to trickle from her nose, a double "beep-beep" whistle in the air caught her attention, and the red light in the corner of the control panel, which she had repaired in record time, changed from red to green.
"Phew, just in time. HEY, GUYS!" exclaimed Smolder, grabbing her peers' attention. "Look, I don't know how this will all turn out, but we need to open the doors now. We can't just leave Counselor Trixie outside the castle. If she's mad at us, then so be it! We're just following orders from Headmare Starlight, so technically, we haven't done anything wrong."
Her peers fell silent, pondering her words. She was right, but that didn't diminish the great concern they felt. Trixie had summoned some extremely intimidating ghosts to the castle gates. They didn't understand how she had done it, but they were sure it wasn't part of a recreational show, like the ones she often boasted about.
It was a certainty that she had summoned these unknown entities with a hostile purpose.
"Isn't it dangerous, Smolder? What if the counselor, well... let's say, given her state, loses it?" Silverstream asked, remembering the bottle of cider Trixie had left at the castle entrance.
"Well, that could happen, or it might not. We don't know," Smolder replied, keeping her cool. "What we do know is that we need to confront her. As students of the School of Friendship who have taken on the security of this castle on behalf of Headmare Starlight, we need to act accordingly."
Again, her peers didn't immediately respond, looking at each other and murmuring agreement.
Smolder sighed inwardly, aware that things weren't going well. Normally, the team relied on Gallus or Ocellus to make decisions. However, Gallus harbored a strong hostility towards Trixie, which didn't help at all, and Ocellus was more indecisive than usual. The rest felt dragged into a situation they hadn't foreseen.
"It's like sticking our noses in the dragon lord's bed," Smolder thought for a moment. "If things are like this... Isn't this a good opportunity to take the lead?"
Most of the time, Smolder kept a low profile in the group's activities. She was energetic and helped others as best as she could, but she didn't usually take the initiative in the team's actions.
It was a good opportunity. A fire ignited within her. Smolder relished the idea.
"Besides... it's not like everyone needs to go outside. Gallus, Ocellus, and I should be enough; the rest can stay and see what happens. If something goes down, just activate the disaster alarm, and the headmare will communicate with you immediately."
"We should all go..." Ocellus retorted, but another of her peers was quicker to respond.
"Of course! We'll keep an eye on what happens! You can count on us!" exclaimed energetic Silverstream, while Yona and Sandbar nodded behind her, outside the room.
Gallus, lounging comfortably on the floor, shrugged. Only Ocellus stayed silent, looking off to the side, dissatisfied.
"Alright, no more discussion. Let's get to it!" said Smolder, confident in the commitment reached with her peers, as she pressed the button to open the castle doors.
A mysterious noise, like a drum, echoed down the hallway, catching everyone's attention. After a brief moment, it suddenly fell silent...
"What was that?" Gallus asked the others, his gaze for the first time appearing worried.
Nervously, Smolder looked at the button she had pressed on the panel. She was sure it was the one for opening the main doors. It said so in the manual!
"The manual..." an unpleasant feeling ran through her scaly dragon skin. Without saying another word, Smolder quickly grabbed the thick manual of the security system and began anxiously flipping through the last pages. The pages where authors usually added notes and acknowledgments...
Just as her peers began to notice that something was amiss with the castle doors' opening, someone else spoke up.
"Guys, I think there's a manticore loose in the upper hallway!" Silverstream pointed out, frightened, at the monitor displaying the main hallway leading to the castle doors.
It was true. To the surprise and dismay of her peers, a huge manticore had appeared out of nowhere and was heading towards the main door.
While everyone stared in astonishment at the monitor, Smolder could barely contain her panic as she finished reading the manual. "Oh no!" she muttered, making an effort not to be heard.
On one of the last pages was written in elegant black letters:
"... version 1.4 of the Castle of Friendship security system maintenance manual. Written by Princess Twilight Sparkle in collaboration with Princess Luna."
Further down were other words written in wild, colorful letters.
"... edited to perfection with lots of love, saved money, and friendship. By the best headmare in the world, Starlight Glimmer. With the help of her greatest and most powerful friend."
Ending those ominous words was a drawing of the smug face of a unicorn with a wizard hat winking.
