Old words and nothing more.
Author's Note
This story idea (and chapter) have been on the back burner for too long. At the end, there is a small reference to another story that was featured when I first started writing this.
Care to take a guess?
Hint- check my join date.
Old words and nothing more.
“...and what about this flower over here mama?” the zebra filly asked as she galloped along her mother’s side.
The older zebra, without casting a glance knew what flower it was by the decades of learning and constant tending of these miracle planets.
“That my dear is a Desert Feather. It gets its name by how the leaves fan out from the stem like a feather; it’s primarily used for binding, like bandages.”
The filly departed from her mother's side to closely study the foreign planet, making a mental note of its texture and how it reminded her of many tiny hairs. A question she’ll have to ask her mother once they finally returned home. Noticing the increasing distance between them, the zebra filly renewed her gallop in earnest to make up for lost time.
“Mama, why are we in such a hurry?”
“Well my little Zuberi, we are going to a special place. A destination so closely guarded that only the priests, and their apprentices are allowed to know of. If we don’t hurry we may have to wait a long time to see it once more.”
A secret place? Now that is very unzebra like and the idea her own mother was behind its mystery only further seeded her uneasiness. Zuberi looked up from the path before her to gaze her mother’s emotions, but gave up after tripping over her own hooves.
Zuberi thanked the gods as her mother’s forehooves quickly caught her right before she impacted the blanket of dust that was the ground.
“Careful now, Zuberi. We still have many days of travel left, and any delay will increase our stay.”
“Yes, mother. I will be more observant.”
“Good.” her mother, Zecora, acknowledged before motioning to the road once more.
Taking the hint Zuberi resumed her careless gallops again, only stopping to point at and ask her mother questions.
Three days and nights had passed and the pair were no closer to their mysterious destination, and Zecora had to constantly reminded her daughter of this. Zuberi by now had turned her attention to throwing small rocks to see how far she could throw them.
“Stop that Zuberi. You are apprenticed, and therefore act it.”
“By mother! I’m bored of walking.” she cried.
“Review the new, what have you learned so far?”
“We’ve done that already!”
“Then do it again! You are here to learn, not play. Continue throwing rock and you could provoke something foul.” Zecora warned.
“Fine.” The filly whined before picking one last rock and giving it a throw.
The rock landed with soft splat some distance away, much to her mother’s dismay, but not before an angry bellow expressed its displeasure.
Zuberi ceased all movement as the monstrous roar killed every sound around the world. Her little hooves covered her ears as she collapsed into the prickly brush. Her panicked cries and hooves couldn’t drown the roar and instead it felt and sounded like it was growing louder!
“MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!” she frantically cried between the convulsing earth and the unseen creature’s own mighty roar.
It took longer than the filly had wanted it, but before Zuberi could continue her pleas for help her mother was by her side, cradling the scared foal in the protective, and comforting embrace she had forever known. Since the start of this sudden announcement and surprise of it all slowly being flushed from her body, Zuberi took note that she could actually feel air once more in her lungs.
“You had quite the fright! Now ease, there is no blight.”
The zebra foal kept her vow of silence predominantly because she was still finding her breath. She did look up to her mother, eyes wide and unsure of the world she had always considered explained- to hear...feel that unknown truth shook her to the core.
“As the sands shift, so do we. Come my Retainer, ever forward.” Her mother, and Disperser, Zecora, gave her a much needed muzzle before resuming her previous trot.
Not wanting to discover the owner of that roar, Zuberi quickly picked herself up and followed her mother.
Two more moons passed, and Zuberi noted her mother’s increasingly agitated and jumpy pace.
The wild, and unending plains of bobbing plains grass had ceased the other day. Opening up to a vast, and sparse stretch of land that produced a sharp and brown blade that could hardly be called grass-more like sharp little burs one commonly stepped on. Even this was limited to only scarce patches leaving only the bare dirt.
