Thieves' Gala

by DarkStarWolf53

Duel and Aftermath

"Storm," says Discord from behind once they are in the Everfree.

"What do you want, beastie?"

"You've outlived your usefulness to me. I'm going to kill you."

"Oh? Why?"

"The job is done, and now you die."

"Without talking to the 'fence', really?"

"Oh yes. I'm tired of your existence. Surrender, and I'll make it quick."

"I never surrender."

"Such a pity. This is one fight you will lose."

"Maybe I will, but you won't take me easily."

"Perhaps not easily, but you will be taken."

Storms' response is a snarl and she goes to defensive.

Discord attacks, aiming his claws at her neck, and the pinto just barely avoids a deadly blow. She lashes out with her hooves, kicking the chaos demon and making him yelp. But he doesn't give in and slashes at her hind legs. She trips, and Discord moves in for the kill, only to be met by hard hooves to his face.

Discord curses and wipes blood from his muzzle, then strikes again, slashing across the mare's chest. She doesn't cry out, but she's obviously in pain.

"Give up yet, little horse?" taunts Discord.

Instead of replying, Storm's sharp horn tears into Discord's body, making him scream.

"That's it," he snarls, covering the wounds with his forepaw. "I'm done playing nice."

"Playing nice, my tail!" snaps Storm. "You want to kill me!"

"I know."

Discord's eyes glow and he summons some bizarre vines with his twisted magic. The pinto manages to slice him once more before the thorn-vines completely tangle up her legs, and when she tries to use her horn to cut herself loose, the vines get tighter. She can't move.

"Looks like you are the helpless one this time," growls Discord.

Storm is about to retort, when a vine goes around her muzzle, keeping her from speaking.

"I'm going to enjoy this..." The Chaos Demon touches his claws to Storm's throat, a sadistic grin on his face.

Blast! thinks Storm to herself. That beastie's got strong magic, curse it! But at least I fought to the last...

The vine is removed from her muzzle for a moment.

"Any final words before I devour your heart, little horse?"

Storm just glares at him.

"Oh, silent treatment I see. Bye bye."

He raises his claws to strike down, but hears a voice nearby.

"GET YOUR PONY-BUCKING CLAWS OFF MY UNICORN GIRL!!!"

"Goldfeather?" mutters Storm.

Discord doesn't even have a chance to respond before a furious female griffin swoops in with a piercing shriek. Sharp claws rip through his bat wing, nearly tearing it off and completely destroying his concentration. The vines loosen around Storm and she tears herself free, and immediately attacks.

By this point, Discord is severely hurt by the griffin's claws, and when he sees Storm is up and fighting, he decides to flee rather than continue the battle- he's injured and outnumbered, and to continue the battle would be foolish, if not fatal.

The unicorn and griffin watch the Chaos Demon leave, both smirking. But once he's gone, Storm's legs give out.

"Little hawk, you're hurt bad!" gasps Goldfeather.

"I'll live," replies Storm, trying to get to her hooves.

"Stay still, missy. I don't want you hurting yourself any more."

"But Goldfeather, there are predators here. They'll smell the blood on me, and-"

"No predator would mess with a griffin. And I'll protect you."

"Th-thanks..."

"It's the least I can do for you, my hawk. Now then, let me bandage you."

"Ok..."

Goldfeather slips some bandages out of her saddlebags, then binds the pinto mare's wounds.

"I better carry you to a safe place, my little hawk."

"But are you strong enough to carry me?"

"Girly, I'm a griffin, and from the Underground no less. I better be strong enough to carry you."

"Ok... Oh, when we get back, I have something for you."

"Let's get back first." The griffin picks up the injured unicorn, gently putting the mare on her back.

"Hold on to my feathers. I'm going to move fast."

"Ok!" Storm is feeling a bit better now. She holds on tight to the griffin's feathers, and Goldfeather takes to the air, flying at full speed.

That's my griffin-girl. Falcon-fast, lion-fierce, and beautiful to boot! Thank the Great Hawk I met her... thinks the pinto.

Eventually, Goldfeather lands beside a small cave entrance, mostly blocked by a large stone. She knocks three times, waiting for an answer.

"Password?" comes a voice from within.

"Below, in dark and night. Above, in sun and light. Within, power. Without, danger."

"You may enter."

The rock is bathed in a strange magic glow, and moves aside.

As soon as the two females are inside, a palomino pinto unicorn filly comes rushing over.

"What happened to my cousin, Goldfeather?!"

"She and the Chaos Demon had it out again."

