//------------------------------// // Eternities Mist // Story: High Tide, Low Company // by MacDragon //------------------------------// Eternities Mist The world had vanished from view the instant they hit the dense fog. Pip had to squint to make out the prow of the ship. It was an unnatural fog for sure. The moment the Bonnie Lass was swallowed by it Pip had felt it, some strange sensation that pricked the edges of his conscience as wrong; a pervasive feeling that they were not alone in the mist. Pip was not the only one to feel it either, anyone else he’d asked all felt as though something was amiss. Pip himself could not shake the feeling that there was something strange about the fog they sailed through but exactly what he was unsure of and so he did his best to put it out of his mind as he guided the ship slowly and carefully through the treacherous waters around them. They sailed slowly, the zebra twins Zanza and Danza stood on either side of the ship, often taking turns while one slept or ate, but mostly together calling out directions or warnings. While they were at sea they were forced to be as careful as possible. The only way to achieve that was by slow and steady pacing and careful steering. It was grueling work but one mistake could see them all swimming back to shore, or more likely, dinner for one of the many seaborne denizens that prowled the oceans. They had been sailing in such a fashion for days now. Night was especially treacherous and most often found them anchored and motionless for the inability to continue. It was not so much the fog that they were careful from, but rather what it was hiding within its nearly opaque body. Sailing through this area of sea was usually warned against due to its nature, but they’d been driven into it in order to avoid the Draquus warship. So now by day they maneuvered ever so slowly to avoid the sunken ruins all around them. Any collision with the remains of the long fallen Eternity Bridge would surely breach their relatively delicate hull and send them all to their dooms. The slow going gave ample time for many of the crew to do what any crew did best at sea in dangerous or uncertain times. Woolgathering. There were soon rumors and stories floating among the crew as they went about their duties, few as they were. It was a normal reaction to the unknown in any crew at sea, but it was also dangerous at times. Some crew members could not handle the ideas of what might lurk in the mist about them and were prone to anxiety and fear mongering, the latter of which if taken too seriously could lead to sabotage or mutiny and so Radko did his best to quash any signs of the two while the more experienced of the crew did their best to keep the more elaborate and colorful stories at bay, sometimes through force as Pip once heard while below as some of the crew scuffled with one of the more expressive members, all in all though things were not as bad as they could be. It was darkening about them now, soon Pip would call to drop anchor for the evening, usually before the light of day that did make it through the soup like fog vanished into darkness. That was really the only way they could tell time was passing for the most part, only the careful observation and use of their hourglass’s helped get a more accurate time. And so they had done so for nearly three days of sluggish navigation. Pip was glad they had been able to finish getting resupplied before they were forced to leave under fire otherwise they might have been in a tough position by now. The noise of the anchor hitting the water’s surface broke the eerie silence, momentarily at least. The sails were tied tight against the breeze to prevent any creeping movement other than what the small currents provided. Pip left the helm to Zanza who took it with a silent nod, it seemed out of place to speak, the strange silence of the area was oppressive to the point that nopony wanted to speak to loudly. He worked his way down to the dining area, many had already gathered there in dull silence as they poked about their meals. All that could be heard was hushed whispers and the clattering of cutlery against trays. Pip took his seat beside Dinky who welcomed him with a warm smile. He tried to return the smile with as much warmth but he could tell his failure by her face. She knew something was out of place among the crew and himself as well. She never missed a thing. Dinky gave him a warm nuzzle and continued about her meal. Pip looked about his somber crew. Many of them looked back, questioning glares on many of their faces. Pip suddenly got the feeling that the silence was not only the place, but something among the crew as well. Down the way a throat cleared, the noise of eating and noise from the kitchens ceased, one could have heard a feather drop. Pip looked for the source but could not pin it. Then the questioning voice sparked up. Not angry, but almost worried in sound, even