The faded sign creaks on its hinges. The painted head of a stallion glares down at us, a bloody hole where one of his eyes oughta be.
"Here we are," says Arrow. "Welcome to the One-Eyed Stallion."
The dark stone tavern hunches, low an mean-lookin, into the side of the mountain. Rain sheets down its saggin roof an pours over the edge. A pale thread of smoke trickles outta the chimley.
"It don’t look too welcomin to me," says Ash.
"I don’t like it," says Penny.
"Yer jest cold an tired," says Arrow. "Once you git a bowl of Pike’s rock squirrel stew inside you, things’ll look a lot brighter."
There’s a candle burnin in th’only window, a narrow slit set halfways along the wall. Arrow rings the bell beside the battered old wood door. Right away, the candle goes out.
"Looks like yer friend Pike don’t want company," I says.
"Probly heard you was comin," says Arrow, all sour faced.
He tries the rusty latch. It don’t move. He bangs on the door with his hoof. Thud thud thud. Thud thud thud.
"Pike!" he shouts. "Pike Appletree! It’s me! It’s Arrow! Let me in!"
Nuthin.
"Hey! Open up!" I yell an pound on the door. I go to try an shoulder it open, but Arrow holds me back.
"Hang on," he says. "There’s a knack to it." He leans back, lifts his leg an gives the door a almighty kick. It flies open. He goes in an we trail behind.
We see ’em right away.
I snatch my crossbow an take aim.
Beside me, Ash an Epona do the same.
"Hold fire!" says Arrow.
My heart pounds wildly. We keep our crossbows up, bowstrings drawn, arrows ready to fly. We stare at the stallions who face us, their weapons at the ready. There’s at least twelve of ’em. On their feet, with blades, bows an flintsticks pointed straight at us. They’re the most scurfy lookin pack of villains I ever seen in my life. A knife scar here, a eyepatch there, missin ears, a missin wing, a missin leg. They make the low-life scum of Hopetown look sweet as spring clover.
I do a quick sweep of the room. Take everythin in. It’s one long room with a low ceilin. The fireplace in the center’s got a blazin fire goin. In front of the fire, there’s a large table with a stewpot in the middle an stone drink kegs. Wooden benches lay on their sides. Kicked over when they all jumped up. There ain’t no sound but the cracklin fire an the rain poundin down on the roof.
"Hello boys," says Arrow. "Nice to see y’all."
Jest then, a earth pony stallion comes through a door in the corner that I didn’t notice before. He’s tall, at least a head an a half taller'n Arrow. He’s got a huge platter of roasted meat hefted onto his back. He don’t even look our way as he goes over to the table an dumps the platter down. Then he starts over to us.
"Pike!" says Arrow. He steps forwards, smilin a big smile an holdin out his hoof. "Hey man, long time no see!"
But Pike don’t smile back. An he don’t take Arrow’s hoof.
He walks straight up to him an punches him in the face.
Arrow goes sprawlin on the floor.
Arrow’s down. Hurt. The red hot rips through me. I ain’t felt it since Hopetown. I aim my bow at Pike an walk at him—fast—till he’s backed aginst the wall with his hooves on top of his head. I press the arrowhead into his throat. He gulps. There’s a quick rush of feet an the stallions surround my back. Without takin my eyes offa Pike, I can feel their weapons pointed at me. Hear their breathin.
"It’s all right, Moon," Arrow calls. "Don’t kill him. I deserved it."
"Tell these dogs to stand down," I says to Pike.
"Weapons down, boys, or supper’s off," he says. He don’t move his eyes from mine.
There’s a pause, then a clatter as bows an knives hit the floor behind me.
"Epona?" I says.
"Yer okay," she says. "It’s all clear."
I step back from Pike. Lower my bow. He feels his throat. Grins an shakes his head.
"Gawdammit," he says. "I bin waitin fer a mare like you my whole life. Arrow, I think I’m in love."
