After several moments of floating, Fluttershy finally emerged through a snow-flaked bed of grass. She squinted in the gray overcast light of morning. To her left and westard, row after row of turf houses lingered. Ponies gathered outside in droves, huddled around burning kettles as they murmured to one another in the snowy air. The outer circumference of Braum was marked by a meager stone barricade—mostly crumbled and weathered by time. A line of tents formed a marketplace where travellers from far and wide exchanged wares, bartering and trading.
Towards the east side of town, a smattering of two and three story wooden buildings lingered—a far humbler sight than even Riverstem afforded. Among the structures were an inn, a bank, two saloons, and at least three slightly decrepit barns. Ponies filed in from the snowy hills east of Braum, leading caravans comprised of thick rolling wagons. Everyone who entered and exited the town looked serious, determined, and hurried. It was not so much a grim village as it was a very business-oriented one. Ponies lingered outside for as long as it took to conduct an exchange, and then they wisely rushed back inside—retreating to their snuggly turf houses or the inn with its constantly smoldering chimney.
Towards the northeast, obscured by hilltops and nestled against the southern base of an enormously steep mountain range, was a continuously billowing plume of smog. The air smelled vaguely of industrial grit, and howling sounds echoed from the distance—the tell-tale signs of train whistles.
Snow continued falling, and every tenth flake was polluted black, brimming with dust.
"Girls?" Fluttershy murmured, looking across the bright gray lengths of Braum. "G-girls?"
"Over here, Fluttershy!" Pinkie waved.
With a blink, Fluttershy craned her neck. She saw her three friends levitating meters away. She hurried over there, biting her lip pensively.
"Why are we so far away from the burrow?" she inquired.
"Cuz over here is where the bad guys are meeting up!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Pinkie..." Twilight sighed. "They're not exactly bad guys per se."
"Oh yeah?!" Pinkie folded her forelimbs, frowning. "Did they foalnap Rainbow Dash or didn't they?"
"Shhhh!" Twilight squinted past a cluster of stallions as another group of ponies shuffled southwest from the snowy hills beyond. "These aren't like the bandits who wanted to attack innocent travelers within the Petrispines. These ponies have families here in Braum. You've seen them yourself. They only want to protect the interest of the village."
"And for all they know, Rainbow Dash is a fugitive," Rarity nervously added, her eyes locked on the converging groups. "A... very clumsy... unlucky fugitive from justice." She gulped and looked back at Fluttershy. "Speaking of which, how is she?"
"Awake." Fluttershy fidgeted. "And not too happy."
"Her head's in one piece?" Twilight remarked.
"As intact as it'll ever be." Fluttershy cleared her throat. "These ponies walking towards us... I recognize them. They were the ones who went to... uh... 'the factories' earlier."
"I do believe you're right, Fluttershy," Rarity said. "No doubt to speak with someone there."
"Yeah?" Pinkie blinked at the others. "Like who?"
"Someone who can pay for Rainbow's bounty, no doubt," Twilight said.
"You mean those dudes who've been putting signs up all over Rohbredden?!" Pinkie squeaked. "See?! I told you these were baddies!"
"Shhhh!" Rarity insisted, leaning forward as far as the anchorage would allow. "They're about to speak."
The ghostly mares witnessed...
...as a cloaked stallion with a gray-streaked brown mane approached the ponies in wait.
A younger pony with a yellow coat stepped forward, along with his companions. "Well, Sarda? How'd it go?"
The stallion adjusted his cloak and sighed. "Just as badly as we expected, Kayman. They want us to bring the Rainbow Rogue to Steamfall."
"Dammit!" Kayman stomped his hoof in the snowy grass. "I knew it! Those cold-harded Consortium bastards! They'll sell out their souls but they can't be arsed to trust their very own neighbors!"
Rarity and Twilight Sparkle exchanged glances, muzzles mouthing "Consortium bastards?"
"It's the only way they're willing to go about an exchange," Sarda continued in a noticeably gruff voice. He glanced pensively over his shoulder. "I tried convincing them to come here, but they wouldn't bite. The jerk I was speaking to implied that we were attempting to scam them."
"Hmmmfff..." One stallion folded his forelimbs. "Typical."
"I'm surprised you couldn't convince them to play ball, Sarda," Kayman remarked. "I mean... just how many times have we saved their sorry-ass dredge coal shipments from bandits?"
"Yes, well..." Sarda scratched the stubble on his chin. "Seems the Consortium has the long-term memory of a mouth-foaming manticore these days." He clenched his jaw muscles. "I was this close from telling them about the Talon, but I wasn't sure if they were actually a viable threat." He turned to squint at Kayman. "You tell me. Did the griffons pass on by yet?"
