Chapter 11: Storms
Sunlight was just beginning to peek through the tightly clustered branches above the group as they trotted on, their pursuit shaken sometime during the course of the night. The ragged breathing of Novell’s companions buzzed in his ears, but even so they didn’t flag. A few times in their flight, Whisper’s wounds had reopened and forced them to stop in order to halt the renewed bleeding. Each time they did this, the mare’s face grew paler and paler beneath the Professor’s magical glow, but she kept the forced pace with a grim determination.
Even with his eyes burning from lack of sleep, Novell worried over his friend’s worsening condition. He didn’t know how long Whisper could continue galloping like this before she finally collapsed. Come to think of it, I don’t know how long any of us can, his tired mind put in.
A slight squishing sound came from the top of his head as Swirley repositioned himself for the umpteenth time, setting his teeth on edge. Little more than an hour after they escaped Minh the Minotaur, he’d offered to take the little mollusk and relieve Whisper of the burden of carrying him. Since then, a small part of him was beginning to regret it, but he waved away Pensive’s attempts to take turns. Better he be tired than the others - they were all smarter, faster, and stronger than he was, after all.
Another squish brought his wandering mind back on track. I don’t know how she deals with this, Novell thought with a shiver. It’s so...slimy.
Their hoofbeats blended together into a dull background noise that lulled the pegasus into a half comatose state, barely capable of keeping his eyes open. A burning sensation in his neck from his newfound cargo was a constant irritation, though the stitch in his side and cramping leg muscles were a close second. Thankfully Pensive and the Professor had taken the lead, giving the rest of the party ample time to locate any roots or rocks that seemed ever present. He didn’t fancy the thought of tripping and adding a broken nose to his pains.
Finally, they all stopped as if in unspoken agreement, falling over onto the grass with little care where they landed. As Novell closed his eyes and the snail tumbled off his head, he noticed that the sounds of the forest were no longer present. All that his ears picked up was the heavy breathing of his companions, from the wheezing inhalations of Whisper to the rumble of the Professor’s barrel chest.
Naturally, the grey coated unicorn was the first to recover his voice. “I say, that was quite the jog. I’ve not had to run for so long since the time I had a half blind Diamond Dog mistake my horn for a jewel.” He paused to take a deep breath for another ramble. “That was quite the adventure, let me tell you. Nearly drooled all over my precious mustache when he finally caught me! Disgusting creatures and none too bright, if I might add!”
“Shu...shu’p...” Quills wearily got out between breaths.
A bubble of mirth rose through Novell at her words, so stubbornly against the Professor even now. Spots danced before his eyes as he laughed around his diaphragm’s attempts to suck in more air. A few seconds later, Scrolls added his chuckles to the din, followed quickly by Professor Search’s deep chortling and Whisper’s pained snickers. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Pensive smirking, though whether it was because he understood the joke or because their laughter was infectious, the pegasus couldn’t tell.
Eventually the moment passed, their bodies slowly recovering from the abuse they had been put through during the night. New sounds began to occur as they rested, birds just beginning to sing in the morning’s light, jays and sparrows flocking through the trees. Raccoons and other nocturnal creatures were retiring to their dens in a grumbling resignation as the sun rose. Surprisingly normal for a forest said to be magical, Novell noticed, flicking his eyes around to examine the life.
There is little chaos here, despite its reputation. Even though it is mystical, there is a certain order here that my Originator would find most unpleasant, the familiar voice of a certain teal unicorn whispered in his mind.
“Tell that to the Minotaur we met last night,” Novell said out loud, wondering if there was some kind of system the unicorn could see but he could not. A new thought occurred to him, grimacing as he realized nopony else knew he was talking to Pensive. Still, either they were ignoring his crazypony talk or they didn’t hear him, because there was no scathing reply from either of the girls.
Moments passed with a relaxed pace as he stared up at the branches above him, no longer seeming to reach for him like he thought he had seen under the cover of darkness. In fact, if he were to think anything, it would be that the forest was quite beautiful in the light. Not that I want to stay here any longer, he thought quickly in case anything malevolent was listening. Who knows what other kind of things wake up during the day.
