A Filly's New Hope

by Mocha Star

Chapter 22

“...Lamb~!” Tree finished the song, much to the delight of Nova and Safe Trek; Both who were wincing from the awful off-key singing.

“Wow, that was… unforgettable,” Safe Trek said as her ears relaxed.

“I warned you he was a bad singer,” Nova said as she poked the pan of vegetables.

She giggled shortly as she caught the look Tree had given her.

“Well, we can’t all be Lucciano Clopperatzi,” he huffed and snorted from his nose.

“Oh, don’t get your saddle straps in a twist,” Safe Trek said dismissively, “Nova, how’s supper?”

“Uhm,” she poked a large chunk of vegetable, “another minute, I guess. Then it’s time to eat and get tucked in,” she smiled and glanced between the adults.

“I’ll do it,” Tree said, “I have to sleep with her anyway.”

“Sounds fine to me. I’m here to guard, not foalsit.”

“I’m not a foal,” Nova grumbled.

…

“Hu~sh now quIET nOW, time to la~y your sleepy heaD-”

“Okay, that’s all I can take,” Safe Trek said poking her head into the tent.

Nova’s ears were flat to her head and she was staring blankly to the roof of the tent.

“What? I was singing her a lullaby.”

“Yeah, like a dying cat being stepped on by a bull. I’ll sing, you put out the fire, and for the life of us all, don’t set anything on fire.”

Tree rolled his eyes and walked past her, glancing to her and sticking his tongue out. “The tent was a fluke.”

“Sure it was,” Safe Trek said as she entered the tent and sat on her flank, “so, ready for a real lullaby?”

“Please,” Nova said quietly.

Safe Trek inhaled deeply and, in a beautiful and melodic voice, sang ‘Hush Now, Quiet Now’ to the filly. Before the song was done Nova was sound asleep and lying on her side facing the side of the tent.

A loud whoosh sound caught her attention.

She exited the tent to see Tree dropping an empty bucket of dirt to the ground beside the firepit.

“There, it’s out,” he inhaled, “and no pony caught fire,” he grinned.

“Are you alright? I know that magic can be difficult for you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I have to work about three times harder than the average unicorn to use basic magic, but I can still get it done. Look,” he said moving to face her, stopping a comfortable half length away, “I’m sorry about freaking out. I know I said it before, but you have to understand that a unicorn that can’t cast spells is like a pegasi with half a wing.”

“No, no, I totally understand. I don’t have family with that problem,” she cleared her throat and looked at the last burning embers of the fire, “but I had a friend in the Royal Guard who was struck with a staff during training and it was across his horn.

“A normal strike that should have stung for a few minutes turned out to have caused a long unknown problem in his thaumic lobe. A single burst of uncontrolled magic sent him to the hospital with brain damage.

“He’s better now, but he can’t move the right side of his body or use magic for the rest of his life,” she looked to the grassy ground beneath her, “and that’s how we all learned that we’re all mortal; more than we were before. A single hit can cripple us for life.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Tree said softly. He moved closer and embraced her into a hug. “It must have been so hard to see.”

“...I was the one who struck him,” she said softly as she returned the hug.

“Oh… I’m even more sorry, then. If there’s anything I can do to make the trip better, let me know, alright?”

She sniffled and nodded. “I’ll be fine. It was years ago, but I’ll never forget it or what I learned.”

“Well, that’s good,” he said breaking the hug and taking a step back, “but, I think it’s time we went to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

“Heh, true,” she smiled weakly, “I’ll cast the protection spell and hit the hay with you. Not with you, I mean,” she stammered.

“It’s fine. I know what you mean. And unless it suddenly gets freezing I don’t see any reason to get that close, right?”

“Yeah, your wife’s an earth pony farmer. She could break me in half,” Safe Trek joked.

“Yes, she could,” Tree responded seriously before he nodded and returned to his tent.

Safe Trek swallowed hard and looked around the area. Trotting in a large circle her horn lit and she began the spell. “Note to self, don’t get too close to him,” she said softly with a snicker.

