Thunder and Hail

by Trixie_L

4

The journey through the forest to the cave was quiet and uneventful. Silver Spoon's map seemed to show only paths known to be relatively safe, and I couldn't have been more pleased. We had managed to reach the entrance right as the sun was setting. I anticipated that, like the path we followed to reach it, the cave would be safe and perhaps even friendly looking. Why wouldn't it be? Everything on the map had brought us only to the safest paths where ponies had explored long ago and had clearly been routinely exploring since. When we reached the mouth of the cave it was anything but friendly and inviting.

I kept asking myself why the collection would be brought here. The answers were unsettling. Perhaps it was some corrupt sorcerer, taking a collection full of dark magic artifacts deep into the Everfree Forrest to terrorize Equestria from the shadows. Maybe it was hidden and intended to be lost because of the power contained in the collection. In either cases it may be guarded. Dragon guards, or timer-wolves, or—or ursas. And what if it were a great corrupt sorcerer? Would I be able to defeat them? I was ready to give up the search, but Silver Spoon seemed unaware of the dangers. It seemed as though she thought it was a game. Perhaps she was just unaffected.

“Come on, Trixie, let's go,” Spoon called out to me as she ran into the mouth of the cave. I ran after her, catching her by the tail.

“Slow down, Silver Spoon. We don't know what is in this cave, understand?” I looked around cautiously. The light from the outside was starting to fade into an ominous black that seemed to stretch endlessly forward into the cave. “I'll use some magic to help us out,” I said as I used a simple illumination spell to cast light from my horn a short distance into the cave. The soft fuchsia glow danced off of the jagged walls around us. Everywhere were rocks sharp enough to cut right in to a pony's flank. There was a soft thud somewhere deep inside the still darkness of the cave.

“What was that?” Silver Spoon sounded amused. Now I was sure she thought it was a game.

“I'm not sure, just stay near to me.” Rocks could be heard clattering from the direction of the thud. It sounded closer. My heart raced as I imagined what might be making the noises.

“Did you see that?!” Spoon shrieked, startled. I turned around to look behind me. The light emanating from my horn cast shadows off the rocks in all directions. As I moved the shadows danced and played across the walls. There was a feeling that we were not alone in the cave.

“Let's go, Silver Spoon. That old scrap is probably wrong anyways.”

“But—“, she tried to interrupt, but I was in no mood.

“We're leaving. Right now, this isn't some game.” I grabbed her tail and pulled her several paces towards me in one swift motion. She got the message. Trotting back to the mouth of the cave we could hear something behind us, moving—crawling, perhaps. Busying itself with whatever wretched business. Our hooves continued to pound the ground until we were safely outside.

“Why didn't we look further, Trixie? I thought you wanted that box.” How could she be saying that after our start just a moment ago?

“This is serious, Silver Spoon. Whatever was in that cave could have really hurt us. Didn't you consider that?” I looked at the young earth-pony as sternly as I could.

“But, you could have handled them with your magic! And I just know how badly you wanted that box...” She shuffled her hooves and looked down at the grass beneath her.

“I did want the box, Silver Spoon. I wanted it badly. It was something that was of great interest to my mother. Who—by the way—was killed in a cave not unlike the one we were just in. It was something she valued, that I too have a great interest in.”

“You really loved your mom, huh? I love mine too.” She didn't understand how I felt. How could she? She had no idea what her mother represented to me, and I resented her for it.

“I'm sure that your mother is a—” I hesitated. I didn't mean to hesitate. All of the foul titles I had given the tramp played through my mind. I could only hope Silver Spoon didn't notice the pause. “—a fine mare, and a good mom.”

“But you feel like she took your dad, huh?” Her question was sincere and shocked me.

“I guess it's something like that, but I don't know why I'm even talking to you about this...” I could feel the blood beneath my cheeks; being confronted with such an accurate statement by such a young filly was embarrassing. It made my resentment seem childish.

“I'm sorry, big sister.” Her words carried the same emotion that hung heavy in her eyes.

“Spoon... It's not your fault.” I felt terrible for her. She had no say in any of it, and maybe—in spite of her nearly spot-on assessment—she really was too young to understand my side of things. Father was never there for me. He was never there for mom. And the first time I turn up at his doorstep in years to talk to him? He'd already moved on with a new family. A new life. What did he need with me? I gathered myself. The sun had gone down and the stars above were shining in the night sky. “Let's start walking back, it's getting late.”