"Ferget it, Pike," says Arrow. "She’s far too dangerous fer the likes of you."
"Oh," says Pike, "it’s that way, is it?"
He goes over to Arrow, reaches out a hoof an gives him a tug up. Arrow rubs his jaw where Pike punched him.
"Don’t worry," says Pike, "I didn’t do yer pretty face no harm. I should of though. After what you done to me."
He glares at Arrow an Arrow actually looks shame-faced. Pike jabs him in the chest. "You left me, you sonofabitch," he says, "hangin upside down, with all them mares in their—"
Arrow grabs his hoof. "Not now, Pike," he says. "We’ll talk about it later."
"Not to mention the time you was supposed to meet me at Wood Whittler’s an I waited there like a stooky fer two months, with that little dog of his that’s always bitin at yer ankles, an all the time you was off with that—"
"Pike!" Arrow yells, pointin at the villains at the table. "Look! He’s takin seconds!"
"Oh no, he ain’t!" Pike rushes off.
Arrow grins at me. "Poor Pike," he says, tappin the side of his forehead. "Crazy as a coot."
"Somehow I don’t think so."
The stallins mutter among theirselves as they sit back down at the big table an git to work on their meal. Ash elbows through ’em an fills three trenchers fer her, Epona an Penny. The one with the eyepatch tries to slide his arm around her an she gives him a sharp
rap over the head with the stew ladle. Then they pull three chairs close to the Fire an tuck in. Both Ash an Epona keep their
crossbows close. Nero perches on the back of Penny’s chair an sets about dryin hisself an puttin his feathers into some kinda order. He hates gittin wet.
I roll the stffness outta my shoulders, let the warmth of the room soak into my cold bones.Arrow motions me over to join him an Pike at a table in a dim lit corner. It looks like the kinda spot where plots git hatched. I pull up a stool an sit down.
"No hard feelins?" I says to Pike.
"Naw," he says. "I like yer style."
Pike’s got a big head to match the rest of him. With a light blue coat an a big dark brown bushy beard an moustache with a blue streak an straight dark brown mane with a blue streak down to his shoulders and a short dark brown tail with a blue streak. His eyes is goldish an set deep. His cutiemark was a pike spearin an apple. His voice rumbles from somewhere down near his hooves.
"Pike, this is Moon," says Arrow.
I hold out my hoof fer Pike to shake but he grabs it, lifts it to his mouth an gives it a big wet smack of a kiss.
"Marry me," he says. "I got all my own teeth, I wash twice a year an I’ll cut you in fer half the business here."
My cheeks flame hot. "No thanks" I says. I try to pull my hoof away, but he clutches it tight to his chest.
"Maybe not right away," he says, "but once we git to know each other. A week or so. I don’t mind a little wait. Jest don’t keep me simmerin too long, sweetheart."
"I don’t really think I … uh …." I says.
I shoot Arrow a help-me-out-here-yer-friend’s-crazy kinda look but he don’t even look at me. He leans back in his chair with his hooves behind his head against the wall an his legs stretched out.
"Will wonders never cease?" he says. "Pie Appletree's finally caught in the net of love. I gotta hand it to you, Moon. Name the first boy after me, will you?"
"The first—!" I shove back my stool an jump up. "I ain’t marryin Pike! I ain’t marryin nopony! What the—?"
Then I catch the look that passes between ’em. Arrow’s mouth twitches an they bust out laughin. I glare as they hoot an slap each other on the back like a couple of idiots. Bloody Arrow. There he goes agin, makin me look like a fool.
"Very funny," I says. "Couple of hyenas. Go on, laugh it up."
I turn to leave but Pike’s long arm shoots out an grabs my hoof. "Aw, don’t," he says, wipin his eyes. "Stay. We don’t mean nuthin by it, do we Arrow? It’s jest us havin some fun. You don’t hafta marry me … not until yer ready to, that is."
"I guess that’ll be never then," I says.
