Utaan

by Imploding Colon

I Am a Mountain Mare

The metal lid shifted... shifted again... then lifted altogether. Its opening was a slow, groaning thing. Frost and snow crumbled and flew off in powdery streams from the edges of the doorframe. From beneath, a petite pegasus with a snarling expression fought against the weight of the thing.

"Mrmmfffnnghhh!" Her voice echoed against the sound of howling winds.

"Just give it a bit more oomph, Dashie!" Pinkie cheered as she phased up through the cavern's floor.

"You've got this, darling!" Rarity insisted. "Just a little bit more and the weight will do the rest—"

"Graaugh!" Rainbow Dash shouted for effort, then gave the door a shove.

Fwooosh! Clangggg! Noise reverberated up and down the lengths of a shallow cave. The air was bone-chillingly cold, and Rainbow Dash shivered instantly.

"Brrbrbrbrrrr..." She sat on the lid of the open doorframe, rubbing her forelimbs over one another. "Is... is it b-bad that I sorta wanna go back underground and dig my way to Wyvern Point?"

"Dashie, look!" Pinkie Pie pointed.

Rainbow looked over her shoulder. She found herself having to squint.

A round patch of blinding light loomed before her. Eventually, Rainbow's eyes focused, and she made out a snowy mountain plateau full of fir trees covered in frost.

"Heh..." Rainbow managed a tired smile. "Daylight. Go figure."

"This is daytime?" Fluttershy shuddered. "I'm scared to think how cold you'll be at night."

"Relax, Flutters," Rainbow said, pulling the rest of her body out of the doorframe. "I'm sure it'll be a lot toastier once I'm in direct sunlight."

"Now that's the spirit!" Twilight Sparkle said with a grin. "Although, not to sound like a mother hen or anything, Rainbow, but you might want to bundle up."

"Way ahead of you." Rainbow was already reaching into the bag that the Desperadoes had given her. "It's a good thing Wildcard set this whole thing up. If this was all Bard's idea—I swear—the most I'd have gotten was a friggin' rag to wear."

---

Hooves bound in woolen shoes trotted out of the cave, crunching in glistening white snow.

Rainbow Dash squinted into the sunlight as she emerged. Her petite blue body was clad in a thick bundle of gray furs, wrapped tightly under a leathery brown tunic. She wore both saddlebags on the outside, which only hugged the insulating material even tighter around her shivering figure. Slowly—minute by minute—she felt warmth cocooning her all over, and she began to relax.

A smattering of abandoned mining equipment lingered just outside the cave. Rainbow Dash noticed that several translucent icicles had formed horizontally along the southeast edges of each crate, tool, and container.

"Guess the wind only blows in one direction here," Twilight Sparkle said. She pointed at the first layer of trees that were also adorned with similarly pointed icicles. "And it's a moist gale too."

"Believe me, I feel it." With a shudder, Rainbow reached for a woolly hood and drew it over her shaved head. "Probably because of the way the mountaintop is formed." She turned around and looked directly up, spotting a dark shape jutting into the sky. "I think we're right in the crook of two summits, and this whole place is acting like a frigid wind funnel."

"The mountains east of Canterlot Castle are like that in the winter time," Twilight said.

"Say Rarity. Can you confirm if there's another summit just northeast of us or something?" Rainbow asked.

Dead silence.

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder. "Rares?"

Rarity pouted, glaring away from Rainbow.

The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Look... I didn't choose this jacket. The Desperadoes did because they knew it would keep me alive. So will you please get over it?"

"You're committed to not eating meat, and that's most commendable." Rarity's sharp gaze glinted. "But you'll wear leather and fur?!" She upturned her nose. "Hmmff!"

"But Rare-Rare!" Pinkie Pie bore a puppy dog pout. "Do you really want Dashie to freeze out here?!"

Rarity spat, "Do you honestly even know who or what Wildcard slew to... to m-make that ghastly thing?!"

