Natural Order

by Lychee

Chapter 5

Snow Drift woke slowly, her whole body aching terribly. She tried to open her eyes but one of them was swollen shut, and the other opened only after a concerted effort on her part. She reached a hoof to it and winced, the skin puffy and raw. Carefully, she touched her hoof to her other eye, massaging it lightly to clear the blurriness. Her head throbbed and she could feel the stinging air probing at several small cuts and larger gashes.

She was having a hard time focusing her thoughts, and her vision was still blurry but after a moment she realized that wherever she was it was certainly not dead at the bottom of a gorge. Obviously, she had managed to survive the fall, and it seemed like sompony had found her. Shifting slightly, she realized for the first time that she was lying in a bed, and that somepony had taken the time to bandage some of her more painful areas. She blinked her good eye, willing it to focus on her dimly lit surroundings. She was inside at least, she could tell that. The room she was in was small, no larger than her bedroom back at the castle, and lit only by the soft glow of a fire that was burning somewhere nearby.

Slowly, she sat up. It was a painful process, and she was out of breath by the time she had managed to sit upright. Her vision swam at the sudden shift and she whimpered, shutting her eyes in an attempt to stop the room from spinning. After a moment, the spinning sensation went away and she opened her eyes, looking around to get a better sense of her surroundings. The fire burned brightly in the center of the room underneath a kettle that was being used to cook what smelled like soup. The walls were decorated with bizarre masks, the likes of which Snow had never seen before, and there were shelves holding bottles of all sizes and colors. There were windows but no light, which meant she had either been unconscious for a very long time, or it was still night.

There was no sign of her savior, though Snow doubted that she had been alone long. Most ponies wouldn’t be comfortable leaving a stranger alone in their home, not even an injured one. On top of that, it would be dangerous to leave a fire burning unattended for very long. Looking around, Snow noticed for the first time the state that much of the room was in. While some of the shelves were neat and orderly, others were in disarray, and the floor was littered with books and broken bottles. Whoever lived here was either very messy or had been in a big hurry to find something.

Snow Drift briefly considered trying to get up, but the throbbing in her head dissuaded her. She hoped she hadn’t been unconscious too long. Aurora would probably be hysterical if she had been gone for long. At the thought of her friend a cold lump formed in Snow’s stomach. She was going to be so worried. Not to mention the fact that it had been Aurora’s job to protect her. She would blame herself, regardless of the fact that it had been Snow’s fault for running off in the first place. Of course, she wouldn’t have done that if it wasn’t for that freak, Dead Leaves. She growled, her anger returning as she remembered their earlier conversation. Who did he think he was anyway, treating her like that? She was going to let him have it the next time she saw him, advisor to one of the sisters or no.

She was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening. Standing in the doorway was a pair of ponies; a strange black and white striped pony wearing a cloak, and a purple unicorn with a pink striped mane.

“Zecora, what happened to your house? It’s a disa—oh! Zecora look! She’s awake!”

The purple unicorn rushed over to the bed, laying her hoof on Snow’s shoulder and easing her back onto the bed. “You need to lie down, Zecora told me she found you at the bottom of a ravine and you don’t look like you’re in any condition to be up and about right now.” She checked Snow’s bandages, her brow furrowing as she examined some of her nastier looking wounds.

“She’s in worse condition than I thought,” she said, digging around in her saddlebags, “I’m flattered you came to me Zecora but she really needs a doctor. I don’t have any medical training. Her injuries don’t look life threatening, but they need better attention than we can give them here. These wounds could get infected if they aren’t closed soon. We need to get her to Ponyville as soon as it’s light out, I don’t want to try to move her through the forest in the dark. Why didn’t you try to get Nurse Redheart to come? She knows a lot more about medicine than I do.”

“To many I am still something to fear, most simply flee when I draw near. At this hour a doctor would be hard to find, so I rely on you, a pony most kind,” Zecora said, checking the pot before joining the purple pony at the side of the bed.

She was certainly unusual, and unlike any pony Snow had ever seen before. Could she be from outside of Equestria as well? It would make sense, but then again Snow had never seen any ponies from Equestria, save for the purple mare next to her. Suddenly, her brain caught up to the conversation.

“W-wait.” Her voice was shaky and she felt weak as she tried to speak. “You’re from Ponyville? Is it…is it far from here?”

“Yes I’m from Ponyville. Zecora found you and brought you here. This is her house in the Everfree Forest. It’s not far to Ponyville,” the purple pony said gently, “But if you’re not from Ponyville, then where are you from? And what were you doing wandering around the Everfree Forest this late at night?”