As if in answer to his ruminations, a sudden wind picked up around him, whipping his mane to and fro. With panicked urgency, the pegasus stood back up to his hooves, the rest of his small party following his lead. They all stared at the branches above as the light shafts died and finally guttered away like a candle deprived of oxygen.
The trees began to groan in a wicked counterpoint to the rustling of their leaves, the birds that had but recently been flitting about returning to their dens with frightened squawks and titters. Even from beneath the shelter of the trees, Novell could understand what was happening, his eyes finding Whisper’s just before the wind hit them full force. He only had time to scream one word before the storm exploded around them, lightning charring trees left and right while sleet, rain, and snow swirled and pierced the ground.
“Cover!”
Novell squinted his eyes against the sudden deluge, his wings fluttering almost uncontrolled until he tucked them tight against his lean frame. The Professor was glancing about worriedly while the twins clung to one another and stared as fire began to issue from a tree nearby. The merriment that had filled their corner of the Everfree had vanished, replaced with fear and confusion.
He tried to open his mouth to speak again, but the wind stole his words away from him, a small dust devil whipping around his body. A glimmer of panic gripped him as he realized what was going on, his light body already beginning to leave the ground. He flailed around and tried to steady himself with his wings, which proved to be a mistake.
As soon as they extended, they billowed outward painfully and pulled him along in a tight circle. Nausea overtook him as he swirled around and around, flashes of grey and orange and grey again meeting his blurred vision. A glimpse of teal was his only warning before something slammed into his body and knocked him out of the miniature whirlwind.
What little breath he still had whooshed out as they impacted the ground, his oxygen starved brain trying to reason why Whisper hadn’t used her talent to shut off the wind. Whisper!
He spied the pegasus being sheltered by both Scrolls and the Professor, the unicorn standing firm against the wind with a faint shimmer of white magic surrounding them. A second later, Quills’ off-white coat filled his vision, her screams dim in his ears against the storm.
Even with the noise, her words seemed to have an effect on the stallion currently straddling him, because Pensive’s horn lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree. A field of blue materialized around the three ponies, the wind instantly cutting off and leaving them breathless.
Concentration was etched over their shield pony’s face, though the unicorn still had the presence of mind to let Novell regain his hooves. He did so unsteadily, coughing a few times before his speech returned.
“Thanks,” Novell started hoarsely, blinking his eyes to remove the dust that had adhered to them during his not so merry-go-round. The world spun nauseatingly as he looked around, a headache already beginning to form from the abuse.
“Where in the hay did that come from?” Quills screeched, echoing painfully in the bubble of magic enough for it to flicker slightly. The adolescent pony winced as Pensive gave her a frown, toning her voice down a few octaves. “Sorry.”
“Well, this is the Everfree,” the pegasus returned, staring outside their shelter as the storm raged on. The fire that had started had morphed into a green tint, warring against the varieties of water raining from the sky with unrestrained vigor. Before he could process that strange sight, it shifted into a blue flame and then back again. He shook his head worriedly and let his gaze drop back toward the filly.
Quills seemed to think his words over for a second before the splintering of wood drew her attention. “Look out!”
Novell turned just in time to see a weeping willow’s trunk break apart at the middle and lurch forward toward them. Its vine like leaves rushed at them as if eager to choke their life away, the tree itself seeming to have a grim visage engraved in its bark. With his heart in his throat, the pegasus dove to the side with the other two ponies, the shield thankfully holding as Pensive fell with them.
The ground rocked beneath their hooves as the trunk crashed so close to them, the first thought on the Novell’s mind for his friends. He jumped to his hooves and let his eyes flit around to encompass the group. Quills was beside him, already beating against the shield and screaming for her brother while Pensive sat on his haunches, closing his eyes as sparks began to flash into existence where his horn met his head.
“Scrolls? Scrolls!”
