Equinox

"Watch out!" she pushed her out of the way as the creature missed its leap attack.

Mariel landed a few steps away, but immediately reassumed the fight, cutting the goblin with her sword. The little monster squealed a dying shriek and lied inert on the ground. Mariel immediately turned, and in a moment was stuck in combat with the next one while Mittens had just slain another one with her improvised spear. The goblins still fought them, but every time with more hesitance with each new loss until none of them dared to cross blades with the mares. In the next five minutes, the last handle of them was fleeing down the cliff.

"And never come back if you know what's best for you!" yelled Mittens at their backs.

"Was that all of them?" asked Mariel as she stabbed off a wounded.

"I think so…" Mittens cleaned the sweat from her brow. "Phew! Those things sure know how to pile up inside wholes."

"Coward vermin" she hissed. "They used to have honor, will, and pride. Now they squirm under some overlord's iron fist."

"You speak as if you know them…"

"I just know the legends" she gathered the bodies into a levitating pile with her magic. "This place used to be home for many feral tribes. I've heard a couple stories about them." She was about to walk away when she spot something. "What is this…" she reached for something under a corpse and took out a sheathe. The piece was mistreated by the rough use, but its needlework cover had still masterful details. Besides, it still had a weapon inside. "Hey Mittens, what do you think?"

The sheathe fame flying to her.

"Let's see…" she cached it mid air and unsheathe it. The weapon inside it was a curved blade, like a scythe, but with the grip and balance of a half-sword. "Nice!"

"It's too good to be goblin made" she stared thoughtfully at the bright steel.

"Do you think they stole it?" Mittens put the blade back in its sheathe.

"Perhaps, or they killed its owner” the pile of dead creatures suddenly stopped levitating at the edge of the cliff. “Most probably the last one.”

"How sad…" she looked at the object with a little apprehension. "Anyone who'd wield these kind of weapons should be a great fencer."

"…Or head taker."

"Or head taker" she agreed with another look at the weapon's layout.

"Well, there's no point in arguing about a dead we didn't know" she sheathed her own sword. "Are you going to keep it or not?"

Mittens stared at the blade again, and contemplated its design. She didn't know what to think of swords and weapons professionally, but even her could recognize the artisanal touch in its craft.

"Okay, only until I know what else to do with it" she sheathed it back again and strapped to her back. "After all, this must have belonged to someone."

"Good call" Mariel nodded then walked to a body that was leftover. "Now help me out. If we skin one or two of these we could have a good dinner."

"Excuse me!?" Mittens jumped back, somehow between confused and horrified.

"What?" Mariel puzzled. "Don't you like steak?"

Mittens tried to say something, but all she could do was to wonder if she should answer or not.

…Luckily, she wouldn't have to.

"Of course I'm kidding!" chuckled Mariel after a moment.

Mittens took a second to realize it, but then snorted in amusement and shook her head.

"You almost got me, you know?"

"Yeah, tell that to our friends when we're back. Perhaps Breezes will swallow it."

Another snort of amusement.

"Knowing her, perhaps she'll even puke it!"

Mittens laughed at the thought, and Mariel only chuckle . She was covered in leftovers from the fight, and the general ache of her body called for rest through the rest of the day, but even though she and her companion were in pretty much the same state, in that moment a question sparked within her.

"Mariel, which herd are you from?"

Mittens expected something along the lines of a straight answer, but as soon as she finished her phrase Mariel instantly dropped her laugh.

"Who? Me? Why do you want to know?" she immediately questioned back, defensively.

"Hey, calm down, I just wanted to know" Mittens rose her forelegs in surrendering sign. "I don't mean to distrust you, but even though you saved us, we don't know who you are, and we're traveling with a filly. I just want to make sure what kind of pony are you, that's all!"

"I see…" she stepped back, thoughtful, and took a moment to respond. "Well, I used to live with Histling colonists in a settlement, in the western mountains. Before that I didn't really had a home."

"Interesting. It should've been a good life."

Mariel changed her expression, but hid it after a second.

