Chapter one: The Untamed Wilds.

***Talion Ragnarok.***

So here I am, standing on balcony overlooking the main deck as the deckhands did their thing with a fishing pole off to the side, cast into the calm waters. Griffons, nightwalkers, diamond dog, and pony alike are working together in a harmony you wouldn’t likely see in hardly any other place in Equestria. It’s a weird story considering how they all ended up here on this ship, and even more weird how I had ended up as a nightwalker. A weird story, one that’s worth telling.

Okay, where to start?

Back when Luna was Nightmare Moon she made this race of walking, bipedal rats called nightwalkers. Lucky for them, even though they were of Nightmare Moon’s creations, they still had their free will. When Nightmare was beaten they did the smart thing and ran, but sadly they didn’t get too far until the ponies gathered them up and stuck them on some ships with a plan to dump them in the middle of nowhere.

That's when they all got ship wrecked on the Island of Endless Storms. According to Mag, short for Maggable, the second nightwalker I met (the first one I met I robbed after he tried to mug me) everyone was trapped on the island thanks to three towers and... well, long story short? We destroyed the three towers and left the island with a fleet of nine ships, loaded with supplies and everyone we could bring that wanted to go. But not before I was roped into marrying a girl by the name of Hel.

Hel is a mus-elf. What nightwalkers are to rats, mus-elf are to mice. Smaller, and more agile Cuter too. Now the typical mus-elf appearance is that of brown, or black fur with matching peepers, but Hel has an appearance similar to that of an albino mouse with white fur and red eyes. To her people though, such appearances are looked down upon, ridiculed as being cursed. Asshats...

My marriage to her was thanks to her dad, a Mus-elf king, and a nightwalker Keeplord (the islands version of a feudal lord) by the name of Vash. This was done to keep the peace between the two races. Through the adventure, friendships were gained, I lost a real good friend by the name of Eron, a musk ox minotaur that I met after he knocked me out back in a place I was later told was Death Peeks. (I asked why it’s spelled Death Peeks and not Death Peaks, and was told that at the time the nightwalkers couldn't spell very well, and that it was never changed because they say it’s aptly named, that death “peeks” at you from the sharp rocks at the bottom of the mountains below. Not that I could complain about what it’s called, I’m just now learning how to write the language myself.)

I digress. We had a great friendship until we lost him in a battle against a changeling king. But that’s a story for another time.

Anyway, back on track... we’re in what some ponies believe to be the southern hemisphere. As soon as they got a good look at the stars at night, they said they knew where we were. When I asked how they knew, the wannabe pirates got defensive and told me they were going off the stories of their ancestors. I think some of my skepticism leaked into my voice. At any rate, I’m just hoping we make it to dry land before we run out of food and water.

You know, believing things would get easier after leaving that island was probably just wishful thinking. The upside is at least everyone seems to know what they were doing. The downside is that we only have enough food for about two months from what I heard. Everyone at the time thought there was enough food to last us the journey, but after three weeks at sea and not seeing land you can guess why this makes some worry.

The good news is that the fisherfolk are catching a lot of fish, most of them skate! As soon as I saw this, I yelled at the nightwalkers bringing it up to be careful. I told them about the poison spine on the base of their tails, and how being stabbed by one of them would be like getting a scalding hot iron stuck in your rectum. After we killed them and cut off their tail I all but begged them to let me cook one.

The crew loved it. Who knew some butter, salt, pepper and garlic... or what I think is garlic, would make them eat it up like there was no tomorrow? I had brought some in for Hel, who was holed up in our stateroom with seasickness, a condition shared by more than a few of the crew, and probably half the fleet of nine ships as well. Of what she could eat, she said it was good, though her sickness made it hard to keep any more than a few bites of it down.

Lily and I, Hel’s bodyguards, took turns keeping Hel company. Lily was a mus-elf ninja we acquired along the way after some sour nobles of the Mouse King’s court decided to try and have their way with us and turned her loose after us in an attempt to assassinate me to throw the region back out of balance. It didn’t work, and since Lily was destined to be Hel’s bodyguard and Hel convinced her not to kill me, we were now accompanied by the assassin turned bodyguard from then on.

After seeing the fisherfolk go at it, I decided to trying my hand at fishing in an attempt to relax, but I think most of the crew aren’t used to the sea being this calm. It’s putting some of them on edge.

“Errrr, When do we ‘burp’ ... reach land?”
That is Buggy. A black fur, yellow eyed nightwalker who we met back on the Island. He was originally our guide throughout our adventure, but stuck with us even after old Mag paid him. For the most part, the only thing on his mind is gold, but failing that he falls back onto survival of the fittest. And yes, he is currently one of the lucky few who are currently emptying their stomach overboard.

Now about Mag, he’s an ornery old nightwalker. He likes to complain a lot, but don't let his age fool you. Lucky for me he isn’t getting sea sick, he’s scary when he’s mad. It doesn’t help that he’s one of the few who know how to use magic. Well, he told me there were others, But he was the only one who would put up with me.

“Having trouble on the open sea?” I ask looking down at my line. All I had to fish with was line of string, a hook, and a small dead fish on the end.

“How can, urp... Can you stand it? All this open water? I never should have left the island.” Buggy replies as he leanes on the railing. I shake my head at him as I see the small float made of wood bob in the water.

“Just go with the flow and not think too much about it. Just relax, think of this as lying on a beach. Hot sand, soft breeze, lovely nightwalker lady coming to serve you drinks.” I said. It seems to have an effect for a moment, until he covers his mouth and runs to the other side of the ship. “Guess not?” I said before I get a tug on the line.

“Oh yeah, Come to daddy!” I said as I pull on the line, wrapping it around the bit of wood it was attached to. Bloody hell this fish is strong, it feels like it could pull my arm off! “A little help here!?” I call out as I’m almost taken off the side of the ship before being pulled back by several nightwalkers.

We are all pulling now. Good lord! I hope I didn’t nab a shark, that the last thing I wanted to catch. I don’t like the idea of eating something that could eat me. We all take one last pull and what falls onto the deck is... Huh? What am I looking at? Is that a crab? A crab, with long legs like a spider and a small body. I just blink dumbly at it, as the crew are quick to get it off the hook and get it ready for lunch.

“So much for getting some Cod.” I say to myself as I put the fishing gear away. I pass it back to the rat I got it from and thank him for letting me use it. I was going to go see how old Mag was doing, but that's when I heard seagulls.

Wait, seagulls?

I blink and look up. “Well I’ll be damned,” I say.
There are seagulls flying over the ship, the first ones I’ve seen after leaving the island. “Seagulls!” I yell before scrambling up the decks. I see most of the crew are confused by my outburst, but right now I’m never more thankful for all of those animal documentaries I watched as a kid before dying and being sent here.

I arrive at the bridge, out of breath and gasping for air. “Captain, Seagulls...” I pant out. The captain is a griffon. He has a peg leg of all things and some kind of snake hanging from his neck.

“Aye, I see them. What of it?” He asks. I’m busy catching my breath back as I hold up my hand, asking him to wait a moment.

“Seagulls live close to land. They come out to sea to feed, then nest on land.” I explain. He looks at me as if determining if what I’m saying is true or not. “What I’m trying to say is, we’re getting closer to seeing land soon.”

The griffon looks up at the sea birds before looking back down at me. To me, it looks like the gulls are flying... “What’s that way?” I ask the griffon captain, indicating the direction the seagulls came from. How he smirks with a beak I will never know.

“East.” The Captain says as he pulls on the wheel. Turning the ship east, I look back behind us as the other ships follow. “So east is where we will go.” He sounds all too happy, I smile and leave him to it. He then starts to sing a pirate's life...
‘Oh what the hell.’
I can’t help but join in.

I’m back in our stateroom now, with me by her side helping her sleep. I have a book open, trying to brush up on my Equestrian. The only downside is that the language looks one part Elementary School scribbles and another part demonic ritual. I have a scrapbook open next to it to help translate. Progress is slow going, but at least now I have sort of a handle on it.

I like being with Hel. It’s nice to talk about things when I was still human. I find it funny how she thinks my old world was strange.

Sadly after a week and a half on our new course, a heavy fog rolls in.

This puts a damper on my mood, I thought we were going to reach land. That when I feel the ship lurch forward. “What the hell?” I ask as Hel wakes up next to me.

“What is it? Have we stopped?” Asks Hel as she gets up. I don't know, but just to be on the safe side I put on my swords, my gauntlets with the hidden blades inside them, my throwing knives, my side dagger, along with another dagger for my boot as backup and a pistol I put in a holster behind my back. I really wish bullets with powder were invented instead of the muskets that we have now. Maybe I can fix that if I can find somone smart enough to make them?

“Stay here and don’t open the door for anyone, unless it me, Lily or one of our friends.” I say before walking out the door and almost run into Lily. “Hey, any idea what going on?” I ask.

“No we seem to have run aground on something.” Lily replies before going into my stateroom. Lovely, there are good odds that we're stuck and the rest of our fleet could crash into us from behind.

As I make my way outside, I notice that the fog still hasn't let up. I could see the torches from the other ships as I hear them drop anchor one by one. I walk over to the side, making sure not to get in anyone's way.

I look over to the side and I still can't see anything at first. I then see what I think is movement in the fog. I pull the pistol out. I didn’t plan on using it, but after everything I've been through I'll be damned if I let whatever's out there get the better me. That's when I think I see-.
“BLOODY HELL!?” I yell, firing my gun at the black shape that flies past my face. Everyone looks at me as I lay there and I look up to see... a crow. It was a stupid crow!

“Relax boy, it just a bird.” Says one of the crew as they laugh before going back to work. I look at the smoking gun and sigh. Maybe guns aren’t my thing. That's when I notice a feather, almost transparent, that floats down and falls next to me. I reach out to grab it, and when I look into my hand it’s gone.

“I must be going crazy.” I say to myself... until I see something green.
Wait, are those trees?
I get up and walk back to the edge of the ship. The fog is slowly parting and what I see makes my jaw drop.
“LAND!” I yell at the top of my lungs. It isn’t long before everyone is yelling it too.

We see before us greenery that surrounds the borders of the half moon inlet’s beach before us, coalescing in trees and undergrowth made of Evergreens and other various flora. A cliff face frames the inlet to the left, about twenty meters high with more Evergreen on top of it.

We made it, we bloody well made it! Dear lord, I could kiss someone for this. But it looks like someone else beat me to that idea first, as I feel a pair of hands turn my head. I then feel lips on my mouth. I blink, surprised at seeing Buggy who was screaming in joy before running off. One thought goes through my mind.
Yark! He kissed me?!
I have nothing against anyone, but Buggy was the last rat I ever want to kiss.

“Alright lads that enough! Chops! Get the rats ready, we’re going ashore!” Yells the captain as the crew cheers. Meanwhile I was going to tell Hel the good news, until I feel someone grab my collar and stop me. I look back to see that it was Mag.

“Come along, Keeplord. You have work to do.” He says before dragging me towards the crews getting ready to head off to the beach. Something tell me I’m not going to enjoy this, at all.

I was dragged along for this “ Important and historic day for the Nightwalkers.” as Mag puts it. I just want to get to work and not faff about with all this. I’m looking at the the lush plants deeper into the forest and want to explore.

“Do you have any words you’d like to say for the records?” Asks a skinny nightwalker with a big book. I have a thought about that.

“Yeah I do. Stop wasting time and help unload the ships.” I say as I walk off. Most of the ships are letting everyone off and unloading our supplies. I know this was just the start. I see a few palm trees, lots of sand and oddly tall grass everywhere. I’m not sure what to make of it. Hell, there’s some mangroves here and there. The first thing we need to do is build shelter, then worry about food and water.

I look back out to sea and see... Another island? I’m not sure. Whatever it is, it’s big. I can see the coastline go down into the horizon.

Okay, we need houses. Where are we going to put them? I eventually find the loggers and builders. I see them standing by, apparently waiting for something. I go up and ask them why, and they say that they’re waiting on the scouting party.

That’s seems like good idea, but with time being of the essence we can’t wait for them to get back. There are going to be hundreds of people wanting to get off of those ships. I explain to them that they need to set up some temporary homes. Something with a roof over our heads and some walls. They agree and started working. I don’t envy them at the moment. The fog that plagued the seas before is now beginning to let up, but until then the air remains hot and muggy. An errant breeze passes by, all too brief, but I'm just happy for the moment of reprieve from the baking atmosphere. It's far too hot out here for my liking.

