We stopped to turn and look. There was nothing there.
“I almost don’t want to find out who’s following us, let’s just keep moving.”
I sped up, not wanting to turn and see something you could only imagine in your dreams. The thing in the darkest corner of your brain that interprets what you don’t want to see as fear. The thing that could possibly and will most definitely kill you without emotion or being phased. Something of myth and legend. That something could be following us. Whether it’s a who or a what matters and I hope it turns out to be a who.
“We’ve been walking for a while now. Does this cave never end?” Sapphire questioned.
“I see the end of the tunnel; it’s not too long now until we reach the end”
“If you say so…”
Then I heard an even louder shuffle of rocks nearby.
“Stop!”, I halted Sapphire, “There it is again, the noises”
I turned back to check.
“Sapphire, shine some light over there would you?”
She pointed her body towards the dark area and illuminated herself even more. It didn’t help much. Then the noises started again, now with a deep aggressive growling following it. One paw of a creature came into view, then another, then its mouth and head. It had an elongated muzzle with its eyes nearly on its nose. It wore golden bands on its wrists and through its ears. The creature was now fully visible. Then it spoke.
“What are you doing in my home?”, it asked.
“I’m going to my home”, I responded.
“Your home? Where would that be?”, It questioned.
“I’m taking my mother’s castle as my own”
“What castle? You mean that eyesore on the horizon? Why, nopony has visited that pile of rubble since the Royal Sisters lived there. Ever since the younger one was exiled to the moon, it has been abandoned.”
“Watch your mouth when talking about Mother, don’t say something you’ll regret…”
“You come waltzing into my home and threaten me!” The creature grew frustrated. Sapphire butted in.
“We were only passing through, we don’t want any trouble”
“Silence! You will leave now or I will kill you both! I could use the dark one as a nice rug, could spruce the place up a little. Maybe you Miss…oh what was it…Sapphire? I could use you as a chandelier. That should make my place a little classier.”
“We should leave, now!”, whispered Sapphire panicked by the situation.
The creature and I stared each other down. The creature’s eyes narrowed and it started to laugh.
“Aha ha ha ha ahh!”
It started towards us, one leg at a time. The ground started to shake more violently with each step. Sapphire faced toward the beast.
“Please stop!”, she pleaded, “Stop! You will stop now or suffer!”.
“What makes you think I am going to listen to you?”, It snarled.
“As you wish…”
Sapphire closed her eyes and her coat started to shift and change in shape. It started to grow spikes and needles, each with varying length and girth. They lay splintered against her like a flattened coat of a porcupine. I didn’t know what Sapphire was doing or how her coat is able to morph like it did.
“Onyx!”, she shouted, “Hide!”
Not knowing what she was about to do or was capable of at this point, I hoofed it behind a large stalagmite. Peering out of the side I watched and shouted.
“I’m set!”
The large creature then bolted toward Sapphire in a mad frenzy. Sapphire braced herself then let out a scream. The shout sounded like she was in pain but then the frayed needles on her coat shot forward into the air burying themselves along the creature’s chest and neck. It hit the ground with a loud thump, sliding about two feet, to a stop. There the beast lay on its side, eyes still open and focused on Sapphire. It attempted to open his mouth.
“Leave me”, It spoke with fainting breath.
Sapphire stood enraged and panting. I walked over to her to comfort her.
“Hey Sapphire I…”, then she shot the few remaining crystals off of her back into me without turning. I fell to the ground in pain as I was turned into a ponified pincushion. The shards were lining my face and neck. I was glad they didn’t go into my eyes. I tried not to move much as I spoke.
“Sapphire”, I said through my teeth. She turned toward me, still panting. Once she saw me her eyes widened in shock.
“No, Onyx!”