Comet The Colt of Steel

by Stallion of Steel

Little Big Bison Part 3. (Updated)

As the whiteness around her faded once more, Little Strongheart found herself standing at the mouth of a wide dry ravine. The sandstone walls towered high above her. In the center stood a large rock formation atop which stood an enormous dead tree. As she had expected by now, Miracle Star appeared atop it in her signature cloud of smoke.

"Two trials down, three to go." She complimented. "But don't go thinking these last three will be so simple." In a flash, she teleported in front of Little Strongheart. "You have shown a willingness to repay the land and temperance for its bounty. Now you must prove your ultimate respect to it." She raised her foreleg pointing to the trail behind her.
"This Ravine is the hunting ground of the Great Cougar. She will allow you safe passage through, but only if you do exactly as she says."

"How do I know I can trust her?" Little Strongheart asked understandably hesitant after her last trial.

"The Great Cougar is a creature of her word. I give you mine on that." Miracle Star reassured her. "I must go now, but I will be watching you. Good luck." With that, she vanished once more. Little Strongheart took in a deep breath and exhaled, before beginning her trek into the ravine. She hadn't gone when she arrived at a fork in the road.

"Purrrrrrrr," She heard a low guttural purring from above. "So, another buffalo wanders into my hunting grounds." The voice was high-pitched and raspy yet terrifying. Little Strongheart felt the coat on the back of her neck stand up as she looked around for the source of the voice.

"RAOWR!"

She looked up in time to see the enormous figure of a white cougar pounce from the ledge above, landing in front of her with a deafening crash. Little Strongheart felt like a mouse trapped in a corner as the cougar rose to her full height. So tall was she that Little Strongheart's eyes were at level with her massive paws. Her coat was as pale as the moon and her eyes shimmered like two emerald balls of fire.

"So, what brings you to my domain?"

"Umm..." Little Strongheart nervously raised one hoof. "I-I-I was just p-passing through, y-you know, for the t-trials and all."

The Big Cat raised one eyebrow suspiciously. "Is that so? Purrrrrrrr." Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at the small buffalo trembling with fear. "Very well then, you may pass." She said with a grin wide enough to swallow Little Strongheart in one bite. "But on one condition." Little Strongheart stood there for several moments shivering from head to toe. Her headband was soaked with sweat.

"W-W-What is it?" She finally asked.

"The path through my ravine is long and tiring. But there is a stream for drinking and bushes with berries. Purrrrrr. You may eat and drink if you like. And there are many dead trees you may strip of their bark and branches for a fire. But anything you take must be used and if anything you take is thrown away, even so much as a single berry,
Grrrrrrrrrr...Rrrraaaaaoooow!!"

She opened her maw revealing two stalactite-sized rows of razor-sharp teeth. A tongue larger than a rug ran across the top row. It was at this point Little Strongheart felt the sudden urge to use the little cow's room. But she was too afraid of what the ferocious feline would think.

"I will be watching you. Purrrrrrr." The Great Cougar said crouching down to Little Strongheart's eye level before leaping high into the air and over the canyon wall. The impact of her paws hitting the unseen ground echoed like thunder. The instant that the echo faded, Little Strongheart ran behind a large boulder to relieve herself.

"Oh, why did I have to drink so much water?" She lamented. After doing her 'business' in somewhat privacy, Little Strongheart continued on her journey through the ravine. When she reached the stream, she decided to take a drink from her canteen taking special care not to drink too much. After all, she didn't know if and when the Great Cougar might decide to show up. After filling up the small empty portion of her canteen, she went to screw the top back on when she heard the sounds of splashing coming from inside. She peered down into the bottleneck and saw a small fish swimming around inside.

"Oh hello there." She giggled as watched the fish swim frantically back and forth. "Seems you swam in there by mistake. Don't worry, I'll get you out. She carefully submerged the canteen on its side allowing the fish to swim out of the bottleneck and back into the stream. "Good luck," After checking to make sure her canteen was empty. She screwed the cap back on and went on her way.

A little while later she reached some bushes filled with ripe berries. The long trek had burned off some of the strudel bars. So it was understandable that Little Strongheart thought about taking a couple to eat. As she reached for a bush, she suddenly drew her hoof back. Her eyes turned to the burlap bag tied to her barrel. Remembering that she already had food of her own, she sat down and let it slide off her back. Untying the knot, she reached inside and pulled out a red juicy apple. Her lips salivating as she took the first juicy bite. In just minutes she had eaten the whole thing down to the core. Reaching back into her bag, she pulled out a hooful of berries and began tossing them into her mouth one by one.