so it was bold and steady. “Cap’n, what are we doing? Are we lost? It’s been three days without sight of another soul or land. Nothing but mist and rubble and silence.” Pip had had the feeling this moment was coming soon. It was normal for a crew to question so when in situations like this. Pip was thankful that they had decided to take this route rather than the more direct one, one punishable by death... He saw no reason to lie to them though. “Yes, we are lost you could say. We don’t know where we are, nor where we are headed. And yes, we've not seen another sight of life or land in three days either. And I agree, the mist is troublesome, but I’m not going to let us become one of the stories other crews talk about in the early morning hours abroad other ships. We will find a way out, you know we will, I will get us out. Like I always have.” He responded sternly. The cabin remained silent for a number of minutes as the rouge voice didn't respond. Then in the same calm silence a single mug lifted into the sky. More mugs rose to meet it with a subdued but audible clacking of rims. At that the silence settled in once more and soon after the sounds of cooking and eating resumed as normal. It seemed they had accepted with ease that they would make it out. They were satisfied. For now. Pip did not miss the underlying current of dismay among his crew though. If they were already questioning him in this short time it was bound to get worse before long. A possibility Pip had no want to witness. He had to wonder though why after all they’d been through they chose now to question him. Something was amiss. Things amiss on a vessel were never a good thing. The crew continued their meal in relative silence, many of them seemed to afraid to break it. After they ate many of them made their way back to the crew deck, some averted their eyes as they passed Pip, others nodded in respect. It was hard to judge what was going through the minds of the new members they'd picked up at port, but for the ones he'd been with, Radko, Zanza and Danza, Nixx, and the rest of his long time crew, they were steadfast in their loyalty, no doubt. Some of them made it a point to assure him of it, which he could be nothing but grateful to hear. Pip stayed at his table, accompanied by Radko and Nixx until the very last of the crew was gone. Radko, strangely enough for the normally quiet stallion, spoke first, "Don't worry captain, they are new, they have yet to witness the situations you have gotten us out of, they will come around." His dark eyes bore into Pip as he said this. "I have no idea about the workings of others minds, as my expertise lies elsewhere, but I agree with Radko, once they see what your capable of they will not waiver anymore." Nixx added. "I hope not." was all that Pip said. Upon the deck things were no different from the days before. The ever-present mist clung to their ship, their surroundings were swallowed by the thick soup of fog, once could hardly see from one end of the ship to the next and up above the masts and sails were all but invisible. Pip trotted to the helm where Danza stood, the fact that the zebra was at the helm told Pip that it was evening. The light never seemed to change within the fog either, as they had discovered earlier. "How has it been this night?" Pip asked quietly. "Something's not right, we feel a stirring fright." Danza said quietly. Pip could see Zanza trotting to and fro through the mist pausing at each spot he went to; ears swiveling back and forth, listening intently to something pip could not hear. Pip made his way over to the other Zebra, not interrupting he waited patiently for Zanza to address him. He waited for what seemed like minutes on end. But before Zanza had the chance to speak with him Pip picked up on the noise as well. It sounded like sloshing water. Not the same sound as water against the hull of a ship makes but more the sound of a beach, the gentle roll of water onto and off of shore. He rotated his ears to follow the sound, he noticed from the corner of his vision Zanza had done the same. They both now stood at the port side of the Bonnie Lass, the sound was unmistakable. Pip looked to Danza at the helm and motioned for him to turn the ship to port. A quiet groan emanated from the ship as it made its arcing turn through the placid waters. Pip and Zanza both moved to the prow of the ship, now facing the noise as it grew less faint. And then very quickly the mist began to thin, great shapes could be made out ahead as they moved slowly forward. The dense fog around them dissipated faster and faster, soon they found themselves staring at a massive collection of debris from the Eternity bridge. Sailing carefully as they made their way around the stones they gazed upon the scene. Most of the rubble was larger than the Bonnie Lass, large enough that if it fell, or if they struck one it would be certain doom for them all. As they sailed around