"Looks like a combination of wolf fur and bear gut," Fluttershy said.

Rarity blinked at her.

"What?" Fluttershy gulped, then bore a weak smile. "I know my animals... both inside and out."

"See?" Rainbow Dash shuffled forward through the crunching snow. "Fluttershy's cool with it! Why can't you be, Rarity?"

"Mmmm..." Fluttershy's cheeks and eartips burned. "...I didn't say I was okay with it."

"Eughhh..." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "...what do we need, now? A Red Barge Two?"

"Let's just explore a bit, shall we?" Twilight voiced, taking command of the situation. "The more we know about our surroundings, the better."

"Easy for you to s-say," Rainbow Dash shuddered. Vaporous breaths exited her muzzle in misty waves. "Feels like walking into the Noble Jury's freezer." She fought the chattering of teeth, then glanced over at Twilight. "Aren't you cold too?"

Twilight bit her lip. "Sorry, Rainbow..."

Fluttershy shook her head. "It's not affecting us like it's affecting you."

"Meh..." Rainbow marched forward, getting the blood flowing. "I thought ghosts were supposed to—like—vomit frozen ectoplasm and be covered in a buncha ice cold chains."

"Not these ghosts!" Rarity smiled. "We would never be caught wearing anything so ghastly! Even beyond the afterlife!"

Fluttershy winked at the others. "Especially not ghost furs."

"Oh hush!" Rarity upturned her nose. "Honestly, though. Give me a white sheet, and I'm certain I could fold a few decorative pleats into it at least."

"Can we please talk about something more serious?" Twilight grumbled. "Fluttershy detected some living bodies not that far from here, and Rainbow needs to be on her fetlocks!"

"Let it rest, egghead." Rainbow Dash managed a shivering smile. "Believe me, this is something I sorely missed back in the early days of journeying."

Twilight blinked innocently at her. "And what's that?"

Rainbow sighed vaporously. "You." A gulp. "All of you... with me."

The mares exchanged soft expressions.

"We can't imagine how terribly lonely it must have been for you, darling," Rarity said softly.

"No." Rainbow gulped. "You can't." She squinted forward. "And I don't want you to. So... let's keep g-going, sh-shall we?"

"I just can't stand to hear your teeth chatter, Rainbow," Fluttershy said with a pout.

"Not much that can be done about it, Flutters," Rainbow stammered.

"I think different, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie flew over, then pointed at Rainbow's neck. "How about giving that thing a rub?"

Rainbow squinted. "I beg your pardon?"

Pinkie stuck her tongue out. "Your pendant, silly filly!"

"Huh?" Rainbow held a hoof over the front of her coat. "What about it—?" Even through the material, the Element of Loyalty responded. A ruby glow emanated from the inside of Rainbow's hood, bathing her all over in harmonic toastiness. "OooOoooOoooh..." Her eyelids thinned dramatically, twitching. She bore the dumbest of smiles.

Twilight smirked. "Feel good?"

"Like I'm in a mobile hammock."

"Hehe..." Pinkie winked aside. "I think that's Rainbowish for 'definitely.'"

"Where are these ponies you're sensing, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked.

"Uhm..." The ghostly pegasus pointed through the trees. "Northeast... about three hundred paces."

"Shouldn't we... be avoiding anyone up here?" Rarity remarked.

"Thanks for the caution, Rares." Rainbow Dash pressed on through the crunching snow. "But they're not the Talon... and I super-seriously doubt the Consortium will have anypony stationed up here. I don't think it'd hurt to see if there's someone... anyone who might at least be able to give some directions..."

"Yes!" Pinkie giggled. "Think positive! Heehee!"

"Believe me..." Rarity folded her forelimbs with a slight frown. "I'd like nothing better."

"Who knows, Rarity." Twilight Sparkle smirked. "Maybe they're the only three ponies in all of Rohbredden dressed in pageant wear."

"Oh, we should be so lucky..."