“Oh…I…,” Snow Drift bit her lip, glancing away from the mare. It wouldn’t be safe to tell her too much, but she was trying to help. Chances were good that even if she told them where she was from they wouldn’t know where it was or who ruled, and it was also likely that the strange pony, Zecora, had saved her life. From the look of some of her bandages, there was a very good chance she would have bled to death before being able to find help if she had been left in the forest. She owed them a little bit of honesty at least. “I was travelling with some friends. We come from a city on the far side of the forest and were trying to get to Ponyville through it but…I got separated last night. I was lost in the dark, in the middle of the forest. I thought I would never find my way out but then there was this light. I followed it for hours, thinking it was another pony but I…I don’t know what it was. It tricked me, led me to the edge of that cliff and then the light went out. I fell. I thought I was going to die.” Her voice shook as she recalled the feeling of the crumbling ground under her hooves. The rise of panic and the sickly sweet taste of fear as she had plunged into the dark. She had never been more afraid in her life.

The unicorn came closer, wrapping a hoof around her shoulders. “It’s okay, you’ll be alright now, we just need to get those injuries looked at and you’ll be as good as new, I promise.” She glanced over at Zecora. “Zecora, you know the forest better than anypony, even Fluttershy. What kind of creature would do that?”

“Ponies lost in the dark are not always spared, often they wander, alone and scared. Even in death they wander and wait, leading other ponies to a similar fate. The light that you saw was a trap for the lost, doom dressed as salvation at a terrible cost,” Zecora replied gravely.

“I had no idea there were such things in the forest,” Snow said with a shiver, “If I had I would have never left the campsite.”

“Well lucky for you Zecora was able to find you,” the purple pony said, “Speaking of which, what were you doing so far out in the Everfree Forest at this hour Zecora? And what happened to your house?”

Zecora huffed, an angry look crossing her face. Snow Drift thought it made her look almost frightening. “I was gathering the last ingredients for my stew, and arrived home just as the sun disappeared from view. I found my door open and my home in this mess, and immediately was in a state of distress. A book of terrible zebra rituals had been given to me to guard, but I found it stolen and my honor marred. I left to track the thief through the dark, but the trail was difficult, they left hardly a mark. After hours of searching I lost the trail, but then our new friend let out a wail. I found her battered and bruised so abandoned my chase. Her recovery now is the task we must face.”

“Does…does she always talk like that?” Snow asked the unicorn in a whisper.

“Oh you get used to it after awhile. More importantly, Zecora why would someone want to steal your book? Was anything else missing?”

“Only the book was taken from here, but in the wrong hands the future I fear. The magics recorded should never be used. I fear with this thief they will be abused,” Zecora replied.

Gently, Zecora removed the blanket, and Snow Drift gasped at the sight of herself. She was covered in cuts and bruises, and in places where she had been bandaged blood had begun to soak through. She turned her head away, letting out a whimper. It hurt more now that she had seen the full extent of her injuries.

“Shh, it’s alright,” the unicorn soothed. “Try not to worry about it right now. Why don’t you tell us your name? We haven’t been properly introduced yet.”

Snow Drift took a deep breath and held it, letting herself calm down before exhaling a puff of frigid air. “Oh you’re right, sorry. My name is Snow Drift.” She turned to Zecora and offered the zebra a smile. “You’re Zecora right? Thank you so much for taking care of me. I owe you my life.”

“Think nothing of it my little friend, soon you will be on the mend,” Zecora said, returning the smile.

Snow Drift turned her attention back to the unicorn. “So what’s your name?”

“I’m Twilight, Twilight Sparkle. It’s a pleasure to meet you Snow Drift,” Twilight said, “I just wish it could have been under better circumstances.

Snow Drift froze, the cogs of her brain turning slowly as they attempted to process this new development. This unicorn, a pony she had met purely by coincidence, that was now helping to care for her in her injured state, was Twilight Sparkle. The very pony she had been sent to Ponyville to find in the first place and she stumbles across her in the most unlikely of circumstances. But could this kind, helpful pony really be the Twilight Sparkle she had been sent to spy on? Lady Winter Chill had not given her much information on Twilight outside of the fact that she was the personal student of the Princess of the Sun. But still, she was having a hard time imagining someone so caring and kind could be the student of someone as ruthless as Celestia.

“Snow Drift? Are you all right?” Twilight asked, concern written on her face.