The guardians of Eulfalia, cursed within an ancient urn, had spent their existence fulfilling the whims of all kinds of individuals who had possessed it: kings, adventurers, peasants, and more. Always longing deep in their hearts to one day break free from the spell that had deprived them of reuniting in the afterlife with their loved ones in the third heaven.
Thus, by the twists of fate, after a terrible amount of time, that wish was finally granted.
The leader of the guardians, Celenia Starwish, cried tears of joy for this blessed miracle. She could only feel the purest gratitude towards the person who had allowed them to be free.
That eccentric-looking pony was, indeed, the humblest and most generous there was in the world.
With these final thoughts, their spirits began to ascend, along with those of their other companions, leaving behind the cocoon of darkness woven by the malice of the emissary of the dark lord Ever Fand. Their free souls shone like swords towards the sky, until they finally spotted the right path among the stars and left behind the world they had once protected.
Like a sigh, the guardians of Eulfalia vanished at the gates of Twilight's castle, without a word of farewell or a story to remember them by.
There, before the peaceful castle gates, the sole witness to this extraordinary event, Trixie Lulamoon, observed the place where the guardians of Eulfalia had been before.
"Did they really just leave like that? They should have been polite and at least said goodbye. Ugh!" Trixie protested, annoyed by her ghosts' snub. But it was a fleeting feeling. There was no point in dwelling on them anymore; they had fulfilled their purpose, and she no longer needed them.
With this in mind, she turned her gaze back inside the castle. Now she just had to take care of the Young Six...
"GROUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" A roar that would chill anyone's blood came from the other end of the main hallway.
Trixie, astonished, with a sense of danger coursing through her body, watched as a huge shadow rose just a few meters away, charging towards her like an uncontrollable torrent.
"AUUUUUUUUUU HAUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" An intense growl, like that of a chicken being strangled, pierced the tranquil meadow outside Twilight's Castle.
Twilight's castle had a dungeon. It was somewhat challenging to reconcile with the title of "Princess of Friendship" that its owner held. However, the idea had not originated from Twilight but from Princess Luna, as part of the castle's security upgrades.
In Princess Luna's words: "... a castle without a dungeon is not a castle." Twilight could have easily refuted that, but since she had sought her advice, she decided to add it as an optional improvement.
Over time, the dungeon was built, and its guardian was none other than Goldroar, the manticore.
Goldroar stood out among his kind. He was a massive manticore, even larger than usual, with a scar on his right eye, a mane of black and golden stripes, sharp teeth and horns, claws protected by guards, an exceptionally long tail, and a saddle equipped with magical artifacts.
He was undoubtedly one of a kind. Fluttershy had met him and considered him very friendly, as intelligent as he was imposing. Princess Luna, for her part, had deemed him an exemplary subject and had promised him a job as a castle guardian after his retirement.
Goldroar understood his job perfectly and enjoyed it. Whenever he was called upon, he knew what to do: "Attack first, ask questions later." And this time would be no different.
Alerted by a message of attack, Goldroar finally received the call to action he had been eagerly awaiting since assuming his role as guardian of the castle. With excitement, he exited through a secret passage next to the main hallway and encountered his target at the entrance.
"Today is a good day for work," Goldroar thought, his eyes gleaming with delight before letting out a roar and charging towards his target.
"AUUUUUUUUUU HAUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Like a projectile launched from a cannon, Trixie's body soared through the sky, spinning like a lifeless puppet towards the meadow. Anyone witnessing that spectacle and hearing the accompanying wail would have feared the worst. However, just a few meters before hitting the ground, in an unexpected move, a magical bubble materialized around her, protecting her from such a deadly fall.
Within her magical bubble, Trixie bounced several meters, causing the flowers and grass of the meadow to spring up. Finally, she reached the nearest hill, where she came to a stop. The protective bubble faded away, and a dizzy Trixie fell to the ground.
"What was that?!" exclaimed the unicorn, still catching her breath. She didn't understand what had happened. No, if she understood anything, she had seen a huge shadow heading towards her, and then...
In the distance, still within her sight, Goldroar observed his target. It was astounding. Typically, anyone who received his direct charges would be knocked unconscious on the ground. However, the pony he had attacked was standing unscathed, without any harm. It made sense, as in the last second of his attack, she had raised a magical barrier that protected her before being launched into the air.