---

Rainbow Dash marched through permanently bent, windblown fir trees. All of the trunks curved to the southeast, in the same direction as the horizontal icicles clinging to the partially barren branches. The wind rolled savagely through the forest, causing the icicles to rattle together and form an eerie percussion. It broke the otherwise dead hush of the high-altitude stretch.

The plateau wasn't entirely dead. Random hares and snow-speckled foxes stirred in the path that Rainbow Dash was trotting. They took one glance at the mare and... simply let her pass by.

"Oh wow..." Fluttershy exhaled, gazing at the animals. "They're not running away."

"Maybe they wanna make friends?" Pinkie Pie remarked.

"I think it simply means that there isn't much up here that preys upon them," Fluttershy said. "Especially not ponies."

"Well, that's a nice sign." Rarity gulped. "Isn't it?"

"Some of my Noble Jurist friends had experience with foxes," Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Oh?" Fluttershy smiled. "Was it a sweet, cuddly experience?"

"Nah. They killed a bunch of them while escaping a moving train."

Fluttershy blinked. "... ... ...maybe it's a good thing I wasn't around until the Quade."

"This world's big," Rainbow Dash said. "And sometimes it gets bored. When you least expect it, something you thought was just a backdoor pest may actually turn out to be sentient."

"I find that very interesting," Twilight Sparkle said.

"Heh..." Rainbow smirked as she marched through the frozen forest. "Of course you would."

"So, what you're saying," Rarity remarked, "Is that given enough time and geography, we could come across any kind of intelligent life?"

"Yes? Maybe? I dunno." Rainbow exhaled with a cold shudder. "Kinda makes me scared of what we'll see on the dark side."

"Ooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

"Already checked off, Pinkie," Rainbow grunted.

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Well, shoot." She slumped in mid-hover, blinking across the snow and branches. "What kind of a world do we live in if I can't be random in it anymore?"

"Don't worry," Rainbow muttered. "It'll grow on you."

"Granted, it's not all random," Rarity said. "Even here in Rohbredden, there's a purpose to it."

"Yeah."

Rarity gulped. "Although it may be... a dark... nefarious purpose."

"I just can't get over the fact that Verlax wanted Rainbow Dash to escape the Talon," Fluttershy remarked. She blinked at the others. "I mean... that is why that golem of hers freed Rainbow, yes?"

"I don't think we should put too much rationality into what Verlax does or what motivates her," Twilight muttered.

"'Cuz we all know what happens when I put stock in it." Rainbow gulped. "I swear... I should have been listening to everypony but her at the Quade..."

"You didn't exactly have much to go on, darling," Rarity said.

"That's no excuse," Rainbow muttered. She rubbed her pendant through the jacket once again, reenergizing the warm harmonic glow. "I had most of you girls back. I had Luna's words of wisdom to glean from. I had..." She winced. "...Bard and Wildcard backing me up."

"Well, we're all here." Fluttershy managed a smile. "And the Desperadoes are helping you again. You're in a much better place, Rainbow."

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash turned her head in the same direction as the icicles. Yaerfaerda twinkled orange in the distance—at a slightly more elevated level. "...I can think of even better places... and worse."

"I wonder if the Talon fits into the Evil Dragon's plans," Pinkie said, tapping her muzzle in thought.

"Pinkie, dear, what did Twilight say about rationalizing Verlax?" Rarity remarked.

"But just think about it!" Pinkie Pie blinked. "That big ol' queen meanie is constantly obsessed with 'testing' Dashie! And yet, since she got out of Red Barge, the Talon has been her biggest obstacle!" Her pink muzzle scrunched. "And yet... when they're about to get the drop on her... Verlax just lets her go?"

"She obviously wants everything done on her terms," Twilight said. "Regardless of how nonsensical."

"A good point." Fluttershy nodded. "After all, if Keris and his wingmates actually caught Rainbow and brought her to the Court of Verlaxion... well... wouldn't that be what Verlax wants?"