By the time she was done, Little Strongheart had gone through two apples and two hoofuls of berries. As she stood back up she noticed the apple cores she had left on the ground. As she pondered what to do with them, she noticed an anthill nearby. She smiled and picked up the apple cores in her mouth, then dropped them next to the anthill.

"There you go, she said leaving a few berries as well for good measure before continuing on her way.

As she continued, Little Strongheart noticed rainclouds beginning to form overhead. Accompanied by the distant clap of thunder. "Great," She said sarcastically as she felt the first raindrops on her head. Spotting an alcove on a nearby slope Little Strongheart ran inside to seek shelter as the rain began to come down. The alcove was spacious, enough for a small herd to shelter for a night. A bare tree stood within the mouth of the opening. Its bare branches offered no fruit. Rocks were piled in one corner of the cave. "Well, it beats staying outside." Little Strongheart said as a flash of lightning lit up the sky.

---

The rain poured down hard turning the once small stream into a rushing torrent. Little Strongheart shivered as the cold breeze wafted through her damp coat. She realized that while the alcove provided shelter from the rain, It did not offer the same from the cold.

She eyed the dead tree standing just inside the cave. One side of its trunk was drenched with rain and covered with moss. The other side was dry and bare. Little Strongheart took note that the bark in some places seemed newer than in others. Remembering the Great Cougar's words she quickly hatched a plan.

Since she lacked horns, she carefully chipped away at an older section of bark with her hooves. It was tedious and delicate work, but eventually, she was able to remove a good-sized piece of bark. She gathered some stones from inside the alcove and laid them out on the ground in a ring. Then she placed the bark in the center and went back to look for more stones. Eventually, she found what she was looking for. A piece of flint.

"Perfect, she said picking it up. "Now all I need is something metal to strike it against." Her eyes turned to her water canteen. Like the rest of her, it was damp from the rain. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she felt she at least had to try.
She took the flint and the canteen and held them close to the fire. She held the bottom of the canteen against the bark since it was the only part that wasn't wet. Then she struck the flint against the bottom. Nothing happened. She tried again, but once more nothing. She tried a third time. This time she produced a small spark. Her face lit up with excitement. She struck it a few more times until a tiny wisp of smoke rose from the bark.

"Fire from water, how about that," She remarked as the bark began to crackle and burn. Little Strongheart sat down and warmed herself by the growing fire.

---

By the time the fire had died down, it had stopped raining. Little Strongheart kicked some dirt on the few remaining embers before gathering up her things to continue on her way. She stopped at the tree and placed her hoof on the spot where she removed the bark as if to say thanks before moving on.

At last, after what seemed like hours of walking, Little Strongheart arrived at the end of the Ravine. To her shock and horror, she saw the ground was littered with dozens of buffalo skeletons.

"Gasp! Wha...what...is this?"

RRAAAAOOOOW!

A familiar roar echoed through the canyon. Little Strongheart looked up as the Great Cougar leaped from the cliff. Her pounce carried her majestically to the ground below where she landed in front of Little Strongheart. The impact of her landing shook the canyon, causing discarded bones to rattle and dust to rise beneath her paws. Little Strongheart stood paralyzed with terror as the Great Cougar rose to her full height.

"Purrrrrr, well done, you have done as I instructed taking only what you need and wasting nothing that you took." She purred with contentment as she looked over at a pile of skulls. "Unlike those that came before you, you thought of more than just yourself. For this, you have completed the third trial."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Miracle Star said appearing next to Little Strongheart. The young buffalo jumped up letting out a terrified yelp.

"Yaaaaahh!"

"Purrrrr, although you need to work on your nerves a little."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Miracle Star concurred. "Still, well done. Only two more trials left to go."

"Be warned though," The Great Cougar growled. "The last two trials are the toughest yet."

Little Strongheart took a deep breath. "I'm ready," She said determinedly.

"Very well then," Miracle Star nodded as everything turned to white once more.

---

Apple Comet's POV.

Cousin Braeburn sat there at the kitchen table. A glass of apple cider next to him. He had drunk about half of it before he lost interest. Now he just stared at his rippling reflection in the amber liquid, unaware that I too was watching him through the floor. By now it was obvious that he wouldn't be going back to sleep tonight. If I was to have any chance of getting Little Strongheart back before sunrise, I was going to need a plan B.

