37 - Faux Pas, Part 6 of 8
Pixyglitter was awakened by Cloud Blazer shivering beside her. He had positioned himself to block the wind, which must have been incredibly uncomfortable. The cold stones and ground against which they’d slept had done a fine job robbing the mare of warmth, but she appreciated the stallion staying against that side to stop blasting more cold at her. They’re shared body heat had been an oasis.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
He shuddered, "Yeah."
"Did you get any sleep?"
“Not much. I may have nodded off for a minute or two,” he replied. "I'm going to try to get up and take a look around. The sun is rising."
He slowly began moving, and the chill in the air assaulted her left side as he did. She tried to stretch, but the space between the boulders where they had slept was far too cramped. She instead stayed still as Cloud Blazer turned about in their little hiding place.
"Well, I don't know if we'll make it to Manehattan today or not. It looks like the fighting is still underway."
Pixyglitter could hear it in the distance.
"The good news: EUP forces are pushing the timberwolves back again. But that means they're all headed this way. Our only chance at staying here would be if they didn't see us, but in broad daylight..." he sighed.
He didn't have to finish. She knew how dangerous it would be if they were spotted. He stepped out of the side she had been facing and then helped her down. Pixyglitter's legs had fallen asleep, and now they were all pins and needles as feeling returned in the brisk morning breeze.
"Are you good to fly?" Cloud Blazer asked.
When Pixyglitter stretched her wings, she was surprised how sore she felt. It was as though every muscle she had were aching.
"I can manage," she said. "That headwind was brutal."
Cloud Blazer snuffed the breeze, "It still is."
"What are the chances we'll get shot down?" she asked.
He was silent for a moment, presumably looking toward the battle.
"Actually rather high," he admitted. "Well, this is a bit of a situation. We're out of food, and unless you've saved any, we're almost out of water."
She felt for her canteen and took it from the harness. The weight of it told her that it was nearly empty.
"That's what I thought," Cloud Blazer sighed. "Just under half of one between the two of us."
Something exploded at a modest distance; Pixyglitter didn't need her eyes to tell her that the battle was getting closer to them.
"No weapons either, huh?" she asked.
"Not anymore. I lost my knife yesterday when I dove into that changeling."
Pixyglitter shuddered at the memory.
"You okay?"
He must have seen, "Yes, I'm fine. I was just remembering. Hey, I'm sorry about last night."
"Forget it," he said as he began walking around a little. "I think our best bet is to find a farmhouse where we can ride this out; either that or give up on Manehattan."
"So it's try to hide, give up, or charge though the battle and hope we don't get killed by one side or the other."
Cloud Blazer let out a little laugh, "Pretty much. Sit still and hope we don't get killed, leave and hope we don't get killed, or fly through it and hope we don't get killed. So, I guess be as hopeful as you can."
"Good thinking," she replied sarcastically.
"This way," he said.
Pixyglitter followed Cloud Blazer with relative ease. The fighting was far enough away that she could hear him without difficulty, but the terrain was a little rough from the cultivation of the farmers. Additionally, quite a lot of it was turned up from what must have been the timberwolves charging through. She stepped high and sure. As any truly rough terrain came up, he warned her.
They moved slowly, which Pixyglitter could only guess was due to Cloud Blazer's injuries. He was dragging his right back leg, which he'd told her before was the one that had been broken and was in a cast up to his flank. His breath also sounded labored.
"Are you alright up there?" she asked.
"Are you having trouble following me?"
"No, you just sound like you're hurting."
Cloud Blazer answered, "Yeah, my side's bothering me. I'll tell you what, if I'm having trouble, I'll let you know. I appreciate it, but you don't have to ask."
"Deal," she replied.
The scent of something burning was on the wind. It smelled like crops or vegetation that had been set aflame. The pair continued walking for what seemed like an hour. The entire time, the noise of fighting was drawing closer to them, but Cloud Blazer never quickened his pace.
"That looks good," he eventually said as they began climbing a gentle slope.
Within a few minutes, Pixyglitter heard the unmistakeable sound of hooves against wood. It was either a porch or steps.
"Careful," he said. "Feel it out."
She climbed the stairs, only five of them, and arrived on what must have been the doorstep of a farmhouse. Cloud Blazer knocked on the door, and they waited. She stretched while she had a moment to do so, which was unpleasant but also somehow satisfying. The house was completely quiet. He knocked against the door again, but was met only with silence.
"Nopony home?" she asked.
"Maybe," Cloud Blazer replied. "That or they’re afraid to open the door."
"Is it locked?"
She could hear him fiddling with the metal latch.
"It is," he replied simply.
"Alright then, I guess I'm up," she said as she walked forward, pushing him out of the way.
She felt the door and then turned her rear to it.
"What are you..." he just had time to say before she bucked the door with both hind legs.
It wasn't terribly strong, and the latch gave way under the force of her kick. What happened next caught the mare off guard. In only a moment shouting erupted and Pixyglitter had been pushed to the ground. She hit the wooden floor of the porch so hard it made her head spin. Cloud Blazer was also yelling.
"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" he cried out.
Then she heard another bang and her friend let out something that sounded like a yelp.
"Leave him alone!" she shouted, "He's already injured!"
"Shut your mouth," somepony commanded.
A sharp pain shot through Pixyglitter as the stallion kicked her in the head. It was disorienting. Blood trickled down her scalp as her head throbbed.
"Stand down!" somepony else ordered.
There was some shuffling about, but the assault on the pair seemed to have stopped for the moment. It was impossible to tell by hearing alone, but Pixyglitter counted at least four, maybe five by the way they walked about. The sounds of the battle were drawing closer, and the unmistakable scent of timberwolves was becoming thick on the air.
"Bring them inside," a smooth voice said.
Without delay, Pixyglitter found herself being lifted up rather roughly.
"Be careful with him; he's injured," she said.
One of them slapped her across the face. He need not have explained why; whoever they were, they wanted silence from her.
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You don't just break into someone's house while fighting a war with changelings and not expect them to attack you.
Oops?
8626148
Oops indeed. Everyone is making the chapter title appropriate.
8626133
Indeed. Though given the bad options before them. Pixy thought it was the best bad option.
Blazer can't sleep, he is the only one capable of keeping watch, that must be exhausting
The residents think they are changelings and there isn't a unicorn around to prove otherwise.
8756416
1) On top of his injuries that are still healing up (if a human had suffered those injuries and survived, it would likely take years, not months, before they are walking again. I only nodded to that with the doctors being baffled at Zecora's medicines and abilities to help him).
2) Hehehehe! Nope!