Lost

by MLPTMNTPegasister

Chapter 13: Sun Sticks and Dangerous Wicks

When she had reached the mouth of the orchard, Pizza Pie couldn't stop smiling. Of course, both her parents were sorted into the "dum-dum" section. They could be irresponsible, and sometimes ignorant, but they were good parents and great ponies. When she thought about it, Pizza realized she had inherited her mother's bounce and smile and her father's surprising element and sense for adventure. And right now, she felt more Mikey than she did Pinkie.

When her friends had caught up with her, she turned around. "What are we waiting for? Let's go fetch a stick!" she exclaimed.

"Wait, Pizza." Sundown put his hoof on her back. "It's literally sundown, twilight." (This is where Elusive and Scarlett snickered.) "We should make camp here. We'll look for a Sun Stick in the morning."

"What?" Pizza's face faltered as she looked to the sun. Sundown was right, it had taken the whole day to cross the Grim's mountain and the one that had belonged to the Phoenixes. Pizza was tired, but she wanted to fix this soon. Sure, having this adventure was fun, but thinking about what had happened to Aunt Rarity and Uncle Don, and if it had happened to her parents was scary. She guessed that it was a fair idea to make camp, and she gave up.

"Okay," she said, cracking a smile, thinking about the sweet desserts and candies in her dreams. "Let's fetch a tent and firewood instead."

After Pizza, Ruby and the twins had gathered enough firewood to make a bonfire, and Zach, Hummingbird, Sundown, and Inferno (That is what Zach named the Phoenix who had tagged along and saved his life.) had pitched a tent and food material, the group sat down and watched the fire crack sparks as it cooked their dinner.

"Where do you guys think the Plague is now?" Hummingbird shuddered, pulling his wings around himself for warmth.

"I think it's in the city closest to Ponyville by a dot, the Plague may be spreading over to Canterlot." Zach shivered, although warm by the Phoenix on his head and the fire in front of him.

Sundown shed a few tears as he ate his chili dinner that night. If that, that creature consumed the royals, everything would be out of place. Everything.

After everypony had said their goodnights and turned in, Sundown and Ruby sat alone by the fire, aching for conversation. Ruby decided to start, "Do you know which direction the abandoned town is in? I just want to know that one of us knows where we're going."

"I don't know," Sundown confessed, making Ruby feel insecure for a moment, but then brightened at these words. "But Zach does. He says that his ancestors made it that far into Equestria."

Those were the last words that were spoken, for the two turned in after that. As the sunlight fell beyond sight and the stars began to light the night sky, three creatures watched the crackling fire from a distance.

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It was early in the morning, in fact, so early that the stars were easily seen. The three creatures that had observed the group from a distance made their move.

The pots from last night's dinner clanged as they met the floor. The leftover chili was sopped up by three pink tongues. The ponies woke up after the clang. They saw shadows dance across the walls.

In Sundown's mind, they resembled dragons, but with snout-like noses, pony-like ears, and no roar.

Zach peered outside, and quickly pulled his head back. "This I'll say quiet and quick, those three shadows belong to Wicks! Noses like pigs, ears like ponies, and so bald they'd need wigs! They have no fur, no scales, they're bare, from foreheads to tails!"

All Sundown needed was a description of the creatures outside, and he galloped out, horn sparkling like fireworks. He screamed and yelled like a foal getting a shot. The Wicks were so outraged by the noise that they fought back. They clawed at Sundown's wings, and bit his ears. Then, Zach came out.

With a gong and a mallet in his front hooves, the zebra banged the gong a good ten times before the Wicks ran away.

"Thank you, Zach!" Sundown panted later, as Zach tended to his wounds. "I'd be toast if it wasn't for you."

"Think nothing of it, my peer," Zach smiled. "And, thankfully, Wicks have sensitive ears."

The others came to check on him a few minutes later. "Now what?" Hummingbird asked, yawning.

"Now," Sundown gave his cousins a warm smile. "We go get a stick."

Author's Note:

The Wick is a creature from Prodigy Math, if anypony wants to know.
Everything is turning up for this family.