The Land After

by Fat1thatyoulove

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The star in the forest

The dark sky now hangs over Equestria as the moon still sits absent to the world. In truth, it has not been too long since Clover and Preston arrived at the castle. But it has felt like an eternity seeing as how neither one of them have tried to talk to the other being that stands across the bed.

Clover's magic chimes a little to the room as she floats out the last few things she packed while the man across from her continues to turn back and forth between his bag and the dresser he has started to put his things into.

As the last few items from her bag comes out Clover brings a faint sigh to herself as she brings the bag up to float near the wall.

However, before the mare can bring her voice up the sound of a hoof to the door has rung out to the room.

Clover turns to the sound as she speaks up, "Come in."

The door comes open to the familiar well dressed unicorn stallion as he speaks up, "We have been extinguishing the torches rather early lately, just wondering if you would like to eat now."

For a moment the mare does not speak up, but as she turns her head toward the large window of the room her voice comes out, "Has Star Swirl returned from his expedition yet?"

Free Burst blinks to the comment as he slowly shakes his head, "Um, n-no I do not believe so...The mage's tower is dark."

Clover's head quickly comes back to the stallion in the doorway as she speaks up, "And he has been gone since this morning?"

"Yes I believe so." Free Burst shifts a little as Clover starts to bring her trot up.

"Then I am going to make sure he is okay." Clover's path is cut off a little as Free Burst extends his hoof, "If I may say, it it rather late and the forest can be restless-.."

"Exactly why Star Swirl should not be alone out there." The mare now comes into the short hallway as Preston slowly starts to trail after her.

As Preston comes to the threshold of the door he calls out, "Wait how are you going to know where he went?"

Clover's trot stops as she turns back towards the stallion in the hall, "Can you precisely tell me where Star Swirl went?"

The stallion hesitates for a moment as he nods, "Well I did not see him personally, but somepony did tell me he followed the path from the tower."

The mare nods as she speaks up, "That is where I thought he would have gone."

Preston slowly moves after he tries his voice again, "You're going?"

"Yes, I am." The mare's unaltered trot quickens Preston's legs as he catches up to her side.

"H-how do you even expect to find him?" Preston's comment flicks the mare's ear as Clover turns an eye to him, "If you do not want to come then stay here."

Clover and Preston's pace has brought them quickly back to the castle's foyer. As they near the door Preston turns his eyes to one of the brightly lit torches on the wall as he pulls it from its post and takes it firmly into his hand.

The front doors of the castle comes open to Clover's magic as she takes her first hoof to the darker outside world.

She turns her head to the man beside her as she sparks her horn up in a bright blue glow that emulates the area around more then the torch Preston holds, "The tower is only a short gallop from here, maybe Star Swirl has already returned home."

As her words come down her pace comes up a little quicker, Preston gives a little groan to the speed as he tries to follow after her despite the heavy clothing and poorly made shoes he has on.

- - -
(A little later)

The slight run across the short grassed field starts to come to its end as Clover slows her gallop to the dark windows of the tower, "Hm...He is not back yet."

"*pant* Next-...*pant* t-time we run, c-can I have some warning before hand?" Preston's slightly wheezing breaths turn Clover's head as she gives the panting man a little look over.

The glow of her magic combined with the light flame of the torch that still flickers to the burning tip brings the man's slightly sweaty covered brow into full view.

Clover squints to him for a moment as she shakes her head, "How can you have lost weight but yet you still can not run?"

Her words bring a heated blush to Preston's face as he points a finger to her in a huff, "Hey, *pant* I only lost the weight because all there is to eat around her is vegetables, fruits and crap like that."

The mare rolls her eyes to the comment as she turns her glowing horn towards the dirt path leading around the dark stone tower.

Preston takes a deep breath as he follows after the mare, torch held towards the path.

Within moments the two have come behind the tower and now face the outer edges of the hill that dips down into the forest. The slight dirt path the wrapped around the tower cuts a little into the tall trees but not by much.

Clover slows her trot for a moment as she squints her eyes towards the tree line, "Do you see that?"

The words focus Preston's eyes as he turns towards the tree line, "See what-OW!" He quickly slaps his hand to his neck as his body jerks a little to one side.

His quick voice turns Clover's head as she watches the man's slight flailing, however she just blinks to the actions as she speaks up, "What are you doing?"

"A bug bit me!" He rubs his hand to his neck as he tries to look over the spot on his neck with no luck, "...Great now bugs have my taste."

Clover's horn sparks up a little more as she starts to trot towards the forest, as she does her voice comes up a bit lower, "Now stay quiet, we do not want to alert anything in the forest."

Preston's mouth closes tight as he lowers his head, "H-how long are we going to be out here?"

The mare halts for a moment as she answers, "Do you see that light." Her hoof comes up towards the treeline they stand only a few hooves from.

"Where?" Preston squints his eyes.

But his words prompt the mare's horn to spark up a little more as Preston feels the warm embrace of her magic come up around his head.

"There, do you see it?" Clover's voice and Preston's now focused head brings a response from the man as he stares towards a small light goldish almost fire like light that can be seen in the distance, "Oh, I see it."

The magic around his head comes undone as she nods happily, "Good. Now, from what it looks like Star Swirl is a little off the trail so I suggest we just cut right through the forest instead of staying on the path the whole time."

Her hooves come up as she starts into the slightly heavier brush of the small ferns and plants that grow on the forest's outer banks.

Preston however hesitates as he looks over the taller grassy area, "Um, there are no like snakes in the forest right?"

Clover halts for a moment as she turns back to him with an answer, "Not this close to the edge, we might see a few Moss-Rats or Bark-Spiders, but only if you get near a tree."

A faint laugh comes up from Preston as he tightens his hold on the torch as he looks around the far from spaced out trees, "Ya, right." As his words come down he takes a step into the forest's shrubs.

End of chapter 2

Comments

[Leux]