I see the livestock being unloaded from one of the ship's. There's nothing but chickens and pigs and they seem fine. The pigs are already eating the grass and the chickens are looking for seeds. I find it amusing how the farmers are trying to keep all the animals together.

“Get back here!” Yells a dusty yellow pegasus who is running after some chickens. I blink at this, the main population of this little colony are Nightwalkers and Mus-elf.

Now that I think about it, what is this land even called? Does it even have a name? Ooh, this will be fun! We get to name it! I need tell everyone once everybody gets settled in.

‘Maybe Night-Musland? No... Sounds silly. Ratland? No, thats biased... Candyland? Heh heh, I’d get a kick out of it, they wouldn’t though. Or maybe even worse, they would. I can see it now. Talion, Lord of Candyland... I think I’d shoot myself.’

I'm interrupted from my thoughts when I hear some kind of commotion going on and I sigh. I might as well see what’s going on. By the time I get there I see what looks to be two nightwalker tradesman in a heated argument.

“What going on?” I ask a short, brown furred mus-elf with a hat made out of grass who is watching the scene unfold as well. He looks like a young fisherfolk.

“Those two have been arguing over what our new home should be called.” He replies. A matronly nightwalker next to him nods her head in agreement.
“They’ve been at it ever since we got here.” She says, holding two baby nightwalkers in her arms as three more hold on to her dress. Either they were hers, or she had been volunteered as a babysitter.
The other two are continuing to argue and I cross my arms as I look between them. They continue to yell at each other, ignoring my presence entirely. The argument has long since stopped being a rational debate and has now devolved into name-calling, so I decide to step in.

“Guys... Could you both stop this?” I ask.
What happens next I don't see coming. I guess they are so caught up in their yelling that they aren't thinking straight.

“Shut up!/Back Off!” Is the last thing I hear as I feel two fists impact me square in the jaw and I fall into darkness.

The next thing that I'm aware of is cold water splashing over my face.

“I’m awake!?” I yell as I jolt awake before my brain reminds me of the feeling of my face in pain. By Thor’s hammer, what were their fists made of? Metal? I blink for a bit before seeing Hel and Lily standing over me. “What happened?” I ask getting up with Hel helping me. I take stock of my surroundings, and notice that it's quite a bit more active than before. A sizable crowd had gathered around me and by their expressions they weren’t looking too happy.

I take another look round and spot the two who were arguing earlier, though I notice by their fearful expression, bruised and battered bodies that obviously something had happened while I was out. They’re tied up and surrounded by what looks like nightwalker guards; hauberk chainmail with a waistbelt, and iron vambraces and greaves. To my horror, I see what could only be an execution block off to the side with a burly black nightwalker resting on the handle of a large axe off to the side. This is getting out of hand.

“You got punched in the face by these two.” Said Lily. I looked at the fearful and almost resigned looks of the two nightwalkers.
An official looking nightwalker guard approaches me. His armor seems more ornate than the rest and he maintains an air of leadership from the soldiers. He has black fur and brown eyes with a hardened look about him that screams battle. He has two swords at his side, and a mean scar across his face. I look at him curiously, and he bows to Talerion.

“I am called Chulls, the acting captain of the soldiers here. Lord Vill wished that I come
“How do you want them to be punished?”

“What?” I asked blinking at him, oh right I am the Keeplord now. I forget that from now forward the people will look to me for guidance, so what would normally be an unfortunate brawl just became an attack on the leader of this makeshift kingdom. I’ve heard of some saying that to gain respect one must be brutal to curtail any civil unrest that might come from a weak ruler, but I’m no tyrant, nor did I accept this just for my own gain. I quickly think of a punishment that would suit the circumstances.

“Just make them do some hard work and help out for the next five weeks, besides it was an accident. Right?” I ask. The two who hit me look dumbfounded before nodding their heads quickly.

“Besides we have more important things to do than hold grudges. We have enough food to last us another month. We need to find a good place to live, but first we need three things; shelter, food and water. Everyone understand? If we’re going to make a home for ourselves here we need to work together,” I say. The crisis averted, the guards cut the bonds of the two nightwalker captives and are then taken away. I sigh.

“That was very kind of you.” said Hel as she came up beside me. I smiled at that and rubbed my head. Lily gave me dirty looks, guess she still has trouble trusting me. What a drag...

“It only common sense. We can’t afford to be killing each other when we don’t have a roof over our heads, food for our mouths and water for our throats. We’ll have to ration supplies, as well as spare some for a messenger to sail back to the kingdom to relay our location. It may not look like it sometimes, but I do think of the big picture here.” I explain as Lily looks impressed. I’ve played enough empire sims to know that your people are only as strong as their infrastructure, and their belief in what their kingdom stands for.

“I want to turn this place into a coastal city, a trade point from our mainland into the rest of the land. Tolerance is key. Where you’re born, what class, what species... All of that pales in the grand scheme of things and to the success of an empire. I want people to be happy, and it would please me to forge a path to make it so,” I say as I look up to the sunny sky, the fog long since cleared to let in the warmth of day. I feel Hel’s hand take hold of my own and I look back to her.
“It sounds wonderful.” Hel said as she smiled under her hood. Her smile sends a warmth through me, and I can’t help but chuckle a little as the mood takes me. An errant breeze brings my mind back to the weather, and a thought comes to mind.

“We’ll have to see about redesigning everyone clothes. It far too hot to be wearing anything that was made for the cold of the island.” I add. I’m just about to say something else when I hear another commotion...

“Come on, let see what going on this time.” I say walking over to the slowly gathering crowd.
It looks like the scouts came back, and Buggy is with them. I then see something worrying.

“Hel, please stay here with Lily.” I ask of her, and Hel looks confused for a moment before nodding her head. Lily seems to agree with this as I go on ahead. If what I saw was right, one of the scouts is missing an arm. It was only after I get closer that I see another who had lost his leg.

I see the wounded get tended by a few in the crowd and I go up to Buggy. “Bugs, what happened out there?” I ask in concern.

“We got attacked, but I’d like to talk about this somewhere private.” says Buggy. I agree, and we go to get got a hold of Mag, Hel and Lily. By the time we were all together, the shelters were up and the sun had just set.

“Okay explain to me what happened?” I asked. Buggy stepped forward to start the impromptu meeting.

“We found water source a bit inland. An accessible natural reservoir in a bend in a river coming from the mountains behind us. It’s clean, probably using natural springs and melted snow as headwaters. A food source is nearby as well, looks to be several kinds of fruit. We went to cross the river to get some snacks to bring back. We heard a splash but didn’t think ‘nuthin of it,” he explained as he was nursing a mug of rum. “We noticed some of our party was going missing, and next thing we know the water explodes and this big... Scaly thing burst out of the water and bites Lefty’s and Bisben’s limbs off!”

My eyes go wide at this, as everyone else starts talking. It sounded like a crocodile. It would make sense... seafaring, reptilian, and in humid climates. “This thing you saw... Scaly body, big head, eyes and nostrils on the top of it head, four legs and a big body with a powerful tail?” I ask as everyone looks at me.

“Y-yeah... How did you know?” I had thought that crocodiles could still be found back on the island, but seeing as how I never encountered them in our journey it seems that they were a creature never before seen by anyone here without access to the discovery channel. I look at the three newcomers, thinking if whether I should tell them the source of my knowledge, and by extension my origins, or not. Buggy, Maggable, Lily and Hel seem to pick up on my unspoken question. I made a decision.

“I... heard stories from a griffon about these things. But he told me they were nothing but stories.” I don’t like to lie, but would it be better than telling the others who didn’t know I was human. ‘Oh, by the way guys, I’m not really a nightwalker. I’m a mythical being in a nightwalker body that got sent here after I died to be a pawn in a game the gods are playing..’ Yeah, they’re really going to believe that...

“They look real to me.” Buggy quickly adds. “Captain Browns, think we could use one of your cannons to kill it?”

“You’re joking, right lad?” The captain asks incredulously, “Those cannons were salvaged from wrecks. While they could be operational, we don’t even have any ammo, let alone enough gunpowder. They require a mite lot more powder than your run ‘o the mill musket. They’re just for show for now. The best we could do with them currently would be to roll ‘em off a cliff and hope they hit somethin’.” Well, that worrying... that all our cannons are useless.

“We don’t need a cannon, we can trap it.” I say, getting everyone's attention, “From the story I heard, I think I can lead it out of the water. All we have to do is tie its mouth shut, bind it legs and we have it trapped.” Everyone looks at me like I was crazy, and to be truthful on any other day they might have a point.

Chulls, the guard captain speaks up, “Just like any other noble. You would risk the lives of our soldiers with a half-baked plan while sitting back and-”

“Hey, it's possible!” I say, “Seeing as how Buggy said it was the only clean water we’ve found so far, not only that it would be dangerous to let that thing live so close to us, but we’d be contending with it on a regular basis to quench our thirsts.”

“Besides, I won’t ask anyone to risk their lives for my plan, so I will take the role of setting the bait. All I need is a little meat, a big team at the ready, and a lot of help.” I add. After that the guard captain remains silent for a moment with an impassive expression on his face. “Alright, we’ll get some volunteers.” he says with the bow as he and the others begin to leave.

“I’ll get some of me crew. Maybe they can make themselves useful,” said Browns as he walked out. I will never get used to how ponies and griffons walk on all fours.

“So... Buggy, how big was this thing?” I asked, as it only now occurred to me to have asked that first. I get a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a long day.

“Wow, this place is beautiful.” I say out loud. It took us around two hours to get here through muggy heat and rugged undergrowth. We are now standing before the river. It’s at least fifty feet wide and it meanders in a small semi-circle around a small shore of smooth pebbles and sea-shells. There is a cliff on the opposite side with a forest on top of it with many branches overhanging and shading part of the grove. Several small waterfalls trickle off the cliff into the river. It gives off a real tropical feeling. The fruit trees are indeed on the opposite shore just a bit downstream around a bend, where the cliff gives way to the right and the forest gives way on the left a full view of the ocean on the horizon several miles away. The river itself has a deep blue look to it, being more than a couple feet deep, though you could still see the bottom just as clear as day. It’s just as Buggy said, the water looks clean. There’s just one thing bothering me. “Where’s the... Monster?”

“Where do you think? It’s hiding in the water.” Replies Buggy. I sigh at this as I look at all the greenery. I open the bag I had with me and pull out a leg of a pig... I couldn't help but think this is the same one we all had for dinner last night.

“Okay, everyone knows the plan?” I ask, looking back at the large gathering. They all look at me like I’m crazy... Fuck you guys. “Okay here I go... Don’t try this at home.” I add, laughing at the meaning behind it. No one else did. So I slowly make my way down to the edge of the water and wade in a foot or two. The water is cold as balls as it runs past my furred legs. Now, if I remember right, all I have to do was splash the pig leg in the water.

“Here goes nothing.” I say, as I start to splash the leg. I keep an eye and ear out. I don’t feel like dying to this thing, and in hindsight this is a bad idea. I am literally acting like living bait here!

“Let me know if you see the git!” I yell back, and I see someone wave frantically... yay, I’m going to die here! When I look back, I freeze at what I see. It looked like a cross between a crocodile and the size of an elephant. The thing must have been thirty feet long with a head the size of a car!

“Okay... Do not panic. Just slowly walk back.” I say to myself. As I back away, it slowly swims into the shallows. “And it’s following me."
‘Okay don’t run! If you run it will try and eat you. If you stop moving away it will eat you, if you do anything stupid it will bloody well EAT YOU!’ I frantically think to myself. It’s fucking HUGE!

“I am so dead...” I say to myself. I then throw the leg of meat off to the side to distract it, and it snaps the meat right out of the air. I ran, and it was quickly running after me. “Don’t just sit there like liming's, help!” I cry out as I jump over a fallen tree. The reptilian monster smashes right through it. I would be in awe and impressed if it wasn’t trying to eat me!

That when I hear the gunfire. I looked back at the others who were scattered and hiding behind the undergrowth to the treeline, several large boulders, and on top of the cliff behind the cove. All that seemed to do was piss it off, and it’s attention turned to random members of the team that were closest to it.

“Run!” I yell now following the huge monster. I need to help them, and I desperately try to come up with a plan to distract this thing. Everyone scatters, some only turning back to fire pellet shots or arrows. Some even throw spears as I now run to keep up. Damn, this thing was fast! I try throwing one of my knives at it for a solid hit, only for it to bounce off it’s armor-like scales. I do get it’s attention though, as it once again comes after me.