the seemingly endless array of stone and rubble they watched in silence. To see the stones so close was awe inspiring, and foreboding as well. The only sound that remained was the gentle sloshing of water against the rocky shore. The Bonnie Lass slipped through the water at a crawl, the idea of striking one of the monstrous stones around them was fearful, but what giants that might be below them was more worrisome. The thought etched its way into Pips mind as he looked at the great shadows in the water below them. It was then he noticed something strange about the stones, as they sailed past one nearer to the surface he saw a familiar shape. It looked like a window. Or, at least, the masonry around what would have been a window. At first he didn't believe it, but as he looked closer he saw more of them, their darkness just slightly blacker than that around it. Pip looked up but saw none on the faces of the stone above the water. He watched carefully anyway for any other signs of a once great city. After a time though he was beginning to think himself delusional, but before that thought could confirm itself the Bonnie Lass carved a gentle arcing turn and suddenly the giant stones stopped and gave way to a sight that was enough to strike the mind blank and the heart skip a beat. Before them now lay a city. One of ruins and darkness. The once great city was now nothing but crumbling rock and cold streets. Nothing stirred around them or in the city. Still the only noise about was the water on shore. They continued around the lifeless ruins, staring in wonder at the great spires that vanished in the mist above or that leaned on one another. Crumbled buildings, once homes, shops, libraries, stood now as dark monuments of a rich past. Pip looked at Danza and Zanza, the were equally enthralled by the sight. By now he also noticed a few others had joined them on deck and shared in the collective shock of what lie before them. The ship was sailing ever slower now as they navigated the waters around the city. As they watched in awe the scene unfolding before them another shocking scene unfolded around them. There was a cracking noise of wood. At first they thought they had struck a rock, but then it sounded again from another side. Pip then looked overboard once more what he saw amazed him and terrified him at the same time. Ships. Dozens of them. Below the waters their sunken hulks slept. The tip tops of rotting masts stuck just above the water and snapped like twigs when they hit the hull of the Bonnie Lass. Pip could only wonder where the ships had been from, where they had come from and how they had sunk. He looked back to the ruined city, its unlit and cold streets a grim reminder of what had happened to the city so long ago. The Bonnie lass continued its slow, creeping navigation of the dark waters around the city. The crew watching in silence as the scene unfolded, only the sound of water could be heard as they stood with held breath. There was suddenly a shout to Pips left, one of the crew had seen something. At first they all looked at him with doubt but as Pip looked himself he then saw it too. In the distance, near the shore, was a small boat, half sunk, and beyond it a whitish pile of debris. The Bonnie Lass slowed to a stop at Pips command. He went to the scope and looked to the boat. It was old, covered in moss and rotting through. Pip looked at it for a moment to see if there were any markings that would hint to what ship it had been from but any that had once been there had long since rotted. Pip slowly panned the scopes view up towards the white pile of rubble. It's stark colors stood out against the grey color of the surrounding city. All to quickly his complete wonder of the place turned to unsettled worry. Bones. Not pottery, nor painted wood. It was the long rotted remains of a pony. He was going to look away but something caught his eye. It was a book. Worn by exposure but still in quite clean condition considering. It was large, and bound in rough trim. One bony leg had remained over the tome as if trying to protect it. Pip thought nothing of it, what good was a book in this place. No sooner though had that thought entered his head, than hear heard Nixx inhale a sharp breath. Moments after that Pip found himself on his own small boat rowing towards shore with Nixx and Radko in tow. Nixx had his eye's pasted to the tome as they rowed closer and closer to the shore. The boat edged closer but before it even made contact Nixx had jumped onto the shore and made his way to the pile of bones, and more importantly to him, the book. At once Nixx set to work, brushing away bones, dusting the book with a small duster taken from his satchel. He worked carefully and diligently, from his pack he produced, tweezers, magnification lenses, scalpels, everything. Not once did a hoof touch the book, his antics were a blur of magic and tools as he worked on the text. Minutes