It Starts With a Single Step

by BronyBrozly

Chapter 4: Danger Leaves No Warning

“Hey,” I heard someone whispered to me as I ran down the dark street. I quickly stopped and turned my to my right to look. I saw Ivy was hiding inside of a small dark alley between the tall buildings with the unicorn solemnly sat behind her. I looked over my shoulder, inspecting if I was being followed. My eyes darted in every direction, scanning the area. I swiftly jumped into the alley and whispered.

“I think we’re safe.”

“Pretty much,” Ivy replied as she gave a casual shrug. I nodded; walking passed her towards the light pink unicorn mare.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe now,” I whispered, smiling.

“Thank you,” she whispered back, returning the smile. I gave the unicorn a suspecting eye because there was something off about her. On the outside, she looked like any other unicorn mare but there was something different in her eyes. I know she looked at me but her head was slightly off. I slowly waved my hoof in front of her face and she didn’t respond.

“Perhaps you find something unusual about me?” she asked with a smile still plastered across her face.

“I-I uh...” I stuttered, my mind reeling for an answer.

“Smooth...” I heard Ivy sarcastically commented behind me. Then, the mare let out a giggle as she hid her mouth with a hoof.

“It’s okay,” she started, giggling. “You probably won’t notice in the first glance but... I am naturally blind,” she continued as she gave me a soft smile. “Also, I have high hearing capability. So, I’m very sensitive with the sound of my surroundings.”

“That means...” I mumbled as I was unsure what I should feel at the moment. I had the mixture between impressed and fear.

“Yes, I heard your plan to save me while I was singing,” she giggled with amusement beamed from her eyes.

“Why didn’t you rat us out?” I heard Ivy spoke up.

“Well, because I want to be free,” she answered as she combed her golden flowing mane with a hoof.

“I hope so. Being trapped inside of a cage can be very frightening,” I whispered, looking over my shoulder as I glared at a certain griffon. Ivy noticed that I was glaring at her and she responded by giving me a nonchalant shrug, looking away. Then, she backed herself onto the wall, peeking slowly down the streets as she kept an eye out for suspicious followers.

“Oh my, where are my manners?” the unicorn mare gasped with shock on her face. “My name is Rose.” She introduced herself as she gave a slight bow of her head.

“Rose?” I heard Ivy asked, sounding confused. “You don’t look like a freakin’ Rose to me.”

“I don’t know,” she answered, shaking her head. “The ponies who worked at an orphanage that I was in when I was still a young filly called me ‘Rose’,” she explained, looking slightly sad over the memory. “Oh, look at me, rambling about my life. What an embarrassing thing to do,” she giggled, hiding her face with a hoof.

“No, it is fine,” I replied, shaking my head with a smile. I know she can’t see my smile but it was the thought that counts. “I am Nadir,” I said, giving her a nod.

“Ivy,” I heard the griffon spoke up from behind.

“Do you have any relativ— I mean, friends that could keep you safe?” I asked, feeling guilty that I mentioned about parents.

“It’s okay, I know my parents did not love me anyway,” she replied bluntly with a smile with on her face. “But, I don’t have any friends since I was kidnapped from the orphanage. I’ve been captive in the cage for quite a long time now,” she answered with worry plastered across her face. “B-but the owner who owns the place took care of me with great care, even if he put me locked inside the cage,” she added, stuttering.

“So, what now?” Ivy sighed, sounding annoyed to the situation. Then, my ears twitched and Rose’s head quickly darted upwards towards the rooftops.

“Did you hear that?” Rose gasped with worry in her voice; her grey eyes darted towards the sound.

“I did,” I answered, my ears twitched as I heard something in the distance. I looked at Ivy, nodding towards the rooftops. She nodded back, swiftly and quietly flew upwards. I saw her head scanned the rooftops then hovered back down, shaking her head.

“Whatever it was, it’s gone,” Ivy whispered, eying the rooftops.

