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// 43 - Riding into the Sun 
// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone 
// by David Silver 
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Food stocked, supplies secured, and their eyes set on the west, they gathered at the gate and set off at a comfortable trot. Fast had never given up her horse, giving her one to bear the burden of her heavy bulk and armor alone. Paul also had his own, leaving Maud and Tree to share, but neither seemed to be complaining.

They set off at a brisk trot in the early morning, leaving the human city, and hopefully the entire human lands behind.

Paul asked as they went, looking ahead to the fuzzy horizon that showed no signs of the forest they approached yet, "So why are we headed right on inta a forest called 'impenetrable'?"

Fast shook her head. "Pontyd is its name. It's not impenetrable, just... troubling. The alternative is to go around the mountains to the north and come around through Kadiston, adding possibly months to our trek that we could avoid right here." She shook herself a little, her plate rattling. "We didn't get this equipment for show. If it comes to it, we'll fight our way through."

Paul rubbed behind his head. "Oh, right, so... People do go this way?"

"Heavens no." Fast shook her head. "Rational people avoid the damned forest. There's basically no polite traffic to speak of."

Paul's fingers trembled on his reins. "Good thing... we're not very rational then, right?"

Tree tilted her head a little. "It's a forest. How gnarly can a forest be? It has a load of trees in it." She panned her sight over the flat stretches they were going past. "More than here, for sure."

Fast clucked her tongue in her helmet. "I hope that's the case. Let it all be rumors run wild and out of control. We'll let you speak with wild animals or angered plants we run into before we act, but not everything can be reasoned with, so keep your weapons close at hoof."

Maud's eyes glanced left and right, but said nothing. Tree seemed to notice her faint signal and gently nudged her. Maud nodded a little. "My weapons are my hooves."

Fast smiled even if the expression was largely hidden. "You are your weapon, Maud. Only a fool would ever think you were unarmed."

"I don't have arms."

Tree smiled patiently. "She means you always have your weapon."

Fast nodded. "Just so. That goes for you as well, Tree. The both of you... It's like ponies from your world just don't need weapons." Her hazy recollection of any other Equestrians didn't allow her to confirm or deny the suspicion. "I feel it must be a much more peaceful place than here. We'll get you back to it as soon as we can. It may be beyond my means, but I imagine Under Score could figure it out, or at least point us in the right direction." She pointed ahead, to the west. "And he's there, in the Pony Empire, so let's find him."

They went quiet as they rode on, but Paul fidgeted in his saddle, looking increasingly uneasy until Tree addressed him with that placid smile. "Hey, man, what has you tied in knots? Like, chill out, and share with us."

Paul shrugged a little. "Just thinkin' is all. We're headed to pony country. I'll be 'bout the only human there."

Fast nudged her horse closer to Paul's. "You will be welcomed, and you travel in fine company. Besides, since things began to decline, there have been more humans deeper into the empire. You won't be as alone as you may have thought. Blaze take it, Kadiston went from being a blend of pony and humans to ponies being the minority." She huffed softly. "Let's not dwell on that. I may say an unkind thing I don't really mean. Paul, you are welcomed at our side."

Tree waved as she called out to Paul, "You'll get to try things the pony way. It'll be exciting and fun! That's what adventure's about, right man?"

Paul quirked a smile. "Suppose it is... Yeah. Some great stories to share with Flint when I get back to 'im."

"Exactly." Tree nodded her head softly. "We just have to walk through some trees first, like, as if that were that big a deal. You used to walk through trees all the time with Flint."

Paul licked over his lips. "With Flint..."

The conversation slid into another lull. The city was becoming a speck behind them as they set camp, just to rouse and do it again. Travel was simple work, and they went at it with determination. Their mounts were well-fed and they didn't push them past their limits, keeping them hale and happy. The city shrank beyond a point, lost to the horizon as they went.

The second night out, they were camped and resting. Tree's magic made their camp look like a bush, a perfectly standard bush. None could see them, or the fire they kept or smell the food they prepared. They were safe and relaxed when a voice called out.

"Help! Someone, anyone..." Its source became visible when she strayed close to the bush, moving past it. They could see a young woman, clothes tattered and bloody in some places. She looked terrible.

Tree glanced at the others. Fast looked hesitant, but Paul less so. He rose quickly and moved to the side of the camp she was just about to go past.

"Hel--" She was grabbed by Paul and hauled into the camp, his hand over her mouth.

"We're here to help," he explained hurriedly. "I'll let go of you, but no screaming, please. You're safe here." She gave a little nod, and he released her.