“Get the ropes!” I shout out as it tries to take a bite out of me, only to snap it jaws with a death grip on a nearby thirty foot tall tree with a thick three foot trunk. With monstrous pressure, it bites down on the tree to snap it in half before letting out a monstrous roar. “I feel like this was a bad idea. How in Thor’s name did you guys escape this thing!” I yell over the sound of the roar and firing muskets as I run over to a fallen tree and hide behind it.

“You think?! We barely made it out alive!” Yells Buggy, who runs over to me. I look back at him to give a snappy comeback, when I see what looks like a small barrel under one arm. With a fuse attached to it... Oh god please don’t tell me.

“Buggy, please tell me that’s not what I think it is?” I ask in a worried tone. I’m really hoping that isn’t some kind of explosive. I don’t think it’s big enough to affect that thing, only to piss it off.

“This is my home brew. Making things that explode is a hobby of mine,” Buggy replies before looking back at the huge croc. A few of our team had sprung into action while it had the tree in it’s mouth and had gotten some ropes over it. That’s when the monster croc decided it didn’t like that, and did a death roll. It’s death roll seemed to be making thing far more dangerous for us as it’s rolling had snagged several of the team that were holding the ropes and flung them around.

“You’re a hunter, a guide, and an alchemist?” I ask, making sure the croc didn’t see us. “If you’re planning on blowing it up, I think you’ll need something bigger.” I add before seeing the monster croc turn it’s head to look this way.

“Run, it knows we’re here!” I yell as I run for it. Buggy is close behind, before the fallen tree we were hiding behind is crushed. Right now I’m running on adrenaline, hope and pure terror.

“This thing must be hundreds of years old to be this big!” I holler as we run. I grab Buggy as we take a sharp left as the croc barrels past us, snapping it’s jaws behind us. “Why did i think this was a good idea?!”

“Just shut up and run!” yells Buggy as we run into downstream to a small outcropping of trees. As I rest on a tree I hear the croc growl. I then heard yelling as everybody else runs into the outcropping beside us. I feel a little envious of the griffons and pegasi who can still fly.

“What do we do!?” yells a panicking pony. I sigh in frustration. No plan survives first contact it seems. I have just enough time to look up and see-

“Everyone go deeper!” I scream as I pull Buggy away from a tree he was resting on. The tree was now crushed between the croc’s jaws before being uprooted and pulled away in one motion. It growls and throws the tree away before walking around the trees. We move back further, only to find a very steep cliff jutting upwards and surrounding us on all sides but one. Our flying comrades can’t get to us due to the canopy above us. We were trapped, and it knows it.

“We need a way to kill this thing. If only we could get it jaws trapped shut...” I grumble to myself, frantically thinking of how to salvage the situation before we lose someone. Another tree was removed and it’s now nearly twenty feet away, with only a small number of trees left before it can get to us. I’m thinking if we all ran at once the likeliness of it getting us all is low, but I shudder at the thought of even one of us not going home to our families, and continue to think of a way to get us all out of this alive.

“Buggy, how much of a boom can that thing make?” I ask as he looks like he is about to light it then stops.

“Enough to turn a small house into a fireball.” He replies. Not enough, I shake my head at that, before looking at everyone else. There were ten of us and six had guns with powder left.

“Everyone, give Buggy your gunpowder.” I say as they looked at me dumbly, before another tree is pulled out. “NOW” I yell. They all quickly dump what they have at Buggy’s feet. “How much time do you need to turn all this into a bomb?”

“With all this and my brew? A few minutes,” he replies as I look back at the huge monster of a croc. It gives a growl as it’s teeth are wrapped around another tree, pulling on it to get at it’s prey.

“You got two. And that me being generous, I don’t think I’ll live that long.” I took a deep breath and waited for the croc to grab another tree before making my move. I ran right past it head so it could see me. I looked back as it now turned to go after me. What I couldn’t figure out was why it would go this far just to kill us? From what I remember from all the shows, after the first attack they go back in the water to wait for more food.

I draw one of my swords as I see it gaining on me. Time for something crazy, I think as I turned around to face it. I really hate using magic. “Fulgur!” I yell, pointing my hand at it. I feel the surge of lightning pass through my arm before hitting it. I was never more happy that Thor gave me a clue for this spell as I am in this moment. My arm feels numb after that. I hear the croc roar in pain before I run up and try and stab into it’s foot... I don’t get very far. The tip of the sword is all I manage to stab into it.

“Crap!” I yell before pulling my sword free and running for the water. Wait, shit! I slide to a stop as my feet fall into the water. I turn back to see the damage my attack did. It looks like I left a angry burn mark across it snout, but other than leaving it a scar I didn’t damage the damn thing. It almost looks like it was waiting for me. I gulp hard as I pull my other sword out.

I’m waiting for an attack, waiting for it to lung for me. But it just sat there... why? That’s when I hear a strange sound. I blink as I looked down at the source of the sound and in front of me I see a baby croc crawling out of the sand.
‘Well, that explains it,’ I thought.
That’s why it’s been so aggressive and kept attacking us. It’s protecting it nest... That I'm now standing next to...

It gives a growl as it slowly walks forward. I look between the nest and the mother. I take slow side steps, keeping the nest between me and the large croc. Once she sees more of her babies crawling out and calling for her she seems more interested in seeing to her babies than trying to kill me.

“Okay... Mamma croc, I have no intrest in harming your babies. But I hope you understand we kind of need the water you’re using as your home.” I have no idea why I'm talking to it. The croc looks at me before she starts to dig her little ones free and picks them up into her mouth. “As far as we know, this is the only place we can find drinking water. So if it’s not too much trouble, could you take your family somewhere else please?”

I’m still backing away. I continue to look back at the mother as she gets the last hatchling in her mouth and looks at me. She is just staring at me, and I have no idea how long this lasts before she lets out a growl and starts to walk away.

I just watch dumbfounded as she walks away, before collapsing on my rear end. I’m panting from the adrenaline rush as I sit in the water.

I then hear everyone yelling as they run out of what was moments ago a deathtrap, only to look confused when the monster croc is gone. I just look at Buggy as he walks over to me. “What happened?” He asks, looking as confused as I felt.

“She was just protecting her nest, once the eggs hatched she picked them up and left.” I explain as I sit in the cool water. I sigh as I let myself fall back into the water, not caring about how cold it still is running through my fur. I let my head go under water for a moment before coming back up and laughing. “I just thought of a name for this land. Shadow Haven.” Buggy looks at me and laughs.

“Let’s see what the others think of that name,” he said holding his hand out to me. I smile and take it as he helps me up. We are now heading back with fresh water, with one less problem to worry about, and a hundred more to go. Now our next worry is food.

Chapter Two: Finding Food. (undeited)

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***Talion Ragnarok.***

The next few days were hard on everyone, We had to bring one of the ships inland and turn it into a place to live. Two of the ships headed back to tell everyone on the Island of Endless storms the good news. Even though we found a source of drinking water, we still needed food and a place to live. We could not stay on the coast forever.

When we got back a few days ago, everyone was telling stories about me facing down the mother crocodile. Some of the stories were really out there, one was of me firing lightning at it until it gave up and ran away. Another one was how I let the beast live and spared it hatchlings, under the promise that it'd leave us alone.

“Why do they like to make up stories?” I asked myself, as I lay in bed with Hel. We’ve gotten used to sleeping together in the same room now. It was kind of nice.

“You are there leader, even if you didn’t ask for it.” Hel said as she was brushing her fur, sitting on one side of the flat bed made of furs. It was nice to see her without the hood on all the time, but I understand it has to do with her belief. I just wished whoever made her beliefs didn’t make her believe she was a cursed to others.

“You shouldn't hide behind that hood. Just because you have red eyes.” I replied, feeling a little bit of spite for her dad. He was an asshole and didn’t even see her, let alone treat her like she was his daughter.

“Talion, I know you don’t agree with the teachings I was truat. But at the same time, you do not ask me to stop believing.” Hel added, as she get up and walks over to me. Before stroking my head, then hugging me. “You’re kind, you worry about others, I’m glad I ended up with you.”

That made me feel better, at least she was happy. Even though we have to worry about not having enough food to feed everyone. “Want me to cook breakfast?” I asked, making Hel blush before she giggled. “What? Is my cooking that bad?”

“No, no it just. I should be the one cooking for you.” She said smiling as she kissed my nose. “But I know what you’re like, you enjoy cooking to much.”

“Hey, I let you help.” I replied, it true one time we tried cooking for everyone. We ended up dancing around each other as we worked. It was kind of cute, and we both got embarrassed when everyone saw us dancing. “Besides, you make a really tasty soup.”

“Oh stop it, I’m not that great a cook.” Hel replied as she blushed again. I hugged her and smiled as she squeaked. Before smiling back and hugs me. “You should get ready.”

I sighed at this and nodded yes, she was right. We had a lot of work ahead of us and I needed to find everybody food. “You’re right, I got to help find something we can all eat in this land.” I added as I get out to bed and get dressed. Once I was dressed and geared up, kissed her goodbye and walk out of our little house. Well, it had two rooms so it was more like really small house? I don’t know.

I made my way outside and was offered a carrot, I took it and thanked the mus-elf as she walked by. Everyone here seemed to know we had to be careful with how much we eat. It made some complain but they got over it. That when I heard the sounds of hooves, oh no.

“Sir Talion, Sir Talion! Keep Lord sir? I have the list for what everypony needs.” Said a green unicorn with a brown mane as he trotted up to me. I don’t know how or why, but Mag picked this little guy as my assistant. His name was, Pickl Dilly. How he ended up with a name like that I don’t know.

“For the last time Pickles, it just Talion. No need for formalities.” I replied as we walked but on the other hand he was good at what he did. I could see more houses being built and some larger living spaces for when more people show up. “So what have the scouts found today or have they just gone out?”

“They just left an hour ago sir. We have one group going east along the coast. Another group has headed west, and we’re getting the last two groups ready to start heading inland, to look for food.” There a thought, I think to myself as I looked around. Maybe I could tag along with one of those groups?

“What about the fishermen?” I asked, Dilly looked sick after I asked him that. Guess he didn’t like fish, he looked through his list of notes as we walked past a makeshift blacksmiths.

“For the most part they’re doing well, but after being on the sea for a mouth and a half everypony sick of it.” He replied, I rolled my eyes at him as I saw my chance to slip away. I just needed him to talk about something long enough to not notice.

“Do we have a list of names of everyone staying here?” I asked, as Pickles start to ramble off another list of names. I slowly took a step to the side letting someone else go in front of me. As I slowed to a stop as he went on and on walking off behind someone else. “Sorry dude.” I said to myself as I headed off to find one of the scouting parties, as I ate the carrot.

“You’re sure they know you’ve left with us?” Asked the griffon who was walking with us. I just nod my head and smiled to myself. Well they will know I’ve left once they find out I wasn’t with Dilly.

“After that fight with the monster, I’d think you’d want to stay behind?” Asked Buggy. I laughed at that, there was no way I’d pass this up.

“No way, I want to find out as much about these lands as I can. Besides if we see another crocodile like before, all we have to do is leave them alone and be careful around the water.” I replied as I walked with them, the small lake was just half an hour away from our camp to the east. We’re now traveling south now, trying to map out what we know. There was this one Muself who had a bow and arrows, she reminded me a little of Buggey.

“So what do you think of Lily?” I asked as we walked, it took Buggy a moment to reply to my question. Buggey head snapped to me as he looked surprised, it made me laugh at the way his jaw dropped.

“What?! I mean, what are you talking about?” Buggy asked, this was too good. He looked like a schoolboy who was just found out they had a crush on someone.

“I’m just making conversation, I was thinking you two would make a cute couple.” I replied, oh my god. The look on his face was priceless, don’t tell me he really did have a crush on her? Oh I am so telling Hel when we get back.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” He asked, yeah that confirmed it. I laughed as we kept on walking, on our way we found a small stream of water and a field of trees. These trees were not the same as the palm trees on the coast. The more inland we go, the less it started to look like a desert. We eventually walked into grassland and the occasional small mountains, with some plateaus more inland. The dirt was a interesting red color.

We standed to see sparse eucalyptus and acacia trees. I could only think of one thing to say seeing all this. “This is amazing.” I said out loud, It looked like the palm trees didn’t grow inland and seemed to only grow on the coast. Well as far as I could tell, we still have no idea how big this place was.

“Talion, come here quick.” Said Buggy, as I saw him and the others hiding behind some tall grass. I carefully made my way over to them, once I was close enough Buggey parted the grass. What I saw put a smile on my face, there was kangaroos living here. But they looked different, for some reason they had zebralike stripes and they were big, as in tall as houses big.

