Of Scales and Feathers

Well, it had taken him a few hours of packing, unpacking, and finally just tossing some things together, but Spike was finally confident in what he would bring into the Everfree. And that was nearly nothing.

In his bag, he had a container of water that would suffice for about a week. It was about as big as a vase, but was as sturdy as stone. Should he have to drop his bag for any reason - intentional or otherwise - he was at least comfortable that his water wouldn't spill all over the ground.

Beside that, there were a few loaves of bread and various gems to keep him satisfied until he could either forage for food safely or get back home. He only hoped that some twist of fate didn't make him lose his rations, as he only knew of a few spots to forage in the Everfree Forest. The last expedition had surprisingly come back with at least a little knowledge, and it was made available to all at the Golden Oaks library immediately.

He set out on his journey with a bit of trepidation, but understood all too well that there was no backing out now. He had made his promise to Twilight, and he couldn't let his fear get in his way now. He was, after all, a dragon. If he backed down because of some spooky trees and some flowers, who could take him seriously? Pinkie had beaten it by laughing, for goodness sake!

No, he would not back down. In fact, he now held his head up high and had a confident grin on his face. No forest was gonna hold back this dragon. He was totally and utterly ready for anythi-

"Yo, Squirt," he heard, just before a lone gryphoness came crashing down beside him with enough force to knock him off his feet with a scream. He looked up and saw a grinning, familiar figure. Gilda, the gryphon that had been forced out of town all those years ago, was standing above him now with a smile that could make even Pinkie cringe.

"What are you doing here?" Spike asked rather harshly. He was still a bit mad at Gilda for how she treated all of his friends - and him - that day. As far as he was concerned, he would have been happy to never see her face again.

"Not even a 'hello' before you go slinging anger around, huh? That's fine," Gilda said nonchalantly. To his incredible surprise, she held out a clawed hand towards Spike in an effort to raise him up. After a few moments of being stared at, she uncomfortably said, "Well? Do you want me to help you up or not?"

He snapped out of his daze and brushed the offer aside, pushing himself up and dusting himself off alone. "I'm fine. But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you here, Gilda?" he asked in a more serious, albeit more polite tone.

"I heard about an expedition going on and wanted to get in on the action. Rumor has it is that you're the one that's goin' in. So I figured I'd scout out who exactly I'll be going in with. You got taller, pipsqueak," she said, adding that last backhanded compliment with a nod of approval.

There was something very odd about Gilda's approval. It made Spike feel uneasy, as if he was becoming like Gilda in some way. Shaking the thought from his head, he chose to focus instead on what she had told him. "Wait, what? You're going in with me? No way," Spike said in disbelief. Twilight hadn't made any mention of it to him, and she wasn't one for undue surprises.

"You bet I am. Adventure, danger, and a chance at riches? What's not to love for a girl like me?" Gilda said happily, emphasizing her point by waving her forearms about, as if to paint the picture in Spike's mind. "And if that ain't enough, you oughta take a look at this, buddy."

She handed him a scroll - more of a poster, really - that stated "Expedition into the Everfree Forest starting soon. Sponsored by the Royal Council, fifty bits to any who wish to participate. Must see journey through until the end. All species welcome to apply."

"That," she said, pointing to the last sentence, "means me." The two exchanged a final look, Spike's expression being one of confusion and Gilda's being one of pride.

Eventually, the young dragon gave up and sighed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Fine," he said, quickly pointing at Gilda, "But don't try anything funny. I'm not going in for treasure, or whatever it is you think we'll find. I'm going in for my own reasons."

"I hear ya loud and clear, pal. Just don't go slowing me down in there. I know I have to keep you safe, but still," she said, shooting Spike a sideways glance as they both began walking towards the meeting spot for the Everfree Expedition. Twilight would be there, and she could see this insanity for herself.

"Keep me safe? I can totally defend myself in there, don't worry," Spike said in his defense, to which Gilda laughed. The laugh made Spike's blood boil, and he didn't know how much more of her company he could stand.

"Kid, I've been fighting off critters, creatures, and gryphons alike since you were just an egg. You're welcome to try, but leave the tough stuff to me if you get scared," Gilda said, yet again with her backhanded compliments ending her speech.

Before Spike could reply, Gilda cut him off with another compliment, this time filled with less venom. "You do look stronger, though. Maybe you can keep up."

He glanced over at Gilda, who was wearing a sly smile and looking back into his eyes. The compliment felt nicer, but it still made him feel a bit uneasy. He didn't know whether or not Gilda could be trusted to keep him safe or even keep him company in the forest. But he was willing to let her try.

They neared the forest, and there they saw Twilight, two royal guards, and a lone, hooded figure standing in wait. He heard the hooded figure and Twilight speaking, then immediately recognized the mystery-pony was Zecora, a resident of Everfree Forest.

"And here's our guide now," Spike said, referring to Zecora.

"What, the rhymer or the princess?" Gilda asked, curious as to what he meant. Spike gave a quick laugh at what she called her - a "rhymer".

"The one with the hood. Her name's Zecora, and she lives in the Everfree. If anyone knows that place, it's her," Spike explained, to which Gilda gave a shrug.