She spun around to face him, then looked to his equine companions. "I've been rescued by the fey? Do I owe my life now?"

Fast smiled faintly. "Fey we are, but we're not the sort from the seelie or unseelie courts." She tapped the ground with a metal-clad shoe. "Sit, tell us what sent you running, and let Tree see to your wounds. As Paul said, you're safe here."

She moved to sit on a rock that was about the right size and settled, looking between them. "O-okay... It's orcs you see. We have a little farmstead... had... We thought we were close enough to the city to keep orcs and the like away, but not so close we had to pay taxes..."

Fast raised a brow. "I see. They proved you wrong. Were they chasing you just now?"

"I don't... I don't think so." She jumped as Tree Hugger touched her side. "Hello?"

"Hey, dude." She gently inspected the human for wounds and called on the force of her magic to banish them before she raised her hooves over her. "This is going to get wet." Before she could ask further, Tree conjured water over the girl's head, washing away the dirt that had built on her in her wild flee. She squealed with surprise and flailed, knocking one of Tree's hooves away, but the damage had been done.

Paul blushed, perhaps a little at how the woman's clothes reacted to being wet. He turned away, rather than gawk at a woman in distress. "The city's that way." He pointed east. "Can ya make it?"

Fast frowned. "More importantly, which way was your homestead, and are the orcs still there?"

She moved closer to the fire and its heat to combat the chill of the water. "Thanks, I think. Before we play question the oracle, we should exchange names? I am Tabitha, and you all are?"

"Tree Hugger."

"Maud Pie"

She burst into giggles. "You really have such fey names."

Fast coughed into a hoof. "Fast... Fast Shadow."

Tabitha was easily amused by their names, and looked to Paul, who was still turned away. "And you, sir? Are you as fey as your companions?"

"Paul, miss."

Tabitha frowned a little. "Well, that's not as fanciful as the others, but it's a fine name all the same. Nice to meet you all."

Tree smiled gently. "You sound better. Have you come down from your fright?"

Fast leaned forward. "I--" She paused, ears twitching. "Do you hear something?"

"Possibly."

Tabitha gasped. "Your bird can talk?" She slapped a hand against her forehead. "Of course your bird can talk. I'm really with a bunch of fey creatures."

Fast held up a hoof. "Shhh."

Tabitha quieted, and they all listened. Maud pointed out into the darkness. "Something's coming, wearing metal shoes."

"Several somethings," added Tree with a nod, confirming Maud's find. "We should be safe in here. They can't see or hear us, whatever it is."

Tabitha shrank a bit. "I thought this was just another bush when I went past, then suddenly I was being grabbed and here I am."

Emerging into the light of the camp that only they could see from the inside, a small band of green-skinned humanoids followed after the trail left behind by Tabitha. They looked rather similar to the thieves' guild master, though far less friendly than he had turned out to be.

They arrived at where she had been grabbed by Paul, and began arguing in a new language. Fast whispered quietly, "Orcish, likely. I don't know the tongue personally."

The orcs passed by their camp, only to stop when they ran into the scattered remains of their horse's tracks. Fresh arguing broke out, with some pushing and shoving before one roared in fury, thrusting his blade into the ground and thumping his fist. The others shrank away, then they regathered, heading back where they came from and leaving the adventurers undiscovered.

Fast tapped her chin lightly. "Perhaps they think you've been picked up by passing travelers on horse back. It would explain your suddenly vanishing footprints."

Paul nodded at that, daring to turn around. The fire had done a decent job, and he settled down, rejoining the circle now that there were less women on display. "I grabbed her when she wasn't facin' the camp, so she shouldn't a looked like she done went into it."

Fast smiled. "Glad you did that. Unfortunately, that means there are orcs in our way."

Tabitha squirmed a little. "Don't suppose that means you could escort me to the city? Maybe they'll be gone by the time you get back."

Tree and Paul looked to Fast, deferring to her silently.

She sighed softly. "That's not in the plans. But... We could get your homestead back, and get ourselves moving at the same time."

Tabitha sat up. "You're going to use fey magic on them all?"

Fast tapped at the lance slung at her side. "If you want to call this 'fey magic', certainly. We're all fighters, adventurers I suppose would be more accurate. Your orcs will regret picking a fight here, of all places. But--"

Her words were cut off as Tabitha threw herself at the metal pony and hugged her around the barrel, kissing her bared cheek. "You're the nicest fey I ever met."

Fast smiled a little, looking bemused by the girl's sudden affection. "What's with people calling me the best of a thing they've not seen before? Calm yourself, Tabitha. We can't rush into this blindly, weapons swinging. We'll handle this intelligently."