There was a lot of wildlife living here, we also saw some kind of large armadillo like bugs as big as house cats. Or were they armadillos with six legs? I wasn’t sure, but I was happy just watching this. “So, any idea what ones we can eat?” Asked a one of the nightwalkers who was with us.

“Well, if I was a betting man. I say we take one of those kangaroos and take it back with us.” I replied, from some of the wildlifes show I can barely remember. Kangaroos were like the pests of the outback and seeing some similarities between the two. It could mean the same thing here Buggy was about to take out a rifle that he was carrying all this time, but the Muself with the bow bet him to it and shot one of her arrows at the odd looking kangaroo.

“What are kangaroos?” Asked Buggey, I just point at the kangaroos who were now busy jumping away from the one the muself just killed...

“Let's hurry and bring this back.” She said as the gray mouse walked out of cover and heard for the dying animal. I smiled as I look back at Buggy face I pat him on the arm before I follow after her. This is going to take all of us to carry back.

Once we got back with our new meal, I had some help with everyone who knew how to cook. I had no idea how to cook this, so I just stuck it in a frying pan over a open fire. Throw in some vegetables just to add to it, also added some herbs that some of the other scouts found.

“I think it ready.” I said out loud poking at the meat with a fouk. “But I’d rever leave it on a bit longer.” I heard Buggy complaint at this, as everyone else was waiting patiently.

“Oh just bring it over already, everyone else has tried some.” Maggabl complained, I sighed as I put the meat on a wooden plate. The meat was already cut up into smaller pieces so it could cook faster. We all took a fork and looked at it.

“I’ll try it first.” Said Lily as she stuck her fouk in a pice of meat. She been taking her job as Hel bodyguard a bit too seriously if you ask me. I took a piece to, so did Mag, Buggey, Hel and our new bowman. I stuck the meat in my mouth and, holy hell this was good!

“Oh my god.” I moaned as I chewed the meat in my mouth. I had no idea how much flavour was in this. I’m not sure if it had to do with the herbs, or the vegetables I added but ever why this was really good!

“Lady Hel!” Yelled Lily as I saw Hel try it next. I smiled at the way Hel was enjoying it, everyone else seemed to be of like mind. But Maggabl on the other hand.

“Goat is better, but this isn’t that bad.” He said taking another piece to eat, I deadpan at him I worked really hard on this. I looked back at Lily as she stared at the meat on her fouk. I think Lily was having some kind of internal battle with herself as she stared at it. Meanwhile everyone else was going for a second helping.

Lily took a bite out of it, I watched as she slowly chewed her food. “It was... Acceptable.” She said before walking out of the room. I blinked at this before looking at Hel.

“She really liked it.” Hel said before giggling to herself. “She hate to admit when something really good.” She added, I looked back and saw Buggy was stuffing his face!

“Hey, Save some for the rest of us!” I yelled at him, I then notice the look in his eyes. “Don’t even.” I began only for him to take the plate and run off. “You little thief!” I yelled and ran after him. But I couldn't help but laugh, this was fun.

“So it agreed? We’re calling this land Shadow Haven?” I asked, turns out after a week living here, we held a vote on what the land should be called. There were a lot of names to pick from, so me and the gang picked the top ten. Then we held a vote for everyone on what they want the land to be called.

I was really surprised everyone picked my name for the land. We also started to make some farmland more inland. We turned one of the ships into a multi purpose building. It was a work shop, storage room, a doctor's camicie? I was wasn’t sure, oh and a armory.

We also turned another ship into a warehouse for storing food and other supplies. We even made a school for all the kids, Hel was helping out to keep an eye on them. We have a week of our old supplies left, but we were restocking new supplies from what we found in Shadow Haven.

“Looks like it.” Said the Muself, her name was Mandy. She was the one with the bow, we had a surprise a few days ago as a ship full of muself showed up, and half the ship was full of albino muself just like Hel. When I asked the captain of the ship what this was about, he told me it was an order from King Vaunlin. Saying something about, giving the followers of the light a new home. Asshole, I thought we was having a hard enough time setting up and supplying ourselves then he just duse this from out of nowhere?

The only good news from this was we did get some new supplies. Hel was happy to see them and welcomed them, but I asked them if they feel they don’t need to wear their hoods they were free to do so. I think most were surprised by this, I explained it has nothing to do with their beliefs. We’re in a new land and are making a new start, the only thing they had to worry about was getting lost in the wilds.

“We converted the crow nests that where part of the ships into look out towers. Incase something come to our little community by sea.” Said Maggabl, as he was working on some magic crystals he got from the towers. He was trying to work out how they were made and how they worked. Me I was happy not knowing, those things were a time bomb waiting to go off.

“Anything else we need to know? Any new animals causing us trouble?” I asked as I looked down on the table, at the partly made maps, We’ve only mapped out the northern coast line and a little of the inland. It wasn’t much but it was better than nothing, I was reading over reports of what the scouts found.

“We did find some kind of large worms that lived by the mountains, but from what the scouts say. As long as we leave them alone they don’t seem interested in us.” Said Dilly, who was floating around a large number of papers. I sighed as I took a drink of water from my cup. “And please don’t sneak off to join the scouting parties sir.”

I looked back at the pony, as he gave me a annoyed look. I sighed at this and nod my head, I sometimes wished for the days I was not in charge. I then had a thought. “Did the scouts run into any other predators other than the giant Crocs?” I asked.

“Well, we did find some poisonous lizards. But you won’t want to know how we found out about that.” Said Pickl Dilly. Who was now looking around nervously.

“Oh by Luna back side, please don't tell me someone died?” I asked, hoping I was wrong in my thoughts. I really didn’t want to go through something like that.

“Well, no. They're alive they just can’t walk right now. The one who was bitten had their foot swell up like a balloon. But the doctors say they won’t be back on their feet any time soon.” Replied Dilly. I sighed in relief, thank god for that or would that be Thor? Or Luna? Or Celestia? This was confusing.

“Anything else?” I asked as I desperately wanted to leave and explore the land, but after my last attempt there were now guards keeping an eye on me. Maybe I can find some why around that?

“Well there are these strange mounds of dirt that are really tall.” Replied Dilly, just before he started reading his notes. “Somepony tired breaking one open and found it was full of bugs.”

“Termites, they sound like termite mounds.” I explained as Dilly and Mandy looked at me. Oh crap I just let on more than I know, again! “I mean, that what I heard from this zebra I met once? Besides we can use them for food once the Termites began their life cycle.”

“Okay? Well we did find some odd wall paintings, along with some ruins. Somepony copied them and have sent them to your friend there to look into it.” Dilly Said, as I looked at Mag as he was reading something, I was wondering what he was working on.

“Anything interesting on that front?” I asked as Maggabl was going through his books. I noticed the way he was staring at the text, it actually made me a little worried. “Mag?”

“This is fascinating, if I am reading this right. At least I hope I am, there was a tribe of, Some kind of dogs it not clear, but by the sounds of it. They made pacts with some of the wild beasts of these lands and in return, they could use the power of the wilds against their enemies. This bond made one bound to the other, I think it means magic but I need to look into this more.” Maggabl explained, as I just stared at him. Huh a new kind of magic, sound interesting.

“Okay just keep us informed on what you find then.” I asked hoping this don’t turn into something out of a horror movie. Someone then bust in from outside, it was one of the fishermen.

“Ship, there a ship coming!” He said before catching his breath. Well that not a big deal, I just hope it more supplies this time and not more Nightwalkers or Muself. “It not one of ours!” He yelled and that got all of our attraction. We all put down what we were doing and rushed out side. I ran for one of the look outs, as I hear Maggabl give out instructions to the others. I reached the end of our little village and start climbing the rope ladder to reach the reworked crows nest.

Once I made it to the top I looked to the look out. “What do we have?” I asked, as the Nightwalker looked at me and held out a spy glass and points. I follow his finger and look through the spyglass. And what I see is a ship, not the mass of a wrecks that we were using. This ship looked new, this ship looked like it had all the bells and whistles. The most important part was it didn’t have a lot of cannons, only around four by the looks of things. The other was the flag, I didn’t recognize the flag but I did recognize the horses on the ship. They were from Saddle Arabia, if I remember the show right. This could be really good or really bad.

I quickly climb down and started handing out my orders, I told everyone to get the women and children inside their homes. I then ordered anyone with a rifle, gun or knew how to use a bow to get to high ground and cover the settlement. After that I said anyone who can use a weapon follow me. My orders spread like wildfire as everyone was rushing to carry out my orders.

I waited at our makeshift dock that only small boats could use, as we had two ships on ever side of it. I felt worried as I waited, Buggey and the others meet up with me. I was surprised Hel was here to, wait what!?

“Hel what are you doing here!? You should be with the others where it safe.” After saying that Hel gave me a look. I shut up after that and didn’t protest any farver.

“So, expecting trouble?” Asked a Nightwalker I came to know as Rufus. I meet him back on the island when he helped me out one time.

“I’m hoping for the best and expecting the worst.” I replied as we waited, I hated waiting like this I then saw something on the water. I held out my hand like in those movies expecting a spyglass to be put in my hand. Only for nothing to happen, I looked at Buggy as he stared at me.

“What?” He asked and I sighed, I then saw the griffon captain had his own spyglass out. I point at the captain and look back at Buggey. Buggey just flipped me off, this made me laugh. Next thing I know we’re all laughing, I guess that helped relieve the tension.

“One boat, four crew and two passengers.” The captain noted off as we waited, before he put the spyglass away. I then saw Pickl Dilly make his way up to me, with more papers then I think should be carried by anyone. I held my arms behind my back as the boat took I guess, less then half an hour to reach us. The ones rowing the boat get out a push it onto the sand, I watched as the two passengers get out.

One was well dressed horse and had all kind of trinkets hanging around his neck. The other horse was dressed in robes and had what looked like a carved sword on his back. I waited as they and two of the other ponies who were rowing walked up with them. Once they reached us the one with all the blin, hated using that word, he laughed.

“My oh my, it is always pleasure to meet someone new, why I had no idea anypony was living here. May I ask who you are?” He sounded polight, and a little to cheerful for my tests. He doesn't even look bothered by the fact there are hundreds of rats and mice living here now, or they were armed to the teeth.

“We’re a new clan who seeked to make a home by the oscan. For us this is a new start, we were not aware there were other clans. We’re the people of Shadow Haven, the name of this land.” I replied, I didn’t feel like telling this horse everything right off the bat, besides we were still new. It’d be better to make them think we came from this place then just started settling on it.

“So your country is called Shadow Haven? This land seem to dangerous to be called something like that.” Asked the, I guess he was a noble. Maybe he didn’t explain that part.

“It a play on words, seeing as it so hot and for us this is our haven. We’re used to living here, the captain here has been helpful on telling us about the outside world. But he hasn’t been out to sea for a long time.” I jestering to the captain. The griffon took off his hat and bowed, he later tell me he was born on the island we came from.

“I see, I see. Tell me have you heard of the stories of heros on the mainland?” He asked and I raised a brow. Odd could there be others like myself, but it did peeked my curiosity.

“I would like to hear more, but it rude to welcome someone into our home. Without first giving your name?” I asked giving him a bow. “I am Talion Ragnarok, Keep Lord of Shadow Haven. And this is my wife Hel Vaunlin.” Hel bowed as well.

“My apologies.” He said before giving a bow of his own. “My name is Certus, I am a business pony. I offer trade and wears of all kinds throughout my journeys.”

“If we could come to some kind of trade, we would like maps of the rest of the world.” Asked Hel. I was a little surprised that she asked that. But on the other hand we were trying to keep everyone safe. So the less information we give out the better.

“I’m sure we can come to agreement that will benefit both sides.” Certus replied smiling. I wasn’t sure if we could trust him, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t milk him for all the information we could. I then had an idea what to name our little town, hell it was the griffon’s idea actually. “What is the name of this lovely town?”

I grinned as I looked to Browns. “Yeah, it's call Port Royal.” I replied as the griffon was now choking on his drink and I laughed.

Chapter Three: What That In The Sky? (unedited)

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***Talion Ragnarok.***

There were so many maps, I had to rearrange them on the floor to get a full picture of what the world looked like around me. There were not that many about other lands, but equestria was mapped out in full. I placed other maps around it as I slowly built what the world looked like. If I was reading this right, Saddle Arabia was to the east and north of Shadow Haven. From what Certus said, it was a endless land of sand.

I found that hard to believe, I just think the rest of their territory hasn’t been mapped out yet. To the north east was Black Marsh, a land of swamp and bog. To the west of Black Marsh was what they called the Great Southern Rainforest. Certus said that land was a endless jungle of trees.

