“So what now?” asked Jacob.
“I saw a village while coming down the mountain,” said Drake. “I saw it too through auras, I could see Sam’s aura there,” Hunter told the rest still at their make-shift campsite. Ian thought for a moment and pulled out his wallet, and looked at the American money.
“Guys,” he pointed out, “I think we’re going to need a way to do business with the locals, for supplies and somewhere to stay.” Drake suddenly had a glint in his eye.
“That reminds me,” he says as he tosses huge pure rubies, emeralds, and diamonds out of his quiver and hoodie pockets.
Everyone gawks at him as he explains that, “When I crashed, it was into a mountain. At the top there was this huge cave filled with jewels just sitting all over the ground like the place, this was only what I could carry, there’s tons more like the place was abandoned by a-”
“DRAGON!” yelled Hunter. A dragon flew over their heads to the cave where Drake was pointing.
“I don’t know where we are, but I know all dragons, and I don’t recognize that. I’ve gotta go check it out,” Hunter told the rest.
“Plus we could use the jewels as currency,” Mary pointed out.
Ian, who was half-asleep stood up and said, “Let’s go, I do enjoy the idea of robbing Smaug.”
Jacob looked at him with a serious expression and said, “It wouldn’t be too hard for you, you are a hobbit.”
Ian looked at Jacob annoyed and replied, “I’m like a half-foot shorter than you, besides you’re the one with the hairy feet.”
Jacob looks at his feet covered with short hair by the ankle and responds, “Touché, cat, touché.”
The group began walking up the mountain, occasionally having to climb, when they came across a thin gorge to cross. Being relatively short, they jumped across and continued. They then reached a much larger gorge, with huge rocks and pebbles piled at the bottom next to a crater. Drake laughed a bit when he says, “Sorry guys, my bad.”
Mary floats across with a green magic platform, while Drake, Ian, and Jacob jump across, Jacob with Tim on his back. Hunter jumps halfway across missing his mark as he digs his sword into the cliff-side and starts climbing up.
“Still a little weak I guess,” Hunter explained.
“Hunter, you couldn’t make that jump at full health, much less weakened,” Drake remarked. They reached the top and walk into the cave that Drake mentioned. Abandoned there were massive amounts of jewels everywhere. While everyone else was loading whatever they could with jewels, Hunter was looking at fresh markings on the ground.
“Guys check this out, it’s a fresh message, and it’s similar to the language of grass dragons, but not quite the same. From what I can gather, the dragon we saw earlier was looking for the dragon that lived here, and he’s been gone for weeks.” He began gathering jewels and left a little disheartened. They left and began heading towards the village.
At the edge of the forest, Sam was waiting for the others, having sat there through the night. She had gotten to know a few of the other ponies, and her thoughts drifted to them.
‘That Twilight is pretty intelligent, her I can get along with. Rarity is a bit of a condescending snob, yet somehow manages to be friendly; heh reminds me of Mary,’ her thoughts notice, ‘that Pinkie one is hyperactive and childish, kind of like Jacob, though even he’s not that hyper. Rainbow Dash is cocky, ignorant, and completely unaware and uncaring of people’s response to her actions, just like Ian. Fluttershy is rather sweet and delicate, like the kind of person Hunter always wants to help. That one Applejack is reliable, and tough as nails, definitely like Drake. I wonder what they’re all doing, they better not be screwing off.’
Just then Twilight walks up and taps her with a hoof. “You’re friends will get here eventually, you said they would. You should get some rest. You can sleep on the couch in the library, I’d offer you the bed, but you’re really tall for it,” Twilight told her. Sam thought about resting in a library and reading a few books. She smiled, and with a nod stood up, following the unicorn.