Rarity glanced over. "You're suggesting that Verlax intends for Rainbow Dash to cross paths with her at the next Seed."

"Doesn't she?" Fluttershy blinked. "I mean... every place since the Choke where Yaerfaerda has pointed Rainbow, Verlax has purposefully intervened in some way or another." She gulped. "She's been testing Rainbow Dash... making sure she travels east in a way she wants. Why should the Starkiss and the Throne of Verlaxion be any different?"

"Then..." Twilight squinted. "...if there's any truth in that—no matter how mad—it means that Verlax wants Rainbow Dash to be taking this long detour."

"You can't mean to suggest that Verlax intended for Rainbow to cross paths with the Desperadoes!" Rarity exclaimed.

"I'm not suggesting anything! I'm just... just..." Twilight rolled her eyes and groaned. "See... this is exactly why we shouldn't be trying to get inside her crazy, draconian head!"

"Crazy or not, Fluttershy and Pinkie are right to bring up these issues," Rainbow muttered. "No matter how we shake it, it seems likely now... that Verlax wants me taking this trip to Wyvern Point."

Rarity and Pinkie Pie exchanged glances. They bit their lips.

"Whatever that means..." Rainbow slowly shook her head. "...it can't be a good thing, and we gotta be cautious." The mare stopped in her tracks, blinking. "Hello."

"Huh?" Twilight turned to look.

The forest had suddenly ended. A narrow strip of snow-covered land bridged the gap between two tall mountains. Nestled in the middle of this powdery stretch was a two-story wooden cottage with a stonelaid foundation. Two sets of fences—also made of piled rocks—surrounded the structure. Rainbow spotted a pair of stables to her left, and a doubly-reinforced wooden entrance to what appeared to be a privately-owned mineshaft towards the northeast.

The pegasus and her friends collectively blinked. They scanned the countryside, spotting more piles of stones, along with wooden supply sheds and a series of tall wooden poles with ropes attached.

"Heeeeeeeeee-eeeee!" Pinkie Pie hugged herself, smiling rosily.

Rarity looked over. "What is it, Pinkie?"

"Oh, nothing..." Pinkie sniffled, grinning. "Just feels like home during Hearth's Warming."

"Fluttershy..." Twilight leaned aside. Her eyes followed a column of smoke pumping out of the cottage's stone chimney. "Is this where you sensed the pony life signs?"

Fluttershy nodded, gulping. "There are three of them nearby."

"And one of them's faint?"

"That's right."

Rarity pointed. "I don't suppose you got them confused with those, did you?"

Rainbow looked over. Within one of the fenced-in areas was a tiny herd of mountain goats. They huddled along the edges of the partition, chewing away at exposed grass and weeds.

"There's more of them up above us!" Pinkie Pie pointed at woolen specks hopping along the distant mountain summit to the northeast. "I guess they're... uhhhh... 'out grazing?'"

"Guess you gotta make do with whatever's available at these altitudes," Rainbow muttered. He trotted towards a fence.

One of the rams tilted its head up. The thing chewed on a scrap of brown-and-green grass, staring Rainbow up and down with bored eyes.

Rainbow stared back. She gulped... then leaned forward with a vaporous breath. "... ... ...Hello?"

The ram said nothing.

Rainbow sighed, then shrugged. "Well, it was worth a shot."

"Rainbow, look!" Twilight exclaimed.

Rainbow followed her lavender hoof. She shuffled across the mountain farm, ultimately stopping before a frosted tower of wood and metal. A series of ropes were attached to the structure, and they stretched off into the cold, gray north.

"A... ski-lift?" Rarity remarked.

"A conveying apparatus of some sort," Twilight said with a nod. "And it leads north!" She turned to smile at Rainbow. "How convenient is that?"

Rainbow was too busy staring at the rows upon rows of massive mountains looming along the frigid horizon.

"Yeah..." Her ears drooped beneath her hood. "...super convenient..."