To the west of the rainforest was a land called the Volcanic Wastes. The only thing he would talk about was this place called Port Oblivion. To the north of these three places was equestria, and I had to say it looked nothing like it did in the show. This trader couldn’t stop talking about the ponies. It got kind of irritating when you kind of already know of them, But I tried to not let that slip as we talked.

To the north west of equestria was the Dragon Badlands. Really, that what they're called? Certus even told me about this rumor going around that a army of griffons killed a dragon. I didn’t know if this was true or not, but I was willing to take his word with a grain of salt. Next to that to the east was the Changeling Wasteland and to the north of them was the Crystal Empire. I always expected the Crystal Empire to be, bigger...

Anyway to the east of those to lands was Gem Fido, and according to Certus that place was ruled by diamond dogs. Not only that the diamond dogs took slaves for their mines. I repressed the urge to hiss at this. I didn’t want to scare off our only source of information. He then told me about The Griffon Dominion. By the sounds of it there kingdom was falling apart. The Griffons who came with us looked depressed at this news, I’d hate to find out how the ones going to equestria will handle this.

He then informed me of this chain of islands called the Zebrican Islands, that go all around the world. Huh, I’d always thought they have there own continent. Certus then brought up this one map with it island that looked like a cow head? He said it was called Bullivia with a city called Stonehaven and said it was where all the monitors lived. This made me sad, that Eron a monitor who helped me died before he could leave the island of Endless Storms. He also managed about this place called Signal but he hasn’t been there yet.

As we talked and my own scouts handed copies of what we found out. I said it was only recently that we began mapping out our lands. He found it believable, I got curious and asked what was to the south and east of Saddle Arabia? I didn’t know if it was the way I said it, or how I asked. But as soon as those words left my mouth Certus stopped talking.

He stared at me as if this was a touchy subject. After that we found an agreeable fee for the maps, and traded some of the foods we found. Like nuts and berries, but before Certus left he said. “Don’t journey past Saddle Arabia, it not safe to the south.” Was all he said to me before he left. I was still thinking about his warning as I looked at all the maps, sitting on the floor with my legs crossed.

“Do you think he was telling us the truth?” I asked Hel, as she was calmly watching me work out this jigsaw puzzle of maps.

“I feel he didn’t tell us everything. Not only that we know very little about the world.” Said Hel, as I noticed she was eating some nuts. She offered me some and I took a couple. I rolled them in my hand, before using my front teeth to crack the shell open before slowly eating the nut inside.

“These other lands we can find out about in due time. Our first priority should be to map out the rest of Shadow Haven. Find more fresh water and food, and expanding our settlement.” I added, then looked to Dilly. “What do you think, how long would all that take?”

“Umm, one moment Talion.” Pickl Dilly said, as he mumbled to himself and had of all things an abacus. “Let see, going by these numbers. Take into account of fillies being born? Umm, pups I mean. A-anyway, carry the five. To bring things up to living standards, it will take about... Five years. Maybe nine give or take if things turn bad?”

My jaw droped at this news, f-five years? This must be a joke, they can’t expect me to sat on my ass for five years! No wait, he said it would be nine if things turn bad! “Bad like what?” I asked picking up the nuts I dropped on the maps.

“Oh you know, pirate raids, sea storms, sirens, plages, running out of food. Can’t find enough water, somepony declares war on us, monster attacks, being attacked by slavers, being attacked by dragons!” Pickles said as he was starting to yell, I think I may of made him go into a panic attack. Lucky for us Buggey handled this.

“Hey calm down mate, listen. How about you take the night off. Come on I’ll get you a drink.” Buggy said as he lead the panicky unicorn out of the hut. I sighed as I watched him go before looking to the others.

“What do you all think?” I asked looking at each of them. After a round of talking, Maggabl wanted more help with finding out about this wild magic thing that was found in some ruins. Mandy wanted to map out more of Shadow Haven. Browns wanted to get some real cannons on his ship. I then looked to Hel, she thinks everyone should turn in for the night after diner. I found myself agreeing with that. So did everyone else, we had dinner then we all went to our own huts.

The next day I was enjoying my time with Hel, we were both curled up in each other's arms, legs and tails. Still getting used to having a tail, even though I’ve had it for a year now. A year on that island was hell, or should I start saying tartarus? Whatever, I didn’t want to get up.

“Good morning.” I heard Hel say, I purred as I opened my eyes. I didn’t want to get up, but it was worth it to see her. To see Hel looking so happy and content. I smiled as I stared into her eyes.

“Good morning. What time is it?” I asked nuzzling my face into her neck. I don’t know why, but she always smelled of something sweet. I could never put my finger on it.

“The sun hasn't come up yet.” She replied before nuzzling me back. That's far too early as far as I’m concerned. I groaned as I buried myself in the blankets and Hel embrace.

“To early, Let's go back to sleep.” I asked, as I felt Hel run her hand through the fur on my head. It felt nice, she then scratch under my chin and cheeks. It felt so nice, is this what being a cat feel like? I then started making this strange squeaking sound in my throat. My eyes shot open as I blinked at this, Hel giggled.

“Umm, did I just make that sound?” I asked as Hel still held me in her arms. The albino Muself smiled at me calmly as she nodes her head yes. “Is that normal?”

“Yes Talion, that was normal.” She replied before going back to stroking my fur again. “But you need to get up, you’ll have a long day ahead of you. I’m a little worried about the other members who follow the light.”

That got me thinking, I know Hel believes in some kind of religion but I never asked about the details? “You know, I never asked about what your religion was about. Do you think you can tell me?” I asked, Hel looked surprised I’d ask this. “And what wrong with the others?” Hel sighed as she sat up with the blankets around herself.

“Well to start with, We have a goddess called Goddess of light. She being life to the world and protects the unfortunate. It is said she controls the sun and decides when it should rise and fall.” Hel began to explain, I wanted for her to finish before asking any questions.

“She also has a sister, the Goddess of Shadows. She brings the night and looks after those who rest under the night sky. We pray to both of them to keep us and the other Muself safe.” Once Hel was finished I had to ask her something.

“That, Sounds a little bit like the princesses Luna and Celestia.” I asked as she smiled at this. Hel then started playing with her tail.

“Our belief is only five hundred years old. It still something new that only those like myself take up. I guess it can be seen in that way, but they’re not the same. Much like your own kind the nightwalkers believe they were created by Nightmare moon.” She replied before looking at the helmet that was setting at the side of our bed. Before we left a old Nightwalker gave it to me, saying that our lady of the night wished to see the world.

What I didn’t know at the time and only found out after we set sail, was a shard of Nightmare moon soul was trapped in the helmet. And she acted like a little twelve year old. “I do not!” Yelled a voice in my head, yeah that was her. I saw a small shadow of Nightmare come out of the helmet. And what walked out was a mini Nightmare moon, only she was smaller and looked adorable.

“Hello little one.” Said Hel smiling at her. The mini nightmare squeaked before hiding behind me. Little Moon as I’ve started to call her, poked her head out from behind me as she looked at Hel.

“Don’t laugh at me.” She asked looking embarrassed about her small form. I shook my head and pet her on the head before getting up.

“Well we’re all up now, so let's get dressed and have something to eat.” I said getting out of bed. I was glad I asked that tealer who was on the same ship as me to make me boxers, I asked if he could make shorts that go under my trousers. They worked, so in away that nightwalker just invented underwear for nightwalkers. Let's just say, now everyone was wearing them.

“So what the trouble with the others then?” I asked as I tried to get the small fire place going. That was used for cooking in the other room. I could never light the thing, but Hel can. She was really good at it. Little Moon didn’t eat, she told me she survived off of the magic of those who carried her helmet. I’m not sure how it's done, but she keeps telling me she doesn't need it.

“They think we’re all going to die.” Replied Hel as she light the fireplace, before getting some things. Meanwhile I was gathering up some things to cook.

“What gave them that idea?” I asked, once the pan was hot enough I started making scrambled eggs. Hel put in four rashers of bacon in the pan as I was cooking.

“They say this because the land look so different from our home. As far as they know we haven’t found water, or know about all the foods we've found.” Hel looked worried, I started dishing up our meal as we walked together.

“Hel relax, I’m sure this will blow over soon. Give it time.” I asked as we sat down to eat. She smiled and sat next to me, we talked as Little Moon watch as we had breakfast.

“What the hell is that?” I asked looking up at the sky, It was the middle of the day now and I noticed everyone was looking up. I then looked up and saw what they were staring at. If I was a betting man, I’d say it was a air ship. But I thought only the Equations had those, then again other lands could have use them to.

Maybe these are the guys that live at the south of Saddle Arabia. This could be an opportunity like no other. Or an attack, Oh crap this could be an attack. “Everyone same plan as yesterday! Females and Pups in the houses, anyone who can use a weapon grab one!” I yelled. As everyone scrambled, this was not my day.

Everyone was gathered but I told them to hide where they can, Buggy and Mandy were standing with me this time. As we saw the airship getting closer. “I hope they're friendly...” I said to myself.

“Maybe there friends of that horse who was here yesterday?” Said Buggy, but Mandy dashed that hope.

“They only been gone a full day, this thing coming from the north. They went east, no this is something else.” She said taking a arrow from her quiver. Grate, there go my hope for the day. The air ship was floating lower and lower, and what I started to see was worrying. The air ship looked like it was dragged through a swamp, it had some arrows stuck in the hull.

“Buggey, please tell me your guns are loaded?” I asked, I heard a click from his belt that made me feel a little more at ease. Unlike before when the boat came from the sea, the airship landed behind the settlement inland. Close enough to reach us, but far enough away so no one can get to it quickly. We didn’t see anything for a long while, but then Buggey started yelling.

“Anyone there!?” He yelled, as I and Mandy slowly look at him. He blinked back at us before he pulled the rifle from his back, the gun it self looked really simple and most likely had poor aim. I’ll ask someone to fix that later. “What?” He asked looking back at us.

I shock my head before looking back to the airship. I started to put my hand on nightmare moon helmet that I kept with me, that was hanging from my waist in a bag. The helmet even had some rope tied to it that was tied around my waist. That when we saw something fall overboard. I looked back at Buggey and Mandy.

“Mandy cover us, Buggey with me.” I said as we started walked over to the ship. More to the point to the one who fell out of the ship. This screamed horror movie jump scare to me. As we walked up to the one who feel out, well it didn’t look good. It was a dead griffon, the weird part was his father's were missing, not only that he looked like he was dead. I then saw the griffon was missing it right side exposing the ribs. Never mind he was dead.

“Okay... Who's going to go up on the creepy airship?” I asked as I looked back at Buggey. “Rock, Paper, scissors?” I asked as Buggey held out a fist, I did the same. We shook our fists three times, he had rock and I had scissors. “Best two out of three?”

Yeah that didn’t work, so I climbed up the side of the airship and carefully looking over the deck. This ship was full of dead griffon, they all had their father's missing. Whatever the hell happened to them wasn’t pretty, and the smell was just as bad.

I carefully made my way onto the deck without making a sound. I was just glad I got replacement gear from when I lost some of it to that big gator. I looked around to see who ever crewed this ship, looked like they were partly eaten.

“This screams zombie flick.” I said to myself softly, before looking back at Buggey. He just waves for me to continue on. Yeah sure make me go first, once I was on the deck I looked at all the dead bodies. Yeah these guys have been sitting here for awhile.

“Okay Talion, question of the day. How did these guys die?” I asked myself as I slowly made my way around the body's. The wood creaked under each step I made, there were two doors one to the rear of the ship and the other to the front. I made my way to the back of the ship and went to open the door, only to find it was locked.

“Lovely. Must be locked from the inside.” I said as I turned back and went to the front of the ship. By then Buggey made his way on to the deck.

“Anyone, alive?” He asked following after me. I shook my head no, well not yet anyway. I went up to the door and found it was open. I pushed it open to find the bridge. At least I think it was, if it wasn’t for the smell and the sound of flies buzzing around you wouldn't tell everyone inside was dead.

“That's a no I think?” I replied as I walked inside, we took a look around. These griffons were worse than the ones outside. There skin was peeling away, eye sockets were empty and vacant. “Whatever did this to them, ever killed them before they could leave or...”

“Or what?” Buggey asked as he was in the middle of looting the dead. Really man? “What?” he asked as I gave him that look of show some respect. Just then the door slammed shut.

“Buggy, tell me that was you?” I asked looking back at the door we just came through. He shook his head no as he was about to remove something from, the late captain of this ship. “I’d put that back if I were you...” I warned as I looked around for something useful.