“Yes…sorry, yes I’m fine. Just…thinking about my friends. I hope they’re doing okay.” The lie felt bitter in her mouth but she wasn’t sure what she should do. She had envisioned Twilight Sparkle as arrogant and cruel, the prodigy student of a power-hungry goddess. This Twilight couldn’t be further from what she had imagined. She would have to wait until she had recovered a little more before doing anything.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re fine. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re worried about you.” Zecora finished reapplying Snow’s bandages and Twilight covered her with the blanket. “We’ll head to Ponyville in the morning. Hopefully they’ll make it to town and be able to find you, but you’re in no condition to go searching the Everfree Forest. It will be light soon, but you should try to get some sleep before we need to leave.”

“Yes…you’re right,” Snow Drift whispered, giving in to her exhaustion. It felt odd to sleep with a potential enemy in the room, but if Twilight had wanted to hurt her, there was little she could have done in her condition. Besides that, she felt oddly…safe, in the care of the purple unicorn.

“I’ll just…sleep for a bit then.” She closed her eyes, forgetting for awhile the events of the night and the questions left unanswered.

***************

“Damn it!”

It was just past dawn in the Everfree Forest, and Aurora was not happy. She had woken up with the sun, expecting to find Snow Drift sleeping beside her, but was greeted by an empty tent instead. This in itself was alarming. Snow Drift was many things, but an early riser was not one of them. Upon finding Snow Drift missing and the guards asleep by the dead fire she had nearly panicked, opting instead to wake the rest of their group with a combination of shouts and smacks. At the moment, the members of the Royal Guard were spread out in the forest around the campsite, searching for any sign of Snow Drift.

“How could I have missed this? Where did she go? Gaah!” Aurora kicked the fire pit, sending the coals scattering. “I bet this is your doing!”

Behind her, Dead Leaves sat on his haunches, Weatherlight standing careful guard over him. The normally cheery pegasus wearing a very serious expression that looked out of place on her foal-like face.

“Me? What could I have possibly done? Why, I’m just an old earth pony. I could never hope to overpower such a strong young unicorn as miss Snow Drift, especially not without waking the rest of the camp,” Dead Leaves said, looking far more amused with the situation than was appropriate.

Aurora growled, pushing her face forward until it was mere inches from his. “Don’t give me that frail old pony crap. Lady Winter Chill doesn’t trust you and if that’s the case then there’s a reason for it. She didn’t want Snow Drift left alone with you, and now she’s missing. You disappear, reappear in the middle of the night when nopony is watching, and in that same window of time Snow goes missing. That’s too much coincidence for me to believe so you better start talking before I make you!”

“Oh my!” he chuckled, and Aurora recoiled as his rancid breath washed over her, “Such fierce devotion to your friend! But tell me Captain, you were sleeping in the same tent with young Snow Drift. So shouldn’t you have done something to prevent all this?”

Aurora’s cheeks burned red, “You…you…!” She let out a cry and before she realized what she was doing her hoof collided with the side of Dead Leaves’ jaw, sending him to the ground. Weatherlight gasped and jumped back, her eyes wide.

Dead Leaves spit on the ground, his saliva pink with blood. He glared at Aurora, a flash of anger in his normally gleeful eyes. “Listen to me you little creeper. I don’t know what you did, but I know you had something to do with this and if I find out Snow got hurt because of you you’ll never make it home do you understand me?”

A silent moment passed between the three ponies before Dead Leaves got back to his hooves. “No need to get violent, Captain,” he said, his customary grin back in place, “I would never harm Snow Drift. I’m sure she merely wandered off somewhere at night and got lost. I’m sure you’ll find her soon enough.”

Aurora regarded the earth pony, a dark look in her eyes. Every word he spoke was like the hiss of a venomous snake; chilling, and warning of danger. “Maybe. But I still think you had a hoof in this whether you hurt her or not. Let me make this very clear Dead Leaves. None. Of. Us. Trust. You. At all. So here’s what’s going to happen. Under the authority granted me by Lady Winter Chill, Goddess of the Frozen Kingdom, I’m placing you under arrest. You will be monitored at all times by either myself or another member of the guard. If…when we find Snow Drift, if she confirms that you had nothing to do with her disappearance, you will be released. Is that understood?”

“You…you don’t have that authority,” Dead Leaves growled, his normal smile replaced with a frightening grimace. “I do not serve Winter Chill, I am here under the command of my mistress, Autumn Gale. And you? You’re nothing but a greenhorn given the rank of Captain to satisfy your Lady’s whim. You are nothing but a foal, and you will not interfere with my tasks.”

Weatherlight jumped forward, her eyes fierce. “Hey! Don’t talk about Aurora like that! She’s twice the pony you are you-“

“That’s enough, Lieutenant.” Aurora stepped forward, looking Dead Leaves in the eye. “Maybe you’re right and my promotion was a joke. But I am a Captain now, and Lady Winter Chill is the highest power in our country, higher even than your master. If you have a problem with my methods, then I suggest you take it up with Lady Winter Chill. I’ll be eager to see just how much sympathy you get. Weatherlight, restrain him. I don’t want him trying to run away again.”

