"We're finally out!" Trixie cried out in relief.
The small group gazed at their surroundings in wonder. To their left, there was a small line of bluish grey rocks as tall as a three story building. In front of them there was a grassy meadow dotted with blue, red, and yellow flowers. And to their right ran the cold river.
"This place is beautiful." Roseluck gasped while taking off her backpack.
"I'll get some wood for a fire." Spike announced before plopping the wolf meat onto the ground.
"You're not seriously going to eat that!?" the earthpony asked in disgust.
"What? I read in a book that it's suppose ta taste good." the dragon replied, already searching the forest line for fallen twigs.
Roseluck made a face at the dragon before turning her attention to Trixie who was yanking twigs from her skirt and blouse with no success. Sighing, the red maned mare trotted up towards her companion. Smiling, the mare began to work on getting the twigs that were stuck on the unicorn's back.
But what they didn't know was that they were being watched.
Cracking his back, Spike walked back to the two mares with a bundle of sticks. However, when he dropped the sticks, the purple dragon had a sickly feeling that he was being watched. But he just shrugged it off and spit some green flames onto the pile of sticks. Then he threw the small bundle of meat into the fire and watched the meat beginning to burn.
"Why did you just throw the meat into the fire?"
Spike looked up at Trixie and smiled, "It's the quickest way to cook something. Besides, fire doesn't effect dragons like me." he explained.
"Oohhh." Trixie replied, taking a seat besides Spike.
The two were quiet for awhile, hypnotized by the flames of the fire. However, Trixie soon broke free from the hypnotic flames and looked at the purple dragon.
"Do you um, feel like we're being watched?" She asked.
Spike nodded his head while reaching into the fire and taking out one of the chunks of meat. Once the meat cooled down, he used his sharp claws to cut it in half and gave one piece to the blue unicorn. However, before she could take a bite, a yellow blur flew past them and snatched the cooked meat.
"Hay!" Trixie shouted, already using her magic to levitate her sword.
"Relax, there's still one more chunk of meat left." Spike tried to reassure her. But he was too late, the mare was already galloping after the yellow blur.
Quickly, Spike scampered to his claws and ran over to Roseluck just in case somepony (or something) got hurt.
"Come back here and fight me coward!" Trixie hollered. Her lungs and feet protested, however the unicorn kept running, "That meat is mine!"
Soon, Trixie started to notice that the blur was beginning to slow down. So when Trixie came closer to the blur, she could see wings and an orange and light yellow tail.
So you're a pegasus. The blue unicorn thought as she kept on galloping towards her target.
With the last of her strength, Trixie called forth her magic and used it to grab the pegasus' tail. But because Trixie's never levitated more then one object before, her grasp only lasted for a couple of seconds. However, it did give the unicorn enough time to see her thief.
The pegasus was a soft yellow with a tail that looked like fire. She wore navy blue pants, a yellow t-shirt with a white wing on front, and brown goggles that were over her orange eyes. The mare also had a worn out saddle bag with the cooked meat and a hilt of a sword peaking out from one of the flaps.
Trixie commanded her tired limbs to run once more. Deeper and deeper the two ponies went until the unicorn could feel her legs beginning to grow limp.
"Come on, just a little bit closer." she whispered to herself, "If only I knew how to teleport!"
Suddenly, she drew closer to the thief once again and swung her sword at the pegasus, missing by a hoof every time. So eventually, she gave up and just started to gallop faster and faster.
Though soon, her limbs began to give way, but Trixie kept on trying to go after her speedy foe. But alas, her body would not cooperate and the unicorn crumpled onto the wet grass. Still determined, Trixie made a last ditch effort and began to crawl towards the direction where the pegasi flew.
But alas, the blue unicorn only got three hooves before falling unconscious.
"Ugh, Wha-?" the blue unicorn questioned while gently getting into a sitting position.
"Shhh, you blacked out.You ran for far longer than your body could handle ." Roseluck said in a soothing voice while giving a canteen full of water to the unicorn.
"Did you find out who or what took your food?" Spike questioned.
Trixie nodded weakly, "It was a yellow pegasus with a mane the color of fire." she answered.
Roseluck scratched her chin, "Hmm, that kind sounds like...but that's impossible!" the mare gasped.
"What, what's impossible!?" Spike asked with a hint of fear in his voice.
"A mare with the same description visited my father when I was young. Her name was Spitfire and she was looking for a job. However, my father turned her down and I never saw her again. I-I thought she died." Roseluck explained.
"Did she usually steal food from hungry ponies?" Trixie grumbled before taking a couple of sips from the canteen.
"I don't know, but we have to go after her." Roseluck stated.
"We should get going to Ponyville first. Besides, I'm sure Spitfire was just hungry and scared by our weapons. That's why she probably stole that food from you." Spike explained.
"I guess." Trixie sighed before laying back onto her back and closing her eyes.
While Trixie was asleep, Roseluck was helping Spike put out the fire. But the thought of Spitfire made it hard for her to focus.
"Spike?" the mare asked.
"Hmmm?"
"You and Trixie can go to Ponyville while I go and search for Spitfire." Roseluck suggested.
The purple dragon shook his head, "You could get attacked by those wolves again." he pointed out.
"I can protect myself! Besides, what if she's in trouble?"
"No way, your grandfather would have my scales if something bad happened to you."
"But-"
"Just go to bed."
Roseluck stomped her right hoof like a filly before stomping off towards a cluster of flowers and laying down.
Once the mare was asleep, Spike scattered the sticks around before grabbing a blanket from the bag. Since ponies had fur to keep them warm, Mr. Greenhooves packed a blanket for Spike.
The dragon laid on his side, draped the blanket over his body, and went to sleep.
Soon the three companions were all asleep. Oblivious to the orange eyes that watched them.