Tell her they’re fine, Pensive’s strained voice echoed in his mind. He blinked as he stared around the tree, eager to confirm his friends were still in one piece. A choked gasp came from the pegasus as he saw Whisper laying on the ground, her damaged wing twisted alarmingly in the wrong direction. The pegasus began hyperventilating as he imagined how much pain that must have caused the mare, worry worming through his gut with all the subtlety of the raging storm beating against their shield.
He reached for his head as it began to swim, thanking the Goddesses that he wasn’t carrying the sna- Wait, where’s Swirley? His eyes shot open as he looked for Whisper’s pet, his mind already drawn to the worst possible outcome as he stared at the fallen willow. Oh, she’s going to kill me if Swirley’s-
His thoughts were drowned out by another flash of lightning slamming into the tree between the six ponies, the crash of its passing rattling through his skull and blinding him all at once.
Blinking away the glare, Novell swiveled his ears to get rid of the buzzing in them and wondered why he didn’t have cloudmuffs to help his father today. Thundermane was going to kill hi- wait. He glanced around, confused as to why he was on the ground before everything rushed back to him at once. Sight, hearing, memory - all of it returned with a sickening suddenness - he wasn’t in Hoofington, but in the Everfree!
Even as he recovered, he noticed all the hair on his body was standing on end, Quills and Pensive equally affected as their unfocused eyes glanced around dumbly. Novell noted idly that not only was the shield around them no longer present, but neither was the sinister weather that had just plagued them. Even so, the woods were still dark, the currents of air whipping his mane to and fro enough for him to sense the storm was only biding its time.
“Is everypony alright?” the Professor’s voice came suddenly, snapping the pegasus out of his trance. His eyes stared toward the trunk of the tree on the ground next to them, the grey unicorn’s head poking through the canopy of snake-like tendrils. Worry was etched across his friend’s face, which brightened considerably when Novell nodded his head and reached to help Quills up.
“What in the hay was that?” the earth pony repeated, her anger already resurfacing as she waved away his hoof.
Pensive chose that moment to recover, adding his guess in answer. “I believe that was a Mana Vortex. The storms sometimes come about in the mountains nearest this forest.”
“Quite so, lad,” the Professor answered gravely, his eyes fixed above at the gaps in the canopy that revealed a blue-tinged gray sky. Novell could feel the clouds roiling above, grumbling unnaturally with a foreign energy. “Still, that is the least of our problems.”
“What do you mean?” the pegasus asked, but his nose answered him before anypony else. The acrid stench of smoke wafted by and he swung his head toward the direction of what was beginning to become a crackling blaze. An irrational nervousness filled him at the sight of the flames, as he was no longer protected by the storm or a unicorn’s shield. His wings fluttered anxiously and he fought the urge to take to the sky in a full-blown panic.
“We need to get out of here,” Novell gritted out as Quills clambered over the trunk to get to Whisper and her twin. “Which way is Ponyville, Professor?”
“Ah, that is but one of the problems I was just about to mention,” said the Professor delicately. “My compass has been ‘shorted out’, as it were, by the mana vortex, as well as most of my directional and teleportation spells. Pensive and I were lucky we could create a shield to withstand the worst of it with all the confused leylines, magical conduits that cover the globe, everywhere.”
A despondent feeling came over the pegasus then. “How much longer does Whisper have?”
“Less than a day, now,” Quills replied from behind the tree trunk, sounding stricken. “That storm hurt her even more. I don’t know...she’s shaking. I remember reading somewhere that bad weather affects pegasi differently than other ponies?”
Novell opened his wings and quickly flapped over to Whisper, a bright note against the darkness as he saw Swirley was nuzzling her cheek. Even with that, the alabaster pony still felt an almost crippling sense of disaster when he saw her shallow breathing and pained expression. Her eyes were closed, but moving rapidly under her eyelids.
“Which way is Ponyville? Do we have any idea?” he asked hollowly, as if listening from outside his body.