I opened my bedroom door and crept across the hall to the upstairs bathroom. Once inside, I flipped on the light and closed. A pull of the flush chain and a turn of the faucet and I had my alibi. I turned off the faucet, rustled my mane into a disheveled state, put on my best sleepy face, and went downstairs. Hearing the sound of my hooves on the stairs, Braeburn got up from the table and went into the living room.

"Cousin Apple Comet, what are you still doing up?" He asked.

"Yawn, I can't sleep Cousin Braeburn," I said rubbing my eye. "I keep hearing the clock tower ringing in my head."

"His expression softened. "Yeah, that was an unpleasant surprise, wasn't it? Come on into the kitchen. Ah, 'll make you a glass of warm milk."

"Cousin Braeburn?"

"Yes, Cousin Apple Comet?"

"Do you think they'll find the Buffalo Chief's daughter?" He looked at me with concerned uncertainty.

"Ah'm sure they will, A'h mean with all of them working together, and what not?"

"You don't sound very certain?" I said as he reached into the cupboard and pulled out another glass. With a sigh, he set the glass down on the counter.

"That obvious huh?" He admitted. "Ah'd be lying if A'h said A'h wasn't a little worried."

"Braeburn," I said in a stern tone.

"Alright, fine!" he broke down and admitted. "The truth is Ah'm worried sick about her. The Badlands get very cold at night and there ain't no shortage of nasty critters out there either."

"Well, why don't we go help Applejack's friends then?" I suggested. "I mean they could use everypony they could get."

"One, because it's dangerous. Two because it's way past your bedtime. And three, most ponies in town made it clear while A'h was out there that they want nothing to do with the search." He poured some milk into a kettle and put it on the stovetop.

"Did you try talking to them yourself? Maybe if they talked to them about how you feel, they'd understand."

"Ain't no use Cousin, ponies in this town stick to their beliefs like burs to a saddle."

"You didn't answer my question. Did you talk to any of them or not?"

"A'h..." He paused. "No, A'h didn't. But A'h didn't need to ask to know how they feel about the buffalo."

"That shouldn't matter right now!" I argued. "Whatever Appleloosa's problems with the buffalo are, that doesn't change the fact that right somepony is lost out there and possibly needs our help. The fact that you can't sleep proves that you know it's the right thing to do."

Braeburn hung his head in defeat. "A'h, aw-shucks you're right Cousin Apple Comet. A'h can't just lie in bed knowing she's out there all alone." He turned the dial on the stove off. "That settles it, Ah'm gonna round up anypony who'll listen and get together a search party."

"Great," I smiled.

"But you still have to go back to bed." He said picking up the kettle and pouring some milk into my glass. "

I put on my best-disappointed face. "Aw, gee do I have to? Well, ok?"

---

True to his word, Braeburn left the house to round up a search party. While I, not true to mine, waited until he was gone before slipping out the bedroom window once more.

I crept through the orchard, stopping briefly to check on Applejack. Who even with the clock tower bell ringing and the buffalo stampeding was still fast asleep. As soon as I was past the fence, I took off for the ruins. I knew the risks, but aside from Rainbow Dash, I knew I could get there before the rest of them.

---

"Look! Up in the Sky!" The search party immediately stopped what they were doing and looked up.

"It's the Flaming Star!" One of the Buffalo gasped.

"After it!" Chief Thunderhooves ordered. At once, the entire herd stampeded in the comet's direction. The sound of the hooves rolling across the plain like the boom of thunder. Rainbow Dash immediately took to the sky, followed by Fluttershy. While the remaining three Elements of Harmony along with the Sheriff were left taking up the rear.

"Well, Ah'll be pickled in daises and left to marinate," The astonished Sheriff said. "You girls were telling the truth."

"Well, duh silly," Pinkie Pie remarked. "Why would we lie about a thing like that?"

Sheriff Silverstar looked at the party planner dumbfounded.

"Just don't think about it," Twilight wisely advised him. "Trust me."

---

Once more Little Strongheart found herself in an unfamiliar place. This time, at the entrance to a large cave overlooking a desolate wasteland with nary a single living thing to be seen. The wind whipped across the dry earth kicking up clouds of dust. While a wide dry bed was all that remained of a creek. A cloud of white signaled the familiar arrival of Miracle Star.

"Quite a depressing place isn't it?" The White Buffalo said. "I'm guessing you probably know what happened here by now."

"Buffalo," Little Strongheart closed her eyes and sadly admitted.

"For this trial, you must first speak to the Great Bear Mother. You'll find her in her cave. You can't miss it."