The filly had to keep pace directly next to her mother else she’ll literal eat the dust being kicked up. A question here and there was answered, but the walking never cease, instead, it they began moving faster withh each passing day. With her mother unwilling to do much else besides walking, Zuberi defaulted to her favorite time passer, a game of ‘I See’.
For the first round, she had settled on what’s in front and after a few moments of seeing nothing, gave up and opted to just look everywhere else but the road ahead.
By doing this, Zuberi noticed a faint glim in the very far distance.
The filly, so engrossed in this object nearly halted her entire march. What is that strange object shining so brightly it could still nearly blind from this distance? The curious foal nearly called to her mother wanting to not only show off her discovery but alert her to the potential danger.
“Mother! What is that shining thing?” Her mother turned, following her daughter's hoof, and actually smiled.
“It’s rare to see one out in the open, let alone so far from its home.”
Zecora paused to look down at her curiously enamored daughter before turning her eyes back to the shining orb hovering just fart off the horizon, hovering just above the horizon.
“That is one of their chariots dear. I was hoping to surprise you once we passed through, but we shouldn’t dismiss such a sight. It’s a privilege to behold, dear. ”
“Whose chariot?” Zuberi questioned ignoring the rest.
Her mother said nothing, instead choosing to hum a small melody as her response. A little song most foals learned from their mothers when being taught about the world; a tale meant to weave life’s beginnings into the hearts of every being.
Zuberi knew her mother's intention and sat down to listen.
To speak in riddles and cloaked words is the way of a priest to help others by teaching them. Or in her mother’s case to lead every being on a chase until by divine intervention they discover the answer. As her mother restarted melody, Zuberi’s ears swiveled trying to catch every subtle change in pitch, and tone trying to decipher the hidden meaning.
The ghost lyrics hazily entered her mind as she swayed to her mother’s tune.
Lake of light, sky of night
meet and greet, the night’s fire.
Lands quake, mountains shake
Great, the overwhelming mire.
Many flee, others bee
rewarded are thee
With fire’s understanding.
Teached are us, follow do we
Forward, with eyes illuminated.
The words weaved themselves into her thoughts, as a mother teaches her daughter to bend the blades of grass to create a basket. Her mother was providing the pieces needed to figure out the riddle, and that 'chariot' and song were the keys.
Mother Zecora said nothing as her tune came to an end for a third time, keeping the edges of her smile pointing up as her daughter devoted everything into figuring out the rhyme’s meaning. This remain so even as Zuberi collapsed to the ground, coughing twice as a small dust cloud encircled her.
“I give mother!”
Or she’ll quit the moment the challenge grows, still her smile didn’t falter.
“You give so quickly little Zuberi. A big part is to seek out the unknown, if it means understanding.” Zecora stated.
Zuberi huffed the final traces of dust from her lungs before looking up at the wiser zebra.
She wasted no time looking..begging for any sort of hint to reveal itself in the contours of her teacher-mother’s face, but as the sands of time continually fall so did her hope for a quick answer. Her eyes lingered in vain before giving up and returning her attention to the bright object in the distance.
The strange, and shiny orb expressed nor showed other intent besides the drive to continue slugging along to its unknown destination. Going over her teachings, the filly knew it wasn’t any creature she knew of and yet her mother minded it as another scuff of dirt; a fact of life that may catch her interest if no present matter did.
Her mother softly resumed her humming, which Zuberi caught herself drifting back into its sway.
Something about it couldn’t be ignored and its importance to her foal days wasn’t the reason either. No. A more primal feeling kept her thoughts from outright wandering away from this song. What about it captivated her so much that her mother continually looped it once the song finished?
The most important thing Zuberi was taught day one was nothing was real, but a mask to hide the truth. Nothing should be taken at face value.