“There already dead, don’t see why they'd still want it.” Buggey replied as he put the medal he was about to take back. “This ship is cursed.” Oh you think? I kept looking around, I then found a map covered in crud. I cleaned it off and had a look at it.

“By the looks of this, they came from the griffon drminon. And if I’m right they stoped in Black Marsh before...” I saw the line of ink was starting to look more shacky. And then it descends into mad scribbles. “Hey Buggey, think you can read this?”

“I’ll give it ago. I know a little bit of griffon writing.” He said walking over to me, before he turn it around to look at it. “Alright let's see, Ha. here we go, We never should have landed in that swamp. It hurts to think, it hurts to breathe, it even hurts to speck. I write this in the hopes others don’t end up like us, stay away from Black Marsh. We were all so hungry, I can hear them outside...”

Buggey stopped at that and took a closer look as I slowly look around the room. “I can hear them outside talking to me, but they’re not my friends. Not any more... They’re coming. Blood everywhere, eating each other... They’re coming, I took the map and hide in the engine room. I hoped I'd be safe there. They’re coming, they came through the walls screaming in pain and that they were hungry. They’re here...”

That when we heard something slam into the door out side. We draw our weapons as we heard scratching at the door, and what sounded like hissing. “Okay, so what are we dealing with?” I asked Buggey as he points his rifle at the door.

“Why are you asking me?!” He yelled as he put a paper shot into his rifle. Huh that save time on the whole, putting gunpowder into the barrel thing.

“You’re the fucking expert!” I yelled back, as a talon smashed it way through the wood door. They were not fucking dead, they were undead! “Fuck this!” I yelled, I kicked a dead griffon off a stool and picked it up, I then went up to the glass window and started hitting it like crazy. I had enough of this shit back on the island. I am not going through this crap again! That when I heard Buggey fired his rifle, the bang was followed by a scream.

“Any luck!” Buggey yelled, as I was making no head way through this fucking glass! I throw the stool to the side and looked around, I then saw something on the floor. I reached down and scraped my hands along the floor cleaning off as much dirt as I could. It was a hach.

“I found away out!” I yelled as I started pulling on the trap door. Bloody hell the hinges must be rusted shut! “I need a hand here!” I yelled, Buggey quickly ran over and helped me lift. We only managed to get it half way open, before more of the door gave way. We both went inside and started pulling on it to close the stupid door again. Once it was shut we heard them screeching and running all over the bridge to find us.

“Okay, okay. Undead griffons... That a new one on me.” I looked down the small hall and saw a lot of pipes. It looked like this part of the ship was waterlogged.

“How did they end up like that? There worse than the ferals back home.” Asked Buggey a we walked down the thin hall way. It was damp and smelly, like what you expect a gym basement to smell like. Only this place had rotting plants everywhere.

“Wait a minute, the map you was reading. Did it say where they were planning to go?” I asked as it may give us a clue about all this crazy shit.

“From what little I could read, they were heading for a place called Gem something. They were on some kind of rescue mission.” Buggey replied as we kept walking.

“Okay they were going to Gem Fido, but they end up in Black Marsh. Next question, that massage that was on the map. It said he was hiding in the engine room right?” I asked as we reached a door.

“Yeah so?” Asked Buggey as he helped me in trying to open it. It took a lot of effort but we managed, water washes out as we stepped inside. As I looked around the large room of metal and pipes. As Buggey was trying to now close the door.

“So what was the map doing on the bridge?” I asked and he looked back at me. Yeah, I guess we had the same thought now. Whatever killed the griffon who had the map last was in here. Took the map, then place it in the bridge.

“Something not adding up here.” I say, before we heard the screeching sound again.” They found the door!” I yeleld as I helped Buggey to shut the door to this room. Once it was closed we started putting whatever locks were in place on it. We both put our backs to the steel door as we heard them on the other side. “So how do we kill all of them?” I asked hoping he had some idea.

“Wait, what was this room called?” Buggey asked as he ran off and started turning crates that were scattered around the room. It was kind of obvious with the big engine in the room.

“Engine room, why?” I asked taking a breather. As I head those thing still outside. I started putting things in front of the door in a effort to barracked it. Until I noticed the large holes in the walls. “Don’t forget there might be holes in the walls in here.”

“What do all engine rooms need in order to work?” Buggey asked as he pulling a bunch of stuff together. “Fuel, wood, cole. Whatever you want to call it. They're all just basic components for alchemical reactions. With the right compounds, I can turn this place into a bomb.” Wait BOMB!?

“Wait, hold on. Buggey what the hell are you on about?” I asked only to find he was already in a world of his own.

“No time just keep them busy.” That had to be a joke. Right? I heard something and walked over to a wall with a large hole in it. Oh boy, this is going to suck.

“If we die here Buggey, I am so haunting your ass!” I yelled at him before going into the hole. I took careful steps inside as I had my sword out. This reminded me to much of my first day waking up, and almost being eaten by spiders.

I went deeper inside, that when I heard a hiss. I turned back and saw one of the dead griffon walking on the wall. Using my swords in such a small space will be difficult, so I put them away and pulled out my daggers. It screeched at me, as it only working eye stared at me. I really didn’t like this and that when it lunged at me. I duck and saw how it fell onto it face. I walked up planted my foot on it back and stab both my dagger into it back, all that did was make it scream.

It's already dead genius, think of something else! I was trying to think as the damned thing took a swipe at me, I jumped over it and looked back. The undead giffin was looking at a bag in it claws. Wait, I looked down at my hip and saw nightmare moon helmet hanging from my hip. With the bag now missing, lovely she going to complain that her helmet will get dirty.

“Give it... To us.” It asked in a raspy voice. Oh hell to the no, I am doing no such thing. I thought as I slowly back away from it. “Give it to us!” It screamed before it dropped the bag, I noticed more undead Griffins who were behind their friend running to meet me. Okay new plan, run.

I turned and ran through the narrowed halls of the ship, as I heard the mad undead griffons chasing after me. “Why everything want me dead?!” I asked as I ducked under a support beam.

I looked through my assortment of bombs, there was the smoke and flash bomb Lilly made. And a bomb Buggey made for quick getaways, he did give me one warning. Never use it in tight spaces. I didn’t have much choice right now! I pulled the small explosive off my belt. Triggering the lighter that was apart of it and drop it on the floor as I kept running.

I then saw a wall in my way, at first I thought it was a dead end until I saw a small opening off to the side. I didn’t slow down as I dive in head first into the opening, that when I heard the makeshift grande go off as I crawled through. I looked back to see a undead griffon trying to come in after me, until it was covered in flames. I backed away as the damn thing was no on fire and swinging it talons around trying to reach me.

I quickly found I was in a small room, I then noticed a small work desk with some kind of papers on it. I scramble to my feet grab the papers before stuffing them in my shirt, then opened the door and shut it behind me. I looked around at the new hall I was in, must be the crew's quarters? I didn’t have time to wonder this as I heard the screaming of the undead griffons.

“Never a break, not one?” I asked running down the hall until I came across some stares. I ran up them to find another trap door. I tried pushing at it only to find it was locked. “Oh come on really!?” I asked then looked at the wood the door was made out of, it looked rotten this gave me an idea. I used one of my daggers to try and pry the wood away, it worked. One beam of wood gave way before I worked on the next piece, I could hear them getting close as I popped the next one. Once I got the third off I tried crawling out of the new hole. That when I felt something grab my leg!

“Give it to us! We're so hungry! We needs it!” I looked back at the undead monster that had a hold of my leg, I then started kicking it in the head to get the horrible thing to let go. I didn't care about the horrible sounds it was making. I wanted to live!

“Fuck, off, and, stay, bloody, DEAD!” I yelled kicking it beak in. It head twisted round at an odd angle from my next kick before letting go. I scrambled to get back up to my feet to find I was on the main deck again. Then I saw Buggey run out the door that was locked.

“Run!” He screamed as he ran past, I didn’t question why as I ran after him. Once off the ship I notice three undead griffons were pinned to the ship by arrows. “Start running!” I heard Buggey yell again, this time at Mandy. We all ran until I heard this defining explosion that sent us all flying to the ground. My ears were ringing as I laid there not sure if I was alive or dead.

I gasp for air as I slowly roll onto my back to see the airship was nothing more than a pillar of smoke, fire and twisted metal. “Buggey, you alive?” I asked as I laid there.

“Yeah somehow.” Replied Buggey sounding how I feel. This was one of those days you didn’t want to get up for.

“Mandy?” I asked as I heard a grone. Good enough as long as she not dead that good in my book.

“Who idea, was it to do that?” She asked as I point in the derision I think Buggy was in. I just took in the sky as the smoke rises into it. I then sat up and looked at what was left. Nothing but a wreck, I looked back to the settlement and saw a large number of Nightwalkers and Muself running over with weapons in hand.

“What do you know, they do care.” I said letting myself smile before pulling the papers out of my shirt. I looked at them and frowned at what I saw. It looked like a drawing of a zebra and under his picture was a lot of zeros. “That something you don’t see everyday?”

Going To New Lands, But First Bandits. (unedited)

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***Talion Ragnarok.***

The next few weeks were madness, we found out that some kind of animal was stealing our food. It somehow even stole the food that was in the traps left out for it. I stayed up one night to wait for it, I had no idea how long I stay up for. But just when I was about to call it a night I saw it, I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

It looked like a tasmanian tiger only it was taller than a diamond dog. It walked up to the bowl of food left out for it. After I told the others what I saw we then made taller walls to keep them out last thing we need is someone pissing them off.

I had everyone get to work making some new housing for our new guests. Things were rocky at first, but the ratkin as I started calling them would start to show up.

Maggable was making head way into this new magic he was talking about turn out he needed the bones of the native wildlife that lived here. I didn’t feel very comfortable about this, so I told him to only use what we've already killed to eat for now. I also made a rule that everyone must follow, don’t kill something unless you intend to eat it. Or it threatens your life and those around you. Simple but I think it was enough, should stop anyone from needless killing off all the animals.

Port Royal was quickly becoming a coastal town, we had to move more settlers inland to start a farming community. There was some troubles, like the poisonous lizards, spiders that we quickly found out we could eat once the fangs and poison glands were removed. Snakes, and a number of other plants and animals, everyone was quickly getting used to things here the only strange thing was. Some of the residents have started to pick up an australian accent. How or why I don’t know? I think it all started when I said the kangaroo babies were called joeys. Still need a name for those huge kangaroos.

Anyway once the docks were up and running, I told everyone my bold new plan. Let’s just say it didn’t go over too well. “You want to go to Saddle Arabia!?” Yelled Pickle Dilly. Yeah that was not the reaction I was expecting ever.

“Are you out of your mind!? We still haven’t gotten word from all the scouts yet! We haven’t mapped out all of Shadow Haven ever! Not to mention all these new creatures we’ve found, and don’t get me started on those Tasmanian Tigers as you like to call them!” Ranted Pickles as I’ve nicknamed him, I think all the stress is getting to him. I looked to Hel as she was reading a book.

“Come on, apart from that ship full of undead griffons and the mother croc. Nothing bad has happened in weeks, we’ve even managed to live with the crocs upstream as long as we stay out of there way.” I replied but he was having none of it. I just sighed as he went on and on, about how this was a bad idea. We even had our own militia now to keep the town safe, with more ships coming every month. We'd have to build a city at some point. I also started to notice that Hel was starting to get a little, fat? But I know better then to ask about her weight, ladies were sensitive about that kind of thing. Besides it didn’t change how I felt about her.

“You don’t understand, we’re not talking about a group of loss tribes here. We’re talking about a kingdom!” I groaned at Pickles as he went on what’s was the big deal? We was just going to go over there, say hello, maybe make a trade deal with them to get more income for the town. I then thought of something.

“Where are the docks for Saddle Arabia?” I asked, Mandy was looking through some of the maps at the time with Buggey, picking up a map she then showed me. I started at the mark that was where the docks were. It was on the other side of the bloody continent! “Can’t we just… make another dock on their land?”

“Absolutely not!” Screamed Pickle Dilly. Right in my ear! As I was rubbing my ear to get my hearing back, Pickle went on. “That alone could be seen as act of war, are you out of your mind!?” I rolled my eyes at this before feeling something playing with my tail, I looked back and saw it was Hel tail I then looked up and saw she was smiling at me.

“Are you listening!” Pickle screamed as he got right up in my face. I almost fell out of the chair I was setting in.

“Yes, yes I hear you!” I replied in a panic. It was times like this that made me miss Starranger, oh the simple life of only worrying about things that would try and eat us. “Look Pickles, this is going to happen. For better or worse we need to make contact with other lands, Would it help if I put someone in charge while I was away?”