Still, considering the roar he had unleashed and his charge... How fast were that pony's reflexes?
Undoubtedly, she was a formidable opponent.
Aware of all this, Goldroar's adrenaline surged even more.
Standing now, Trixie looked to where she had been before. At the castle entrance, a huge manticore stared at her like a predator to its prey.
Unheard of, Trixie couldn't contain her shout.
"Who let the manticore out?!" she yelled furiously. Trixie knew her; it was the dangerous manticore that inhabited the castle dungeon, a dungeon she herself had ordered to be built. How could it have escaped? It was only permitted to do so if Starlight ordered it directly or if they activated the castle's last defense protocol...
A shiver ran down Trixie's spine. She remembered. The Young Six had told her they were testing the castle's security system. The only ones who could do this were them...
"Has everyone gone mad?! What are they thinking?!" Trixie shouted furiously, aware of the danger she was in.
In response to Trixie's cry, Goldroar began to advance towards her slowly.
Nervous, Trixie stepped back.
Goldroar continued to advance, and with each step, his figure became more imposing.
Although Trixie retreated, Goldroar's figure kept growing, drawing nearer.
"This isn't right! This isn't right!" Panic began to overwhelm the unicorn. It was obvious she couldn't fight a manticore, let alone a manticore like Goldroar. What should she do?
Goldroar kept advancing.
Trixie's instincts began to scream the obvious at her: she had to flee! But a part of her refused to do so. Her pride refused to accept that all the effort and tough decisions she had made up to that point had been in vain.
The potions... The urn... All those sacrifices.
She couldn't run, not when she was so close to achieving her goal. Trixie's pride overcame her fears, and a new determination arose within her.
She stopped retreating. She no longer felt afraid. She would fight!
As soon as the indecision vanished from Trixie's gaze and she took a firm stance, Goldroar retreated. More than a retreat, it was a leap backward, returning to the castle gates. In an instant, the manticore changed from an attacking to a defensive posture.
Trixie raised an eyebrow. She found it amusing. Just seconds ago, the huge manticore was about to pounce on her, and now it was hiding by the castle gate. It was an intelligent beast.
"You run! Well, well, I guess you understand that this pony isn't planning on fleeing," Trixie muttered to herself. At that distance, Goldroar might be able to hear her, but she didn't care.
Confident in her decision, Trixie began to advance with apparent confidence. Despite having been thrown into the air just a moment ago, she was now walking steadily towards the castle gates, where her attacker was. Anyone watching might think it was an act of pure arrogance and naivety, but it wasn't. Trixie wasn't showing off. Her walk subtly deviated from the straight path to the castle, moving closer to her trailer, which was in the middle of the way. Trixie had come up with a plan...
On the other side, however, she was closely watched. Trixie underestimated Goldroar's intelligence.
As soon as Trixie reached her trailer, Goldroar whipped his scorpion-like tail, as large as an anaconda; the tail spun like a snake seeking to catch prey in the air.
He found it.
The sharp tip of the tail caught one of the door handles and pulled it back. Immediately, he did the same with the other handle. Without ever taking his eyes off Trixie, Goldroar had closed the castle gates.
Trixie frowned. Had the manticore guessed her intentions?
"Hooo, so you really are the smartest manticore in Equestria," Trixie cheerfully murmured with a forced smile without stopping. It was, of course, a fake performance. Inside, Trixie was furious. She cursed the manticore.
Trixie's imagined plan was simple: reach her trailer and, from there, talk to the manticore. That would obviously be a futile effort, as she was sure the manticore wouldn't allow her in. So, she had thought of annoying him; when he lost his patience and charged at her again, she would hide behind the trailer and, from there, teleport to the castle gates. Once there, she would close the gates and leave the confused manticore outside. Her success would be perfect.
But now that wouldn't be possible anymore. The gates were closed. Goldroar already knew.
Having the most dangerous manticore in Equestria living as a guardian in the basement had seemed like a wonderful idea to Trixie at the time.
Now she could only regret it.
"Don't give up, Trixie! You still have your trailer, your amazing items, and, above all, your magic. You can do it!" Trixie kept advancing, encouraging herself inwardly. When she reached an ideal position near her trailer, she stopped.