Strange… If Mittens wouldn't know better, she'd say that the mare had been pray to a cramp judging by the wince that ran across her face.

"Yes. It was…" she said, but her intonation was different. Somehow… Off.

"Was?" she puzzled. "What happened?"

Again that hesitance, and this time, the change of mood inside the mare was more visible to her.

"We had a bit of trouble…" she began, evading eye contact. "I had to… Leave, along with everyone else. We parted ways in the process. Se la vie I guess…"

"I'm sorry to hear that" she muttered. "I hope they're fine."

"Me too. That and… Well and…" she suddenly went quiet, as if she had just restrained something from breaking loose from her mouth.

"And?"

But Mariel remained hesitant for another second.

"Well, and I believe that is all" she snapped and turned away. Mittens frowned confused, and was about to question her further but Mariel beat her to it. "Let's go get the other ones. There's no point in cleaning the interior if we want to be safe before nightfall… But first let's find a creek. We can't come back looking like slaughterers."

"Yes, I think you may be right…" she looked at the blood stains in her fur. "After you."

Mittens woke up. Around her rose again the walls of the broch, and, in the center, the last remains of the fire, emanating a soft red light as they died away. Breezes and Jingle were still sleeping, and Takai was against a corner, grasping on his samurai sword as he breathe steadily. It didn’t take her much to know that probably it was too early in the morning.

     Just as she stood up, Mittens inspected her surroundings again. The broch the last day had seemed as something out of a mad architect’s imagination. Something without use or shape, but in those early hours of the morning her vision of that place had started to change. Now it seemed as if the whole structure had been built to mean something else. Just as the sun hit its walls an peeked over their edge Mittens had the sensation that perhaps it wasn’t meant for strangers to hide inside, but to stand firm, to point a way… So sad that now its use had been reduced to a decent shelter and scum hideout.

     A movement outside drew her attention. Mittens instantly assumed guard stance, but then remembered that she hadn’t seen Mariel inside. Just as the shadow of the walker outside was narrowing, she didn’t loose time and went to meet her.

     As she expected, Mariel was outside, looking at the distance. Below the precipice, the valley that extended between the mountains was a green plain that embraced the course of a river, and space enough for a small town to be settled. It was somber now, infested by fog, yet that didn’t seem to discourage Mariel, and in the darkness that the sun hadn’t touch her eyes were scouting for something… Or just enjoying the scenery. It wasn’t such a bad sight after all.

“Good morning” Mittens greeted her.

     Mariel took of her sight from the landscape, though she didn’t seem surprised.

“Morning, Mittens” she greeted her.

“I see that you took the second guard” she stood beside her.

     When she reached her place it didn’t take her much to understand why was she standing there. Through the mountains a fresh scent of air flowed like an invisible river, and against the sun, her fur became warm and soft. She hadn’t have breakfast yet, but the place she was standing now was an ideal spot to recharge batteries. Specially when you’ve ended the night shift.

"Takai and I are going to leave you" Mariel said suddenly as she stared at the front again. "Our time with you is overdue."

     Mittens looked back at her with surprise, for she hadn’t expected them to leave so soon, but after a moment she complied.

     It wasn’t like we were starting to get along…

“So sad…“ she lowered her gaze, but rose it up after a moment. “Well, I wish you best of lucks.”

“Thanks” Mariel turned to her with a fond smile. “Good luck to you too. You have a safe heaven until your friend can walk again, and in the meantime you can scout for your survival. There shouldn't be problem for you to find food in the foot of this cliff."

“Yeah, there shouldn’t be a problem…”

     Mariel frowned slightly.

“You don’t look so encouraged.”

“It’s nothing” she suppressed the plead for them to stay. “I just haven’t had anything to eat yet, that’s all.”

“Right…” she nodded, but by her expression she didn’t swallow it. “I’m sure that if you travel south you’ll find someone to tag along. I’ve heard that caravans use to go around these mountains with good protection, and some of them, foolishly if you ask me, through.”

“I’d like to know who would be so dumb as to think going through here is a good idea” she sighed. “This place is far more dangerous than I expected.”