“I don’t think it is safe to talk here,” I concluded, exchanging glances to the both of them. They both nodded in response.

“We better go to my place and we lay low there for a while,” Ivy offered, peeking down the dark streets from the alleyway.

“We should go,” I suggested, holding the mare’s hoof as we started to trot away.

“Wait,” she whispered as her horn let out a grey glow, levitating something from her mane. It was a bell that was tied with a red ribbon. “Wear this,” she said, offering me the bell. “It would be easier for me to follow the sound of the bell rather than pulling me all the way,” she explained, smiling.

“Heh, smart,” Ivy commented, grinning.

“Of course,” I nodded, tying the bell onto my neck. As I took a step forward, it let out a soft jingle and Rose’s ears quickly swirled towards the sound.

“Alright, let’s go,” Ivy hissed, feeling more and more uncomfortable at the situation.

“Lead the way,” I said, nodding. The griffon nodded in return then quietly glided down the street. I followed her from behind, the bell jingled in every step. I looked over my shoulder and saw Rose followed closely from behind. I turned my head towards the street in front of me; my eyes darted in suspicion as we continued walking towards the dark streets.

---

After an hour of walking and sneaking down the dark streets of Port Osglen, we finally reached our destination. In front of us was a single story stone house with a flat roof. The windows were like any other houses; barred with metal grids and the door looked like a thick wooden door. “It’s not much, but this is home,” I heard Ivy sighed with a smile on her face, walking towards the door.

She cautiously looked around the doorway, eying something. I gave her a questioning eyebrow, feeling confused by the whole paranoia act. “Aha,” she whispered triumphantly, pulling out a dagger. I saw something reflected as the glow from the moon above loomed over us. It was... a string. As Ivy cut the string, I heard something quickly wisped passed me, feeling blood trickled down my cheek. I turned my head to look, my eyes widened to see an arrow stuck on the wall behind me.

“I knew someone wants to kill me, but come on... an amateur can do better than that,” I heard Ivy commented, disappointment shadowed over her face. I just looked at her with shock in my eyes and she just gave me a shrug in respond. “Come on in,” she said as she invited us by nodding towards her home, lazily flew inside the small building.

“Are you okay?” I heard Rose asked as she trotted next to me with worry in her eyes.

“I’m fine,” I replied, wiping the blood with a hoof. “Let’s go,” I whispered, trotting inside. The bell jingled and Rose quickly followed me into the building. “Wow,” I gasped as my eyes widened and my head scanned the interior of the building. The living room was spacious; a candle chandelier hung in the middle of the room, showcases of various melee weapons decorated along the walls and various shields hung on the ceiling.

“It’s beautiful,” I heard Rose commented. My head darted to look at her with shock plastered across my face. She looked at me and giggled, giving me a sly wink. I blushed, feeling embarrassed by the whole thing.

“Ain’t my house fuckin’ beautiful?” Ivy chuckled, extending her claws towards her trophies. “I’ve been in the whole mercenary gig since I was a young griffon and I’ve accomplish a whole freakin’ load of mission in my years,” she bragged, her eyes beamed with pride.

Then, I casted my eyes on the room across from us, apparently it was a small kitchen and next to it was I assumed to be the bathroom. Before I know it, there was a scent of something delicious wafted into the room. Rose smelled it as well as we both sniffed the wonderful aroma. “What’s that’s smell?” the unicorn mare asked, sniffing the air with pleasure on her eyes.

“That is the vegetable stew that I’m currently cooking,” Ivy answered, looking amused to the well-received reaction from the both of us. Wait...

“You cook?” I asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. I was in a state of disbelief by the fact that a professional mercenary has the ability to cook.

“You have no idea,” Ivy chuckled, shaking her head. “Ponies would kill for my cooking,” she added with a devilish grin etched onto her face. I raised an eyebrow in return, unsure if it was a joke or she totally meant it. “Well, why won’t you guys sit anywhere you like while the stew is cooking,” she continued, sitting in front of the doorway leading towards the kitchen. Rose walked slowly passed me and sat in the middle of the room. I looked around, not seeing any more space to sit in. Then I decided to sit in front of the door, acting as a temporary watch.