Little Strongheart looked up at the cavernous mouth of the cave. Several trails of enormous tracks led inside. The largest set was easily the size of a full-grown buffalo. Her jaw fell to the ground as the greatness of the Great Bear Mother began to sink in.

"Now now, I know what you are thinking." Miracle Star said trying to soothe her. "Those are some pretty big feet. But try not to bring that up to her. She's very sensitive about it. Oh and watch out for her cubs. They can be a little playful. Well, good luck." She gave Little Strongheart a firm pat on the back before vanishing once more. Little Strongheart paid her little mind as realized how easy she'd had with the Great Cougar.

Eventually, she managed to take one timid step forward...and fall face-first into a footprint right in front of her.

"Well, this is off to a great start." She grumbled. But being the trooper she was, she picked herself up off the ground and continued onward. "Okay, you can do this. You've made it this far. You just need to keep calm and watch your step. Her foreleg knocked against something on the ground. Little Strongheart looked down to see a pile of bison bones lying at her feet. "AAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Her scream awoke something deep in the cave.

"RRRRAAAWWRROOW!!!"

THOOM! THOOM! THOOM! THOOM!

From out of the darkness a pair of golden yellow eyes appeared. Followed by a large ursine face covered with golden fur.

Little Strongheart stared in awe. It was so...adorable! Despite being easily big enough to knock over a tipi with one swipe of its paw, the bear's face had the traits of a cub. Resisting the urge to squee, Little Strongheart stepped forward cautiously. Even though it was only a cub, it was still big enough to eat her for a snack.

"Uh...h-hi there, little guy." She waved nervously at the enormous cub. "I-Is your mother home?" The cub opened its mouth revealing two large rows of razor-sharp baby teeth and lunged down. Little Strongheart let out a scream as the cub snatched her up in its mouth like a salmon and happily carried her deeper into the cave. "AHHHHHHHH!!!! Let me go!" But the cub paid her no mind. All she could do was close her eyes and try not to think of the saliva that was seeping into her coat.

Ah, Mato what have you brought for me this time?" A curious maternal voice boomed. The cub spat Little Strongheart onto the cave floor. She was covered with saliva from hoof to horn but was otherwise unharmed. Immediately another cub ran up to her and began sniffing her.

"So another buffalo has come to take my trial? I must admit it has been a while."

"I-I..Uh..." Little Strongheart tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out.

"Not much for talking, are you? Well then, perhaps you will listen."

Little Strongheart gasped in astonishment as the Great Bear rose onto her rear legs. Her massive body covered her field of view in an insurmountable wall of golden fur.

"Mato, Hunomp, go and play somewhere else." The two cubs scurried off.

" For this trial, you must make right what your race made wrong. You alone must bring life back to the barren land. Outside you will find a parfleche of seeds. Take them and plant one every twenty paces. If your heart is pure they will grow. But if it is wicked. they will sprout into poisonous snakes. Knowing this do you still wish to continue?"

The idea of poisonous snakes rising out of the ground made Little Strongheart feel understandably uneasy. Her skin crawled as she imagined the sight of them slithering closer to her. But she took in a deep breath and exhaled. After a few more breaths, her heart began to calm down. "I do," She said.

"Then go, and may the Spirits look upon you with favor."

---

As soon as she stepped hoof outside the cave, Little Strongheart saw the parfleche waiting for her. "This must be it," She said as she went to closely examine it. Inside were the seeds. "Yep, these are seeds alright. The question is will they be enough?" Looking out at the vast barren stretch of land, Little Strongheart realized the scale of her labor. But she had given the Great Bear Mother her word, and she would not go back on it. So she tossed the parfleche across her back and began walking counting her steps as she went.

"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty. Good a place as any I guess." She dug a small hole with her forelegs, then reached into her parfleche for a seed. "Good luck little fella, please don't grow into a snake." She placed it in the soil and reburied it. Then gently watered it with her canteen for good measure. "Okay one down, a few million to go." One, two, three, four,"

And so Little Strongheart walked, stopped, dug and planted and watered. The heat of the sun bore down on her as she carried out her labor. Her coat became thick with a sheen of sweat. On the plus side, the dry heat dried up Mato's saliva. Still, she continued, walking, stopping, planting, and watering. She stopped occasionally to rest and to eat and drink. But only for a short time.