Beside her was a box on the ground. It was the same box she had dropped before meeting the guardians of Eulfalia.
Glancing sideways at the box, Trixie smiled to herself. Now she had another brilliant plan.
The show was about to begin!
"Good morning, Mr. Giant Manticore. If I may have your attention..." Trixie introduced herself, casually dropping her hat to the side. "... we had a little altercation between us a moment ago. I trust this was a mistake. You see, I am the great... (she cleared her throat) Trixie Lulamoon, and I live here. I don't know what you've been told to welcome me like this. But I assure you that this is my home, and you're preventing me from entering."
Goldroar didn't respond. Trixie continued.
"I'm known for being a very tolerant pony, so I'm willing to overlook this slight, as long as you step aside immediately."
Trixie finished with a friendly voice sweetened by her characteristic accent. At that distance, about six meters, Trixie's voice should reach Goldroar without any problem.
Goldroar then let out a growl.
Trixie, wary of what the manticore might do, watched as Goldroar began to carefully rummage through the contents of his saddlebags with his tail. A moment later, held by his tail, a large metal plaque emerged from his back, similar to the plaques displayed at the entrance of houses. The plaque in question served a similar purpose, as it had some words written on it in large golden letters against a black background. It read: "GOLDROAR / will K.Y."
Trixie wasn't sure she understood that.
"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Goldroar. Right? I wasn't aware that was your name," Trixie apologized with a smile. She was half-lying; if she partially remembered the manticore's name, months ago he had mentioned it to her and Starlight in the meeting they had with Princess Luna during the dungeon's inauguration. However, that was unnecessary information that had no place in her short memory and ended up forgetting it.
Goldroar let out another growl. The plaque returned to his back.
Silence...
"Well, are you going to step aside?" Trixie asked impatiently. Goldroar didn't move.
"If you don't step aside, I'll inform my friend with whom you made your contract. You wouldn't want to be fired, would you?" Trixie threatened indirectly. But Goldroar didn't move.
Trixie was starting to get impatient. Goldroar wasn't reacting at all! She didn't like it. Even less did she like the look Goldroar had. It reminded her of that tough audience that she could never impress with her performances.
"Is this how you work? What a disappointment! I guess I have no choice but to inform my friend about this. Now if you'll excuse me..." Trixie said, picking up her hat. But she didn't finish her words. Many things happened at that moment.
Goldroar, who had remained unperturbed until then, moved. Quick as only he could be, he closed the distance to Trixie and, in one thrust, he launched his tail towards the hat she was picking up. The hat flew through the air and fell limply a few steps behind the surprised unicorn.
Trixie's trickery had been discovered.
Not only was she picking up her hat with her magic, but she was also retrieving the C-4 explosives box she had left behind some time ago, right when she encountered the ghosts of Eulfalia.
Goldroar had seen through Trixie's suspicious behavior. With his tail, he had caught the box. He didn't know what it contained, but his instincts warned him of potential danger. Ignoring the unicorn's look of dismay, he carefully brought the box closer to his nose.
The scent emanating from the box was one he knew all too well. It was gunpowder.
With a look of anger, Goldroar turned his attention towards Trixie.
"Oh, well, that's... um... a gift from my friend! Could you give it back to me, please?" Trixie said, smiling. But it was an obviously fake gesture; the intense feelings she held against the manticore could barely be concealed.
If Goldroar's gaze could speak at that moment, it would say something like: "I don't believe you."
Just then, a bell rang in the distance. From the Ponyville bell tower, it announced the midday morning call, that is, 12:30 in the afternoon. A perfect moment to take a break and prepare for a delightful lunch with family or friends.
For Trixie, that bell was the miraculous signal she needed to act.
Taking advantage of Goldroar's timely distraction, Trixie moved as swiftly as a bird backward, running until she positioned herself behind her trailer. Once there, she aimed her horn at Goldroar.
Surprised, it took Goldroar a few seconds to understand what the unicorn intended to do; it was obvious and futile for the pony to try to attack him with the magic of her horn. Goldroar had high defenses; an attack from a mere unicorn wouldn't be enough. However, a spark of fear ignited within him when he noticed she wasn't aiming at his body... but at the box!