     Mariel shrugged.

“Well, there are some more stubborn than others…” she thought about it for a moment, then chuckled. “Thank the Horsemaster that there are others as mad as you!”

     Mittens thought about it for a second, then giggled as well.

“Yeah, thank her” she patted Mariel in the shoulder. “We damn fools need to cover our backs!”

     This caused Mariel to giggle louder and poke her back with her fist.

“Watch what you say or we could end up having a herd on our own!”

“Mariel and Mittens, founders of the Moron Herd!” she embraced the distance with a wide gesture. “Doesn’t sound bad for the most numerous one in Ponyland.”

     Mariel openly laughed at it. It was a sound that Mittens hadn’t heard from her before, and that in her person sounded so natural. It was a shame that she hadn’t heard her before… For a moment it made her wonder what kind of reasons would take a mare’s laugh away.

“Oh boy” Mariel sighed. “How many time has passed…”

“What?”

“Nothing” she regained her composure. “We should start looking for something to eat. With some luck we can even make some tea with the leftovers of the fire.”

“And after that?” she asked, although already expecting the answer.

“And then nothing” she muttered. “Takai and I are going to get on our way. Probably point your location to a Histling patrol… Assuming there’s someone that would like to get inside this place in order to rescue you that is.”

     Histlings… Somehow that seemed to meet something side her that she had disregarded before… Something that she’d came across not so long ago… Wait! That was it! In fact, now that she remembered-

“Is something wrong?” asked Mariel when she seemed to notice her realization face.

“It’s juts interesting that you say that" she rubbed her chin. "Because we happened to get across a Histling caravan as we were making our way into the mountains."

"You did?" she narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, and it was weird, seeing how they were being escorted out of here and not inside, as we thought. Perhaps… Perhaps they've beaten us to what we came here in the first place."

"Did you see where they came from?"

"No, now that you mention it. Breezes thought they were smuggling through the mountains, but I'm not convinced."

     Mariel frowned, disengaged.

“They shouldn’t…” she muttered to herself, then turned again to Mittens, a serious look in her eyes. ”You said you were here for a reason? What was it?"

"Well… We… were heading home when we decided to take a little detour."

     Mariel rose an eyebrow.

"Okay, a huge detour!" she excused. "Our legends use to tell about a series of roads and highways that used to traverse this whole region, built by the Crystal Empire thousands of years ago. But when the Empire fell the knowledge of these roads was lost, and now the mountains are a very dangerous place to get through" she paused briefly as she remembered what happened yesterday. "You understand the importance of finding this out, don't you? If we're able at least to map a fraction of these ancient trade ways, transit through the Crystal Mountains would be safely restored! Think of how many caravans would reach their destinations in time, how much time would be saved. It would largely improve the contact of the north with the rest of Ponyland! …And with my tribe."

     Mariel remained unexpressive until she mentioned her tribe. That last part seemed to caught her attention.

"Your tribe?" she questioned. "You never told me about that."

"I didn't?" she puzzled. "Well', it's not a long story, but not a short one either…" she rubbed her left leg nervously. "I guess that I'll tell you someday if you come visit us."

“Someday…” Mariel looked like she was going to say something else, but then silenced herself and diverted her sight to the horizon again. “If only Someday wouldn’t be so difficult to catch on” she muttered, though it didn’t escaped her.

“What do you mean?” she puzzled. “What’s wrong?” Mariel didn’t answer, and Mittens was about to press on, but in that moment a better question sparked within her. One that, curiously, should had come out before. “Why are you here?”

     Mariel didn’t turn in that moment, but the question had an almost visible effect on her. Her shoulders tensed, and the muscles on her face, even though she weren’t looking at her, became so hardened that Mittens could swear she’d grown a steel mask over her.

     Mittens gave a step back. Even though something inside her whispered to her mind not to push forward, she chose to ignore it.

“Mariel?” she pocked her, but her reaction instantly expunged any curiosity that was left.

