//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Oak Branches and Palm Leaves // Story: Poeni: An Ancient Breed // by DaBeejees //------------------------------// After Twilight left, I suddenly remembered something, something that immediately caused me to start frantically looking through the books I had out. Sure enough, as one of the many books would confirm, Cinnamomum aromaticum - cassia - is an evergreen, not one of which I had seen while I had been in the Everfree Forest, as much as you would expect to find one there, at least considering the 'ever' part of the name. Fuck! That means that I would have to search elsewhere for it. And that, in turn, meant more research. Now, in addition to having to find a new possible location of cassia, I would need to still find out about spikenard, more myrrh, and frankincense, the last one for more overall information. I considered asking Spike about the spikenard - mainly as a joke - but I knew that his reaction wouldn't be worth the effort of having to explain it, at which point any humor his reaction may or may not have provided would be long gone. Anyway, after several days of being cooped up indoors, I ultimately decided - after mulling it over with Poeni - to go and get the oak branches and palm leaves. As much as I liked being indoors, I knew that Celestia would want me to see her sun at some point. As it turned out, Twilight had, in fact, gone and gotten permission from the mayor for me to legally obtain some oak branches and palm leaves from the Whitetail Woods, so that was one less stop I had to make. However, I realized that I would need some...help, getting them; I would get them myself, but considering that my wings have had to be wrapped to my body for...Celestia knows how long now, due to injury, I can't...although I have a feeling that Rainbow Dash might be willing to assist me. Well, that is if I could get her attention, since she rarely spends her time near the ground. As I finished writing a note on my whereabouts to Twilight and posting it on the outside of the door, I was faced with convenience at it's finest. "Oh, hey Rainbow," I called out to the approaching pegasus, "I was actually just about to go looking for you." After I had turned away from the library door, I saw Rainbow Dash making her way toward me. I love convenience. "Really?" she responded inquisitively. "What for?" "I was just about to head over to the Whitetail Woods to gather a couple of the ingredients I need," I specify to her. "You know you'll need permission from the mayor to do that, right?" she pointed out to me. "Twilight already got it for me." I say with a grin, raising up the 'license' - for lack of a better word - as I lock up the library door with the spare key Twilight had given me before she left. "Ah...and...why do you need me?" the colorful mare asks, and, when I gesture toward my bound wings, she adds, "Right..." "Shall we go?" I offer, still not knowing whether she's willing. "I don't see why not," she says with a shrug, "but how many...ingredients are you going to be getting?" "As many as Poeni deems necessary, to be honest," I confess sheepishly. "It is her pyre, after all. Why do you ask?" "Well..." the blue blur began, "because it might not hurt to have AJ come with us with a cart or something." "That's...an excellent idea, actually!" I exclaimed, nodding my head approvingly. At that note, we both started making our way toward Sweet Apple Acres. Hopefully Applejack wouldn't be too busy to help us out. Fortunately, she wasn't, as she apparently had already finished her apple-bucking for the day, despite it still being rather early, and before we knew it the three of us - along with Poeni - were on our way to Whitetail Woods. Along the way, the two Elements told me all about their own previous experience in the Running of the Leaves, which was brought up as that was the last time that either of them had been to the Whitetail Woods. To say the least, it was an amusing tale. When we got there, we began collecting in a methodical fashion: Rainbow Dash would break off the oak branches, letting them fall into Applejack's well-placed cart, as she would also do for the required palm leaves. I admit, I felt bad for just standing there while Rainbow Dash and Applejack did all of the work on my behalf, but the two mares only blew me off when I voiced it. Can't argue with that; and hell, I never argue unless I'm 120% certain that I'll win - that's why I'm undefeated in arguments. Anyway, by the time all was said and done, we had only had to fill up Applejack's cart about ¾ of the way full. Apparently, that was all that Poeni felt that she would need for her pyre. ------ As we were on our way back, we came across another convenience in town: we came across Twilight, who was currently heading back to the library after her visit to Zecora's. Well, it would be more accurate to say that Twilight came across us. Well, to put it even more accurately, she snuck up behind us and scared us all not only shitless, but half-to-death as well. "BRIAR!" came her voice out of nowhere - nowhere actually being behind me, which is something I obviously didn't realize at the time. Oh sweet Celestia! I literally jumped in shock, before falling on my back with a painful thud!, which was even more painful do to my wings. "Ya okay there, sugarcube?" the farm mare asked me, concerned. "I've been better," I respond as I slowly get back to my hooves, groaning thanks to the consistent pain in my wings. Well, they don't really hurt, per say, but my injury to them makes them...uncomfortable, I guess would be the most accurate word. After several hasty apologies, Twilight immediately began yapping faster than I can remember even Pinkie Pie ever talking. Well, to me, at least. Obviously she's excited about something. In a fashion that would usually only need to be used to quiet Pinkie Pie, I stuffed a hoof in Twilight's mouth until her mouth stopped moving in futile attempts to speak further. Surprisingly, that lasted about ten seconds before Twilight realized that her attempted words were not being vocalized, and then a highly-amusing five seconds after that until she noticed that the cause of that was my hoof in her mouth. After Twilight calmed down, she looked at me to let me know such, at which point I removed my hoof from her mouth to allow her to speak. Humorously, however, that didn't last very long at all as my hoof ended up back in her mouth after she almost immediately began yapping at the same rate she had been previously. However, after threatening to make damn certain that she wouldn't be able to send any letters to the Princess, she immediately was able to speak slowly enough to be understood. After what Twilight told us next, I - in hindsight - cannot blame her at all for how excited she was. As it turns out, although Zecora herself didn't have any frankincense - her family back in Zebravana were not only traders themselves, but among their most popular items was - who'da thunk it - frankincense. Now that is some damn-good news! However, the fact that struck me the most was that frankincense was - at least according to Twilight - one of their "most popular items," which caused my deduction to get me excited, as it meant that they would have a ready supply of the ever-so-elusive incense. Long story short, I was one happy camper. However, as good as that news was, we still needed to get the materials that we already had in Applejack's cart to the library - where we had previously decided to store the materials. Also, I still wanted to determine a location for the remaining ingredients before I started upon any long journeys, especially ones that would bring me outside the borders of Equestria, such as to Zebravana. I'd also like to get to know this 'Zecora' before I would go on a trip to her homeland with her - which is only logical - even though it most likely wouldn't be just her and I on the journey. But as for right now, we felt that we had no time to waste...and in a way...we didn't.