passed, Nixx was enthralled in his work, leaving Radko and Pip to wonder at the ruins surrounding them. Daunting shadows lurked in every corner, every window and doorway. Pip couldn't help but feel as if they were being watched from every corner. There was a sigh behind him. Pip looked back at the technician. His tools were still and the light sent of oils wafted in the air. Slowly Nixx reached forward with one hoof and opened the book. Its worn pages opened in the middle. What Nixx and Pip saw next surprised them both, and scared them. The book was hollow in the center. The pages cut out in the center to make a hole. Within it lay papers with writing, baubles, trinkets, mostly rotted or disintegrating. But the drawings were not to be mistaken. Nixx carefully levitated the page in front of his face, holding it close to his magnifying lenses. He turned it over and around and then stopped. "It matches the others. It's a perfect drawing of the last medallion I need to be sure of the location hinted by the others." Nixx said. Pip's ears perked up suddenly alert. It wasn't noise that startled him, but rather the lack of noise. The whole time they'd been around the island both on the ship and on shore the water had gently sloshed all around them. Now though it was silent. Radko had also picked up on it. And shortly so had the tech. Nixx promptly stuffed the sketch back into the book and wrapped it up in his own supply of oil-paper and stuffed the whole mess into his pack. His shuffling the only sound for a moment. There was then a scrape of hoof against stone and then stones clattering down a slope nearby. The feeling of being watched had apparently not been just fear. Someone, or something, was out there. "Back to the boat, quietly, but quickly." Pip said while looking around. They began moving slowly backwards to the boat. There was again silence, then all at once a loud clattering of hooves on stone coming towards them. They at once jumped into the boat and rowed powerfully as they could out to the water, but as they were drawing away the creator of the noise came into view with a shout, "Wait!" They all looked back and were froze once more by what they saw before them. It wasn't a monster, nor some sort of ghost from the long past. It was instead a Draquus. But unlike any they had already encountered. Yes, it had the strange, dragon-like wings, the fangs, and the dark midnight blue coat. Unlike the ones they'd fought though, this one was well cleaned, and wore no armor, held no weapons. Nor could it have done so effectively. For most shocking of all was the fact that what stood before them was not at all a soldier, or even an adult. It was a child. And again in his young, pleading voice he shouted to them, "Wait!" ҉ They had sat in the boat staring at the small creature for some time. He, for they had eventually gone back at the beckoning of the youngster much to Radko's own wariness. But after landing back on the shore the youngster had at once stepped back a bit in fear of the giant Hooviet stallion. But that hadn't lasted more than a moment before he cautiously and slowly edged his way closer to Pip. Pip had watched the youngster carefully as he approached. He had all the same markings and physical appearance as the other Draquus they'd encountered but he didn't seem the least intent to hurt them. Not that he could have of course. The little colts coat, if you could call it that, was the same striking midnight blue. His coat was just like any other, yet it differed around his chest, where it resembled more dragon like scales than anything else. But the two things that stood out the most were universal with the Draquus they'd so far encountered. The unsettling white fangs that stuck out below his upper lip and his strange wings. They were almost just like the Lunar Guards wings but less delicate. The little colt was by this point sitting quietly in front of Pip. His large ruby colored eyes staring at him in excitement. Pip, for once, was at a loss at what to say or do. He just stood towering over the little colt staring back. They all stood quiet and studious of one another. The youngster was almost shaking in excitement by this point, but merely continued to stare Pip in the eyes. Radko took a tentative step forward. The little colt snapped from his excited stare at once and bolted down the road. Pip at once gave chase, he had to know who this little colt was, and why for any reason he was even in such a place alone. They ran and ran, galloping across rugged, ruined landscape. The youngster was quick, bolting down passages, twisting and turning through the ruins like he knew them as home. They followed him as best they could, keeping up for what seemed like a long time. Finally though they followed him to a straight road. Gaining on him they decided it would be best if one of them would cut him off ahead and then they could stop him and talk. No sooner had they decided