By the time the parfleche was empty, Little Strongheart was exhausted. Her legs struggled to walk, and her hooves were covered in dirt. Her coat drenched in sweat was clinging to her skin and her tongue felt bone dry. She poured the last few drops of water from her canteen onto the plot of land and promptly fell to her side. Her knees finally gave out. As she lay there on the dry unforgiving ground, she heard the familiar rumble of thunder. She looked up to see dark clouds blanketing the sky and felt a raindrop on the bridge of her nose. She had been so concentrated on the work that she had failed to notice the coming storm. The sensation of the rain on her coat filled her with a sense of euphoria. Washing away the aches and pains of her joints and muscles.

Suddenly out of the corner of her eye, Little Strongheart saw the spot where she just planted the seed begin to move. Remembering what the Great Bear Mother had said, she tried to move but her body was too tired to go on. She could only watch and wait to see what would sprout. The soil rose and rose until finally, a thin green stem emerged from the dirt. Little Strongheart smiled softly with contentment, before falling asleep from exhaustion.

---

Wake up Little Strongheart. Wake up."

Brightness slowly invaded the young buffalo's gaze. The smell of wet grass carried through the air. All around she could hear the singing of birds and the flow of water.

"Mmm, what happened?" She asked rubbing her eye with her hoof. She opened her eyes to find herself lying in the middle of a forest meadow. "How did I get here?"

"You did not go anywhere dear."

Little Strongheart looked up to see the Great Bear Mother standing over her. "Huh? What do you mean?" She asked.

This once barren land has been given life thanks to your selfless toil."

She pointed with one paw to the once-empty creek now filled with flowing water. A family of deer stood at the water's edge drinking, while schools of fish swam below the surface. The branches were filled with the singing of birds and the chattering of squirrels as they scampered up and down.

"Every living thing has a place in nature that helps to give it balance. The buffalo forgot this when they cleared this area for land to stampede on. They were so concerned with getting what they wanted that they forgot about the needs of other creatures that they shared the land with."

Little Strongheart thought about Appleloosa and the ponies that lived there. Like many of her tribe. she wasn't happy about them planting their orchard on their stampeding grounds. But if this was the lengths some buffalo would go to get more of those grounds. Could she say they were any better?

"It was Tatanka's selflessness that showed both the spirits and the buffalo what things one willing to atone can do. By showing you possess that same selflessness, you have passed the fourth trial. Congratulations."

With that, the Great Bear Mother turned and walked back into the forest. Mato and Hunomp followed behind her. Looking. around her, Little Strongheart felt a sense of contentment that seemed to lift away the aches and pains in her body.

"Four trials down," Miracle Star appeared in her signature cloud of smoke. "I have to admit, you have exceeded my expectations."

"Um, thanks. I'm surprised I made it this far myself." Little Strongheart admitted.

"In life, the ones who surprise us the most are most oftentimes ourselves." Miracle Star mused. "You have proven yourself pure of heart and brave of spirit. But there is one more trial, one that no buffalo has completed in a thousand years."

"Why not?" Little Strongheart asked. Miracle Star said nothing. She just closed her eyes and turned her head to the side as if something were bothering her.

"Because your last trial is not a test of strength, courage, or willpower, but of your ability to resist temptation."

---

Comet's POV.

"This is the spot where I left her." Arriving at the entrance to the ruins. I found Little Strongheart had already left.
But not before helping herself to the provisions I had left for her. "Looks like she enjoyed the apple strudel bars."
A closer examination of my aura vision revealed more. Her shimmering hoofprints led up the stairs, through the entrance, and down the passage up to a wall that had risen from the floor. "She went inside.

The once-dark mural chamber behind it was now lit by the torches on the walls. Finally, the Buffalo relief on the wall had lowered to the floor revealing a hidden passage that went down somewhere. "The relief was hiding a hidden passage. Did Little Strongheart know about it? Or did she stumble upon it by accident? Well, I'm not going to find the answer out here."

WHOOSH! CRASH!"

With a burst of speed, I flew through the entrance, crashing through the wall like it was made of balsa wood. As if sensing something was wrong, the relief began rising out of the ground.

"Oh no, you don't," Fast as I could, I flew on top of the relief and braced myself into a front leg stand between it and the ceiling. The mechanism beneath groaned against the resistance of my muscles. Trying to crush me like a bug. But I wasn't going to go squish because some contraption from a Daring Do story wanted me to. Pushing out with my quadriceps, I slowly forced the relief back down into the floor. "There, now to see where this passage leads."

My x-ray vision showed no hidden traps or mechanisms up ahead. Just a small chamber with a sand-covered floor and a long extinguished fire ring. "This can't be right." Little Strongheart's tracks ended close to the edge of the fire ring. A final indentation marked where she had sat. I hastily searched the room from top to bottom for signs of a trap door, a false wall, or anything that might explain what happened. Nothing, it was as if she had just vanished into thin air. And if she didn't come back soon, I dreaded to think of what the buffalo might do.