"Oh wowsies..." Pinkie grimaced. "Those are a lot of mountains!"

"You can say that again," Rarity said, trembling.

"Where's Wyvern Point in all that mess?" Pinkie asked.

Rainbow sighed. "I think beyond it."

Pinkie winced. "Sorry I asked."

"There's gotta be some way to operate this machine," Twilight said, floating around it. "I... think I understand how it works." She tapped her chin in thought. "It's rather simple. But there's something missing."

"The lift?" Rainbow remarked.

"There's... a wooden platform on the far side of the expanse," Rarity said, her horn glowing. "I do believe that's what you're referring to."

Twilight nodded. "And from the way the pulleys are positioned, they're prepared to retract."

"Must be how the ponies up this high reach the valley below," Rarity remarked.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Pinkie chirped. "Let's drag it back over!"

"Not so fast, Pinkie," Rainbow said. "We don't exactly own this... thing."

"So?" Pinkie pouted. "Wouldn't be the first time you committed grand theft elevator, I bet!"

Rainbow sighed. "Pinkie—"

Fluttershy suddenly gasped. "Rainbow! Don't look now, but—"

The creaking of wooden hinges lit the air.

"... ... ...?" Rainbow and her ghostly friends spun around.

The entrance to the miniature mineshaft was opening. The mares watched as a pale figure shuffled out.

Rainbow squinted.

A stallion with a pale coat and a matching white mane shuffled out of the sealed entrance to the underground passage. Despite the blistering cold, he didn't wear a single thread of fur or cloth on his figure. In swift order, he carried a yoke with two buckets of steaming hot water from the mineshaft to the two-story cottage. He made it about halfway when his ice-blue eyes lifted up—and he froze in place.

Rainbow Dash stared at the stallion.

The stallion stared back.

Silence...

Th-Thud! The pony dropped the buckets. Breathlessly, he galloped straight towards Rainbow Dash.

"Oh goodness!" Rarity flinched, along with Twilight. "Oh goodness, Rainbow, run—!"

"Run from what?" Rainbow murmured. "He's just... some dude."

"Yeah, Rarity! Look!" Pinkie pointed.

As the stallion came within speaking distance of Rainbow Dash, the mare had to tilt her head down. He was actually the smaller of the two. Panting, he scuffled to a stop, staring up at her with a look of desperation.

"Haam! Haam!" he exclaimed in a passionate, high-pitched voice. "Fuundle, basaava lamaadraan? Klehm, mehm havaana klaasa grum, haam frahn!"

The mares gaped.

Rainbow blinked. "... ... ...'kay."

His eyes twitched. The stallion's hooves fidgeted in the snow like an anxious dog's paws. "Klehm... klehm..." He gulped, motioning towards the cottage. "Mehm havaas klaas, haam frahn! Klehm!"

"Alright..." Pinkie glanced at the others. "Does anypony hear know Blabberese?"

"The poor thing," Rarity remarked. "He's obviously in some kind of distress..."

"Yeah, but what's with the mumble-muzzle?" Pinkie squeaked.

"It's not a common Rohbredden language, Pinkie," Fluttershy said. "These are mountainfolk, after all."

"Yeah..." Rainbow squinted. "But just what language?"

Twilight gasped. "Snow Blood Tongue!"

Rainbow glanced aside.

Twilight looked at her. "Remember? Back in Kunmane? There were ponies just like this one! Snow Bloods!"

Rainbow's muzzle scrunched. "Snow Bloods?"

The stallion gasped. "Haat! Haat!" He nodded, then contorted his muzzle awkwardly to produce: "'Schnew Bluuds'..." Clearing his throat, he stammered. "Klehm, hehm havaas klaas!"

"Nana Pearl talked about them, remember?" Twilight said. "They live up here in the mountains, super isolated... very snow hardy."

"If they're so snow hardy, then what's this guy's deal?" Rainbow muttered.

