From the Expedition Journal of Temple Scrivener

by CloverQuill

Uni the First

Month of Uni, First Day, Year of the Manticore

Much to my frustration I was unable to observe the new dog pack today. I sent Lyra to accompany my faithful Feather Duster. Unfortunately the translation spell little Heartstrings learned from Princess Twilight Sparkle, our honored expedition sponsor, failed to take on these dogs, and had unexpected results when cast upon her and Feather.

She claims the spell simply sunk into them, as if they were somehow ‘drinking’ the magic. I’m not sure what that means, exactly, perhaps Princess Twilight Sparkle can shed some light on this when she arrives.1 The spell, when she cast it upon Feather and herself, was behaving as if translating a new language entirely. I wonder if perhaps her desire for adventure exceeded her capability in mana, as it were.

Feather observed all of the pack working together on tying up nets from local vines. They seem to have stolen at least four good steel pocket knives and one terribly dangerous looking dirk. He also claimed that they were quite attentive to a small, peculiar altar set up in a bright, sunny spot of their camp. I must see such a sight for myself. I can hardly imagine dogs of any kind worshiping Our Lady Celestia!

Feather and Lyra confirmed again, these dog’s strange behavior regarding our little intern. The larger dogs made no attempts to touch her, whereas they were uncomfortably tactile with dear Feather. He reports that they were quite fascinated by his wings, as if they have never encountered a pegasus before.

Lyra reports that some of the smaller dogs wept when she greeted them with a friendly nuzzle, as is appropriate for a lower caste pack member greeting an upper caste pack member. Feather and Lyra report that the littler dogs were quick to hug them both and pet them, rather often, after that greeting.

Feather saw no signs of an alpha pair, at all. He also claims the little dog’s chests were soft when they hugged him, and their smell, while fragrant, also quite healthy. Neither he nor Lyra could smell milk, though. It looks like both of our hypothesis could be wrong.

I cannot wait to begin writing down my own observations again. I have not been this excited at the outset of an expedition since I was a young intern, myself!

Berry Punch and I have finally finished setting up our base camp. I finished the homey touches on the cloud outpost, and assisted her in clearing a field for us to grow the plants that we had brought for trade and brewing. Hopefully these dogs enjoy wine and beer as much as their plains cousins. I also assisted her in setting up her barrels, as we luckily found some ripe melons that, Berry claims, make an excellent sweet wine. With her earthy magic, it should be ready in a seven day.

Either way, it will be somewhat of a relief to see the end of full days of carrying all that equipment, not to mention two ponies, between the three of us pegasus. I can stop worrying about cloud rafts for some time, I hope!

I hope the wind stays at Swift Scribe’s back. By Hurricane, I hope these wild regions do not ground her with their uncanny weather. Princesses willing, she can reach the Friendship Kingdom in eight days straight flying.

-Temple Scrivener

1 I determined that Lyra Heartstrings possessed sufficient thaums and training to cast Tingle’s Tinkering Translation prior to the expedition's departure.

╬TS

Comments

[Asheram]

Been waiting for an update! Another excellent chapter.

[CloverQuill]

5552640
Thanks! I love puns.

5693418
Thank you! And if you read chapter one before I added the dark tag, well, I added the dark tag to the story. Just a heads up.

[Asheram]

5693564 Oh, I figured. Bring it.

[TheHiddenOne]

Still can't wait until they find out they aren't 'dogs'.

[lefthandturnsignal]

Aw... dark tag. Hopefully it's not too bad. I tend to dislike it when stories suddenly go stupidly dark, but I do love it when there's something other than slice of life happy fun times.

Hopefully it's the latter not the former.

[CloverQuill]

5694120
I don't have any plans for grimdark dark dark darkfic or anything. It is more that the character death already mentioned and some implied bad things that happened to some of the humans that hasn't been published yet.

5693816