---

Little Strongheart felt a cool breeze as the light around her faded. The ground she stood on turned to stone spreading outward in a circle. A flight of stairs rose from the ground leading straight into the side of a hill. Little Strongheart gasped as out of the whiteness emerged a towering statue standing on its hind legs. Its height easily dwarfed White Horn Butte.

Dressed in an elegant jingle dress and headband, the titanic figure smiled gently down on the young cow. Its forehooves held outstretched as it was offering to show her something.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Miracle Star appeared beside her. "But do not let its beauty distract you. This is the final trial, one that will determine whether you are truly worthy of the power of Tatanka."

"What do I have to do?" Little Strongheart asked.

"Simply enter the statue's base and make your way up to its forehooves. There you will find your final reward waiting for you."

"You said this last trial was about resisting temptation."

Miracle Star nodded. "As you make your ascent you will encounter many temptations meant to lead you astray. No matter what they offer you, you must not lose sight of your goal. If you do..."

"I won't," Little Strongheart assured her. "Not after I've come this far."

The White Buffalo smiled at her. "Then enter Little Strongheart, and may the spirits watch over you." She waved her hoof and the stone doorway in front of her slid down into the floor. With a deep breath and a firm nod, Little Strongheart steeled herself for whatever was to come before heading inside. As she galloped past the doorway, Miracle Star watched with anticipation.

"Fear not brother, hopefully, we will be together again soon."

---

"Whoa!" Little Strongheart gasped in amazement as she stepped out of the narrow entrance hall into the vast atrium that made up the statue's inner frame. A smaller version of the statue stood in the center of the room on a raised circular platform. The rectangular windows ringed high along the walls and cast beams of light onto them. Craning her neck up to the high ceiling, she saw a large hole in the center. "Wow, this is incredible!" She said. A tingle of excitement overcame her anxiety as she walked up to the center platform.

The Statue of the White Buffalo Cow smiled gently at her as she reached the top. Much like the way she smiled at Tatanka, Little Strongheart imagined. Like the one, she was inside, she stood on her hind legs. Unlike that one, however, her forehooves were holding onto a stone tablet with writing on it.

"What's this? Little Strongheart said taking a closer look. The writing was in Buffalo Syllabary, though a bit older than the one she was used to using. "Good thing Father insisted I study Graphemics."

The path to your destiny lies ahead.

Through temptation and ego dread.

Only those pure of heart and soul.

Will ultimately reach the final goal.

Cast aside want for one's own self.

And renounce all desires for power and wealth.

Remember the tenets of Tantanka's tale.

And you will reach the end without fail.

Bring me proof of the lessons you have learned.

And the role of protector you will have earned.

"Hmm, okay so that's a mouthful," Little Strongheart said scratching her head. She looked around the room searching for whatever 'proof' the statue wanted. But all she saw were stone walls. "Well, whatever I'm supposed to bring it doesn't look like it's in here." She looked back up at the hole in the ceiling. "Maybe it's up there? The question is, how do I get there?"

As if by her command, the statue's turquoise eyes lit up and the floor beneath her began to rise.

"What the? What's going on?" Little Strongheart cried out in surprise as she walked over to the edge of the platform to see the ground below drifting further and further away. "AHHHHH!" She stumbled back and hastily scampered toward the center of the platform. Looking up she noticed for the first time that the hole in the ceiling was just the right shape for the platform to pass through. Like a key in a hole, the rising platform passed through the hole in the ceiling. Then with a loud thud stopped.

Little Strongheart found herself in a large circular room dominated by two large stone reliefs. The first was of Tatanka himself. The other one depicted a buffalo with glowing red eyes and a coat as black as smoke. Little Strongheart felt a sense of dread looking at it.

POOF! A cloud of smoke erupted from the stone tablet in the statue's hooves. Little Strongheart jumped back as the smoke rose from the stone. When it cleared she saw that the writing that was on the tablet was gone. In its place was a different message.

"One last trial to overcome,

Then the champion of the land you will become.

A champion's true strength comes not from their might.

But from the ability to tell wrong from right.

Two paths appear before you, one in front and one behind.

Follow your heart and what you seek, you will find."

SCRAAAAPE!!!

The sound of stone scraping together filled the room as both reliefs parted way and retreated into the sides of the wall. Dust fell from the ceiling as the dormant stones slid apart. As the room fell silent and the dust cleared, Little Strongheart peered from behind the statue and gasped in amazement.