"Mmmmfff..." Gritting his teeth, the stallion reached in and tugged at Rainbow's fetlock. He pointed into the cabin. "Maastaana frehm bleehm, haam frahn! Haamsum grunnudda threemdeel!"

"I think he wants us to go inside the cabin!" Fluttershy said. "To help him with something!"

"Like what?" Pinkie remarked.

Fluttershy gulped. "Somepony must be in trouble. There are two living ponies inside that cabin."

Rainbow looked over. "One of them's 'faint,' right?"

Fluttershy nodded emphatically. "I think someone's hurt. Or injured. Or worse."

"But... but..." Pinkie pouted, gazing at the mechanical apparatus along the mountain's edge. "...Rainbow's ticket out of here..."

"If they need help, then I'm gonna give it." Rainbow Dash said firmly. "Something tells me these dudes haven't had a clean break in ages."

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Rarity exclaimed. "Tell him you'll lend a hoof!"

"How?!" Pinkie cackled.

"Uhhhhh..." Rainbow Dash leaned forward. "Lead the way, big guy..."

The stallion blinked at her. "Vendeel? Haavaaso?"

"Uhhhhhh..." Rainbow bore a nervous grin. "...dreit?"

The stallion turned-tail and galloped for the cottage. He paused every now and then to motion at the pegasus.

Rainbow shuffled after him. "Say... uhhh... what's your name?"

"Mehm havaas klaas, haam frahn! Klehm!"

"I'm Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! And you are...?"

"Klehm! Ehm gaasa mundeel!" And he opened the front door and dashed inside, leaving the wooden entrance open.

"I... don't think you're going to bridge that communication gap so easily, darling," Rarity said.

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash reached the entrance, then stomped the snow off her shoes. "...until I learn otherwise, I'm calling him Sweetie Belle."

"Snkkkk!" Rarity's eyes crossed. "You cannot name some random pale mountain stallion after my little sister!"

"Watch me." Rainbow smirked as she stepped inside. "Yo, yo, Sweetie Belle! Hold up!"

"Oh, for the love of Celestia—"

Rainbow shut the cottage door behind her, blocking out the cold. Thud!

Comments

[Hestia]

Well . . . This'll be interesting. I'm getting so paranoid I'm almost suspecting a trap.

[Swan Song]

"I know my animals... both inside and out."

tmi

"Can we please talk about something more serious?" Twilight grumbled. "Fluttershy detected some living bodies not that far from here, and Twilight needs to be on her fetlocks!"

Third-person Twi Twi.

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash reached the entrance, then stomped the snow off her shoes. "...until I learn otherwise, I'm calling him Sweetie Belle."

derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/5/25/904148.png

[aRestlessCreativeGamer]

"Ooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

R.I.P. Simon

"Guess you gotta make do with whatever's available at these altitudes," Rainbow muttered. He trotted towards a fence.

And Rainbow has been temporarily genderswapped

[Thojnx]

Yet another mysterious language. Sometimes I wonder how you come up with them, Colon.

[RoboRed]

"Ooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

"Already checked off, Pinkie," Rainbow grunted.

RIP Simon. You are still missed.

[bobbananaville]

I've noticed a tendency for you to use some weird verbs for your characters - Pinkie 'nods' instead of, say, slouches or slumps or something directly after having her ideas rejected, seems like the latest one.

[destinedjagold]

Rainbow bore a nervous grin. "...dreit?"

[Revan]

On another note, I wonder if Rainbow Dash's tail and mane will grow back before her wing heals.

[Phoenix Kitten]

Rarity blinked at her.
"What?" Fluttershy gulped, then bore a weak smile. "I know my animals... both inside and out."
"See?" Rainbow Dash shuffled forward through the crunching snow. "Fluttershy's cool with it! Why can't you be, Rarity?"
"Mmmm..." Fluttershy's cheeks and eartips burned. "...I didn't say I was okay with it."