this than they noticed ahead was a sharp cliff to nowhere. They at once slowed and ground to a stop and as they watched the little colt ran full sprint and leapt off the cliff, his wings snapped open and he was airborne. No hope to catch him now as none of them had wings of their own. Pip, Radko, and Nixx walked carefully towards the drop unsure of how safe it was, or how far down it was. Once they stood upon the edge their original wonder was replaced by sheer amazement. Behind them lay the ruins of a once great city. One everypony in Equestria had heard the tales of. Ruins as far as they knew. Now what they saw below them mocked everything they knew about the legends. For far below them, surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides was a city. Quiet, and looking empty, but a city none-the-less. Not ruins, though some buildings were surely uninhabitable with large stones lodged through roof tops and such. There was a gust of wind as the little colt swept by overhead and with a flourish closed his wings and plunged quickly past them drawing their vision towards the cliff face where they spotted a narrow and winding path carved into the face. The little colt landed not far off where he sat, waiting for them. Pip looked to them and shrugged. He made his way towards the colt and the beginning of long winding path down. He only got so close though before the youngster leapt again from the cliff face and flew a ways down the trail, taking up a new waiting spot. And so he continued to do so the whole way. The path was rough, and prone to chipping away as they wound their way down into the city below. The little colt kept always ahead of them, flitting through the air or sitting on a stone outcropping, he never got close to the trio as they worked their way along the trail. After what was surely hours of walking the trail finally leveled out and gave way to the nearby buildings. Upon entering the outskirts of the ancient town Pip once again had the feeling of being watched. The little colt had now landed next to him and trotted beside him as they went slowly down the empty road. He didn't speak, or make any noise hardly at all. But as they walked he subtly guided them from one road to another by darting ahead, knowing that they would follow him. When not picking a new direction he seemed content to quietly trot beside Pip, who along with his group, were still reeling from the discovery of both the city and the youngster. They couldn't help but glare at him for he was so very different than the other's they'd encountered. The little colt didn't seem to think himself different at all and paid no mind to their studious eyes. Pip and the others followed the young Draquus down the road, with each few feet the place went from looking like ruins, to looking like habitable, and lived in, structures. It was unnerving to say the least. They were wondering still why they had decided to follow the youngster, who himself was a perfect image of all the other Draquus they'd encountered. Pip had no idea what they could be getting into, and while the young colt was calm as could be he and the others were on edge. They now came into a clearing, like a square. It was decorated lightly, mostly just cleaned and the area around it repaired as best as possible, but it was unquestionably lived in recently. Where the occupants were though, he worried. The little colt hopped up on top of a large stone and there he sat and just stared at Pip who by now was quite confused as to why they had stopped. That was all answered quickly enough though by a commanding voice. "Away from them Night." said a new voice. The little colts ears went down and he at once darted into the nearest home and vanished. Pip was looking all around for the creator of the voice, as were Nixx and Radko. There was a clattering of hooves on stone as someone began walking towards them. Pip waited with baited breath as the hoof beats grew nearer. Within seconds another Draquus appeared. This one much larger and in armor. At once they all drew their weapons, no sooner had they done so than from all around them there came the sound of beating wings, not the sound of wings like a Pegasus either. It was the unmistakable sound of the wings of many Draquus. The bright sky was dotted with darkness as countless Draquus poured into the clearing, surrounding them in seconds. They were circled in by a crowd of them. Each one of them had their wings open so it felt like the trio was encased in a leathery cage of wings. There they stood with weapons drawn, the Draquus surrounding them didn't move in, in fact they all stood quite still. Until as one a spot of wings opened up and the Draquus they'd first seen walked in among them, circling carefully around them, the wall of wings sealed once more. Finally after a few rotations it stopped and stood before them glowering at each one of them. "Who are you? How did you find us?" she said, for