The Game

"RISE AND SHINE STERLING!"

Amy was shaking the grey unicorn awake, receiving a groan as he simply rolled over. "Aaaauugh... Why do I have to get up?"

A frown crossed Amy's face, "Well for starters, if I don't teach you to fight things you might die. Also so that we could get outta this cave, you know it's midday right?". To Sterling's surprise, it was broad daylight streaming in through the entrance.

"Already?", his comment led Amy to sigh and facepalm.

They stumbled down the rocky slope to the woods, glancing around themselves at the surrounding trees. Soon Sterling was sweating through his grey coat, he panted as they neared a clearing, "Is there any water here? I'm gonna die from thirst before I die of... Y'know other things".

Amy just nodded and pointed to a pond at the center of the clearing. Sterling envied her for not having to wear a fur coat all the time as he followed gaze and trotted to the waters edge. He drank his fill from the pond and turned to find Amy rummaging through the woods. She turned to Sterling with two sticks, each about as long as Sterling's forelegs.

"What are those for?", Amy just tossed the stick in Sterling's direction, causing him to catch it in his blue magical aura.

"Well, grey one, these are for practicing how to use that knife of yours. That way, I won't have to steal it every time you get into trouble.", she paused as the 'grey one' slid the knife off of his foreleg. Placing it on a flat rock that rose above the grass. He trotted back over to Amy, who quickly knocked him in the head.

"Oow! WHat was that! Jeez Amy, That really hurt!"

"Then block it next time silly", and she swung again, causing Sterling to duck and watch as the wooden blur flew over his head. "Good, your learning", she said before she swung again in Sterling's direction.

This time Sterling was ready, hr swung his magic-wrapped stick to meet Amy's in the middle, a loud crack sounding through the otherwise silent clearing. The gray unicorn looked up at the woods as a flock of birds were scared out of the trees by the noise.

"Amy, you think that somepony could hear us?", he cast a worried glance at the human.

"Hmm", she thought, bringing a hand up to cup her chin, caressing it thoughtfully, "I don't think so. I hope not"

The day left them tired and they slowly walked back home as the sun started to set, their training sticks, as Amy had called them, were foating in Sterling's light blue aura. Amy had taken off her blouse and tied it around her waist again, Sterling had several bruises forming around his head, shoulders, and a particularly dark one on his rear.

A crash and rumble up ahead made them freeze, a tremor passed through the ground below them and made the two of them stumble. They both glanced at each other, "Earthquake?", the word had barely escaped Amy's mouth before another wave shook the forest. They both broke into a run, heading towards the source of the sound. The ground shook again and Sterling was thrown off of his hooves, landing with a grunt and dropping the sticks. Amy skidded to a stop and pulled him up, grabbing the sticks and continuing their wordless dash through the forest.

Soon the greenery started to thin out, letting more and more light pierce through the canopy. Another rumble shook the ground and Sterling stopped, panting and out of breath, "I'm starting to pant* pant* think that's not an earthquake".

Then a giant boulder crashed through the trees, flattening the undergrowth and barreling towards the pair.

"LOOK OUT!", Sterling's voice rang through the woods and he leaped at Amy, pushing them both out of the boulders path. He watched as it charged deeper through the forest behind him before a large knot of giant trees abruptly ended it's momentum.

Amy stood up and rubbed her head, brushing herself off and pulling a few twigs out of her hair, "Well at least the ground stopped shaking".

Then Sterling noticed the eerie stillness that hung in the air. After what had happened only moments before the silence was unsettling, as if the entire forest was holding it's breath. No birds chirped and not even the breeze was blowing, the rustling of leaves had stopped.

The two slowly made their way back towards their cave home, having lost their sticks in the earlier commotion, Sterling made a note to himself to find more of them the tomorrow.

That's what it was.

Their mountain had collapsed, crumbling like it was made of clay and practically melting into the ground. The work of the Gamemaster. Not only did he make the rules, he also shaped the land.

And he had destroyed their home.

Amy was just staring at the rubble, tears welling up and spilling over in her green eyes. Each time a drop hit the ground the silence around them made it seem like thunder. For the longest time they both stared, not really knowing how to react. The cave had seemed so safe, so strong that it would shelter them in even the worst storm.

And now it was gone, just like that.

Sterling put a hoof around Amy, who had sunk to her knees and was crying softly into her light grey mane. "I- It's okay. We'll find another home", he spoke softly as tried his best to comfort her.

That night they slept under the stars, in the middle of the pile of rocks that had once been their home. In the center there was a single overhanging slab of rock where they both curled up and let sleep take them.