“So,” I heard Rose spoke up, turning my head to look at her. “You two seems to be good friends.” Then, Ivy and I looked at each other’s eyes; her beak was quivering as she tried to stifle a laugher.

“Well...” I started as I nervously scratched the back of my neck, feeling unsure on how to tell her the truth that I was accompanied by a griffon that wanted my head on a plate.

“Bahahaha!” I heard Ivy barked a laugh, holding her sides. “He wish!” she chortled, wiping a tear from her eyes. Rose gave us a confused look, not knowing what had happened. “We’re not friends; we’re just on a temporary truce before I decided to cut his fucking head off.” Rose let out a shock gasped in return, exchanging looks at the both of us – which quite a feat for somepony who was blind.

“That reminds me,” I started, glaring at Ivy. “When are you going to kill me?” I asked bluntly, eliciting another gasp from Rose.

“Whenever I feel like it,” she replied, shrugging nonchalantly with a grin on her face. Then, there was silence. The sound and the aroma of the boiling stew filled the living room, making me and Rose feeling awkward. Suddenly, Rose’s ears swiveled towards the window next to me. Without a warning, I heard a thud in the middle of the room. I turned my head to look and saw a black ball with a burning string on top of it.

“Back off!” I heard Ivy screamed, jumping backwards. Then, everything slowed down. I noticed a worried looked plastered on Rose’s face, her head darted to hear what was happening. I saw fear in Ivy’s eyes, looking directly towards the dark ball in the room. Then, I suddenly had a flash in my mind, seeing something in my vision.

In my vision, I saw the huts of my tribe exploded when I saw the same ball things landed in them, the sky painted with blood and fire. I shook my head, returning to the land of the living, my heart pumped with adrenaline. I quickly reached towards the object, seeing the string had become much shorter. “No!” I heard Ivy screamed from behind me as I threw the black object towards the window. But, I was too late; there was a flash of fire in front of me with a mighty fwoomph and a thundering boom echoed in the room, knocking me backwards. Then, I succumbed into darkness.

I slowly opened my eyes. I saw fire licked the wooden ceiling through blurred vision, listening the high pitch sound rang in my ears. I slowly turned my head to look, seeing Rose’s face looked down on me with tears brimming in her grey eyes. Her coat was coated with patches of ash and I noticed her horn let out a gentle grey glow.

I turned my head towards my left, seeing Ivy’s angry eyes looked down on me. She was yelling something at me but I can’t hear what it was. Her voice and the painful ring in my ears blurred into one. I tried to sit up, but I can’t move my body as Rose kept pushing me down, shaking her head with tears ran down her cheeks. I tried to move my hind legs but I can’t feel them. My mind began to reel in panic, my heart hammering in my chest and my breathing started to pick up. My eyes darted, exchanging worried glances at the two of them.

I started to scream. I think that I screamed but... somehow I can’t hear my own voice. I saw Rose and Ivy frantically argued with one another, trying to find a solution for the whole mess. I felt my body involuntarily convulsed in pain, multiple shot of pain exploded on my sides and the bottom half of my body, wincing in agony. I tried to yell “help me” but I still can’t hear my own voice through the ringing in my ears. Then, my eyes widened, seeing Ivy stood above my body with a dagger in her claws.

She looked down on me with an unreadable expression as my vision started to blur with tears. Mother, I pleaded inwardly. Help me, I prayed to the gods. I saw she mouthed something but I can’t see it through my tears, shaking my head as I pleaded. With that, I felt something thrust into my chest, returning to the land of darkness.

---

I gasped, my eyes shot opened. I saw an array of stars glittered in the sky above me, hearing the sound of waves washing onto the shore. “He’s awake!” I heard Rose’s voice yelled, hearing the sound of her hooves galloped towards me. Her light pink face slowly appeared in my vision, her cheeks were dampened with tears and her eyes were red from excessive crying.