There’s a reason for the song, but what was she missing…
Off in the distance the unnatural object let loose the deepest growl the filly had ever heard; a growl that reminded her of a lion’s roar being grinding between two stones. Despite the distance Zuberi found the need to cover her ears with her hooves as she buried her muzzle into dirt. Her mother, if bothered by the irritable roar didn’t show it as her eyes shifted between her daughter and the shiny orb in the distance.
The object gave one final roar to remind the world of its presence before, and quite suddenly, shimmering out of existence.
The sun had finally passed them to only assault their backs.
By observing how relaxed her mother was gave the future priest the foundation she needed to continue on. To be afraid of the unknown but still have the sound of mind and courage to continue forward with the hopes that someday this unknown will become as familiar to her as the morning sun rising each day. She needed to be more like her mother.
She needed to understand.
“Mother? What was that creature?” Zuberi asked.
Her mother and elder of her future occupation looked down the corners of her lips raising along the crooks of her aging face.
The answer to her daughter's question was simple enough, and yet difficult to answer correctly. Zecora knew the answer, but how could you accurately explain a creature that could only be passed as myth? Simple. Just do it and hope for the best.
“They entire reason we out here, my child. A lesson I must teach. A lesson you must learn if you to carry tribe’s legacy.”
A harsh, but necessary lesson that will insure the secret not only survives but that their priests can continue being the ‘keeper’ of all knowledge. It is this burden that makes this knowledge a curse, and not a gift that could be shared with any, but priest and apprentice. A weight no parent wants to willing burden their child with, but it must be so.
“Come along Zuberi , we must hurry if we to make it in time.” Zecora said commanded.
The corners of Zecora’s mouth stretched upward as her daughter darted pass.
Zuberi noticed none of this as her hooves frantically pounded the uneven earth, barely managing to maintain her momentum. The farther she ran, the more the land gradually evened out, becoming more devoid of rocks, shrubs to the point all there was the powdered dirt and patches of prickly grass. It reminded her of the village, or in how the adults would clear an area while the rest of the children piled the stones and twigs for later use.
The ground resembled that- readied land for future expansion.
Zuberi slowed her pace after finally losing her breath, but kept a lit trot until her mother called out, bring her to a full stop.
“Hold little Zuberi.” The mare called, keeping her steady pace. “There is something to know before continuing, but the fact you stopped here and not there means the surprise is not ruined.”
“What surprise, mother? Where did that flying creature go? How co…”
“Peace be with you Zuberi! There’s no fire slithering about the brush, so ease your worries silly filly.” spouted the older mare.
Her daughter did as instructed and held her tongue as her mother’s ears swiveled up. Zeberi watched nervously as her mother stood attentively listening to the groveling wind that continued washing them in a much needed breeze.
“Listen.”
“What is it mother? I don’t hear anything.” Zecora smiled, knowing what was about to happen.
“False daughter. Because nopony speaks does not mean the world is silent.”
“Do you mean the wind?” her mother nodded.
“The wind and everything else. Follow and understand.”
The moment Zecora finished, she took off leaving her confused daughter behind as she ran at full gallop. She didn’t even make it 100 yards before shimmering out of existence; panic engulfed the filly before following her mother’s hoofsteps and ran after her.
She too shimmered out of existence, leaving only their hoof prints in the dirt. The wind howled, and than those to were gone leaving no trace of the pair left. The world around kept moving, never stopping. Always loud, never silent.
Zuberi found herself stiff legged, unable (unwilling) to move.
Her mother was but a quick gallop away, yet her legs would not move. Her ears would not work. The air would not work. The grass, bushes, animals, nosies….nothing worked!
Turning to looking back, she noticed the ground stilled showed distinct markings of hoof prints, when the wind would always sweep it away.
“The air” she thought.
There was no wind, just the thick..muggy excuse the air had become.
What entered her muzzle held an unidentifiable smell that Zuberi compared to one of her mother’s more advanced potions- it smelled rotten. The smell became too much, causing her to fight back the need to vomit. As she struggled to held back the sickness, she greedily drank the air and noticed another oddity. The air was off.