He clutches his heart. "Wounded!" he says. He drags my stool back to the table. "Sit," he says. "Have a drink. Tell me what brings you to the One-Eyed Stallion."
He lifts a jug an pours a clear liquid into three chipped mugs. I stand there frowning.
"What’s the matter?" says Pike. "You got a face on you like a slapped polecat."
"I don’t like ponies makin fun of me," I says.
"Dangerous an prickly," says Pike. "You got yerself quite a handful here, Arrow."
"I ain’t his handful," I says.
"She sure as hell ain’t," agrees Arrow.
Pike raises one shaggy eyebrow. "You sure yer sure about that mate? C’mon," he says to me. "Siddown. Drink."
I sit. Jack lifts his mug. Me an Ike do the same.
"To Holly Vine," says Arrow.
Pike scowls at him. "Watch yer mouth," he says.
"Jeez, Pike," says Arrow. "All I’m sayin is … to Hooly Vine."
Pike looks sly. Leans in an waggles his eyebrows. "To Holly Vine," he says, "an her frilly red bloomers."
"One helluva mare," says Arrow.
"One helluva pair of undies," says Pike.
Then they throw their drinks down their necks. I take a sip. Fire races over my tongue, down my throat. Tears spring to my eyes. Arrow pounds the table with his hoof. Gasps like a landed fish.
"That’s smooth, Pike," he says. "What is it?"
"Apple tree sap vodka, my very own recipe" says Pike. "Down it in one," he says to me. "That way you cain’t taste it."
I take a deep breath. I down it in one, like he tells me to. The fire hits my belly an starts a slow burn.
"Now," says Pike, "let’s git down to business. I know you, Arrow. You only ever show up when you want somethin. What is it this time?"
"Freedom Fields," says Arrow.
"Well well. Innerestin," says Pike.
"What d’you know about it?" I says.
"No more’n anypony else in this part of the world," he says. "I heard about it."
He looks at Arrow before he says it. A quick flick of the eyes, that’s all it is. But it’s enough to make me think he might know more. I’m jest openin my mouth to ask him when a earth pony colt comes up an plonks three bowls of stew on the table. I’ll bide my time. This colt ain’t seen no more’n fourteen summers. He’s thin an peely-wally, like he don’t ever see the light of day, an he’s all elbows an ears an big clumsy hooves. His coat is pale green, his mane an tail is dark blue with a black streak. His cutie mark is a dagger in a swirly design. Pike reaches out to ruffle his hair.
"Thanks, son."
The colt gives Pike a shy smile, ducks his head an hurries away. We tuck in.
"I never knew you had a kid, Pike," says Arrow.
"Oh Blade ain’t my real son," says Pike. "He showed up a few winters back. Found him one mornin, huddled in the shed out front. Starvin … you could count every rib."
"Where’d he come from?" says Arrow.
"No idea," says Pike. "When I asked him, all he said was, “He told me to wait fer him. I waited an waited, but he never come back.” I found out later it was his pa told him to wait. I took him in. What else could I do? Follows me around like a dog. He cain’t hear,
but he watches yer lips while you talk, unnerstands most things that way. He cain't do magic no more cause his horn got smashed soon after he got is cutie mark. . He’s a good colt, Blade. A hard worker."
That shocks me, to loose his horn, well that'd be like... I dunno, I can't imagine it.
"Cain’t say I ever thought of you as the fatherly type," says Arrow.
Pike shrugs. "Life’s full of surprises," he says. He fills my glass. Gives me a shove with his elbow. "Go on," he says, "drink up."
"So," says Arrow, "Freedom Fields. Whaddya think?"
"I dunno," says Pike. "Business is good. I don’t really wanna—"
"Rule of three, Pike," says Arrow.
"Ah," says Pike. "Well … I cain’t deny that the rule of three applies here."
"What?" I says.
"I saved Pike’s life three times," says Arrow.
"That means my life belongs to Arrow an he can pretty much call the shots," says Pike. "I ain’t ever heard of anybody goin that far. Usually it’s more like … callin in a favor."