“But who should be left in charge?” Asked Pickl, as I slowly turn my head to Mandy. She shook her head no, I then looked to Buggey and he shook his head no too. Damn, wait what about Rufus? He seemed like he could handle the job for a little while. “What about Rufus?” I asked as they all looked at me.

“The guy who helping setting up with the farm inland?” Asked Buggey. I got up and made my way over to the maps, there was one place we could go. “You really want him in charge?”

“Sometimes the best rat for the job, is the one who doesn't want the job in the first place.” I replied as I picked up one of the maps. Maybe we could visit one of these port towns, or at least I think there port towns? “Besides what could go wrong? I mostly just let everyone else do their jobs and trust they can do it.”

“So even if you do go, you’ll need a group to go with you.” Said Mandy as she gave me a look that said, you’ll need the help. Why do they all think I can not take care of myself? Then again the extra help could be useful. But before any of that, I want to know why that airship was full of undead and why it stopped in Black Marsh.

“But before we do any of that, I want to look up north for a bit and come right back.” I said to everyone, as they looked at me strangely. “That airship landed in black marsh, we need to find out what happened to the crew of the ship it’s the least we can do for them.”

“Can we wait a week or two, just until things calm down? We kind of need you here.” Asked Buggey as he looked at everyone I thought about that, it was two more weeks. I guess it couldn’t hurt to wait.

“Keeplord!” Someone yelled as they ran in, I turned to the voice and saw a Muself panting. The little guy looked like he’s been running all day. “We found something to the far east!” This news made everyone feel tens.

“Well, what is it?” Asked Maggable as he hobbled over. Seeing he now had dead animal bones hanging off his robes looked a little creepy to me. The mouse looked like he was going to say something, but stopped and had a thoughtful expression on his face.

“It’s better if we show you.” He replied, that sounded worrying. Buggey and Mandy had already left as I tried to calm this guy down with Hel help. Just what did they find to freak out one of our scouts?

Well it looks like someone made a small fort I ask how anyone missed it, but seeing as it was at the bottom of a cliff by the beach no one bothered to look down the stupid thing. By the looks of it, the fort had tall wooden walls and in the middle of the fort had a large pool of water with cranes around it, with large cages half submerged in the sea water.

“What in the cages?” I asked as I was laying low, next to the scouts with Mandy and Buggey. One of the scouts pulled out a spry glass but this one looked different. The spyglass had what looked like a little hood that block the light of the sun from reflecting off it. That’s a really good idea, why didn’t I think of something like that?

I took it and had a gander at what we were dealing with the little outpost was full of ponies, yes ponies. Along with some Diamond dogs and one big minotaur who was walking around. It looked like he was giving orders, I then saw some ponies go to one of the cranes and started pulling up one of the cages. What I saw were what looked like big fish, no wait, big fish that had horse like heads… What the hell was I looking at?

The minotaur looked like he was yelling at them we were to far away to hear what was going on, I did see a pony bring over what looked like a long pole with a noose on the head of it. It reminded me of thous dog catcher poles. With the help from a diamond dog, they got hold of one of the sea horses? Anyway, once they dragged it out they closed and locked the cage before lowering it back into the water. The fish like horses quickly poked their heads out of the water. In fact it looked like these things were in all the cages, anyway they took the one they had and started tying it up to a wooden stake.

“What are they doing?” I asked myself as I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I looked up at Buggey as he looked at me, I passed him the spyglass. “To the right by the gates, big minotaur talking to some kind of half fish half horse?” I told him as he had a look.

“Seaponies.” Said a voice to my right, I then turned to look at the pony who was with us. He was a earth pony, who was missing a eye. He looked back us as we all stared at him. “What?”

“Whatever, I just want to know if they’re a danger to us and if these... Seaponies can help us if we save them.” I replied before feeling Buggey nung me with his elbow. I took back the spyglass and looked through it, to find the seapony was now dead. There was blood all over the wooden floor of this outpost.

It’s body was being dragged away before being thrown over the wall into the sea as the minotaur was cleaning his bloody axe. As a diamond dog picked up the seapony head and throw it into the water between all the cages. “Yeah… These guys have to go.”

The plan that night was simple, we go under the cover of night, we take out the guys at the watchtower, one guy go in and opens the main gate to let the rest of us in. We move quickly and quietly, take prisoners if we can and kill them if we must. For my plan to work I’d need those who knew what they were doing. There was just one little problem.

“You’re telling me we don’t have enough guards?” I asked. From what I saw the outpost we found held no more than, twenty maybe thirty at the most. But then again there could be more, I wasn’t going to move in on this until we had the numbers to take them down without huge losses.

“We only had enough Nightwalkers to guard and protect the settlement. What you’re asking is not driving off a wild animal but to attack a bandit camp!” Captain Chulls explained. I could understand his worry, but if we didn’t deal with them now they’d be a bigger problem later.

“What about the Mus-elf’s?” I asked, he gave me a confused look after that before I went back to reading reports. “Some of them must know how to fight right? Why not recruit them into the guard give them some training.” I don’t know why but the captain was starting to look like someone had told him some bad news.

“We don’t need them.” Chull suddenly said from out of nowhere I looked up from my work and glared at him. The good captain looked surprised by my glare but stood his ground.

“Alright then… We’ll take all of the guards and leave our settlement defenseless. Seeing as you can’t see the need for more man power.” I said bluntly, but I’d never do that for real I was just making a point. I looked up at him and saw the look on his face, maybe this was a pride thing between him and the Muself’s?

“Talion they’re weak and can not be trusted why can’t you see they will betray us the first chance they get.” Chull may have been a by the book kind of guy but he was not looking at the bigger picture here. Then I had an idea, it may have been crazy but if this worked.

“We’ll take some Muself with us to fight the bandits if they do well you have to let them into the guard. If they don’t then I’ll drop this matter.” Chull looked surprised at my little demand but I saw the thoughtful expression on his face he was thinking about it I watched patiently as he walked around the room. Chull took one last look at me and sighed running his hand over his face.

“Alright, fine I’ll take some in but they have to have some kind of combat experience.” I smiled after he said that it was about time he started thinking more open mindedly, even if I had to twist his arm a little to get the point across.

“That all I’m asking for.” I replied before going back to my work as Chull left I was going over the laws of the nightwalkers. Some of them seemed crazy to me and too harsh for my tastes, some of them I understand but others I did not so I began to make a list of new laws as well as keeping some of the old ones. Not only that but I also added that all Nightwalker and Muself pups must go to school they also must learn ever math or, Huh would it still be called english here or equestrian? I think about this as I ran the thoughts around in my head.

“I’ll say equestrian make it easier for all of us.” I said before weighing it down with my notebook by my side. I even heard Nightmare Moon complain about not having anything to do I told her I’d show her around the farms later, that seemed to put her in a better mood.

I met up with the night guard as I start to call them, there was a good thirty of them. Nightwalker’s all of them and twelve muself’s. I looked at them and Chull who did not look please.

“Alright then, I guess we all know why we’re here?” I asked, as they all looked at me. My guess was half and half whatever Chull told them they must not have liked it.

“We’re here so you can find some glory in battle.” Said one of the nightwalker guards. Yeah not what I was hoping for as a reply so i was going to set some things straight.

“There no such thing as glory in battle.” I told them, as I started walking around them. “Forget any fantasies about getting glory in war, this isn’t a war. We have no idea how long these bandits have been living here, what do you think will happen once they stumble upon our settlement? What you think they're just going to leave us alone no. At some point they will attack us and when they do a lot of those we want to keep safe will die.”

I looked at each and everyone of them, I’m not sure if they see my point or not but they seemed unmoved. I sighed as I look to the Muself and looked at their weapons, half had spears and the other half had bows. “You guys any good with those?” I asked, they all looked surprised by my question and acted on it.

“Worked for my king for ten years.” Said one of the older ones as he stood up straight.

“Worked as the palace guard for five years.” Said another. Who looked younger and had soft brown fur.

“Bowman for six years.” Added the next Muself. It went on like that until they were finished. Well they all had training that something to be thankful for, I just hope they don’t run away once the fighting start.

“You all volonter for this right?” I asked. Everyone in the room nodded, that good I was hoping for that. “Alright plan is as followed, Buggy come in.” Buggey came in through the door with a large barrel rolled in.

“What this?” Asked Chull as he saw the smile on Buggey face.

“This is how we’re getting in.” Buggey replied as he then sat on it. “There enough gunpowder in this to take out a reinforced stone wall. Well, maybe a stone wall?”

“We’ll use this not only to make a hole in there wall but also surprised them. A small group will set this in place and set it off, bowmen and gunmen will pick off targets from the top of the cliff face. Our main attack unit will then attack, the explosion is to distract them and catch them in a panic. Once the main unit is inside they will hold a defensive wall, I’ll aid in support of it. The enemy in their panic will ever attack us or try and run.” I explained.

“The hard part will be there numbers so before this attack will take place we will gather intel on their numbers, who’s their leader and lastly if there is anymore of them.” After that everyone went off to do what they needed to to get ready, me on the other hand have been wondering about something. Where is Lily?

After my meeting I went out to look for Lily, low and behold I find her in the last place I would never expect. She was working in the school with Hel teaching the young Nightwalkers and Muselfs that were listening to them. I didn’t interrupt there classes and waited for later in the day to talk to them. I wanted to see if Lily could scout out the bandit fort to see if there was another way in or some way to remove them without getting anyone hurt.

I noticed the kids leave running off, or walking with their parents home. I looked back and smiled when I saw Hel standing in the doorway of the makeshift school. “How were classes?” I asked.

Hel looked down at me and smiled before walking over to me. “They were fine, like all pups they were a handful. I had help from some of the villagers, its hopeful to find even the lady of the light can reach out this far.” Hel replied, before setting next to me. “Is there something wrong? You looked worried.” She asked before resting her hand on top of mine.

I let out a sigh as I lay on the wooden floor, looking up at the sky listening to the wild cockatiels singing on roof tops. Something I keep forgetting, there were cockatiels all over this land. Some even became pets to the Mus-elfs and Nightwalkers who started feeding them. “I’m worried, these bandits are a risk to our new home. We can’t leave them alone and hope they won’t find us, unless we deal with them now they will become a bigger problem later. I just don’t want anyone to get hurt, everyone expecting so much from me but I’m not someone who is a ruler. I’m just like them a guy who want to get by in the world and not make any trouble.” I explain while I hold her hand, Hel gave my hand a gentle squeeze making me look up at her. From where I was laying on the floor I could see into her eyes, it made me feel better.

“You’re a kind nightwalker, yes you’re not a noble or be of royal blood. But you understand what it like to work hard to make a living. You could have sent others to go full fill dangerous tasks but you go yourself, you do not make others deal with these dangers alone. You’re the first one to go out and help them without any thought of reward or glory.” I listen to her words, each one fills me with hope and put my mind at ease. I never had these worries before because I was in a group, all we had to deal with was staying alive. I notice Hel reach into her robes and pulls something out, I sat up to get a better look at it. It was some kind of pendant?

“I made this charm to help ward off bad dreams and evil spirits, I want you to have this to help keep you safe.” Said Hel as she start to put it around my neck. I smiled at her as she returned my smile, we just looked into each other eyes before we started to notice something. The sound of the crowds had died down to soft whispers as we turn to find a crowd had gathered to stare at us having a moment. I gave them a annoyed glare as the crowds moved on.

“I’ll come back alive, I already died once I don’t plan on doing that again.” I replied before giving her a light kiss on the lips. Hel blushed as she softly start to giggle at this, we then get up and start walking around the settlement talking about our days. I took the time to enjoy this, hoping I can spend the rest of my life with Hel like this.

Bandit lost, Bad meat. (unfinished)

View Online

***Talion Ragnarok. pov.***

It was raining I thought we had gotten away from this when we left the island, we had been living here for weeks and it never rained once. The rain was so heavy we were soaked to the bone, I guess we should take it as a sign Thor on our side. Or at the very least his showing in some way or another that his watching. I just flip the storm over our heads off not caring about the lightning bolt that strikes something randomly into the sea.

We have been watching the bandits for a week and felt we had everything we needed to take them on. The Night Guard as I’ve started calling them were dressed in armour that covered their chests and some had helmets on, turn out Vill who had sent them with us when we first set sail didn’t think they may need more than that. The mus-elf’s who were with us were wearing armour similar to them just smaller. The armour was dark blue no idea why? They had short swords, spears along with a few bowmen the gunmen were all nightwalkers I just hope they don’t shoot one of us by mistake.