"Wow!"

Behind Tantanka's relief lay a shrine to the White Buffalo Cow. The benevolent figure sat smiling with her forelegs outstretched. But it was what she was holding that got Little Strongheart's attention. A pair of silver bracers that shimmered in the darkness.

"The Sacred Bracers." Her eyes shimmered with wonder as she gazed at their divine beauty. Set within each bracer were the two biggest and most flawless pieces of turquoise she had ever seen. Each one was as big as her eyes. So beautiful were they that she could not help but be drawn to them. It didn't look like there were traps or obstacles between her and her prize. Could she just walk in and take them?

"Hello? Is someone there? I heard the doors open!" A muffled voice echoed from behind her. Little Strongheart turned around to find a second chamber where the black buffalo relief had once stood.

"Who said that?" She asked.

"Oh thank the Great Spirit!" The voice cried in elation. "You have no idea how long I've waited for someone to come. And come to think of it, neither do I."

"Where are you?" Little Strongheart asked as she tiptoed toward the source of the voice.

"In the chamber of the black buffalo, I'm trapped inside this jar! You've gotta get me out!" The voice sounded desperate.

Little Strongheart carefully approached the second chamber which was bare save for the large ceramic head of the black buffalo. Little Strongheart hesitated. Remembering Miracle Star's warning. This last trial was one of temptation. "Who are you really?"

"My name is White Lightning Cloud." The voice explained. Like you, I took these trials and made it all the way here. But when I took the bracers that white buffalo turned on me and locked me in this jar. You've got to get me out of here!"

"You honestly expect me to believe that?" Little Strongheart said. "She told me this last trial is about temptation, and you certainly seem like you're trying to lead me astray."

"Listen to me you don't understand," The voice pleaded sounding more desperate. "Miracle Star is not who she says she is. She leads buffalo in here to take the trial, then waits until they fail and are eaten. If they make it here like I did she locks them in here."

"Then where are the others?" Little Strongheart asked suspiciously. "It sounds like you are alone in there."

"Gone," White Lightning Cloud replied grimly. "There's a portal at the bottom of this jar. As soon as she gets a new victim, she drops the old one in to be eaten by the Predators. Saw it with my own eyes, I'll never forget it. And I'm next if you don't get me out of here!"

A seed of doubt grew in Little Stronghearts barrel. The sinister face looking back at her gave her every reason to suspect this was a trap. That she should just turn around and take the bracers. But something in White Lightning Cloud's voice tugged at her conscience.

"Please! I have a family!"

She turned her gaze back toward the statue on the platform.
"A champion's true strength comes not from their might. But from the ability to tell wrong from right." She whispered.

Against her sense of self-preservation, Little Strongheart could not bring herself to leave White Lightning Cloud behind. And so hesitantly she reached up and lifted the lid off of the jar.

SHUSSHH!

Instantly a cloud of black smoke erupted from the jar, sending Little Strongheart flying onto her back. The jar lid was launched into the air with such force that it shattered against the ceiling. The entire room turned black as the billowing smoke filled the air. Little Strongheart coughed and hacked as it washed over her.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"

A peal of deep thundering laughter that shook Little Strongheart to the core echoed through the statue. Through her smoke-stung eyes, Little Strongheart could see two ominous red eyes burning like fiery coals.

"Finally after more than three thousand years, I am free!"

From out of the fading smoke emerged an enormous black bison. His coat was shaggy and unkempt and his skin was a sickly pale blue. His horns were black and shiny and his eyes resembled red-hot coals. He wore a talisman of bones around his neck with bleached bracers on his forelegs to match. In his hoof, he carried an ebony staff topped with an obsidian stone set in the head. Smoke rose from his nostrils with every hot breath he took.

Little Strongheart lay sprawled on her back paralyzed with fear, unable to even move her eyes.

"W-who-who a-ar-are y-you?" She asked. The Black Buffalo smiled a wicked toothed grin and kicked his former prison with his hind legs shattering it against the wall behind him.

I am Gnaskiyan! And thanks to you this land will soon belong to me and me alone. As thanks for releasing me, I shall spare you so that you may watch as I stampede everything in my path to oblivion."

A cloud of white smoke rose from the floor. "Not so fast Gnaskiyan!" Miracle Star stood between him and Little Strongheart with an expression of defiance on her face." I've waited for three millennia for this moment!"

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Gnaskiyan bellowed with laughter. "Miracle Star how nice to see you again after all this time. You've certainly become a ghost of your former self since we last met!"