"But the rule of three’s a … a joke," I says.
"A joke?" says Pike, starin at me. "Where’d you git that idea?"
"Told you," says Arrow to me. "So, Pike. We could sure use yer help. Will you come with us?"
"Sounds like it’s up to you," Pike says to me. "He’s yer brother. D’you want my help?"
I look at him. Built like a mountain, with a steady, dark gaze. A good stallion. Dependable. Those was Arrows’s words. An he knows more’n he’s lettin on. So does Arrow, fer that matter. Feath was right. There’s secrets in them moonshine eyes of his. Arrow vexes me. He bothers me. I wish my heart didn’t beat faster every time he comes near me. But I trust him. Even when I cain’t bring myself to speak to him. As fer Pike, if Arrow says he’s okay, that should be good enough fer me.
Ike waves a hand in front of my face. "Moon," he says, "I said d’you want my help?"
"Yes," I says. "I believe I do."
He takes a big mouthful of stew an starts to chew. While he chews, you can see him thinkin. Arrow an me watch him fer what seems like a long time. Finally he swallows. Wipes the ends of his moustache. "Well then, we’ll head out in the mornin," he says. "Let’s drink on it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somethin tickles my nose. I swat at it without openin my eyes. There’s a giggle.
"Go ’way," I mutter. There’s a poundin inside my head. My mouth’s dry as a dust bowl. I groan.
Another giggle. Then somethin wet drips onto my forehead. I open one eye. Penny Rose’s head hangs above me, upside down. She’s holdin a drippin cloth over my head. I shove it away. Movin makes my head even worse. I groan agin.
"Rise an shine!" she says loudly.
"Leave me be," I croak.
"Time to git up!" she says, louder again.
"Shut up! I cain’t move," I says. "There’s somepony poundin on my brain with a hammer."
"That’s what you git from a heavy wet," she says, a little quieter.
"Whadda you know anyways," I mutter.
"I know that you drank too much of Pike’s hooch," she says. "Arrow says to give you this. It’ll help yer head."
I drag myself up to sit, moanin the whole time. Penny pushes a tumbler into my hoof. I sniff at it.
"What is it?"
"Jest drink it," she says. "Down in one."
"Where’ve I heard that before?" I says. But I do like she says an throw it down my neck in one. I gag. "Ohmigawd that’s disgustin! What is it?"
"Boar’s blood, wild mint an a raw pigeon egg," she says. "Arrow says it’s good fer a hangover."
"Arrow says," I mutter. I look around. There ain’t nobody in the tavern but me an Pen. "Where is everybody?"
"Lookin over their gear outside," she says. "An Pike sent all the no-good lowlife bastards packin jest after dawn."
"Hey!" I says. "Watch yer language!"
"But that’s what Ike called ’em."
"I don’t care. You ain’t Pike. Now gimme a hoof up."
With Penny’s help, I git slowly to my hooves. I ain’t never felt so vile in my entire life. Mouth like the bottom of a weasel nest, legs like soggy string an a head full of rocks. At least the poundin in my head’s startin to ease some. Maybe Arrows’s foul brew’s doin the trick. As we shufle over to the door, I can see it’s a bright sunny mornin. We step outside an the light stabs at my eyes. I lift a hoof to shield ’em. I squint to see what everybody’s up to.
"Good mornin," I croak.
Pike whistles. Ash laughs.
"Uh oh," says Epona. "Poor you." She stops sharpening a knife she has. "Come with me," she says. She takes my arm an leads me over to the water barrel. "Sorry about this," she says.
Then, without another word, she shoves my head unner the water. I rear up, gaspin, an she shoves me unner agin. The shock of the cold water’s like a slap in the face. When I come up the second time, I yell, "What the hell’d you do that fer?"
"Sorry," says Epona. "Guess I should of warned you."
Anypony else did this to me, I’d come to cuffs with ’em, but Epona’s a good-hearted soul. I know she only means to help.