once it spoke they realized indeed it was female. "Who are we? I think the better question is who are you? Up until....well, recently, we've been fighting your kind tooth and hoof." Nixx said through gritted teeth. "Fighting you say? We have done no fighting strangers. We remain here, hidden from all who seek us. It is better that way, but now it seems as though we've been found. You should leave this place soon. Otherwise we will kill you. Unpleasant yes, but necessary to maintain our own safety if you understand." The female said, waiting for a response. "You think it would be so simple, try me." Radko said in plain confidence. There was a deep grumble of displeasure from all around. The circle closed in tighter. "Your words displease us. If we are forced then we shall indeed....dispose...of you." she said in response. "The only one doing the forcing so far is you." Nixx mumbled back. "Quiet, both of you, you're not helping." Pip sniped back at them. The Draquus female's eyes locked onto Pip. Her cold stare very clear and focused. "You speak as a leader. Unlike your fellows. Tell me, why should I should spare your clan." she said. Pip stared back as best he could, her gaze hard to hold from the sheer force of will she possessed. Pip lowered his sword and thought for a moment before speaking, "To be honest, we've been fighting the likes of your kind for many longs days now. Your kinds has proven to be brutal and harsh. Forgive us for our standoffish attitude towards you all, but the things we've seen from your kinds deserves no less. Why you would choose to spare us, I cannot say, nor do I understand. But if you are so keen as it would seem to be done with us...." He left the speech hanging. There was a long silence that followed. It was broken suddenly by the scraping of little hooves upon stone. Pip noticed at once the little colt that had led them there squeeze his way unceremoniously through the legs of the many adult Draquus that surrounded them. With a great deal of struggle he tripped his way into the area where Pip and the others stood. Upon reaching Pip he made a pointed little scurry and effectively wormed his way under Pip where he promptly lay down and stared back at the female. Pip was at a loss as what to do. "Out of here colt." the female said sternly. The little colt made no move but to pull his wings in tighter to his sides and continue staring back. This time the female made a move forward towards Pip and the little Draquus colt as if to force him out. Pip at once lifted his weapon once more, Radko and Nixx moved closer at once as well. Their safety was important, by they were not about to let even a Draquus child come to harm. The female halted in her tracks. She stepped back , staring at them with contempt. She gave one more withering glare to the young colt and then promptly exited the cage of wings. Once out the other Draquus began to fold their wings back in and leave. Soon it was only the three of them and the little colt the rest of the Draquus, as strange as it seemed now to him all went to and fro about the square as any town would do so on an average day. It was almost unsettling to see them in this manner. They slowly sheathed their weapons then stood around looking at the scene before them. The town was becoming less of a ruinous ghost town and more of an actual town. There were shops opening up, some Draquus were trotting about completing their daily routines much like any other town. How all this had been made here Pip could only wonder. He looked down at the little colt still firmly planted between his front legs. The youngster looked up at him and smiled before scooting out and standing next to Pip. Pip didn't know quite what to do from here, the Draquus walked about the town, paying no mind to them. After a time there was finally a cleared throat from behind them. Pip turned to see the same female Draquus from earlier standing before them. "Please, come with me." She said and turned to walk. Pip looked at the others and then reluctantly followed her, the little colt tailing close behind him. They walked through a few streets before coming into a garden. The flowers and trees, for there were in fact trees in the ruined city, stood out in stark contrast with the rest of the town. Here they stopped and the Female Draquus addressed them. "I must apologize for my harsh address. You must understand that our lives here have remained a secret for a long time, we do all we can to keep it that way. I did not meat to come off as harsh, for that is not true of any of us in the least. We remain here for good reason, many who encounter us dislike us and see us as evil. We have suffered greatly at the hands of many. Until we found this place. So please forgive me, I must be harsh to our own safety. Don't doubt though, I would have killed you all if I felt it needed done." She said. Pip was a bit confused at this address but he quickly responded. "What