“That general direction is my best guess, lad,” the Professor said softly, Novell following the unicorn’s hoof to where it pointed. He stared at the direction for a few seconds before glancing upwards. It’s too dense to fly through, he despaired. No, no, focus. Move now. Worry later.
He drew in a deep breath and nodded, feeling the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. “Then that’s the way we go.”
“Whatever we do, we need to do it now. I think she’s descending into a feverish state,” Quills put in tremulously, drawing his attention. There were tears in her eyes, but her customary fierce expression was back in place. Gone was the frightened young pony, a feat that he admired.
“Before we do leave, I believe a litter wouldn’t go out of place. I’m sure she would be more comfortable in it than being slung across one of our backs,” Professor Search’s kindly voice interjected.
With another nod, they set to work, continuously monitoring the fire in case it decided to spread. Despite their attention, the little flame was sitting resolutely in the same spot, shifting through various colors as it burned through the strange wood. Novell had noticed Swirley’s own shell responding as the snail stared into the dancing embers.
Within minutes, they had arranged the unconscious mare in a litter made of vines and sturdy branches they’d found broken off from the storm. The sky grumbled above them as they finished their work, the party setting off into the Everfree once more. Novell hoped they didn’t run into any other troubles, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was staring and laughing at his misfortunes.
*****
The rain had started up again an hour after they had left the site of the mana vortex, the party wearily trudging through the mud and puddles it had kicked up in its passing. Moisture coated the air in a dense humidity that set them all to sweating ‘as if they were in a tropical rain forest near the borders of Dromadry, the kingdom of the camels’.
That last bit of knowledge was courtesy of their resident adventurer, who had recounted for the second time now his encounter with the crafty desert folk. Novell felt his worries dulling as he listened to the old unicorn and wondered at the effect the stories had on the group.
Quills and Scrolls were listening, enraptured, even if the filly periodically tried to turn her head away, only to turn it right back around. Pensive just stared ahead as he pulled Whisper in the litter, nodding every now and then at the Professor’s words.
“There I was, in the midst of the mosquito ridden forest near the deserts of Dromadry, no food, no water and nothing but my wits to keep me from being a python’s next meal. Those reptiles certainly were unfriendly, I must say, eating anything that moved, even somepony as large as me!” the Professor exclaimed. “But I digress, the Rainberry Rainforest, silly name as it is, was just like this, filled with predators of all kinds! As I reached the end of my rations, I found myself beginning to snack on whatever I could find. Tree bark, the thin strands of grass every now and then, and, of course, the wondrous berries the forest is named after! Ah, but that could not sustain me for long and it felt like everything around me knew it! As I grew weaker, the others became bolder...”
Professor Search looked at them all, theatrically waving a hoof in front of him as they trotted, his voice a whisper. “And then, right when I felt myself slipping away and with a mighty panther bearing down on me, the Dromadaries showed themselves!” Novell’s eyes were as wide as saucers at that, such was his friend’s spellbinding vocal talent, but the unicorn wasn’t done. “Despite their ponderous looking shapes, these camels were fast! With a wild, growling war cry like the sound of gravel running on gravel, my rescuers launched themselves at the panther with abandon! It tried to claw them, but they drew back their heads and spit right into its face!”
“What?” Quills cried out incredulously. “They spit in its face?
The Professor harrumphed at the interruption of his story, taking only a moment to check on Whisper’s sleeping form before responding. “Well, of course, my dear. They are camels, after all. But that wasn’t the end! After they blinded the beast with their precision expectoration, they surrounded it on all sides but one, honking and growling and stomping their ‘feet’, as they call them. The panther, disoriented and outnumbered, retreated with little more than a mewling whine. I only found out much later that they are not a very warlike people, as they told me, but that they know well a deception is just as good as the real thing.”
“Isn’t lying against Princess Celestia’s teachings, though?” Novell asked, reminding the old unicorn of what he mentioned shortly before they had met Pensive. He sneezed as they entered some kind of grove with strange purple flowers, but Professor Search didn’t seem concerned by it, so he ignored them.