"What, didn't you see some of them along your way back?" Kayman blinked. "Our buddies out on the fringes spotted a total of five of them. They're surrounding the village as we speak. Forming a perimeter."
"Shit..." Sarda sneered. "They just had to have seen me returning from Steamfall."
"Well, for all they know, you're just returning from a trade deal."
"That might fool members of the Central Guard, but these are the Talon we're talking about, Kayman." Sarda gulped. "They likely sniffed us out from the camp we abandoned."
"Yeah..." Kayman hung his head with a sigh. "Sorry, Sarda. I... I should have covered our tracks better."
"You... didn't have much time to work with. Don't beat yourself up over it." Sarda nevertheless eyed the skies with a sigh. "Besides, there may still be a way to salvage this."
"Oh yeah?" Kayman blinked. "What's that?"
"I overheard some commotion while I was visiting our neighbors," Sarda droned. "The white collars up in Steamfall are all abuzz about some... big whig visiting from the south."
"Who? Chandler?"
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie blinked.
"No. Not Chandler." Sarda cleared his throat, ears twitching in the snowfall. "But somepony almost as important."
"His right-hoof pony?"
"Something to that extent. In other words... someone connected to the top. Whoever he is, maybe he'll be willing to listen to what we have to offer."
"Just how long until this pony gets here?"
"Could be tonight. Could be tomorrow." Sarda looked at Kayman. "I'm going to need you to pay Steamfall a visit when he arrives."
"What?" Kayman blinked crookedly. "Me?!"
"That's right."
"But... I don't get it. How come, Sarda? You speak for Braum. Everypony knows that."
"Right. Which is why I have to stay here." Sarda paced through the frosted blades of grass. "Pretty soon, the Talon's gonna conduct a textbook search. According to Rohbreddenite law, they have the full right to inspect domestic habitats... owned businesses... you name it."
"I... I-I guess I gotta brush up on my Prefecture law." Kayman gulped. "Just how screwed are we?"
"I doubt these silver-plated bird brains know about Braum's hidden infrastructure," Sarda murmured, cautiously watching the skies. "They're going to have to cross some major boundaries if they expect to find our tunnel systems." A deep, vaporous breath, and he turned to squint at his fellow stallions across the light snowfall. "If anyone can keep them distracted, it's me. I just have to keep them busy long enough for you to meet up with this big whig, convince them that we've got the Rogue, then drag them back here for an exchange."
"That's... cutting it awfully close, Sarda." Kayman gulped. "I mean... if this risks getting us in hot water with the Talon..." He grimaced before he could finish that sentence. Clearing his throat, he stammered: "Braum's dealt with Frostknife inspectors and tax collectors... but this?"
"I need you to follow me through with this, Kayman," Sarda said. His eyes hardened as he stared at the rest. "Same goes with all of you. Braum has barely been able to squeak by these last ten years." He gulped. "The kind of bounty the Consortium is offering could help us float for another five winters. It's just the edge we need!"
"Verlaxion's sleet, Sarda!" another stallion groaned. "Why not just hand our village over to Steamfall on a silver platter?! It's what the Consortium's always wanted these last few decades, anyway!" The others chuckled and nodded.
Sarda glared. "I'm not talking about selling out Braum to those flankholes at Steamfall." His eyes narrowed. "I'm talking about our families being able to eat throughout the Month of Thawing and beyond." His nostrils flared. "Anypony got a better idea on how to make that happen?"
The ponies stood in nervous silence. They exchanged dull expressions.
Sarda nodded. "Just as I thought. Kayman, do your best to appeal to this Consortium representative. Think of it as an exchange of goods and services. Like normal. Nothing more... nothing less." He sighed. "In the meantime, let me deal with the Talon. We're on the same side, after all, aren't we?"
"Yes... only they're the ones with razor sharp wingblades."
"Which totally suck for digging. Trust me," Sarda managed.
The stallions had a good-natured chuckle.
"Okay... okay... enough huddling." Sarda cleared his throat. "The Talon's eyes are likely on us as we speak. Let's not give them a reason to suspect something." He waved a hoof. "Go and have breakfast with your families. It's your right, after all."
"What of the Rogue?" Kayman asked.
"Huh?"
Kayman's eyes narrowed. "What... what if she's just as dangerous as all of the wanted posters say?"
The four mares glanced at Sarda.
Sarda took a deep breath. "All the more reason for us to get her out of here. Even if the Consortium turn out to be bigger jerkholes and cut the bounty in half..." He shook his head. "It'll still be like a warm breath from the Spring Havens. Now, move out."
"Sure thing, boss."
And the stallions went their separate ways. Hoof prints formed a spreading star in the glinting white snow.