“stale.” Zuberi whispered. ”Stale.” She repeated aloud, just for the noise.
Every way she turned, an unnatural stillness stood causing the fur along her spine and neck to rise in response to her unease.
Each breath she took only fueled the beat of her heart and desire to run- until her mother spoke.
“Mystical, is it not?”
“We are cursed!”
“No. It’s their territory, and they rule how they see the world- a land needing a firm hoof to shape it.” She paused to point off to their right just as one a levitating, silver legged orb crossed some unseen threshold. One moment it wasn't there, the next it was.
“What we see is but a reflection on the water’s surface. They see both sides of this reflection and thus see a greater truth.”
Zuberi’s muzzle contorted from opened wonder to a frown before shifting to its final form of complete puzzlement.
Her mother is a very knowledgeable mare, a given as her role of Tribe Shaman demanded she know many facets of life. And everyday she was continually impressed (and intimidated) by the sheer amount she would one day have to learn and understand.
A thunderous boom summoned the pair’s attention in the far off in the distance, where their god’s used an unseen force to crack open the earth. Its skinny, needle like legs (six in all) clamping down on a massive piece of bolder before lifting it into the air.
Zuberi and her mother watched this for a good moment until two more appeared to repeat the entire process elsewhere.
“They are like big ants are they not?” Zecora asked her daughter, trying to bait a certain question.
When Zuberi failed to ask right away, the older mare flicked her foal’s ear.
Zecora encouraged her daughter to follow until they neared the edge of a small crater; from here, mother and daughter could see the faintness patterns of scrape marks running from to center. Another thunderous boom and soon many more of the flying objects appeared, converging near the other three.
“Momma, how do they fly with no wings?” curiosity finally taken root.
“I know not, but guess their will alone commands the winds to carry them.”
“They command the very winds, and shape the very ground we walk upon momma...who are they?”
Zecora hummed in delight as her mind tasted the question before placing a hoof on her daughter’s withers.
“Many years ago, I asked my mother a similar question.” she started, but waited as another load growl flooded the air.
“She told me she had asked her mother and her mother before her asked the same question. No zebra knows where they came from or why they are here. But we do know who they are and that is enough.”
“Who are they mother?” Zubri asked once more, the evident need to know shining brightly in her eyes.
Zecora did nothing at first, content to watch the ant-like constructs doing whatever it was they did with the earth before turning away. She met her daughter’s eyes and after a brief pause nodded, finding little Zubri worthy to hear the answer that had been passed down by her foremothers for uncounted generations.
“They are our gods Zuberi. Gods of the everything, masters of none.”
“Haylons Zecora?”
Through the fading shifts of the raising smoke, the zebra cautiously poked her head through to find her yellow furred apprentice staring back. Zecora’s eyes focused on the pink bow before drifting down to face orbs of her apprentice, wanting an answer. She pondered what to say, deliberately wasting time to build suspense as she chose her words.
The filly remain firm and unimpressed with this tactic her mentor loved to use on everypony.
“Yes, Lil’ bloom. Aliens.”
“Haylons ?” the filly asked once more, parroting the word but not the pronunciation.
“Indeed! Creatures of the night, aliens from Princess Luna’s starry mane!” That did it.
The filly blinked and broke into the childish fits of laughter Zecora had come to adore. Her appearance, Little Applebloom of the Apple Clan, had sought comfort on the worn wool carpet perfectly placed in the space between the cauldron and the bed to ride out her giggle fit.
“Tell me little soul, is this amusing so?” Zecora questioned unable to hide her own growing smile.
“H..alyons that came from the great beyond.. the wilds of Luna’s Mane!” the filly blurted out before succumbing to her laughter again.
The shaman broke her tutor image, giving into a chuckle or two as she slowly circled the cooling cauldron to be near her apprentice. A story passed from master and apprentice for a thousand generations, but memory that will only be shared between the two.