“In some cases, my boy, lying is survival. Take, for instance, this stick,” the Professor pointed at a strange stick with too many smaller branches to be natural. “This is a bug, but it looks as if it were made of wood. It is a defense against predators, such as birds or toads. That is not to say you should lie regularly, but sometimes it is necessary. It takes experience to learn when it is the right time. At any rate, they, the camels, I mean, do not live under our Princesses’ domain, though they acknowledge her and send gifts yearly for her efforts in raising the Sun. Their sultan makes their own rules.”
"Your stories are interesting, Elder. I wish to experience these lands you speak of some day," Pensive said matter of fact, also sneezing.
"Perhaps when this is all over, I'll take you, my boy! You're an intelligent young fellow and I have been meaning to make another trip to see the Dromadaries again."
When this is all over, Novell thought suddenly, what am I going to do?
It all came back to that one, single thought, but looking at Whisper made him realize it should not. With a crook of his head, the pegasus furrowed his brow. Was it his imagination or had he just- oh, wow.
“That would be satisfactory, Elder, though I must before confess, I would enjoy seeing, what you call a palace,” Pensive said in response.
The Professor just grinned and nodded his head, saying, “Of course, my boy, though it’s more magnificent than I said. As is the capital, the wonderful Lok-Zed.”
“Can you two please stop rhyming? It’s making me too, rhyme in my head until I’m as annoying as you,” Quills interrupted before they could go on, pawing her hoof with a yawn.
“But you’re doing it too!” Scrolls was quick to point out. “You’re rhyming like them, oh no, now I’m just as confu-”
“Don’t finish that sentence, my little pony, or you’ll break up the meter the forest bestowed thee,” a melodic voice said from up high, causing the party to stop and look to the sky.
“Interesting,” Pensive said as his mouth moved even more, “I cannot stop myself from continuing.”
“Now that was quite novel, if I might add, you broke through the meter and into a new one I never have had,” the voice said once more, Novell picking a shape out from the branches as she moved down to the floor.
“Can you please make it stop? If I keep having to hear this, I might just decide to drop,” Quills said irritably, causing her brother to grin cheekily.
“I dunno, I think I like it, having you rhyme. It’s refreshing not listening to your constant, annoying whine.”
“I’m going to pound you if you say one more word, be it rhyming or not, you smelly little curd,” she growled back at him, while a squirrel chattered musically from above on a limb.
“Hold fast, little ponies, before you go on. I must ask that you, at least in this forest, remain calm,” the voice admonished, leaving not only Novell, but the entire group, astonished. For standing right there, black and white as can be, was none other than-
“A zebra!” the Professor exclaimed excitedly. “I’ve not met one of your people in quite a long time. In fact, the last time I did, it was extremely sublime. Tell me, my dear, do know your people’s alchemy? Because we have wounded and her recovery is, unfortunately, unlikely. Without your help, I mean, for we need a healer, as no doubt you can glean.”
The zebra had the grace to look concerned as she pawed her hoof and turned. “I do, indeed, know many remedies, and may know one to cure her maladies. Let us go to my home, so I might see, what can be done, for this pony.”
Without aplomb and with a graceful trot, the strange zebra moved forward from her shadowy spot.
******
The home of the mysterious zebra had mentioned was little more than a hut, requiring the twins to remain outside in the dark forest. The little neck of the woods the zebra had decided to call home blocked what little light had made it through the storm clouds that had hung over them all morning, to Novell’s intense distaste. As soon as they came within sight of the hut, the twins had volunteered to remain outside, their faces somewhat uneasy at the strange masks adorning its exterior.
Thankfully, Novell was one of the four allowed inside the well-lit abode, candles burning cheerily and throwing shadows from hanging objects on the walls. Even so, his fear of dark forests was the last thing on his mind. Since the vortex of magical energies had twisted her wing even further, Whisper had grown worse. Even through her fur, she seemed to grow pale, her breathing fast and shallow with pain laced undertones. Every so often, her good wing extended to its full length, the remnant of her injured one barely twitching.