"But she's not usually hurt this badly..."

"Traitor used some dark magic on her."

"Ohh... will she be all right?"

"Don't worry yourself, pretty cousin," says Storm, sliding off the griffin's back and landing on her hooves. "I'm fine."

"Ok..."

"Come, Goldmoon," says Goldfeather. "My little hawk's got her saddlebags full of treasure!"

"Ooh how? Did you go mining and steal from a dragon, Stormy?!"

"Not from a dragon- story's much less exciting."

"Oh... what happened then?"

"The sissy-ponies of Equestria like shiny rocks. And they had a fancy dress ball thing- they like to show off their jewels."

"How the hay did you get in? Thought they only allow the rich ponies there..."

"They normally do, but the Chaos Demon claimed he needed prey and hired me to be a distraction while he caused trouble."

"Did you accept?"

"That's where I got all the loot. Come on, girls! Let's get to work..."

"But didn't Discord try to kill you?" asks Goldmoon, tagging along behind the griffin and her cousin.

"Oh yes, but he failed miserably, thanks to my eagle..."

The warriors settle down in a side room, the unicorn filly laying on her cousin's back, and Goldfeather sheltering both under her wing.

Storm dumps her saddlebags out on the straw beneath her, revealing a huge pile of gems and gold.

"Little hawk, how did you-"

"Equestria ponies aren't very observant."

"So how much you want for all these?"

"Actually, Goldie, I was thinking maybe I give them to you..."

"Give them to me? You mean for free?"

"Yes, for free. You saved my life, my eagle..."

"T'weren't nothin'. I'd do anything to protect you."

"I know. But still, it's not just that..."

"Oh? Why else, little hawk?"

"Well, I really really like you, and since I don't have feathers, I thought..."

"Oh no! Not the mushy stuff!" cries Goldmoon.

Storm puts a hoof over her little cousin's mouth.

"Stormy," asks Goldfeather, "Does that mean..."

"Uh huh..."

The griffin plucks a feather from her chest and gives it to the pinto unicorn.

"I accept."

Storm takes her hoof away from Goldmoon and rests it on the griffin's forepaw.

"Cousin's getting married!" gasps Goldmoon. The filly leaps off her cousin and starts galloping around the place and kicking her hooves in the air.

"Down, little foal," says Storm.

"So what made you want to propose?" asks Goldfeather.

"Well, at the gala-thing (which was terrible) I saw one good thing- two mares in love, and then when I nearly got killed, I figured I better show the truth while I'm alive-"

She's cut off by Goldfeather pressing her beak against the unicorn mare's muzzle.

"Shh, little hawk, shh..."

Both go quiet, enjoying each other's company.

"Storm and Goldfeather sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" says Goldmoon in an incredibly annoying sing-song voice.

The griffin lightly cuffs Goldmoon's ear with her free wing.

"Be quiet, little filly. I'm sure you'll find yourself a sweetheart someday!"

"Ewww!!!" Goldmoon runs away, leaving the griffin and unicorn alone.

"Now that she's gone, shall we have a little fun?" asks Goldfeather.

"Yes," replies Storm. "Let's enjoy the time while we have it- I know my cousin won't stay away for long."

"Indeed. Come a little closer, my hawk."

Storm does, her tail intertwining with Goldfeather's. The two touch beak and muzzle once more, and then start grooming each other.

Cousin's so lucky, thinks Goldmoon, watching from nearby. She got the best girl in the Underground! Or anywhere else, actually.

Someone bites Goldmoon gently on the tail. She whirls to see a silver dapple smoky black horse filly standing behind her.

"Hey girl!"

"Night Wind! You made it!"

"Yup! And I see your cousin finally proposed. Took her long enough!"

"I know!"

"So you want to play, or should we spy on the grown-ups?"

"Hmm... can't we do both?"

"Your cousin would hear us, and she might not be happy."

"Oh, yeah... But still..."

"Come on, girl! Don't want you to get in trouble."

"Aww..."

"Bet you can't catch me!"

"Yes I can!"

The two fillies race off, leaving the lovers alone to enjoy each other.

Author's Note:

'Little hawk'/'my hawk'/'my eagle' are pet names of sorts among both the warriors of Avia and the griffins.

The thing with Goldfeather giving Storm a chest feather (as well as Storm giving Goldfeather a gift of jewels and gold) is the equivalent of a marriage proposal.

Goldmoon and Night Wind are important in the story "The Eighth Sea", but this takes place before the events of "Eighth Sea".

Comments

[Blaze the draconic mage]

This story is awesome