Voyage

by Comrade Bagel Muffin

Site de Camp

Nightfall was quickly approaching as they continued along small game trails and paths across the mountainous country of Slo. Fifty-one had long since changed into a nondescript looking earth pony. The clouds in the sky lit up with oranges and reds, which glowed on the even more vibrant azure. "How far do you think we are from the capital?" Dusk asked.

"If we keep a brisk pace." Myrrh shook her head. "I don't know, either tomorrow at twilight or the day after." Myrrh continued down the path her horn lighting up. "Red Wine, Escutcheon, go ahead and light up your horns, if I'm right we should be near, a small mountain camp site, mom used to take me here every year when I was a little filly then we'd go off the paths and just disappear for a week."

"That sounds nice."

"Camping roughing it out in the mountains, that sounds like an adventure."

"I wish we had mountains back at home and not just flat savannas."

"I can't believe that you two are capable of agreeing on things instead of constantly arguing." Atlas smirked, everyone stifled a laugh at the griffons' expense.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Why don't you prove him wrong, and fly ahead to see if you can't see the small camping site." Myrrh asked.

"Oh night flying, I want to go too." Dusk shot up. "It's been forever since I've gotten to have a leisurely flight under the moon."

"Think you can keep up with us?" Dusk rolled her eyes with a grin. "Please, think you can keep up with me."

"Just remember to be careful, and head back to us in two hours whether you find the campsite or not." Red Wine said.

"Yeah we know old timer." Glidan took off.

"Since you don't want us arguing I guess I just have to agree with him." Gilda laughed taking off right after him.

"See you in a couple of hours." Dusk took off after the two teenage griffons.

"Finally some quiet. Don't you agree Fifty-one." Myrrh smiled as she continued walking.

"I-I guess," the earth pony said looking down. "I'm just scared."

"That's fine." Atlas nodded. "That Black Mountain put us all on edge, but I can't imagine what it must have felt like to you. If you ever want to talk about things I'm all ears. I hope you wouldn't mind my probing your mind on your kind. We've never heard about changelings before, this could be a very helpful thing if you publish a book about it. The university would love it."

"I-I don't know maybe." The group continued moving in Myrrh trying to have small talk with Fifty-one as they moved through the mountain woods.

"Stop everyone quiet." Everyone stood still Red Wine. "There's movement up a head."

"It's probably the camping grounds." Myrrh slowly moved up ahead a bit, after a few minutes she came back, It's the camp site. Come on." She waved them into the clearing. They were getting there bags off moving to the campgrounds tents. They were half way done when the griffons and Dusk landed.

"How'd you find it before us?! Are you serious?"

"Maybe we would have found it sooner if you two didn't start wrestling in the air like that."

"He pulled my tail how am I not supposed to retaliate to that?"

"You started it by calling me a slow poke."

"Only because you were!" Gilda was quickly tackled to the ground as they went at it. Soon the entire camp site woke up and came out of their tents. A couple of earth ponies, and a lone unicorn.

"You two stop it." Myrrh pulled them apart. "Sorry everypony." She said sheepishly. The other campers grumbled and went back into their tents. "You two cut it out for the rest of the week or I'm putting you both in cuffs for the rest of this trip."

"You're no fun."

"Shush." Myrrh cut her magic dropping them both to the ground.

"Myrrh?" The mare froze at the voice of an older mare approaching the group from one of the further tents.

"Hi mom." Myrrh put on her best smile and doing a 'bout face gave her best attempt at a salute.