“Oh…of course Captain. Right away.”

Dead Leaves glared at the pair as Weatherlight tied his hooves and muzzle, ensuring he could neither mover nor speak. Aurora ignored him. She should have monitored him more closely. It had been a mistake not to search for him yesterday, though she doubted they could have found him. She hated to admit it, but she had been excited by the prospect of being rid of the disgusting creature. But it was her responsibility to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything suspicious. And now, because of her carelessness, Snow Drift was missing. She could be hurt or worse somewhere in the forest and there was nothing she could do about it. Of course, she thought angrily, if her guards had been doing their job instead of sleeping, none of this would have happened in the first place. She intended to see to it that the pair of them were severely disciplined for their negligence.

She was broken out of her thoughts by the return of the search party. She flew over to greet them as soon as they were out of the forest.

“Fleethoof! Any luck?”

“I’m sorry Captain,” he said with a sigh, his eyes downcast and the disrespect he had shown before gone, “But we were unable to determine where Snow Drift might have disappeared to. There was a trail leading away from the camp, but we lost it after a mile or so. We searched the area for signs, but found nothing.”

“Damn it! Where could she have gone? She has to be around here somewhere, she has to!” Aurora began pacing, her heart pounding in her chest as she imagined all of the horrible things that could have happened to her friend.

“Captain, please try to calm down, you won’t be able to help her if you’re not thinking straight,” said Fleethoof.

Aurora’s head snapped up, her mouth open to retort and her eyes blazing. After a moment she let out a sigh, her anger evaporating. “You’re right Fleethoof. We need to be organized if we’re going to find her. Which direction did the trail lead before you lost it?”

“It looks like she was headed east, at least initially, there’s no telling where she went from there though, It’s really easy to get turned around in there. Firestarter got lost once while we were searching, and it’s light out now. I can’t imagine trying to find your way through there in the middle of the night,” he said with a shudder.

Aurora took a moment to think, a plan forming in her mind, “Weatherlight! Get over here we have things to discuss!”

“Yes Captain!” Weatherlight called, before taking flight and landing nimbly next to Aurora. “Any news on Snow Drift?”

“Unfortunately no. But Lieutenant Fleethoof has reported that there was a trail heading east, which is the direction you said Ponyville was in right?”

“Yeah, it’s not far. If you went in a straight line it wouldn’t take that long to get there, even going through the forest. A day at most.”

“Alright here’s what we’re going to do. Currently, there are six of us, plus that creep Dead Leaves. I’ve placed him under arrest at the moment for suspected involvement in Snow’s disappearance. We’re going to split into two groups. Weatherlight and I will head to Ponyville. Hopefully, Snow managed to make it there and we’ll be able to proceed as planned. If not, I’ll ask around and see if anyone has seen her. Worst case scenario maybe they can help us search for her more thoroughly, the citizens of Ponyville probably know this forest a lot better than we do. Fleethoof, you and the others will search the forest surrounding the camp and guard Dead Leaves. I want someone here in case Snow comes back, and it will take more effort to search the forest than the town.”

“How will we know if you find her? Communication will be difficult between the two groups if we’re so far away,” Fleethoof pointed out.

“Good point. Weatherlight, how fast can you make the flight from here to Ponyville?”

“Ummm...lemme think,” Weatherlight said, tapping her chin, “I suppose I could probably do it in a couple of hours if I fly fast. I’m not sure exactly how far away Ponyville is though, so maybe a little longer.”

“Okay, you’ll be our link between the groups. Fleethoof, if there’s an emergency have the unicorns send up flares. We’ll be pretty far away so I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to see it but it’s better than nothing. Weatherlight will be keeping an eye in your direction when she’s not running messages. Go inform your team. I’m counting on you Lieutenant.”

“Yes Captain and…I’m sorry about how I spoke to you yesterday. It was an unacceptable and unprofessional way to address a superior officer,” he said, his eyes glued to his hooves, “I promise it won’t happen again. We’ll all be doing everything we can to find Snow Drift.”

“Thank you Lieutenant, I appreciate it,” Aurora said, “Now get the others ready to expand the search. Weatherlight and I are heading to Ponyville. Are you ready Weatherlight”

“Of course Captain!”

“Alright! Then lead the way!” And with that the pair took off, flying towards Ponyville.

Comments

[Ariel Schnee]

This is a really interesting fic and I look forward to reading more very soon!^_^

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