stopped you then?" At this the Draquus looked away from him and too the little colt who still stood close to Pip's side, "He did." Pip looked at the youngster then back to the female, "How so?" "I'm unaware of how much you may know, if anything, about what we are, or were. Or where we came from...." she began, but here Pip interrupted her. "You are a Draquus, at least now, after the fall of your empire. I know more than you might think I do." he said. It was the females turn to look shocked, and so she did. "So you have heard our story? Tell me, where were you taught this? Does the world know of us now?" She asked with interest. "No, but they are learning quickly enough. And I can't say that what they are learning is good." He replied. "Tell me." she said simply. Pip and the others looked to one another wondering if this should be done, but then Pip at once settled down upon the soft grass and began to recount the story of what had happened in the previous weeks, the female listening intently the whole time. Once finished she was quite, a great deal of time had passed in the telling but he could see at once she was glad to hear it, but haunted by it at the same time. "So the Guardians were, and still could be alive. Amazing. I didn't think so many had survived. But to hear of what the others have become, and what they are doing to your nation is saddening and worrisome. I am sorry that this is happening to your kin and country. I want to make clear to you though that the Draquus you are encountering are not of our own crumbled nation. Yes they are also now Draquus like us, but before we were all changed my country, as you know was powerful, and with all power comes great enemies. Ours were turned into what we all are now first, that power, and their numbers is what caused our fall. They are a vicious, warring faction themselves and always have been. I am sorry that they are here." She responded. They were all quiet for a short time, Pip was keenly aware of the little colt that was now soundly asleep, curled up next to Pips side. What exactly this young ones reason for staying so close to Pip was beyond his own understanding. The female looked at the young one, she for a moment smiled, her ivory white fangs showing as well, but her smile was quickly replaced by a sad expression. "He seems to have taken a liking to you." she said quietly, addressing Pip. "I have no knowledge why." Pip said, "He has not said but one word since first we found him." "Excuse me for saying, but was it not him that found you?" She said. "I suppose so. Though I do not even know his name. Shouldn't he be back home with his parents? Surely they worry of his absence." Pip said in concern. At this the mares face shadowed in sadness once more. "He has no home. Nor parents to go to. Like so many of the young ones he is an orphan. We lost more than just our country those many years ago." she said quietly, her eyes focusing on a time past. "His name though is Night Spark. His parents were both Guardians, he was just a newborn when they were slain in the fall, someone saved him though, and here he has remained with us. The orphans here keep mostly to themselves. They are young, yes, but they are strong and look out for each-other. Mostly..." "What do you mean mostly?" Pip asked. "Well, he is different. He tends to remain on his own, secluded from the others. They don't bother him, nor he them, but even so they for some reason leave him to his own devices." She responded. "So he's a bit of an outcast." Nixx piped in. "Yes, so it would seem." the mare answered. "But it would seem for the first time in a long time he has found somepony he likes. "So it would seem." Pip said. They talked for a short time longer before the mare informed them they could stay for the night if they so wished. And so with a bit of help from Nixx Pip stood up and gave himself a shake. Once ready Nixx levitated the sleeping colt and set him on Pips back gently. Pip had decided that it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on the youngster for the time being. They walked back to the quarters that had been prepared for them, the little colt fast asleep aboard Pips back, his little wings drooping down each side in his slumber. Nix sent a quick message back to the ship to ensure the crew all was well and that they'd be gone for the evening but to return in the morning to continue the mission at hand. They each had a room in a small building, sparsely decorated to accommodate for the night, Nixx unloaded the slumbering colt and lay him on a bed nearby, before retiring to his own room. Radko had at once went to his room and could promptly be heard snoring. Pip looked at the strange little youngster beside his own bed and wondered just what had made him call out to them. He himself lay down heavily upon his own prepared bed, it was not uncomfortable in the least and soon Pip fell into a dreamless sleep of utter exhaustion.