//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: The Dragon's Eye 
// Story: A special request 
// by chaos2012 
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"Th-The Dragon's eye?" the words were nearly impossible for Applejack to say as she looked down into the gulley that was there next obstacle.

The valley in front of her was two miles across, and the bottom was at least a thousand feet below her. The sheer size of the valley could have fit all of Canterlot inside, and the top of the royal palace would not have reached the top of the cliffside. It was one of the largest things she had ever seen.

What bothered Applejack most though was not its size, but it's appearance; the entire valley was devoid of any form of plant life, it's plain brown surface gleaming in the sun. Littering the bottom of the wide basin were large boulders and Jagged rocks scattered throughout. The seemingly wasteland was the last place the farmer wanted to go into.

Applejack took her gaze off the valley and looked over to Zecora, who had started to walk towards a small path leading down the side, "Zecora, do we really have to go through there?"

Zecora turned to look back to the worried farmer, "Yes we do, Applejack. This is the next part of our track. If we hurry and make our way, we can be out of here by mid day."

"Wait..." Applejack called out, "Before we go, why Is this place called that?"

"The valley is home to a small species of drake. They fly through it and burn in their wake. If you noticed that there are no plants through here, it it because those beasts have burned it all my dear."

Applejack felt her heart racing at hearing there really were dragons through here, "How am ah supposed to stay calm when there are darn dragons flying through here!?"

"You must control the fear that runs in your heart, for if you don't it will pull you apart."

"But, if there are dragons-"

"If you look down below, do you see any around? The skies are clear and they are not abound. We have to hurry before they do come by, for I do not want to be seen by a drakes eye."

"Al-alright." Applejack gulped as she began to follow Zecora down the narrow path that slowly descended down the face of the cliff. 'Alright AJ...' she thought to herself, 'Ya have to do this for Applebloom.'

Walking along, Applejack could see why the path alone was so dangerous to travel; while some parts of the winding trail was decent width, some parts were only a few feet wide, causing her to lean against the wall to her side. The surface of the ground was a flat sandstone, which under unsteady hooves will cause the walker to slip.

Going down, both of the travellers took their times with their steps as they descended. Several times as she put her hoof down, Applejack would feel the sand beneath her slide out, causing a quick stumble. Quickly recovering, she would lay back against the rock for a moment to calm her breathing before continuing. 

Zecora slowly continued down the path, constantly glancing out to the horizon for any kind of movement in the sky. Every time she heard something, her tail immediately whipped for her bag, preparing for whatever might come. She turned back, seeing Applejack right behind her, "You are doing quite well. You put your mind to the task I can tell."

Applejack cracked a small grin at the compliment, "He, Ah'm not gonna let this stop me."

"That is good to hear. Come now, we are almost halfway my dear." smiling, Zecora turned and continued down.

After several more minutes, they were about two hundred feet up from the bottom. Seeing they were close gave Applejack a wave of relief over herself. That wave quickly dwindled away though, after she saw the next obstacle, "Oh my...".

For the next forty feet of the path, the trail seemed like it was impassable. Most of it was only twenty inches across, narrower than anything they had walked yet. Jagged cracks ran through the stone and down the edge of the cliff, making it appear like it would crumble at the slightest of pressure.

Zecora began to slowly approach it, but felt her cloak tugged back. She looked around to see a terrified zebra looking at her. Applejack released the cloth so to speak, "Zecora, ah don't think ah can do that."

Zecora tried to give a reassuring smile to calm her friend, "I know it is risky and frightening, but by sitting our time is tightening. Listen well and hear with intent, trust in me and trouble we will prevent."

"But what if ah fall?"

"That will not happen my friend. And if something happens, I'll help you until the end." after that, Zecora slowly began to walk across the narrow ledge, having to rub her right side tight against the face of the cliff to be able to get room for her hooves to rest on the skinny way. Very hesitantly, she moved one hoof in front of the other, steadily making her way across.

Applejack felt her heart ramming in her chest as she watched Zecora make her way across. She gasped as she saw a small corner of the ledge crumble under a step, "Watch out Zecora!"

"Don't worry, i am fine.." Zecora called out, "... Just wait until i'm over until you walk on this line."

After another minute, she made it to the other side of the pathway. Zecora turned back to Applejack, "Okay, now you can start. Watch your step, for it could fall apart."

Applejack frowned across the gap at her, 'That doesn't help one bit.' she thought to herself. Looking down to the path, she couldn't stop from glancing below to the valley floor, taking in just how far it was below. Beads of sweat dripped down her head and began to soak into the inside trim of her hat. She tilted it up to get air to her hair for a moment, "Alriht, here ah go."

Ever so slightly, she put her hooves down, one after another as she crept her way across. She could feel her side scraping against the rough stone of the cliff, but she didn't dare take any pressure off. She continued to cross, when suddenly a small slab of the edge broke out from under her back hoof.

"Dah!" Applejack nearly lost her balance as her leg fell through with the stone. Quickly catching herself, she wedged her body against the wall, eyes filled with pure fear, "Ah can't do this!" she yelled out.

"Yes you can, move forward and go. Stopping breaks the moving flow." Zecora responded.

"Ah can't! Ah'm gonna fall." she clenched her eyes and pressed her face against the stone.

"Applejack, ignore the cliff and look at me. Make me the only thing that you see."

Applejack slowly opened her eyes, trying to do just what Zecora told her to do. She stared straight at her, trying to ignore everything around her and her trembling body. Slowly, she got up, taking one baby step at a time.

Zecora smiled at her friends progress, "you are doing it well. Keep it up, you are almost here if you couldn't tell."

Applejack glanced down for just a moment and saw she only had ten feet left. She slightly smiled at how she was so close. 

"Come on, just a few more.." Zecora said, "You can-"

Her voice was cut off by cracking rocks, and the scream of Applejack as she fell.