Quete

by Comrade Bagel Muffin

Enfant Disparu

Escutcheon woke up in the soft bed in between Trail Life and Story Teller. The sun light was just filtering into the room from the window. He closed his eyes and rolled over to his other side. It was to comfortable under the covers and between the two of them. He could almost pretend that he was in bed with Mother and Father. The warmth and rhythmic breathing of the older ponies on either side of him, made him feel safe. After a few seconds he had to get up, his emotions beginning to get the better of him. He slowly crawled over the foot of the bed making sure not to wake the two ponies in the bed.

Trail Blazer was asleep in the other bed. In the corner of the room Turkeylegs was asleep in the corner of the room. He walked over to the corner and petted the bird. It woke up with a questioning chirp. "Shhh, it's okay Turkeylegs. I'm heading out to the town. Going to see if I can find something to eat." He petted the bird levitating his bag from the bird and latching it to him. "You stay here until I get back." Turkeylegs didn't need further convincing, it lay it's head down and drifted back to sleep.

Escutcheon headed down the stairs into the inn. The only pony that was there was the inn keeper. "Hey colt you okay?"

"Huh, yeah I'm fine I was just heading out for a little bit. I want to get something good to eat."

"Alright then come on." The grey earth pony sighs putting down the mug that they were cleaning. "I'll take you to the store, let's go."

"I can get there on my own." Escutcheon frowned. "I lived in a town that was easily twenty times this size and Mother and Father would let me go to my friends houses all the time with out taking me there."

"Yeah but, I'm sure your home town didn't have a serial foalnapper." The inn keeper sighed. "We're a town of sixty families, and over the past couple months colts and fillies have been vanishing in the middle of the night. No struggle no commotion, no trace. New law's been passed nopony under the age of 18 is allowed outside alone, and all young ponies must be escorted by an adult at all times." The inn keeper sighed. "Not like that's helping us get the ones we already lost, but we can't lose anymore."

"Did you lose one of your children?"

"My only child. Me and my husband lost her a month and a half ago." Escutcheon's ears flopped back. "She was with our dog a good dog, loyal, and true, they both vanished. while she was working in the orchard. She vanished not even ten meters away from us."

"Do you have any idea where they could be?"

"None. Just that they're not here anymore. Now lets get you to the market and get you some breakfast come on." He followed her out of the inn, not arguing anymore, In the early morning sun Escutcheon noticed what he had missed when they had arrived in the town. It was covered in missing foal posters.

"Do you have something that she used a lot?"

"Why?"

"I think I can help." Escutcheon gulped. "I know a spell, Mom taught it to me if I have something that they held close and there's a physical trail I can find them."

The gray mare didn't even smile. "We've tried our best hounds couldn't pick up the trail besides, its been nearly two months, what ever trail there was it's long gone now."

"It doesn't matter I use magic, it the trail could be years old, and I would be able to find it." She looked down at him. "I can help you." She gave him a sad smile.

"I can't ask you to put yourself in danger. Nopony here would ask that of you." He started laughing which startled his chaperone.

"I've fought a giant living storm, walked across the desert, helped lead a slave revolt against a giant dragon that used dark magic, and killed dozens of giant pony eating shrimp monsters. A couple more things and I'll give Mother and Father a run for their bits." His face became serious again. "Besides this reeks of magic." His stomach rumbled causing him to blush.

"Well let's get you some food. I'll call a town meeting at the inn for noon." She smiled it was still sad but hope was clearly creeping in on the edges.