Chapter 3 – Not for what you see
The quick trot through the forest Clover thought it would be has turned into a lengthy trek into the uneven and cluttered forest floor. Under the covers of the tall trees the ground and air have become a slightly chilly cold, which of course is not really felt to the wool clothed man. But the lengthy walk has had a toll on the mare as her horn now glows a little lighter, luckily Preston's torch still glows along with the bright moon that now peeks in between the tree canopy.
The sound of twigs and plants shifting continue to ring out from and around the two outsiders as the walk into the forest trails on. However, Preston's head has stayed on a swivel as his own noisy feet keep him on the edge.
"How much further do you think?" Preston’s voice is low as he holds his eyes to the dark brown cloak wearing mare in front of him.
For a moment Clover is quite, but that changes as she shakes her head, "I'm not sure."
"Well that's great." Preston's voice despite its sarcasm holds to a low point.
Clover's ear flicks to the words as she cocks her head to him, "Hey I said you could have stayed at the castle."
"Oh no no no. I can't let Clover the Clever go out by herself, I would miss out on all the fun-..PFff! Ugh Pff!!" Preston turns his head towards the ground as he quickly spits and wipes his hand to his mouth, "Ugh! I think I swallowed a spider!"
Clover's eyes widen to the loud voice as she turns around and lifts a hoof, still trying to hold her voice to a whisper, "Will you keep your mouth shut we do not know-..."
"I can taste it!" He spits again to the ground as the flaming torch he has waves a little to his hand, "It's salty and hairy and...Oh god..." He presses his hand to his mouth as he shakes his head a little, "I think i'm going to throw up."
"Will you be quite!" Clover's raised voice brings the forest to life as the sound of birds or some other flying creature start to scatter above them.
The sounds bring the mare's ears down as Preston snaps out of his grossed out state.
However, as the two look around for the moment they notice something...The light they were following has changed positions and now looks to have gotten closer.
Preston is the first to speak up as he blinks to the little orb that pokes out from the dark tree line around them, "Did that get closer?"
Clover is silent as she takes a hoof forward, the crunch of leaves rings up as her voice comes out a little, "Master? Star Swirl it's Clover!"
No answer comes up, but the orb of light does look to have shifted a little.
The sight of its movements quickly brings a faint smile to Clover's face as she nods to Preston, "I was wrong, that was not his fire, that was his horn lighting the way." As her words end she takes another step forward, "We should meet him halfway."
Preston continues to just blink to the light in the distance, however his mind snaps back into play as the mare in front of him starts to move, "Wait Clover, Clover?"
The mare does not alter her trot as she lowers her head to duck under a lower hanging branch; Preston is quick to move his legs as he realizes her unchanged motions.
As the two move through the low trees and brush by their legs the light continues to get brighter, but it stays the same height and width.
Clover's eyes now start to squint as she blinks to what she believes is Star Swirls glowing horn. Her own magic now sparks up as she nears the brighter glowing orb, "Star Swirl?"
Its at this point her trot like the man behind her stops as they stare to the sight in front of them. The orb they saw at the edge of the forest is nothing more than an orb, a bright gold light that hovers a little above a clearing in the tightly packed forest.
Clover just blinks to the light as Preston comes up a little beside her, "Well that's not him." He squints to the light as he waits for a response.
The mare next to him takes a step forward as she shakes her head, "Maybe Star Swirl left a magical marker of some kind."
As her words come up and the sound of a twig snapping under her new step forward rings out the solid orb starts to hum a high but sweet note as its light starts to expand a little.
Clover's eyes widen to the light almost hypnotized by it, the blond man beside her does the same as his face goes blank to the soft and sweet sound of the light in front of them.
The orb's light continues to expand as the angel like singing lofts into the two stunned creatures in front of it. As the sound grows a little more the orb's center starts to turn almost misty as it begins to move a little closer towards them.
To the orb's movements Clover takes an involuntary step forward as her pinned eyes continue to stay lulled by the sweet music like hum.
However, the torch in Preston's hold now starts to pop a little as the burning tip starts to go out, with one last pop from the burned wood a white hot spark comes to settle on Preston's hand.
"Ow!" Preston is snapped from his gaze as he drops the burnt out touch with a, Ffffsshhh, sound. The little sparks of light that flared up from the dropped torch now float up and into the air.
This sends a chain reaction to the orb of light as the soft gold light turns a dark blood like red as the sweet hum now turns to an almost metal like screech, "HHHHHHAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Clover's eyes clench hard to the sound she stood right next to as the lights around her almost jiggle and pulsate brighter and brighter.
A sharp pain comes to Preston's chest as one of the beams of light quickly slams into his chest, "AH!" The blonde haired man falls to his knees as a burning sensation comes over his chest. In the middle of his wool shirt a few sparks start to form as the heat becomes a reality.
Clover squints her eyes to the man's pained cry as she pushes her mind through the screaming that still comes out in front of her. Within a second the mare's horn has sparked up as a bolt of magic is sent towards the center of the misty orb.
The screaming of the orb is halted for the moment as Preston is released from its hold.
However, the orb stays quiet only for a moment as its arm like lights now jet towards Clover. The mare notices this as a ball of magic comes around her.
The light of the orb pounds against her bubble shield as she clenches her eyes tight to hold the spell.
Preston scrambles a little as his eyes lock to the still hot torch beside him, he quickly springs to his feet as he throws the hot stick like a javelin into the orb's center.
"HHHHHHAAAHHHHH!!!!" Like before the ear pounding sound comes up as the orbs lights fail randomly to the open area around it.
Preston cups his hands over his ears as he clenches his eyes a little, however the sound is quick to stop as the world around him gets a bright gold glow.
The man quickly springs his eyes open as he looks to the orb of light that is now being pushed from the little clearing in the forest.
Within moments the orb's sprawled out lights have receded and its smaller shape has taken hold as it now bolts from the surrounding tree line.
Preston turns his eyes to the mare on the ground as he quickly takes the few steps towards where she lays in the ground.
Her eyes are closed but her breathing is mellow as Preston slightly rest his hand to her side, "A-are you alright?"
Clover unclenches her eyes as she brings her head up from the forest floor, a leaf slightly clings to her face but it falls back to the ground as she gives a little nod.
"Is this what happens when you two are left in this forest alone?"
The voice turns Preston and Clover's heads as they stare to a light gray unicorn stallion with a long wispy beard that drapes over the dirty dark blue and starry cloak.
"Master?" Clover slowly comes to her hooves with Preston's help as the older stallion stares to the mare.
"Can you walk?"
The mare nods to the stallion's comment as Preston takes his hand from her side.
Star Swirl turns his eyes back to the trees as he speaks up, "Then follow me, Will-o-Wisps are known to return to the same spots." As his words come to an end the older stallion's slow trot comes up as he turns back to the way he came.
Clover is quick to follow after him but Preston lags behind as he rubs his chest for the moment. However, he stays near the mare's tail without saying a word.
End of chapter 3