Flutterangry.
But really, it's gotta be warmer than what Equestrian's wear in winter.

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash reached the entrance, then stomped the snow off her shoes. "...until I learn otherwise, I'm calling him Sweetie Belle."
"Snkkkk!" Rarity's eyes crossed. "You cannot name some random pale mountain stallion after my little sister!"

What noise was that Rarity?
She's right though. At least call him Sweepy.

-Companions have returned, inner darkness spurned. Utaan.

[Emotional Flight]

One of the rams tilted its head up. The thing chewed on a scrap of brown-and-green grass, staring Rainbow up and down with bored eyes.

Rainbow stared back. She gulped... then leaned forward with a vaporous breath. "... ... ...Hello?"

The ram said nothing.

Rainbow sighed, then shrugged. "Well, it was worth a shot."

I give the ram a 50% chance of being able to speak and just deciding not to.

[The Whiskey Spirit]

6933021 I have incorporated this word into my everyday life and I get so many blank stares. It is the best word.

[AppleTank]

6932976
Mashing the keyboard, then editing the nonsense. Many of us believe half of "Xonan" was that, with the occasional repeated word. Only once or twice was there ever an actual translation back and forth, so he could pretty much get away with anything.
Dreit

[Sharp Quill]

6933182 In the cartoon, goats were one of the few hooved animals that could not talk, at least not in "Equish," even though they were sapient (see the Iron Will episode).

[Lightning Bearer]

Judging by the "faint" presence that Fluttershy detects, I'm guessing either someone inside the cabin is injured, or a mare is about to give birth (hence the hot water, perhaps).

[Schadenponi]

There has been quite a bit of references to the Noble Jury these past few chapters, I wonder if it means something. I also wonder if there will come a time in which She will have to eat meat, maybe on the dark side as some kind of test of will.

[314]

Time for another episode of "Let's vomit words onto the page and try to make them make words"

[Booster Spice]

"Ooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

"Already checked off, Pinkie," Rainbow grunted.

RIP Simon. Most definitely checked out.

Either that Snow Blood place is a hot water mine, or theres a mineral or magma deposit with water spring next to it. Maybe even a whole bunch of anti windigo eggs for the heat to match up with all the cold windigo eggs in the Other mine. the one where noone ever goes that way.

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

"Haam! Haam!" he exclaimed in a passionate, high-pitched voice. "Fuundle, basaava lamaadraan? Klehm, mehm havaana klaasa grum, haam frahn!"

Ummmm... Dreit?

Edit: And then immediately afterwards I learn she did indeed say it. I'll call that a win.

[IceKitsune]

Hmmm I'm kind of iffy if this is some kind of trap, but right now I'm gonna say no, that seems unlikely. Hopefully Rainbow finds a way to communicate with them soon or this is going to be 100 times harder than it needs to be.

[North Bound]

Sweetie belle in the haus!!!

[MidnightReflection]

"Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

And the feels strike again. Dammit Pinkie! That's too soon! It only occured over 500 chapters ago. Have you no decency?

[Enix]

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash reached the entrance, then stomped the snow off her shoes. "...until I learn otherwise, I'm calling him Sweetie Belle."

Pfff...
What next? The other two life forms are going to be named Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?

Cutie Mark Crusaders Snow Bloods YAY!
I mean... *cough*
Cutio Vaxalk Clusaxadols Sned Freeds YAY!

Unbeltunaxatorupp DiC peos uso zis slaxansraxatel. Welth stongick.

[Bread Lord - Galloran]

6934085
Driet.

[Windburst]

"Ooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie grinned. "Intelligent telekinetic squirrels!"

"Already checked off, Pinkie," Rainbow grunted.

Oh come on, IC, right in the feels :(

"Yeah, well..." Rainbow Dash reached the entrance, then stomped the snow off her shoes. "...until I learn otherwise, I'm calling him Sweetie Belle."

"Snkkkk!" Rarity's eyes crossed. "You cannot name some random pale mountain stallion after my little sister!"