"If she lives in the forest, wouldn't she know enough for you to put in a book?" Gilda asked sarcastically. It was true that Zecora knew a lot, but she didn't know enough to sate the lust for knowledge that Twilight possessed.

"She has helped us, actually. She gives us plenty of information when she finds things out. A lot of our medicine is of her design. A lot of people have her to thank for their health," Spike said proudly. He revered Zecora very highly, and felt she deserved plenty of respect.

"Well, kudos to her. So long as she doesn't make me rhyme, I think we'll be alright," Gilda said jokingly. Again, Spike let out a laugh, but this one was more at the thought of Gilda having to rhyme her way through a conversation like Zecora does. It would be torture for the gryphoness.

Spike had to admit, Gilda was being very friendly. Unsettlingly so. He felt more than a little anxious to find out exactly why she was doing so, and hoped she didn't have something sinister under her wings.

"Oh, Spike! There you are!" Twilight said, quickly adding a short, "Hello Gilda." She didn't seem upset at all from the gryphoness' presence, and Spike got the vibe that the two had already met and discussed this before.

"What's up, Princess?" Gilda said, a mixture of casualty and propriety in her answer. "And hello.. Rhyming pony," she added awkwardly, confused as to what she should call Zecora.

"Gilda the Gryphon, your name I know. I am Zecora, a zebra. A friend, not foe," she said, pulling back her hood to confirm her rhyme-addled statement.

"Wow," Gilda said simply. "You really do rhyme everything," she said indignantly, to which Spike cringed slightly. He felt sort of awkward, the two cultures clashing beside him.

Zecora didn't seem to mind at all, however, as she simply laughed and said, "You're not the first to notice my speech, too. But don't let it bother you, I beseech you."

"No problem," Gilda said rather calmly, giving a shrug and a smile, her eyes tranquil and at peace. She had a certain aura of tranquility about her when she wasn't screaming, roaring, and rampaging her way through town. It was unsettling how different she was now.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, would you like to go over the plan?" Twilight said, levitating a map out of her bag and laying it out for everyone to see. Spike had to admit that he wasn't surprised Twilight would have a map for an uncharted forest of darkness. Anything less just wasn't her style.

They spent about half and hour going over the details of the route before finally Zecora politely interrupted Twilight by saying, "Though plans must be met, and routes must be drawn, I fear that we must wait for the hour of dawn." Adding to that, she pointed towards the sky with a hoof, indicating that night drew near.

"Ah, haystacks. I guess you'll have to set out tomorrow. For tonight, you should all get some rest. You've a big, exciting day ahead of you tomorrow!" Twilight said, her giddiness getting the better of her as she unceremoniously danced in place a bit.

" 'Tis long way to travel, the travel a large load. You are welcome to stay with me at my humble abode," Zecora offered, to which Gilda quickly accepted.

"Yeah, that sounds easier than what I had in mind. I was just gonna crash at his place tonight, but this sounds way nicer," she said, nodding her head towards Spike.

"You should go with them, Spike," Twilight suggested, or rather ordered in a very motherly tone. "It would save you time and effort, and Zecora's house is right along the starting route."

"But," Spike began, then felt a nudge from Gilda's elbow hit him in the side gently.

"Come on, Squirt! Think of it like a sleepover. Two lovely ladies and a warm house to yourself? What's not to love?" Gilda said, completely unabashed at what she was implicating. Spike could feel the heat rising to his face, but thankfully his scales didn't have the capability to change color.

Twilight blushed slightly at her suggestion, but still pushed Spike's decision. "It's just the logical choice, Spike. And I'm sure you'll behave yourself very well. Right, Spike?" She delivered the message well, her eyes piercing the dragon's. Fluttershy must have taught her a thing or two about presence, because he could feel her words hitting him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll go. And quit trying to make me seem like a bad guy. I'm a gentledragon!" he said half-jokingly and half-seriously. They all knew he wouldn't try anything, but he still wanted to make it clear. Moreso for himself than anything.

"So it's settled, then! We'll spend the night at Zecora's place, and then head out from there. Sounds like a plan to me," Gilda announced.

"For now it is farewell, but expect not a goodbye. We shall all return safely, and I do not tell a lie," Zecora said, bidding farewell in her own way to Twilight before turning and heading down the path to her home, Gilda in tow.

"Good luck, Spike," Twilight said, raising an arm up. Spike knew the signal and he bent down to wrap her in a hug. "You be careful in there."

"I will, but I have a quick question. What's up with Gilda's attitude? She seems so nice now," Spike asked curiously, hoping she might have some answers for him.

"I think you'll find that Gilda is a very different individual than what we got a glimpse of before," Twilight said with a knowing smile before turning and going on her way. "Goodbye Spike!" she called back.

She must have been taking lessons from Celestia, too. That was about as vague as she could have been. With a sigh, he turned towards the forest and began walking at his own pace.

"You comin', slowpoke?" Gilda called back with a smirk, walking backwards as she looked at him.

He called back with a "Yeah!" and jogged his way back up to the group. Well, if nothing else, this was going to be quite the adventure. Whether he was prepared for it or not was an entirely different story.