A Horse By Any Other Name (Part 10)

One Month after the Summer Solstice (Seventh Moon, 1000 ALB)

Kysek thinks to himself for a moment. “I flew without the use of spell components, I waved my tail and the spell seemed to work. Unless unicorns here fly, this could hold a bit of merit.”, he adds to the conversation with Abacus. “Since my telekinesis seems a bit ‘underdeveloped’ just yet, it would only seem to lend credence to the possibility?”, he continues. The elficorn then decides to try once again. He waves his tail in as close way as possible as he would his hands and attempts to cast mage hand. Once again his horn glows and the chalk stick rises into the air. 

Abacus takes a few steps back to stay clear and asks, "Why are you swishing your tail like that? Are you having some sort of fit? Should I send for Nurse Tenderheart?"

Ra'ziir slips one of the pouches Abacus motioned toward over his neck and falls in with the rest of the group as they head over to the defunct armory.

With his unsullied pony body and new found confidence, Grotto walks along side Compass Rose. "Hi there, my little pony! What does your symbol on your hind quarters represent?" 

The small brown pony cheerfully replies, "My cutie mark? I believe that it represents my penchant for exploring uncharted locations and enjoyment of the outdoors. Cutie marks are often related to the personality, proclivity, or talent of their owners." 

The dwarf turned pony continues, "I am unfamiliar with horse weaponry. My preference would be an axe but I am not sure how to wield one in this state. Would you be able to help me? I am really unfamiliar with pony anatomy!" 

Compass Rose pauses, looking over the weapons. "I don't know, just find something you are comfortable with. I have a bow that I like to use. Honey Bucket has that big wrench, Abacus uses magic, and Foil Hat is a surprisingly good brawler. He gets right in there with his hooves and gives 'em the old what for!" 

After a few moments of Compass Rose not seeming to pick up on his innuendo, Grotto finds an axe and takes it from the rack.

Raven selects a longsword from the rack of weaponry. He finds that his able to grasp the sword in his "wrist" without dropping it and wield it more or less normally by standing on his hind legs. He shakes his head at the implausiblity of the anatomy, having spent decades among the Riders of Mistledale as an accomplished mounted archer. There is no way his equine foot and ankle should be able to bend in such a fashion yet somehow they do. He wonders if this part of that telekinesis thing Abacus was talking about earlier.

Shadow looks for a Rapier but does not find one, he aims a short-story, as does Drax. Ra'ziir, like Raven takes a longsword while Nik takes a bow with two quivers of arrows and Cedron takes a staff, "Perhaps this will have many uses," he think to himself.

As the group leaves the armory Ra'ziir asks Raven, "We good?" over the mindlink. Raven replies with a toss of his shoulders, the equivalent of a shrug, "As good as we are going to be I guess. Hopefully, there really is some kind of gate at this ruined castle."

The party crosses the bridge and heads up an earthen path toward a dark forest off on the distance. Along the way, they pass an apple orchard surrounding a large red barn and farmhouse. There is some activity out amongst the tended trees but as the forest draws closer it is obvious that nopony has touched these trees or directed their growth beyond keeping the trail clear. 

Foil Hat, Abacus and Honey Bucket all seem very nervous as the woods come into sight and, admittedly, the trees ahead do carry an aura of menace compared to the soft and lush places we have seen since our arrival in Equestria.

The party travels for several miles through the shadowed forest.  In addition to the trees, which are twisted and stunted and hung with creeping moss, there are numerous ferns, spotted mushrooms, exposed roots that seem to reach out for hooves and low-hanging branches that grasp at long-haired manes and tails.  A faint odor of...rot...permeates the air and only the monotonous drone of biting insects breaks the oppressive silence.

The group has come to a depression in the woods with a rise a short distance ahead when Compass Rose comes to a halt. Her ears flick back and forth and she sniffs the air. "Does anypony else hear that," she asks as she slips her bow off of her shoulder and nocks an arrow.

- - - - -

• Cedron: 95% health;

• Drax: 100% health; Nondetection (lasts until about 10 pm), Undetectable Alignment (lasts until about noon tomorrow)

• Grotto: 94% health;

• Kysek: 100% health; Half of the Tome has been read

• Niklas: 100% health; 

• Raven: 80% health; 

• Ra’ziir: 80% health;

• Shadow: 97% health;