Chapter Four: Pukwudgies, Timberwolves, and Cockatrice’s oh my! Part 1
“Silver, my pride won’t survive this you know.” Gallus grumbled, shifting the large backpack between his shoulders. The pair walked along a slightly-tread path leading through the thick forest.
“Huh? Why? So we got lost on a camping trip, big deal! We’re not even in the Everfree! Erm, right?” The chipper hippogriff remarked back with a characteristic smile.
“Technically not, but there’s no defined line in the forest here. There’s also still a storm coming. And what I mean is, our other four friends are totally going to think we ditched them for…reasons.” Gallus replied, a light blush starting to color his cheeks.
I mean, we haven’t even kissed yet. I mean a peck on a cheek yeah, but not-!
In terms of how much I’ll hear about this from Smoulder, that fact does not help at all. Last I heard, dragon’s don’t do the ‘slow romance’ thing.
“Why would we ditch them? We planned this for a good few weeks, but at least there’s other schoolmates in the general campsite so they won’t be alone either!” Silverstream remarked at his side as they continued along a path.
Gallus couldn’t resist. He could explain calmly…
Or he could turn Silverstream into a blushing adorable mess.
The gryphon completely failed at hiding his grin, calmly bumping into Silverstreams shoulder.
“What I meaaaan, is they think we probably ‘got lost’ on purpose.” He sat down in front of Silver and yanked her into a very tight hug.
Of course that also prevented her from seeing his cheeky grin.
“As to why; well-” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, gently caressing down to her neck feathers and then back up to under her chin.
And just like that, he let Silverstream go and hopped back a pace.
His efforts were not unrewarded in the slightest. The poor hippogriff was even pinker than normal, all her face feathers completely puffed out as she stared at him in shock.
“I-w-wa?” She stammered, still blinking at the chuckling gryphon.
“I’m sorry-ok not that sorry. It was too perfect, but the point stands.” Gallus said between barely contained bursts of laughter.
He walked a bit closer and pulled Silverstream into a hug again, this time making sure he could look in her eyes.
“I mean, I don’t mind being alone so I don’t have to hear Smolder laughing about how huggable I am.” He mused.
Oh boy. Knowing Smolder and dragons, they probably thought we snuck away for a different reason, like-
…oh. Oh dear.
Poor Silverstream’s blush only intensified, the hippogriff finally leaning into his hug and taking a deep breath.
“That was mean, but I can’t be mad though. I suppose they could think that, even though we haven’t even, well, gone past this stuff.” She whispered, then sagging into his arms as Gallus rested a set of claws on her cheek.
“Stuff like thiiiiiis?” He asked with a grin, the adoring look in Silverstream’s eyes filling his entire frame with warmth.
“N-not fair….mmmmmmm.” She mumbled, eyes glazing over slightly at his touch.
“We do have to find a campsite or something though. It’s probably going to rain.” Gallus remarked, not able to keep the smile off his face as he let Silverstream go. She let out a slight huff and continued to walk at his side as they started down the path again.
The fact she turned into putty with just a hug and a touch was an amazing feeling. It only reinforced Silver’s determined proclamation of how much she cared for him.
Someone cares for me.
The thought was constantly present whenever Silverstream was near; and Gallus was starting to think Silver was telepathic. Any time the usual thoughts crept in; his lack of family, home, anything, she’d-
A brief nuzzle on his cheek caused Gallus’ breath to hitch in his chest.
“How do you do that?” He whispered, head shaking slightly.
“Hmm? You look sad sometimes. So I figure not so happy thoughts. If I had to gueeeesss, those thoughts involve you and some untrue-stuff about not being worth much. Soooooo, perfect time to remind you that I care.” She explained happily, Gallus letting out a grateful sigh.
“Thanks Silver. You’re pretty much on target for that.”
The affectionate look Silverstream cast Gallus’ way had his heart nearly beating out of his chest.
Saying that another was looking at him ‘lovingly’ was not in his vocabulary, or even in realm of understanding. And yet this was the closest thing he could relate it too.
Maybe kiss her first THEN say the L-word. Sheesh. Do I even know what it means for that matter?
That was a musing for later, especially since a line of very sharp multicolored quills embedded themselves into the ground not a tail-length in front of the couple.
“Pukwudgies?” Silverstream asked softly.
“Pukwudgies. RUN!” Gallus exclaimed, dashing back down the path with Silverstream as no less than ten of the devilish porcupine-mutant things chased after them
Devilish porcupine mutants. Something to not call them around Fluttershy.
After a good few minutes of running, the two stopped, chests heaving.
“I think, we’re good. And no quills!” Gallus gasped, then saw Silverstream grimace.
“Erm. I don’t think they liked our taste in sleeping bags though.” She said, pointing to the pack on his shoulders as well as her own.
Their two sleeping bags were indeed massive pincushions.
“Yeah, we’ll need to build a fire. At least we’ll have a tent. If that isn’t shredded.” Gallus sighed, gesturing to a small worn path that branched off to their right.