Then I heard the flaps of Ivy’s wings. “Hey,” she whispered as she hovered above me, looking at me with an inspecting eye.

“Hey,” I breathed as I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the cool night air. “Is everybody alright?” I wheezed, slowly sitting up but yet again, I was pushed down by Rose’s hoof, shaking her head.

“We’re fine,” Rose answered, trying to smile but she was slowly failing. Her mouth started to quiver, unable to hide her sadness.

“But you in another hand...” Ivy mumbled, looking down my body. Oh gods, I gasped inwardly. Hoping it was nothing horrible as I tried to sit up. I pushed Rose’s hoof away, wanting to see the damage that had been done. My eyes widened upon seeing my wounds. Most of the furs of my hind legs were burnt off, revealing the burnt flesh underneath.

“No,” I cried. “No!” I screamed as tears rolled down my eyes, cursing my misfortune to the gods above. I saw Rose cried for my loss, tears ran down her cheeks in streams.

“Man the fuck up,” I heard Ivy mumbled.

“What?” I croaked, looking at her through blurred vision.

“I said... MAN THE FUCK UP!” she screamed, anger flashed in her eyes. “If you want to find you mother, these are the things that you will have to face. You shouldn’t be crying here like a little fucking colt. Instead, you stand up and shove your fucking spear up Death’s ass,” she continued, berating me.

“But... the pain,” I sniffed, trying to move my hind legs.

“Life is painful, Nadir,” she whispered, her expression turned gloomy. “That’s why you should man the fuck up. Show life that you are not an easy zebra to fuck with,” she said, making me feel better. I slowly looked at Rose, the bell cheerily jingled.

“Will my legs fully healed?” I asked, looking into her grey eyes. She nodded in response as she gave me a sad smile.

“Sorry,” she croaked, looking down at the sandy ground, tears brimming once more.

“It’s not your fault,” I replied, looking into the stars. “How did you heal me?” I asked as I looked at her once again. She smiled, pointing at her flank; a dove sitting on a red cross. “Oh.” I looked at the griffon who hovered above me. “Help me up,” I whispered. She nodded and pushed my back, helping me to sit up.

I looked around the beach, searching for my belongings. I saw my tattered robe sat on top of my saddlebag and spear. “Could you he--,” before I could finish my sentence, Rose levitated me my belongings, wiping her tears. “Thank you,” I whispered, wincing in pain as I moved my body. I rummaged through my saddlebag and pulled out a roll of bandage. I hissed painfully as I slowly wrapped my damaged hind legs with the bandage.

“Let me do it,” Ivy grunted as she gave me an annoyed look. She grabbed the roll away from my hooves and quickly proceeded on wrapping my hind legs. Then she violently tugged onto bandage, eliciting a hiss and a wince from me. She gave me a glare.

“Go on,” I squeaked, wincing.

“Done,” Ivy sighed, tightening the bandage with a knot. My hind legs felt a bit better after they were wrapped in bandages, allowing me to hobble back onto my hooves.

“What was that black ball?” I asked, hobbling towards my robe as I gingerly put it on.

“You mean the bomb?” Ivy replied, looking at me with confusion plastered across her face. I nodded. “It is a new invention of weaponry where it is use to harm or kill multiple target with one attack,” she explained, looking more serious as she dwelled into the matter.

“Does anypony can possess this bomb?” Rose asked, standing onto her hooves, sniffing.

“No,” the griffon replied, shaking her head as she looked into the distance. “The only ones who have this type of weaponry in their arsenal must be a powerful and influential individual,” she explained, her eyes were filled with anger. “Also, whoever they were... it was clear that they are targeting us.”

“Why?” Rose asked, worry started to creep into her voice.

“I do not know, but we are going to find out,” I replied, looking into the ripples of the moon’s reflection in the ocean.

Author's Note:

Helpful feedback is always welcome.