"Watch me." Rainbow smirked as she stepped inside. "Yo, yo, Sweetie Belle! Hold up!"

"Oh, for the love of Celestia—"

[Velvet]

Cooler chapter

[Typoglyphic]

When you least expect it, something you thought was just a backdoor pest may actually turn out to be sentient."

Most pests are sentient. None, as far as I know, are sapient.

[Autumn Rush]

Way to make me miss the Juriests even more.

"Believe me, this is something I sorely missed back in the early days of journeying."

Twilight blinked innocently at her. "And what's that?"

Rainbow sighed vaporously. "You." A gulp. "All of you... with me."

More feels.

6933509

I was thinking the latter.

[Jern]

I Am a Mountain Mare

Dashie Crockett?

[ConsciousHaze196]

"I mean... that is why that golem of hers freed Rainbow, yes?"

Because Verlax wants to see moar, and doesn't want to lose her investments into a course of traps.

[Luminard]

She didn't get attacked. That's a good sign.

[Nevlamas]

Well, either their language too is quite directly descended from Old Caribou or Skirts just isn't great at making up random jumbled languages. :P

"This world's big," Rainbow Dash said. "And sometimes it gets bored. When you least expect it, something you thought was just a backdoor pest may actually turn out to be sentient."

Sapient.

'Schnew Bluuds'

Solid attempt at German there, Sweetie, keep trying.

[digif]

The metal lid shifted... shifted again... then lifted altogether. Its opening was a slow, groaning thing.

[Cynderfall]

Seriously Rainbow Dash? Applebloom or Diamond Tiara is a much better name for this guy.

[Thojnx]

6933344

Hadtuw sed fue dtidyo sikhshm!

Damn, it works.

[Staxon Braxon]

6933509
6934357
That makes three of us for "mare about to foal a child". They'd better grab those buckets before the snow and wind chill the water to uselessness.

I wonder if they'll name the kid after Rainbow...

[Polaris_Brightstar]

Good lord man, coming up on 4 years next month and still going strong. One of the best series on FimFiction, PERIOD.

[Rayvinne]

Glad I'm not the only one who was immediately reminded of Xonan.

[AppleTank]

6934676
Dreit. Fathan gerea de lorass'an.
Xon'nagu

[Lazy_]

I too, am one for thinking a mare is in labor in that cabin. Can't wait for Rainbow's reaction if that's the case.

[cammera]

6932976 My personal tackle at them is getting a slight idea of what I want it to sound like, in which conditions it is used, and working from that. Easier than it sounds.

[remnants]

"And it's a moist gale too."

I despise that word.

Moist.

There's just something about it that makes me cringe in revulsion whenever I see it.

[Sir Mediocre]

6936459 Do you, now?

[8542Madness]

A Red Barge Two?

Nah, sequels are hardly ever as good as the original. What would you even call it? Red Barge Two: The Bargening? Red Barge Two: Shock and Terror? There aren't any good options.

[mastermenthe]

6937710
Red Barge 2: Bloody Crimson

[Leftover of Saikano]

"Is that given enough time, geography, and lemurs with typewriters, we could come across any kind of intelligent life?"

Of course.

6933081 That's the noise of you shouldn't mess with her.
goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/snikt2.jpg

[remnants]

6937249 uhh, yesss of course... that's exactly what i was going for

shifty eyes

[Hazard]

6933787 now now, don't be so hotheaded.

[Hazard]

Dreit! Lead on, little pony who is not Kera or Sweetie Belle.

Rainbow's ticket out is only helped if she helps the snowbloods.

"Yes!" Pinkie giggled. "Think positive! Heehee!"

Okay, I'm positive you're crazy.

[Metal Aura]

I have finally caught up!
derpicdn.net/img/2013/12/23/504468/full.gif
Now I guess it is time to marathon Appledashery.

[Super Trampoline]

6939019 welcome, comrade!