//------------------------------//
// A Few Answers  
// Story: Daring Do and the Night Shifter 
// by Derpyx0 
//------------------------------//

	Morning light glittered beyond the jungle trees, and birds everywhere started to awaken to a brand new day.
Daring Do woke up with a yawn and a stretch. Last night's talk with Spark had been very long and tiring. She should have thought of the consequences of staying up late, especially on such a mission like this!
As Daring looked outside of her quickly made hut, she held her hoof up to her forehead to block the bright light of the sun.
Ricardo, their guide pony who had suspiciously been gone for a while, walked over to her. "Good morning Miss-'' he cut himself off. Daring Do knew what he was about to say. Miss Do was not a favorite name of hers, as he must have guessed by her penetrating look. ''Daring Do," he corrected himself. ''I hope you are well-rested for this fine morning! We have a long day ahead of us!''
Across the camp, Daring saw Spark as a tiger, in the middle of a long cat stretch. Tigers....  Daring thought. A second thing that bugged her, other than that awful, formal Miss Do name. After Spark finished turning back, he caught Daring looking at him and returned it with a smile. Daring quickly shied away, and left Spark to a confused look. ''Good morning Ricardo,'' Daring said. Even through his threatening brown eyes with an added scar for effect, she knew he was a kinder colt on the inside. Anyways, without him, they might not have even gotten a chance to see Bear, the tribe's leader. ''So, what do we do first?'' Daring Do asked.
''The guards told me that we will see Bear soon, and we will be told the location of the diamond key,'' Ricardo replied.
''Good, the sooner the better. I have a feeling they are not telling us everything! We haven't even seen their cutie marks!''
Ricardo grunted, ''We have our customs.''
Daring flinched. Great way to start off the day, insult everypony. "Right, sorry."
Ricardo and Daring walked over to Spark. They made their way to Bear's hut. As the three ponies walked in, Bear greeted them with that cheesy smile he always had.
''Good morning travelers! I hope you enjoined your beds last night, sorry if there were uncomfortable! We were not expecting visitors during the time of the Mark Festival,'' he said gleefully. Daring Do looked at him with a confused look on her face. She quickly glanced at Spark, who had the same expression.
Bear looked at them like they had just woken the Ursa Minor. ''You mean you have never heard of our yearly Mark Festival?!'' he asked, not letting them get out another word. ''Why, that's like not knowing about Nightmare Night!'' Bear continued dramatically. ''Every year, we respect our animal ancestors by continuing like them. During the month of June, we cover our cutie marks to come closer to them. It's standard law!'' Well that explained a lot... could have known that earlier... Daring thought.
"Ah, so THAT is the custom you were talking about," she said through gritted teeth to Ricardo. She didn't like not knowing things, especially when they could be important.
"You never asked," Ricardo replied bluntly.
"Technically, I di-" Daring was cut off by Spark.
"So, where is that diamond key?" Spark asked nervously, trying to prevent an argument between the two ponies. 
"Right, back on topic. Now as you know, a long time ago.........."