A shiver ran down Goldroar's skin. However, the fear he felt was sudden and controlled. In an instant, he assessed it coldly; he wasn't a novice. If the box exploded beside him, he would be very injured but wouldn't die. He had no doubt about this outcome. He just needed to make sure the box wasn't damaged.
Three beams of magic shot towards him. With grace, Goldroar evaded them all; none of the beams even came close to hitting him, let alone the box. But the attack didn't end there.
Behind the trailer, Trixie continued her offensive, firing more beams from her horn, desperate to hit her target.
Goldroar continued dodging, moving with grace and agility. He performed precise turns on one foot, shaking his mane under the bright midday sun. Anyone watching would think he was dancing, and indeed, in a way he was: a unique dance born from the warrior's training and battlefield experience.
After unleashing a long barrage of magic beams, Trixie stopped. Sweat was pouring down her forehead like rain; she had exhausted all her magic and was completely drained. Exhausted, she watched Goldroar casually adjust his mane. He hadn't broken a sweat; there was even a playful look in his eyes, as if he were enjoying the show.
Seeing this, anger exploded in Trixie like a volcano.
"IT'S NOT FAIR! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HIT YOU IF YOU WON'T STOP MOVING?!" she shouted furiously, beside herself with rage. Trixie's new brilliant plan had just collapsed, just as Goldroar had surmised. Trixie had planned to use the explosive box to incapacitate him; however, with her intentions guessed, Goldroar took hold of the box. And Trixie had no choice but to destroy it from a distance, even knowing how dangerous it could be for her being so close. Yet, despite Trixie's concentrated attack, it wasn't enough; Goldroar's agility had outmatched her.
All the confidence and assurance Trixie had felt had plummeted to its lowest depths.
On the other hand, Goldroar was more composed. His opponent was finished; she had no more magic. It was disappointing, as he had expected more, but he shouldn't act arrogantly. Such behavior was for the weak...
"Grrrrrr," he growled in annoyance. Goldroar looked at the explosive box he still held with his tail. What should he do with it? After scanning the meadow, he noticed a small lake in the distance.
Without much thought, Goldroar flicked his tail. Just like one would sling a stone with a slingshot, Goldroar's tail flicked and launched the explosive box towards the lake. It spun through the air like a disc until it reached the water.
"ZAPPPPP." A bolt of magic crossed the meadow and struck the explosive box in the air. The box split open, and several packets of explosives fell into the lake like rain. Wet, the explosives sank, disappearing from sight.
"HA HA HA, YOU SEE! I DID HIT HIM. YOU THOUGHT I COULDN'T, RIGHT? BUT I DID! I DID IT! HA HA HA," behind her trailer, Trixie rolled ecstatically among tears for her Pyrrhic victory.
Her only success the whole morning.
Goldroar was puzzled. He scratched his head with a claw. He couldn't understand this pony. Using what little magic she had left in that way, instead of fleeing, was strange. Blowing up the explosives far from him served no purpose. So, why was she so happy?
Moreover, why was she doing all of this?
Goldroar knew Trixie; he knew she was friends with the current owner of the castle. A moment ago, he had recognized her just as he was about to attack her on the hill; embarrassed, he returned to the gates and waited for her to give him the security code to let her in.
However...
Trixie didn't. Throughout that time, she acted like a stranger, as if she had never seen him before, as if she didn't know anything about the security protocols she should follow. To Goldroar, this seemed very suspicious, and he never let his guard down.
Now, with everything that had happened, Goldroar suspected even more. Perhaps she really wasn't the owner's friend, but another individual pretending to be her... If that were the case, then knocking her unconscious must be fine.
Sure of his logic, Goldroar began to advance towards Trixie.
Trixie, still celebrating, froze at the sight of Goldroar advancing. It was like watching a giant rock rolling towards her. Although her body was free from restraints, she didn't move. Her limbs were too tired, all her magic was gone, and her will to fight had completely withered under the shadow of the terrible creature that was Goldroar.
Everything had gone wrong. What else could she do?
Goldroar finally reached her. His imposing figure loomed like a wall of steel about to collapse on her.
