A Horse By Any Other Name (Part 12)

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

The party continues to fall upon the timberwolves with a fury, stabbing and smashing with abandon. Drax appears from the shadows, strikes, amd fades back into the background. Raven and Honey Bucket smash the wolves as they reform from kindling. Grotto chops with his axe, laughing aloud, "I nearly threw this one! I almost forgot that it wouldn't come back!". Cedron continues to block for Niklas as the woodsman looses more arrows from his borrowed quivers. As the splinters merge into bigger beasts, the aura of evil radiating off of them grows ever stronger. As Nik fires another arrow, he calls out to Compass Rose, asking of she has a way to light their arrows ablaze. The green-maned pony shakes her head and cries out, "I have some flint in my pack! We can start a fire and get them going that way!"

Ra'ziir shouts as he thrashes frantically with his tail, "EVERYONE DOWN! IGNIS PILA!"

An orange pea materializes in front of his horn and drifts toward the increasingly large timberwolves. It suddenly blooms into a huge ball of flame, engulfing the wooden predators. The howls of agony are nearly drowned out as the sticks, twigs, and branches that make up their bodies are reduced to ash and soot. Some nearby trees smolder, their leaves shriveled down to husks but none catch fire.

Kysek shrugs, "That went better than expected. Better than expected indeed."

Abacus approaches Kysek and Ra’ziir, "Why do the two of you swing your tails around like that when casting spells? It is the strangest thing I have ever seen."

It is only a matter of minutes for the group to regroup as it were and soon they are continuing toward the Castle of the Two Sisters.  Before long, they reach a steep precipice.  Honey Bucket stares out over the edge, “The Cliff of Honesty…this is where the First Element was revealed, even though the Bearers didn’t know it at the time.”

Raven raises one eyebrow questioningly and the big horse continues, "There are six Elements of Harmony – Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty and Magic. The Elements were originally used to defeat Discord, Lord of Chaos and then to banish Princess Luna when she went mad and became Nightmare Moon. When her banishment ended, the Element Bearers used their power to restore her sanity and reunite her with Princess Celestia".

The party descends a steep trail that runs along the precipice and enters a particularly dark stretch of forest.  The trees here are even more twisted and gnarled than before and leering faces seem to stare out of the wood with undisguised menace.

The party reaches a flat stretch of ground leading to a river. The river is wide, perhaps 50' across and the current appears to be fairly swift given the amount of swirls and ripples that can be seen in the water. It is difficult to judge the depth of the water from the shore but it does appear to drop off quickly once you get away from the bank. A short distance up the shoreline, there is a wooden pier extending out into the river. A ferry is tied to the mooring. The boat is large enough to accommodate a score of ponies (or several ponies and a few carts or wagons) at once. There is a pair of treadmills that looks like they are attached to a capstan that will pull the boat across the river and back.

A brown earth pony with a dark gray mane and a fouled anchor cutie mark on his haunch is sanding the railing of the boat.  He looks up as the party approaches, “Ahoy!” he cries out.  “Name is Shackleford Shore.  You tryin' to get to the other side?  I just might be able to help ya.”

- - - - -

• 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;