“That one looks like it leads to a clearing. Is as good as any I guess.”
“Sounds good!” The hippogriff was a upbeat as always, despite the loss of their primary method of staying warm.
The clearing must have been an old campsite, because there was a small dirt area where their tents would fit, as well as a simple but overgrown fire pit. After setting up their two small tents, it was a simple matter to clear out the grass and find some tinder to get a fire going.
“So if these don’t work, you know how to start a fire without matches?” Silverstream asked, as Gallus used the small pack of cheap matchsticks to try and ignite the pile of tinder.
“Yeah. It’s a pain. Flint and steel works best. But I can use the old type of two sticks and a bow, moving it back and forth.” He explained, letting out a sigh of relief as the pile ignited.
“Thankfully don’t have to do that though. It’s a pain, especially in winter.”
Gallus saw Silverstream’s ears and wings slump at his remark, and the gryphon scooted over to nudge her shoulder.
“Hey, you ok?” He asked curiously, also keeping an eye on the fire in the fading light.
“Just isn’t a happy thought. You trying to start a fire alone and cold.” She replied, forcing a slight smile onto her face.
Gallus sighed, looking at the fire and then back to the hippogriff. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders, Silverstream promptly leaning on him.
“Look, my life in Griffinstone might have been horrible, but right now it’s the total opposite. I’ve got friends, a new family, great food.” He mused, and let out a slight chuckle. “And, I’m not alone, and not cold in the slightest.”
Silverstream let out a happy hum at his words, then looking over to their shredded sleeping bags.
“Tonight is gonna be a cold one, huh?” She mused, prompting the gryphon to shrug.
“Eh. Probably. We might be able to use both bags as a blanket if nothing else. We’ll just have to see though.”
A dull boom of thunder caused Gallus’ ears to flatten, and he returned to all fours.
“Guess we should get some more wood. We should store it in the tent, keep it dry and the fire going as long as possible.”
“Oh! Good idea!”
As the two began gathering as much medium-sized logs as possible, Gallus heard a few twigs crackle.
The growl that followed was definitely not Silverstream’s stomach. Two, then four, then six green eyes stared at the young gryphon from the darkness.
“Of course Timberwolves.” Gallus muttered, slowly edging back to the fire. A familiar high-pitched voice then yelled out to his left.
“TIMBERWOLVES!”
Crud.
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Even if isn't would be the major part, I say no. The story is beautiful and adorable, adding stuff like that would be unnecessary.
9225621
Thanks for the feedback! Is more what I'm leaning towards. Seems less and less fitting the more I muse it over.
I could see one or two teasing jokes once they reconect with the group, but nothing that would actually warent a Sex tag. your story is adorable and I ship this to the moon and back!
9225854
Thanks for the feedback! Is what I'm currently thinking
9225947
Thanks =D Same here, but I decided to send off a flagship of my own in that regard!
There will be be a squeal as well!
So adorkable! (Yes, I know it's not a real word, but it might as well be, since it is a thing.)
I am perfectly okay with raising the rating tag. I think it gives author more freedom to not worry about what they are writing fits into rating and let's them concentrate on just writing what works for the story. My two cents.
9252542
Is why I went for it. Would have been detrimental to the story to leave the E tag.
If they're lost, why don't they just fly above the forest?
9384912
I believe it's mentioned (someone else brought up the same point.) Mainly really dense forest cover, and lightning strikes. (going above the treeline = bad idea if lighting is present.)
I should put a warning here for possible spoilers for this story's sequel... just in case. So, warning! You have been warned! Go be warnified somewhere else and please don't tell at me, as it would be your fault to continue.
And here we have the beginnings of Gallus starting his knight training... or at least one of the big events that caused him to consider taking up tbat training. This chapter was short and sweet, with some more... eh heh.... mature aspects.
*cough cough, Smolderishilarious cough cough*
Our two lovebirds and the way the act around each other implies that their relationship has evolved. They just seem... more comfortable with each other. It's genuinely just... well, as it's been stated multiple times, adorable. These two and how you've portrayed them are perfect for each other.
I also really liked how Gallus knows a good amount wilderness survival skills. It just makes sense with how he was brought up... and yeah, it's not a happy thought... as Silver says...
Still though. The fact that he shows a willingness to rely on others and to form friendships, despite the world doing absolutely nothing for him other than hurt him... it shows the background of how truly hardcore Gallus is, and is only reinforced in the sequel. Good beginnings of that here.
Gallus also has an adorable soft side that he onmy shows to certain people... and that's exactly how people behave in real life. Just feels genuine. And when a story full of multicolored pastel ponies, magic and other such things feels genuine and realistic with how the characters act, that's the markings of a good story.
10281647
Gallus really was a fun one to flesh out, at least given from what we knew in the show. Even in a world of technicolor ponies, I did want to add some realistic things/aspects.