The Curse of the Verse

by RangerBeef

A Gentle Breeze

"So how did you make it all that distance as a child?"

"I had help. My community rallied around me with support when news of my condition spread. Some felt fearful that I would try to transfer the curse to them but most knew better and helped out in little ways. Like asking yes or no questions so I was able to nod or shake my head instead of speaking."

-----

With their help, within a week's time I found transport with a traveling trader headed in the direction I needed to go.

My mother had made it clearly known that she didn't wish me to go. Several times I'd had to convince her that my quest, while dangerous, could not stop until I had found a cure and made it more widely known. The reward was well worth the risk.

On the day I left, my mother embraced me tighter than ever before. She wept tears of sadness and pride. She did not want to see me off on my own in the world but she took pride that I had the courage to embark on my journey.

I still remember waving to the crowd that had gathered to see me off. Some of the vendors gave me food to take with me and one of the fillies in my class had made me a good luck bracelet to keep me safe.

It was more of my village than I had ever seen gathered in one place before. All for me. All to wish me well. I knew as the cart I was one began to roll away from them that I would not stop until I had completed my quest to be rid of this curse.

For three days I rode that cart. Along a dusty trail in the middle of nowhere. Looking around for the forest that would be my landmark. In a sea of sand, I was on lookout for my new land. And for three days I saw nothing but sand. I began to ask the driver if he was sure we had gone the direction of the forest and he assured me that by noon of the fourth day I would be rid of his rickety cart and be on my way into the forest I so desperately sought. By the morning of the fourth day, I could see he was right.

The forest we approached bears many of the tallest trees in the world which, even from great distances, are easily visible. The closer we ventured the wider my eyes got. Nearly every tree was bigger than any of the homes in my village. They were much wider, and stretched high into the sky, the great leaves combining in a canopy that blocked nearly all sunlight.

As the driver of the cart stopped us just short of the edge of the forest, he gave me a wary look that I returned. Neither of us wanted to see me walk into this place alone. Both fearing I would never return. As we sat in silence, I felt something in myself harden. If I was to ever complete my journey I had to be unafraid. Cowardice would not serve me well. Only courage would see me through to the end.

"Are you sure this is where you want to be?" the stallion had asked me.

I remember nodding and furrowing my brow with as much determination as I could muster. "I would rather take the risk, and perhaps die, than to sit at home and never try."

With that, I grabbed my small pack, hopped down off the cart and began my walk into the forest without looking back.

The stallion and his cart lingered for a moment. He did not want to abandon me, should I change my mind. But as I walked farther on, I heard him shout, "Good luck!" and then turn to leave.

As I walked in silence I watched all around me, wary of what may be within the forest. What was once curiosity had quickly turned to fear of the unknown. I did not have a specific direction to be heading in this forest. I knew only that somewhere within was a shaman that, I hoped, could help me.

-----

"How did you find her in such a big forest?" Shadow asked.

"I didn't."

"You mean you went all that way and it turns out she wasn't even there!?"

Zecora chuckled softly. "No, my friend. I did not find her because it was she who found me.

“I had been walking for what felt like hours when I happened across a manticore. Normally, manticores can be skirted without issue. While territorial, they will only attack when they feel threatened."

"Then why would it bother you? A manticore can't be that threatened by a filly."

"Because this particular filly stumbled into the back of the manticore." Zecora laughed as if the memory of near death tickled her. "He jumped twice as high as I did and whirled around, roaring as loud as he could, but when he saw me he stopped and looked almost apologetic at having scared me."

Shadow's raised eyebrow and incredulous look asked the question for him.

"The manticore I bumped into was tame. Or at least as tame as a manticore can come. Moments after his roar, a zebra burst through the brush next to him and looked around frantically for signs of danger. Seeing only me, she pushed the manticore gently."

-----

"Don't be so jumpy, Manny. Almost gave me a heart attack," she said, before turning to face me. "Now who exactly are you and what're you doing startling the dickens out of manticores in a forest?"

"I could use your help, that I could. I'm looking for a shaman who lives in these woods."

The zebra flashed me a smile before standing on her hind legs and leaning against the manticore proudly. "Well, then you've stumbled into the right manticore. This here's Manny, and I'm the shammy you're looking for. What can I help you with?"

"I've been.."

-----

"Wait, stop. Did she really talk like that?"

Zecora nodded.

"She sounds like Applejack."

Zecora's face went blank, as if her mind had never made that connection. "Yes, I could see this zebra and Miss Applejack being related. Zebria was the cradle of civilization, after all."

Shadow laughed. "I guess no matter how far south you live you still have southerners. Sorry to interrupt, what happened next?"

"I explained my situation in a mix of poorly timed rhymes and when I finally got my point across, she was all too happy to help. She escorted me to her home and gave me a small room as my own. She assured me my time with her would not be short but she would do her best to teach me all that she could and help me find a cure."

"What was her name?"

"Vikalli. Her friends called her Viki. Though she once lamented her only real friend was Manny the manticore, who could not speak."

Comments

[Apple Jaskymilton]

Yay Applejack!