"Fine! ... If you're going to eat me, just do it!" shouted Trixie, maintaining a defiant posture. Though at that moment, a flash of strangeness seemed to cross the manticore's gaze, Trixie chose to ignore it and closed her eyes firmly.
"I'm sorry, Starlight... here ends our friendship," Trixie murmured to herself, her last words directed to her friend, resonating in the tense silence.
There, awaiting her end, Trixie waited...
And waited...
Several minutes passed, but nothing happened. Finally, Trixie cautiously opened her eyes.
Goldroar was gone.
Confused, Trixie scanned her surroundings nervously. That was when she spotted Goldroar exiting through the castle gates. How had he returned so quickly? And even more surprisingly, his appearance had completely changed; he had abandoned his imposing armor to wear a straw hat and a T-shirt, he even sported sunglasses. He seemed ready for a vacation.
Indeed, Goldroar was leaving. He hastily closed the castle gates and walked away down the main path, but not before crossing paths with Trixie again, whom he bid farewell to by nodding his head in an enigmatic gesture.
After a few minutes, his large silhouette disappeared over the hill.
Absorbed, Trixie couldn't understand what had just happened.
The unknown presence knew it. This was the moment she had been waiting for all morning.
Royalinda, hidden among the bushes, finally saw her chance. Leaping out from the shrubs behind Trixie, she lunged like an open trap towards the pony's uncovered head. Every millisecond in that leap was a moment of satisfaction as she watched her unsuspecting prey ignorant of her threat. It had been genuine torture for her to wait so long. But it would soon be over; Trixie was already hers...
However, just inches from reaching her target, something happened. The world around her seemed to spin and turn translucent. In an instant, the air seemed to compress around her. Bewildered, Royalinda attempted to change her trajectory, but her gelatinous body collided with invisible walls.
Her body began to spin out of control until it finally came to a stop. With her senses still altered, Royalinda heard an unfamiliar voice speaking to her.
"I've got you!"
Several minutes had passed, and Trixie was still gazing at the hill where Goldroar had disappeared. It was then that she noticed the voice behind her. She turned around. Although the astonishment on her face hadn't yet disappeared. She was surprised once again to find the 'unknown presence' that had been observing everything that had happened in front of the castle during the morning.
There, beside her trailer, stood Derpy Hooves with a jar between her hooves. She was wearing a black leather jacket with the initials 'LESSON' on its sides.
"I've got you! I've got you! I've got you! I've got you!" the pegasus exclaimed joyfully, celebrating the capture she had made a moment ago.
Inside the jar she held, an orchid-octopus thrashed furiously, spitting bubbles of anger.
Observing this spectacle and unaware of how the castle's magic barrier was reactivating behind her, Trixie still couldn't make sense of anything.
Goldroar, the manticore, hurried along the path that crossed the hill. It was unusual to see him in such a rush, considering how leisurely he usually took the journey home after work.
As he walked, a thought lingered in his mind: "How could I have forgotten?" The fight he had had had distracted him too much. Although he was very excited about his job, today was a holiday; leaving work at midday was the norm, and he, on the other hand, had been delayed by having to deal with that pony.
Returning to that point... was it okay to leave the pony like that, with nothing else?
Goldroar shook his mane a little, letting go of that thought. That didn't matter anymore. Matters outside of working hours were not his responsibility. What was important was that he was on his way home to his wife; he wouldn't be long now.
He was in a hurry, and for good reason; a delicious surprise was waiting for him. He knew this because he had caught his wife bringing home a bulky prey the night before. From the smell he had caught in the middle of the night, he deduced that it was a "spin-rabbit," a true delicacy among manticores. If he added this to his wife's habits, he was sure that the afternoon lunch would be something memorable.
The fact that she had hidden it so carefully from him was proof of her love. She was so affectionate... and she was also a bit wild. But the latter made her even more special to him.
"Special?" A new thought stopped Goldroar in his tracks for a moment. He had just realized something obvious. This day was the longest day of the year. This day was a special day.
Could it be that the night would bring more surprises...?
Goldroar licked his teeth at the thought.
With a quickened pace, he strode along the path until he crossed the bridge. He paid no attention to the body of the old pony floating downstream or the danger signs against orchid-octopuses on the other bank. And so, without further ado, he ventured into the Everfree Forest.