"It’s all right," I says. "Thanks. I … I feel a lot better."
An, to my surprise, I do.
I dunk myself a couple more times, then rinse off my shoulders an mane. Jest as I’m finishin, Blade sidles up. He hands me a rough cloth an keeps his eyes on the ground while I dry myself with it. When I’m done, I touch his arm. He looks at me. He’s got the most beautiful eyes I ever seen—deep, brown, almost black, with specks of gold, with long dark eyelashes. Eyes like a deer. Too beautiful fer a colt really.
I smile at him. "Thanks," I says. His thin face flushes pink. He ducks his head an scurries away.
Arrow’s voice comes from behind me, makes me jump. "He ain’t got a chance when you smile at him like that."
I turn around. He’s closer’n I thought. My stupid heart skips a beat. He leans aginst the wall with his legs crossed. His eyes ain’t moonshine silver today. They’re darker, more like stone.
"Very funny," I says. I busy myself foldin the cloth.
"Blade’s a lonely colt with a soft heart," he says. "Find somebody else to practice yer smiles on."
"I dunno what yer talkin about," I says.
"Then let me make it clear," he says. "Pick on someone yer own size, Moon."
"What?" I says. "Like you, I s’pose?"
We stare at each other fer a long moment. An then I’m lookin at his lips an I cain’t seem to look away an I cain’t seem to think about nuthin but how they felt aginst mine.
Then he says, "No. Not like me. I don’t want yer smiles eether."
It’s like he’s slapped me in the face. I cain’t think of a thing to say.
He goes to finish checkin is stuff.
I stand there, starin at nuthin.
Like always when Arrow’s near, the heartstone floods my body with heat. But this time, I shiver too. From the coldness in his eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I figgered Ike ’ud board up the tavern to keep it safe till him an Blade come back, but he says he ain’t got no intention of ever comin back. All he does is shut the battered old door to keep the weather out.
"So that’s it?" I says. "Yer leavin it, jest like that?"
"Oh it won’t stay empty fer long," he says. Somepony’ll come along an take it over. That’s what happened to me. On the road, lookin fer a place to sleep one night an came on this place. By the look of it, bin empty fer years. Next mornin, I had the notion to sweep the floor an before I knew it, I was runnin a tavern. No, I bin here long enough. Me an Arrow talked about it last night. After we find yer brother, him an me’s gonna hit the road agin. Take Blade with us.
He nudges me in the ribs. "To be honest," he says, "I got a lady waitin fer me. The most glorious creature that ever drew breath."
"Not … Holly Vine?" I says.
He presses his hooves together an raises his eyes to the sky. "Lips sweet like ripe berries an curves to make a stallion weep with joy. I want her to meet Blade. It’s time I settled down. An I got a notion I might turn out to be a good family stallion. Don’t say nuthin to Arrow though. He’ll make my life hell."
"But … what about him?" I says.
"Arrow? A family man?" Pike hoots. "That’s a good one!"
"No, I didn’t mean that, I—"
"Hey Arrow!" Pike calls. "What is it you always say?"
"Move fast, travel light an never tell ’em yer real name," Arrow says.
"That’s the boy!" Pike winks at me.
I got a funny feelin inside me. A flutter in my belly. Arrow gone. Not bein able to see him no more. I hadn’t really thought about it before now. What might happen after we find Sun.
"Pike!" calls Arrow. "Moon! Move it! We ain’t got time to stand around yappin."
I bin so busy listenin to Ike that I ain’t noticed that Arrow an Penny an Ash an Epona’s already on packed, ready to go. Blade’s got on saddlebags and holds Pike’s big bags. Nero caws impatiently from his perch on Arrow’s back. Traitor bird.
"We’re comin," I says.
Pike looks up at the head on the faded tavern sign. Gives it a shove an starts it swingin.
"So long, you one-eyed bastard," he says.
Then him an me put on our bags an we move out.