“Put her on the table in the center there, while I get the ingredients to help this mare,” their guide told them in her peculiar way. He wondered idly if it was a habit for the zebra, since the strange effect had worn off on him and the others.
Brushing the thought to the side for now, Novell moved toward the table and began clearing it of the many different bottles and dried plants that resided on it. The task was quickly accomplished with the Professor’s help, the unicorn’s magic pulling the bottles toward him for a curious look and then sending them sailing to a counter on the opposite side of the room.
A moan came from behind him as he finished moving one last pot of what looked like mold, held gently with his teeth as he set it down with the rest of the items. His ears pricked as he gazed with concern at the orange mare, her pet looking up at him with sadness, an expression that surprised him. In all the time he’d known Swirley, there had only been a few moments where it lost its half-lidded stare. That fact drew a fresh wave of panic, his wings fluttering involuntarily again.
As the Professor and Pensive carefully lifted the mare with their magic, Novell decided to distract himself by watching the zebra. Luckily, she was quite accommodating in that respect, her tail flicking up to drop a half dozen ingredients into a single wooden bowl with not even a glance at them as they fell. Working quickly and quietly humming to herself, the zebra stirred and poured an interesting combination of herbs and liquids into the bowl, mashing it all together with a pestle she held confidently in her mouth.
She must have noticed him staring at her, because she glanced up from her work and smiled around the object in her mouth, dropping it to the side and scooping up the bowl in one hoof. “Tell me, young pegasus, what brings you into these cursed and dangerous forests? Forgive me for nosing about, but I admit I’m quite curious to know without doubt. Are you simple travellers, lost on the way? Or are you here for other reasons, of which you cannot say?”
Novell grimaced. “We’re lost travellers. A magical vortex shorted out our guide’s pathfinding spell and our friend was injured as we climbed up the mountains from Hoofington’s side.”
“Climbing a mountain, you say? What could bring you to perform such a foray?” she asked curiously, dumping the sludge into a bubbling cauldron.
“The pass was blocked by snow, so we had to go up and around.” Novell sniffed at the brew. “What are you making?”
“Like I said, ‘tis a healing brew. Now one more question, I have for you. What is your name and that of your friend? It is only polite after I’ve invited you to my den.”
“Her name is Whisper Wind,” he began, suddenly abashed at his manners. “And mine’s Novell.”
The zebra smiled at him, her mohawk of white and black hair shivering slightly as she cocked her head. “A pleasure to meet you, Novell of Hoofington. Healing your friend will be a breeze, if you pardon the pun.”
“Ah aha,” a chuckle devoid of any humor came from behind him. “You are wise and humorous, striped one.”
“Call me Zecora, for that is my name. Now, pardon me please, so I may administer to her pain,” she replied, unstopping a flask and dipping it into the goop.
Novell stepped out of her way as she agilely walked past him, her hooves not even making a sound on the hard wooden floor. He bit his lip as he watched the zebra lift Whisper’s head up with one hoof and whispered something to the Professor. Nodding in understanding, the unicorn’s horn began to glow, the mare’s mouth opening wide with the tell-tale glow of magic all around it.
Quickly, the zebra leaned close to Whisper’s mouth, tilting her head and allowing the contents of the flask to dribble out of it. Novell watched with barely contained worry, thousand of possibilities floating through his mind. What if she choked? Could she be allergic? Would it even work at all?
He needn’t have worried, for aside from a momentary gurgle, the unconscious mare swallowed visibly. Seconds later, the magic hold was released and the pegasus’s chest rose and fell with calm, measured breaths - a far cry from her previous wheezes.
Zecora watched for another minute before examining the mare’s wing and nodding her satisfaction. “Her fever is broken, and her wing no longer damaged. However, I still recommend keeping this bandage. The tissue will heal as good as new, but only over the time of a day, maybe two.”
“Thank you, Zecora,” Novell’s breath whooshed out all at once, the lightness in his head evidence he’d been holding it in longer than he thought. “I don’t know how to repay you-.”
