Forest Treasure

by MirroredHawk

Hippogriffe-Falls

Calmly sleeping light-brown pastel-dotted unicorn suddenly woke up with the loud train whistle. His green eyes glanced through the window on the slowing snow-covered trees. Approaching the station, he thought to himself. With him in the same compartment were two second-year students sleeping in the different corners.

“Get up, students!” came a loud and husky voice of a lecturer from the corridor. “We will be in Hippogriffe-Falls in fifteen minutes. Get ready!”

Door into the compartment opened with the knocking. Orange unicorn with light-blue eyes looked inside at the awoken unicorn and said, “Fire Sense, Mr. Sort Foam asked you to meet him in the corridor, he wants to talk about something.”

Fire Sense was an assistant accompanying second-year students on a field trip to Hippogriffe-Falls, one of the northernmost settlements in Equestria. He sighed, “Is he going to ask me to check the whole trip route again?” Fire and student both smiled, “Thanks Frist, how's your prototype?”

“Fine. There was a bit of shaking near Dufrost, but it's nowhere near to damage it. We wouldn't have ever gotten out of the university otherwise.”

Fire Sense got up and exited the compartment while Frist Lighthoof continued his way. Fire turned right on the direction of lecturer's voice.

Students were getting ready, sounds of hustle coming from every compartment. Sometimes somepony was checking corridor through their doors. Soon Fire was able to see Sort Foam, a fade-green old unicorn with grey short mane. He was talking to two second-years, light-grey pegasus mare with lilac eyes and brown mane, and an earthpony. Fire listened closely.

Lecturer said, “I just cannot let you go with Frist and Byrk. Especially not in such disturbing times.”

“But Professor Sort, this trip is mainly made for us. Why cannot we help them with prototype tests?” pegasus protested.

“Mistral, dear, I know you helped them with the project, but we have planned trip to the sawmill, and aren't you interested in seeing the unique greenhouses?” lecturer tried to convince her.

Fire Sense decided to announce his presence, “Are students ruining your plans again, Mr. Foam?” he asked jokingly. Lecturer turned to him and cheered.

“Oh, Fire Sense! How was your sleep?” he chuckled a bit.

“Apart from the shaking and constant loud complaining about mediocrity of Hope Hollows' command during the hoofball championship from the next compartment...” Fire smiled, “All in all nothing can be worse than Luna Nova's enchanted wagon.”

Brown earthpony laughed, Mistral turned her face to him and said, “Tiny, you haven't gotten to tell me, what happened there.”

“Later,” answered young stallion.

Fire turned to the lecturer and asked, “You wanted to discuss something?”

Sort Foam coughed and answered, “Well, you remember that two fourth-year students are going to the Castle Danger to test their device in the harsh conditions?”

“That K.O.P.Y.T.T.F.B of theirs?” Fire Sense asked.

“Never mind,” waved off the acronym Sort Foam, “Anyway, small group of raiders from the Crystal Empire was seen in the surroundings. It's not that I'm concerned about them or something, our patrols are on high alert, but it will be calmer if you will go with them.”

“Oh please. It isn't likely that raiders will try to attack us again, especially after our forces beaten them near the Freeze Shores and...” Fire wanted to add that fourth-years aren't foals, but he really didn't want to wander around Hippogriffe-Falls. Helping students to test their invention sounded much more interesting than listening again about some magical mechanisms.

“Yeah, but anyway... Fire, please. It will be calmer for me, and you can benefit from the new experience and change of scenery.”

“Well,” Fire started, “I agree.”

“Professor Foam!” Mistral protested, “we helped to gather materials for the saw. I literally circled whole Whinnyapolis for this. It's unfair that we cannot go with them!”

Professor rolled his eyes, “Mistral Blossom, don't you understand that it can be dangerous!” raised his husky voice lecturer, “I am responsible for all of you and I cannot let you go without the confirmation from the university.”

Behind the mare's croup, Tiny Crunch, the brown earthpony, glanced at Fire Sense with hope, as if begging for interference. Fire rolled his eyes and interrupted the professor while he was ranting about the college rules, “Foam, I can vouch for their safety.”

Sort Foam turned to Fire Sense, “Have you all decided to turn on me? Fire, you are still young.”

“With all respect professor, they aren't foals already.”

“In old days second-years used to be more disciplined...” — Foam sighed.

“I'm sure, there's nothing to worry about, Mr. Foam. I have been in charge of tours already, including freshponies trips. I'm fully aware what I'm up to,” convinced the old pony Fire.

“Alright...” lecturer sighed again, “If you are so confident then—” he gazed at Mistral with a hint of approval.

“We're very grateful,” she replied cheerfully.

“All four of you?” asked Foam. Mare nodded. There was a sudden sound of brakes and station appeared in front of the window. Everypony leaned forward a bit. Foam said, “We will talk about the details later,” he slightly smiled.

Mistral and Tiny galloped into their compartment to share the news with friends, while Fire nodded to Foam and went to take his luggage. Train stopped, Fire attached two small bags to his back and left the train. Early December freeze struck his face. He immediately used magic to get scarf and hat out of his bag, he didn't want to get cold after all. Students gathered around the lecturer diving into the groups from 2 to 6 ponies. There were 25 of them, 21 second-year, 2 fourth-years, lecturer and Fire himself.

They arrived in the late evening and the sun was already setting. The other half of platform was covered with the snow and ponies hastily left the station. Fire joined them and caught some of lecturer's words, “...after sleep we will go to the sawmill.”

Most students looked tired. Fourth-year Frist was holding some kind of long-shaped package on his back. They were heading North to the building, which was used by the builders for accommodation in the summer. Now it was empty and college got the permission to use it for two nights. Fire was organising the cleaning and furnishing of the rooms. Now he was thinking about a bunch of unsolved matters in the Whinnyapolis when suddenly a shadow flew above them. Some students shook from surprise, but most of them knew that to the North-East from Whinnyapolis was home to the thestrals, which are nocturnal. On the way, lecturer told Fire that the next morning during the trip to the sawmill Fire and his students will have to leave and go to the Castle Danger. They must return the day after.

Already in the dark they reached the accommodation and were greeted by the kind-hearted thestral who led them down the corridor with the separate rooms. Everypony was exhausted and after lecturer's announcement to get up at 6, they all went to bed. Fire was alone in his room, which appeared to be an opportunity for him. Since he rested in the train, Fire materialised a stack of student works he volunteered to check and got to work, expecting to spend on it an hour or two.