Everyone was in place, apart from the rain everything was going to plan but something was bothering me. Something on the tip of my tongue but I can’t put my finger on it. Once I and Chulls reached the bottom of the cliff we waited for Buggey group to reach us before setting everything up. Lily who I asked to scout out the bandit camp came running to meet us, she didn’t look pleased.

“So what are they sleeping or something?” I asked, in the hopes of this being good news. Lily looked a little ill like she was going to be sick, something was wrong.

“The fires are out all over the camp there is no movement at all. Not only that I saw, bodies.” Lily replied looking back to the bandit camp with a shimmer of fear in her eyes. I’ve never seen her this worried before if something had happened to the bandits to shake her up this much, things could be far worse than I ever thought.

“Alright, we’ll send a small group in to scout out the camp. If it safe wave your spar in the air, Once for trouble, twice if we should move quiet, three for if it safe to go inside their no need to wake up the whole camp if someone still alive.” Chulls gave out his orders and I was going to go with the scouts until he stops me with his shield. I looked at him in confusion as he glared at me, I guess he trying to keep me safe but to be far I don’t like the idea of sending the scouts on their own.

A group of four walk out from our group and went inside the camp. I didn’t like this with the sound of the waves from the sea, the lightning and thunder over head would we even hear a call for help or a warning for danger? I looked back to the others who were with us, the mixed group of rats and mice looked well scared. When I looked back the scouts came back and waved us inside.

“Hey over here I found something!” Called out one of the guards. I and Chulls with a few others walked over to see what he found, it was more bodies. This was not a good thing, something had attacked this place long before we even got here.

“I don’t like this…” I said out loud as Chulls was giving out orders to search the place. Whatever happened here it was fast, I walked over to look into the cages that were in the water. I didn’t see any movement but for all I knew they were trying to hide.

“Someone get these cages open.” I said to whoever was close by, I walked over to Chulls as he looked at the ruined fort. “Any clues what happened?” I asked as he looked at me, we were both worried that was clear as day.

“Not yet, however by the looks of things they were attacked from the inside.” Replied Chulls, pointing at the bodies. I looked at them then back at him not really sure what I’m meant to be seeing.

“Look at the way their bodies are facing, they’re all facing towards the walls. Something attacked them within the bandit fort while they tried to escape.” Chulls explained pointing to each one of the bodies.

“In other words they found something that killed them, or something worse found them.” I replied as I looked at the bodies. They looked like something clawed and bite them to death, then I had a thought. A terrible thought, those undead griffons… What if some of them left the ship! “Chulls! Call everyone back here right now!” I ordered. He just looked at me as if I said something stupid, this was not the time for this!

“You remember what happened to me and Buggey on the airship! With the undead griffons that were trying to kill us! We never knew if some of them made it off the airship before we blow it up!” I explained, sounding more desperate with every word. It was now Chulls was understanding what I was trying to say.

“Everyone regroup and get ready for an ambush!” Chulls called out, everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed over to get ready for a fight. One of the mice handed the keys he had to the seaponies inside before running over to the rest of the group.

“What is going on? Are we under attack?!” Asked one of the mice. I looked out around the fort, carefully looking over each one from a far. That when I saw it, a dead griffon hanging out of a window in one of the bunkhouses.

“Over there, that dead griffon doesn't he look odd to you?” I asked as everyone was looking to try and see what I was talking about. “Over there, his body looks to old. Like it has been rotting for weeks on end.”

“Hey, I see it to…” Said one of the rats, the mus-elfs and nightwalkers could all see the body now.

“We need to gather up the dead and burn them. However we need to be careful, we have no idea if they can pass this on to someone else.” I said, but just then Chulls spoke up.

“Burn them? In this down poor are you mad!? We’ll be lucky to set a touch up let alone start a fire. You’re being paranoid it’s just a dead body.” Said Chulls, before he could move away I grab his arm.

“And what if it not? We’re going into this blind, before we knew what to expect but this. Until we can know for sure what attacked them we need to treat this as if we’re dealing with an outbreak.” Chulls looks at me for the first time in surprise, I’m no a nobleman looking for fame or glory. I’m just a guy who wants everyone to be safe.

“Buggy, can your bomb set off a blaze? Big enough to burn bodies away?” I asked as Buggey was already getting his flintlocks ready.

“Sure however the blast was meant to punch a large hole through the wall. We’d need to pile all the dead bodies around it.” Buggey said, keeping a wary eye out. I looked back at the dead griffon and took a breath.

“Alright then, Buggey get the barrel ready. Chulls, tell the troops to start dragging bodies around it and see if you can find some oil. I’ll need two volunteers.” I said, as I slowly walked over to the dead griffon.

“You’re mad, you can’t be serious?” Said Chulls as I walked away. I carefully made my way around the dead bodies of both ponies and dogs. One looked like they had their face clawed off. I draw one of my swords as I carefully walk past the bodies, eyeing them as i walk past I hear movement and turn to swing when I saw it was two mice running upto join me.

“W-we’re going to sir!” Said one of them, as the other nodding her head quickly. I lower my weapon and turn back to the dead griffon.

“Just stay close, keep an eye on the dead and for movement. We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.” I told them moving closer to the dead body, I could smell the familiar stench of death coming from the body. Just like the smell from the air ship, this thing was a survivor if you can really call it that.

We’re closer now I move up next to the wall of the window. I raise my sword up looking at it, just one swing to lay all my fears to rest. That all the time it'll take to calm myself down and see I’m overreacting. I hope I was, I prayed I was. Just then it eye ball rolled in it sock it to look at me...

I didn't hesitate, I swing my blade down and cut off it head before it could so much as move. I let out a gasp for breath as I watch the head roll away. It beck was twitching as if trying to say something before it dies for the last time. I lean on the wall and take a breath then turn to the two mice, looked like they were about to piss themselves.

“We can relax now it dead.” I said feeling like we can all take it easy now. However, I notice something seems off... One of the mice was pointing at the window, I looked back and saw the griffon wings were missing. No, more like they were cut off I grabbed the body and pulled it out. To my horror, it looked like somebody had cut this thing up like a roasted turkey. It back legs were even missing! I looked back inside and saw it was a kitchen of some kind.

There was a large pot still hanging over a burnt out fire, and next to it was a dead diamond dog who looked like he was in the middle of eating something. It was too dark to see so I turn to the door past the window, I look back to the two mice.

“Get your weapons ready, We don’t know what we’re dealing with.” I said, seeing them both getting there short swords ready. I took one last look back at Chulls as he was getting everyone to gather up the dead. I slowly open the door and look inside, it was too dark to see clearly but I went inside.

I could see a number of bodies in here to it looked like they were mostly diamond dogs. They seemed to be in the middle of eating dinner, I walked over to the one I saw from the window and sat him up to see what he was eating. My eyes widened in disbelief, it was a large wing it looked to have already been half eaten. I look back at the dog I had sat up and slowly back away from it.

“They ate it… These crazy dogs ate it!” I shout out, I then heard something move. The mice heard it too as they point their swords to the sound. I saw something big slowly moving in the shadows in the far back. I quickly moved up to the mice to get in between them and the moving shadow.

“Whatever it is as soon as it makes a move run for the door understand.” I didn’t bother to see if they heard me as the big thing was slowly moving toward us. As soon as it passed a window from the other side of the room, for a moment just as lightning strike it lights up the whole room. It was the Minotaur he seemed to look at us with dead eyes before he starts to mumble something.

The Minotaur spoke again only this time he was a little louder. “Fresh… Meat…” He said taking a step toward us. I point my sword at him as I slowly back step for the door noticing the two mice hadn’t moved.

“It time to leave, now!” I shout at them. The two mus-elfs quickly understood and ran out the door to my most likely guess to warn the others.

“Fresh meat…” He said again, taking another step forward. This time however he took in a deep breath and swing his head back yelling so loud it hurt my ears. “FRESH MEAT!” The Minotaur roared, I had to cover my ears at the sound alone once it was over he just stood there waiting. That when I heard a body fall over from one of the tables, the diamond dog who was on the floor it paw twitched.

It then started to mumble something before pushing it face off the floor, it looked at me with a mouth drooling with blood. “Fresh meat?” It asked before the other bodies started to move, some falling off their chairs. While others push themselves up off the tables.

“Fresh meat.” “Bloody bones.” “Sweet kidneys.” “Liver, I want liver!” “Meat juicy and raw!” “Give it to us.” “We’re hungry.” “Meat.” “Meat!” “Meat, meat, meat, meat, meat!” The dogs started to yell, then chanting meat as they all looked at me with hungry eyes. Just like those griffons… “WE WANT MEAT!” They screamed as one as I bolted for the door, as soon as I’m outside I shut it behind me and quickly pick up a bunch then use it to block the door shut.

A large number of bodies hit the door almost bursting it from it hinges, I heard glass shatter as the dogs were trying to push themselves through the windows. I ran and almost ran into one of them as they had reached out through the window the dead griffon used to be.

“I want his heart!” Screamed the mad dog as I ran back to the others. I saw some of the dead dogs who were outside start to slowly move. I acted quickly as I ran at the first of the undead dogs to get up and cut it head clean off. It head dropped down first before the body followed soon after.

“We have a huge problem!” I yelled, just as I heard a gunshot from Buggey flintlocks. I just for a moment saw one of Buggey rounds hit an undead diamond dog in the face. I didn’t have the time to see if it was dead, I had to reach the others before things turn to chaos. I heard wood shatter and the roar of mad voices as I turn back and draw my second sword. It was too late, chaos had reached the battle and all one could do was fight!

***Buggey. Pov.***

This was not part of the plan, everything had gone to Tartarus as soon as that fool had gone into that building! A part of myself knew something was off as soon as we set foot inside this little fort, My greed got the better of me as I pulled the trigger of my flintlock and blasted the face off a half crazed. As well as half dead dog, who fell face first into the deck.

I quickly holstered my weapon to replace it with another that was still loaded. It was the damn airship all over again, only this time these things were armed! However only a few seemed to have any real ability to use their weapons. Most of them seemed to not care and only wanted to fill their maws with whoever they could get their paws or hooves on.

It was a good thing Chulls troops were doing their job, even if one or two were quickly being ganged up on and that when the screaming started. I didn’t need to look to know they were being eaten alive, I had better things to think about like staying alive.

I took aim at a diamond dog who was running right at me, before an arrow hit it swear in the neck. The dog turned as another three more hit him and a bullet struck the dog in the head. I looked back up at the cliff face as the other group who were helping them had to admit Talion's idea had paid off.

With arrow and musket fire they offered support for the fighters to fight back. I quickly looked back to the fighting, that when I saw Talion. So far the fights had been one on one, it looked like Talion was getting better at fighting with his swords. He was no master but competent, Talion was also alone.

I put the other flintlock away as I unsling my musket, taking careful aim with this rain and winds it would not be an easy shot. However Talion was in clear view, I licked my lips blocking everything else out. I just had to wait for the right moment and then I could get my rewards untold, I slowly pulled the trigger the musket fired!

The shot had missed its mark however, hitting the diamond dog in the gut, Talion turned and drove one sword into its throat before pulling back. Talion turned to me and smiled. “Thanks for the help!” Talion called back before running off to help someone else. I could not help but scowl, then heard the sound of a dog walking up to me with it missing arm in it paw using it like a club. I spat as I moved my musket around to use it as a club, I was going to ask for more gold after this was over!

***Talion Pov.**

Madness, that was the only word I had for this fight was pure madness! I was just happy not all the dead bodies had gotten up, however that did little to help with the undead dogs trying to eat everyone, not just dogs ever. As I saw a earth pony ran up to me with a missing eye with it mouth wide open trying to bite me!

I ran my sword into it remaining eye but that did little to stop it from trying to bite and kick out at me, so I hacked away at it neck with my other sword until it head came off. That one threat dealt with, now I had to deal with everything else trying to kill me.

What the hell is wrong with this place!? Is everywhere other than equestria a place full of monsters or something! For now the crazies weren't the biggest threat right now. The one I needed to watch out for-. "Fresh meat! Give it to me!" -was the minotaur. I looked back the bomb and saw they were only half done setting it up. I had an idea, not a good one but beggars can't be choosers.

New land, A New Home.

by ShadowsInTheDark

Chapter one: The Untamed Wilds.

Chapter Two: Finding Food. (undeited)

Chapter Three: What That In The Sky? (unedited)

Going To New Lands, But First Bandits. (unedited)

Bandit lost, Bad meat. (unfinished)