She held up a hoof, forestalling his offer and shaking her head. “Bits are not needed, my dear.” A smile curved on her muzzle. “But I would enjoy your story, to explain how you arrived here.”
“Okay,” Novell agreed, remembering the Professor’s words from earlier. Telling this zebra the whole truth would just cause her to panic or for word to get out. He wasn’t sure what the Princesses would do to him, but he couldn’t imagine they would want the knowledge of Havoc being out and about common knowledge. At least, that’s what he hoped. “But first, can we bring everypony into your hut? We’ve been running through the forest all night and would like to rest somewhere warm.”
“Of course,” she nodded. “The danger has passed, so room is not needed as I previously asked. No doubt all of you are hungry, so I’ll put on a stew.” With a pause, she looked around curiously. “Now where did I put the roux?”
“Over here, my dear,” the Professor spoke up, floating the item in question to the zebra. She gratefully accepted the item and turned to her task, followed by the grey unicorn. Seconds later, they were in deep discussion on the art of cuisine, both of them adding ingredients with nary a pause.
I will get the others, Pensive sent a thought his way, walking outside to speak with the twins. Judging by Quills’ shrill voice, there was going to be an argument, but he was confident the unicorn could convince the filly.
Of course, failing that, you could drag her in anyway, he thought toward his friend, a ripple of amusement coming in response.
With a yawn, Novell wearily walked over to the table Whisper was sleeping peacefully on, smiling at her. He closed his eyes and laid his head against the table, falling to his haunches as he thought on how he was going to tell Zecora how they’d gotten here without mentioning Havoc. His saddlebags fell off, no longer a burden on his aching body.
He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew he was jerked awake by the sound of a wooden bowl plopped next to his head. The delicious aroma of some kind of stew met his nose and set his mouth instantly to watering. Blinking open his bleary eyes, he tried lifting his head up before feeling a familiar tug on his mane.
“Oh no,” he whispered. He glanced up at Whisper to find her chewing on his mane, wincing as she pulled too hard on it. A giggle from behind him set his face aflame as he realized he had an audience.
“This is rich,” Scrolls said. Another stifled chuckled came from the young pony, but Novell couldn’t turn his head to look at him. “Does she do that a lot?”
He groaned in defeat as the mare pulled on his mane again. “Can you please help me?”
“I dunno, this is kind of funny to watch,” the colt replied. “You know, Quills used to do the same thing when we were foals, mom used to say.”
A second later, he felt his mane freed, allowing him to finally glance around at the hut. The candles were still brightly banishing the darkness while the outside was still as gloomy as ever. Professor Search was still talking with Zecora as the zebra pointed to a bunch of different herbs and other miscellaneous items, the gentle hum of their conversation reassuring in the otherwise creepy house.
Novell noticed a grin on Scrolls' face out of the corner of his eye, feeling his blush continue even further. Why did the mare have to be so embarrassing all the time? Studiously ignoring the earth pony, the pegasus picked up the still-warm bowl in his hooves and took a sip. Herbs and unfamiliar flavors assaulted his tongue, a surprising spiciness causing him to instantly look for a glass of water.
Unfortunately, the only one seemed to be in the hooves of the earth pony beside him.
“Here you go,” Scrolls said cheerfully as Novell gratefully accepted the water. “I know how you feel, you know.”
Novell furrowed his brows. “How I feel?”
Scrolls nodded. “Yes. Unable to control her, embarrassed and annoyed by her all the time, but still able to love her anyway.”
“L-love her?” the pegasus sputtered, wincing as the mare twitched in her sleep. “What do you mean?”
“Sisters are almost more trouble than their worth, huh?” the earth pony continued, staring fondly over Novell’s shoulder. The pegasus followed his gaze to see Quills sitting outside with Pensive, the two of them talking cordially. The unicorn was looking at the young pony seriously, listening as she went on and on about something and waving her hoof for emphasis. The saddle she normally wore was beside her, hanging from a branch and swaying in the wind.