…

“Wakeupwakeupwakeup!”

“Gah! Where’s the fire?! I’ll get the sand, Apple get the water,” Tree shouted and panicked as he fought his way out of his blanket. He opened his eyes to see Nova grinning at him.

“Breakfast is ready,” she said before prancing from the tent as he gawked at her.

“Oh boy, eggs and hay and fruit?! That’s awesome,” Nova exclaimed as she trotted happily around the tent, “the eggs are the pickles ones that was pickled like a pickle but with eggs! How’d Apple learn to do that? Why can’t we pickle quiche? I love that and it’d be great to have a -gasp- pickled quiche! That’s such a great…”

“Oh boy, she’s up,” Tree yawned as he trudged from the tent into the bright morning sunlight, “and full of her usual energy. Trek?”

“Behind the tent, I’m just picking some flowers.”

“Oh, alright,” he yawned again as he took a moment to begin his morning stretches.

“I can tell today will be a productive day. If you need, I’ll keep her occupied. I come from a large family and have more than enough experience.”

“A royal guard, a foal sitter, a cook? What can’t you do?”

“A lot. I only know what I have to,” she said humbly as she walked around the tent with a small bowl of leaves and flowers, “I got a nature salad. May suck, but it’ll help ration your food.”

“Yeah, I’ve taken a few of these treks over the years,” he sighed looking to the bowl and reaching with his magic to take it. It glowed and moved closer to him, then to the ground before him.

Lowering his head he took several bites and filled his mouth, emptying the bowl, and chewed it all. He looked to the sky as he gulped it down his throat and shook his head; a look of disgust crossed his face.

“Uck, I sure do love that,” he forced an obviously fake grin with bits of grass is in his teeth, “and you got some grass to sweeten it, thanks.”

Trek stifled a giggle. “No prob. The same for lunch and snack, all the same.”

“Ugh, what we do to survive…”

“At least we’re herbivores. We can eat bark.”

“Yeah, as a last resort. Stuff’s awful,” he said turning his head and coughing, then spitting his mouth clear of the greens that clung to his teeth.

“Right, but if you’re going to starve?”

“Let’s hope it never comes to that,” he said looking to Nova, just past them near the cart and still rambling, “if it does, she’ll outlive me.”

Trek looked back to the filly. “You’re going to make a great father someday, I can already tell. But,” she looked at the tent, “let’s just get on the road. I have a couple apples and hay ready by the cart for you.”

“And what will you eat, if may I ask? I didn’t bring enough food for all of us and I don’t see you with saddlebags.”

The armor keeps me healthy enough and,” she tapped the rear plates, “my saddlebags are under here. I have enough rations to stave off hunger for two weeks. I’m trained in this, don’t worry about me,” she assured him turning to the tent and lit her horn, “I’ve got everything covered.”

“Well, I trust you, so let’s hop to,” Tree said as he went to the now bare ground and collected his saddlebags, putting them on and tightening them to his body while Trek closed, tied, and put the pup tent away.

Tree gathered the sleeping mats and blankets, with a snap he cleaned them enough before rolling them and tossing them into the cart.

A moment later he was eating his quick breakfast and hitching up. “Nov- I mean, Grape, time to hit the road.”

“Okay! I’m Grape Juice and that’s my name,” she shouted as she galloped closer, slowing beside him.

“I’ll take the lead, you two stay behind me by three lengths. If anything attacks I’ll take care of it, alright?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Nova saluted and coughed.

“Next time,” Tree said looking to the wincing filly who was blinking her eyes clear, “shake your hoof clear before moving it to your face.”

Nova coughed and shook her head. “Yeah, dirty face is not fun.”

“Yeah, that idea… rocks,” he laughed to himself and looked to Safe Trek who stared blankly at him.

“Great, puns, just what I need,” she said turning and starting down the path.

“Heh heh, c’mon, Grape. Let’s get… Trekking. Huh? HUH?!”

Both females groaned to themselves.