"I see three thousand years of imprisonment hasn't improved your sense of humor." Miracle Star said unfazed.

"Yes well, as much as I'd love to catch up on old times, I'm afraid I must be going. I've got a lot of stampeding ground to reclaim! But before I go..."

He raised his staff upward, electricity building up inside the stone.

"KENAHKIHININ!"

KRAAAKOOOW!!!

A bolt of blue lightning erupted from the head, but it struck neither of the two buffalo. Instead, it shot past them, hitting the altar of the White Buffalo Cow in the other chamber. The altar exploded in a shower of stone and dust. The clap of the thunder echoed through the still air. Little Strongheart and Miracle Star looked on in horror as Gnaskiyan out a triumphant laugh belching smoke from his nostrils.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! NOW NO ONE CAN STAND IN MY WAY! FARE THEE WELL CHAMPION! INUK CHUK! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

With a flash from the eyes of his talisman, the Black Buffalo began to transform before their very eyes. His leg muscles bulged, his hooves grew wider shattering the stones beneath them, and his horns brushed the ceiling for a brief moment before punching straight through them.

"We need to leave right now!" Miracle Star said as she reached out and pulled Little Strongheart to her hooves.

"But what about the bracers?" Little Strongheart asked as debris began to fall from the ceiling.

"There's no time, come on!" She said as she teleported the two of them in a cloud of smoke.

WHOOF!

In an instant, the two of them were outside on a hill a considerable distance from the statue. The once blue sky had turned black as smoke as bolts of lighting raced back and forth across the sky. The great statue shook and trembled as cracks erupted across its smooth surface. Chunks of stone exploded from the cracks and plunged to the ground below. The once gentle face of the White Buffalo Cow broke apart piece by piece leaving behind a hollow grotesque shell.

With one final eruption, the statue broke in two as Gnaskiyan's colossal form burst forth from it. The two halves fell to the ground where they shattered like porcelain.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

The shadow of the enormous black buffalo fell over the ground like a shroud, drawing closer to Little Strongheart and Miracle Star. Then in an eruption of black smoke, he was gone. As the smoke faded, a still silence fell over the fallen remains of the statue. Little Strongheart stared at the broken face of the white buffalo now split in two like a broken mask.

"What have I done?" She lamented.

To Be Concluded.

Comments

[badninja]

I wonder if she will choose to get distracted because she see some creature that needs help and that passes her.

[Comickook]

10444957
Yeah. After all, helping others IS the biggest part of being a hero.

[Comickook]

All I can say is WOW. Again, excellent job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. So far, Little Strongheart has passed all except the most important test and that one is the one she is doing right now. And, yeah, I LOVED Comet's chat with Braeburn as the former talked the latter into going to everyone who is interested in helping and gathering the search team.

Definitely looking forward to the climax of this.

[Lord King Cocoon]

I like the third trial because the instructions given are clearly obvious... but there's a caveat. There were some instructions that went unsaid. And that instruction was to take other creatures into consideration. The fish in the cantine was obvious what to do. But giving the apple core to the ants plus a few extra berries was not that obvious. And then making sure to only take the old bark, not even touching the moss. Granted, mossy bark most likely would be useless, but it shows that Little Strongheart understood that the moss was still alive and part of the ecosystem.

On a side note, I like to think that the bones are symbolic of those who have taken those trials and failed. I know that if they failed their trials, they just continue living, but that's why I specifically said "symbolic". The bones being symbolic of those who have come before her and failed.

Yeah... she's clearly on the successful path of that final trial. After all, they're still in that... trial world(?). And the bracers were clearly tempting to her. And which way was right and which was wrong was far too obvious to actually represent the paths they appear to be. And the fact that she went with her conscience rather than go for the gold (figuratively speaking) should say something about her willingness to do what's right. This could also be a test to represent that even heroes can make mistakes. But it's better to follow your conscience, even if the result leads to a wrong conclusion than to ignore what you think is right. It's a trial of character.

[Luckyfanisaac]

"There you go,”(—— she said leaving a few berries as well for good measure before continuing on her way.

Little Strongheart's muscles trembled.

——)His expression softened. "Yeah, that was an unpleasant surprise wasn't it? Come on into the kitchen. Ah, 'll make you a glass of warm milk."

Little Strongheart paid her little mind as she realized how easy she'd had with the Great Cougar.

"What's this?”(—— Little Strongheart said taking a closer look.

——)”Like you, I took these trials and made it all the way here.