Novell turned back to his companion, feeling the confusion had gone on long enough. “We’re not related.”
“I know,” Scrolls said, surprising him and running a hoof along his scarf. “Being related has nothing to do with being family, though. That’s what mom always said. ‘Family is whoever you feel at home with, Scrolls.’”
Whisper yawned and rolled over, grumbling slightly in her sleep as Swirley deftly maneuvered himself from being crushed. One of the snail’s eyes blinked open and stared at Novell for a second before closing again, wiggling to get comfortable.
A warm feeling came over the pegasus as he watched his friend sleep. “Your mom was a smart mare.”
“Of course. Where do you think I got it from?” Scrolls replied sardonically, causing them both to laugh.
“Oh, my, what do we have here? A pegasus pony with no mark upon his rear?”
Novell froze mid-chuckle, the familiarity of the situation already pressing in on his thoughts. “I-.”
“He’s unmarked,” Scrolls interrupted. “And we’re trying to find our Professor to figure out why.”
Zecora simply nodded, staring at his flank curiously and remaining silent. Her scrutiny made him uncomfortable, but he submitted to it, wondering if she was about to throw him out or not. She drew closer, putting a hoof under his chin and lifting it up as she stared into his eyes for a few moments. Seemingly satisfied, she returned to her original position and spoke.
“There is something about you I cannot see, something deep inside that you’ve hidden from me. Perhaps you’ve hidden it from yourself as well, but for right now, I cannot tell. Now, for the question in your eyes that I saw, ‘do I know anything about this at all?’” The zebra sighed and brought a hoof to her chin, closing her eyes. “Unfortunately, I have never heard of such a thing, nor can I fix it as I have your friend’s wing. But do not despair, for there is surely a cure. The trick is just finding it, of that I am sure.”
Disappointment shrouded Novell’s mind at her words, but he smiled at Zecora anyway. “Thank you for trying, at least. Most ponies would just throw me out.”
Her eyes opened with a softness in them. “I understand your situation, for once I was looked upon as an aberration.” She returned his smile, continuing. “Very well, I shall not ask for your tale, for I see you must soon be back on the trail.”
“Speaking of, how is your magic, Professor?” Novell asked, secretly glad he didn’t have to tell her about his failures on the mountaintop.
The Professor, who had been standing and watching the exchange with interest, jumped and looked up at his horn. “The storm is still present and messing with the leylines, unfortunately. However, as I was talking with our gracious host, she mentioned that she knows the way to Ponyville. We can leave as soon as Whisper is recovered.”
“Alright, but we’re leaving Pensive and Whisper here,” Novell decided, glancing at the zebra. “If that’s alright with you, Zecora. I don’t want to move her anymore than she needs to.”
“Of course they may stay,” she smiled and nodded amicably. “But no more than a day. After that, I shall run out of the food I have so carefully accrued.”
“Perfect, but I wouldn’t mind staying if you’d like, Novell,” Scrolls offered.
The pegasus shook his head. “No, I need you and Quills to help me around Canterlot. Your sister said you both worked in the Royal Library, didn’t she? Can you get in contact with one of the Princessess?”
“I don’t know if we can ‘get into contact’ with them. Mostly they just show up to ask us to find a book or a scroll for them,” responded the earth pony. “But I’m sure one will ask for us when we’ve returned, if only to talk to Professor Mark. Princess Luna is the one who mentioned the rumors that drew us to Hoofington in the first place, after all.”
Novell was stunned. “The Princess herself was wondering about me? But I’m not that important.”
“It was just a rumor she told us about. She didn’t seem entirely concerned with it,” Scrolls assured him.
“Curious,” the Professor spoke up. “But if we are going to make it to Ponyville to catch the last train of the day, we simply must hurry.”
“Maybe we’ll even reach Canterlot this time,” Novell joked lamely, still uneasy about being the object of attention of the Princess. Especially given what he was going to tell her. “Alright. Let’s go.”