     The mare suddenly turned to her, showing that fierce expression, as if she would unsheathe her sword and use it against her at the minimum provocation. Mittens jumped back, and by her mind the thought of dragging her own weapon sparked like a reflex, but thankfully she wouldn’t have to. As soon as that expression of violence appeared over Mariel’s face, it banished, replaced with a sudden realization, and then a burning regret.

“I’m sorry!” she backed away. “It’s…” but she ran out of words.

“It’s what?” she pressed, more exalted than anything. “I ask you and you react as if I were gonna stab you! What’s the matter?”

“It’s none of your business” she turned away again, this time completely. “Don’t ask.”

     WHAT!?

“What do you mean by that?” she galloped around her and faced her. “You haven’t answered a single question about yourself, and I’ve been nothing but honest with you. The least you could do is return the favor!”

“You don’t get it!” she snapped. “And for your sake I hope that you never will.”

“What are you talking about?” now she backed away, disengaged. “W-what do you mean?”

     Mariel seemed to doubt it, and Mittens was expecting another evasive, but in the end she sighed.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked her with a tone that was more like a warning than an actual question.

     Mittens doubted herself for a second, but then nodded. Mariel’s expression didn’t change. She looked back at her as if she weren’t denying her information, but, somehow… Protecting her.

“Mittens, you are a good mare” she began. “But sometimes being good doesn’t get you along.”

“What are you saying?” more confusion, this time slightly mixed with uncertainty.

“There are bad things” she continued. “In this world. And sometimes those bad things can put us at risk. Lives like yours or mine, we don’t usually meddle into other’s matters, but if the threat was there and it was real, wouldn’t you take a chance? To protect the ones you love.”

     She had looked away again, but this time in something Mittens could recognize as sorrow. She frowned. Even though she couldn't understand one word she were saying, the suppositions of what she meant had started to pile upon her thoughts. And all of them were equally obscure. Just one thing she could tell for certain.

“Mariel…” Mittens led a hoof on her shoulder. “You lied when you told us that you didn’t have a family, didn’t you?”

     Mariel didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. The pain that ran across her face, though brief, was response enough.

“I told you it wasn’t of your concern” Mariel stepped backwards, her eyes already watering. “It doesn’t matter if we find each other or not, our paths must part here, for the sake of us… And your filly’s welfare.”

“Jingle?” she frowned. “What does she has to do with this?”

     Mariel was about to respond, but something prevented her of doing so. Her look suddenly diverted to the distance, behind Mittens, and in a moment her face went from sorrow to surprise, and complete bafflement. Mittens was about to ask, but when the phrase formed in her lips Mariel was already running back to the broch. When she followed what Mariel had seen it didn’t take her more than a second to know what was she so altered: somewhere in the valley, at the end of it to be precise, there was smoke coming from the horizon.

     When she turned again, Mariel was already at the broch’s entrance.

“Takai!!!” she called aloud.

“You don’t have to tell me twice” suddenly jumped the kitsune from within, folding himself in his kimono and carrying Mariel’s cape. “I smelt it from here!”

“What’s happening?” she could hear Breezes from within.

“He’s in the farthest river marsh” said Mariel as Takai jumped on her back. “If we hurry we can get to him before he moves into another town!”

“Right…” he muttered. “Oh Bodhisattva, I just hope that we make it in time…”

“Hey, what is happening here!?” broke out Breezes. “Mariel, what’s the meaning of this?”

“No time to explain!” she exclaimed as she galloped away. “I will come back for you, I promise!”

“The Oni!” continued Takai. “We found the Oni!”

     Mittens watched them go without saying anything, mostly because everything had being so sudden that her mind hadn’t have time to process it all. Chilly Breezes and Jingle Jangle were already out of the broch, and were standing beside her, but all she could think, aside from how ridiculous they’d look like, cluelessly staring at what had unfolded, was a simple questioning that repeated inside her, like an echo: What had just happened?

“Oni?” asked Breezes, obviously as disengaged as the rest of them. “What the heck is that?”

“Ryakudatsu!” Takai said from the distance, just before getting lost definitely. “Ryakudatsu is here!”