The Most Precious Gift

by Dai Kirai

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Human
Length: 12167

Yejide, a contender for Shaman has returned from a journey to discover things are not how she left them and her life will never be the same again. My own take on zebra culture.

Yejide, a contender for Shaman has returned from a journey to discover things are not how she left them and her life will never be the same again. For her, home no longer exists.

This story is a companion story to School Days and follows the unnamed zebra without a cutie mark.

This story is based on the challenge by "Striving for Harmony" and while it does not follow Zecora, it does answer why zebra's rhyme as well as a few other things. It was supposed to come out at the end of March as it was my birthday, but life got in the way.

And sorry about the cover art. I thought it was funny and am too broke to afford commissions.

Published 2015-08-31 13:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-09-04 21:00:37 UTC

The Path of Wisdom

Yejide continued to stare at her flank as the human slumbered. The previous day it would have decimated her, destroyed what remained of herself. It hadn’t severed her past, merely started her on a new path, one she would cherish.

She didn’t want to return to her village, not yet at least. She might want to go home someday, even if she would never be part of the community she would eventually have to return at some point to get a mark or she would forever be an outcast from all zebras and her banish mark might as well be permanent, it may in fact be. Poison joke’s effects only had a short time to be removed.

The zebra stared at her patient’s pack, a brown thing that had been on his back, held there by two straps around his arms. It now sat next to her, an auviper fang still sticking through one of the straps from her fight. The material was a smooth leather, the hide of some alien creature. She wanted to know exactly what was in the pack even though it would also violate privacy and yet maybe things in there could help; the human wasn’t losing the golden pallor despite it already being the second day and it would surely have to eat soon.

What does their food taste like? Yejide pondered as she stared at the pack, her own stomach growling. There hadn’t been a decent opportunity to find sustenance without leaving the injured human easy prey for predators. Her own pack only contained a few days’ worth of rations, most of which were gone before entering the forest.

She flipped open the flap and dumped the contents onto a cleared patch of forest. Things had been neatly organized and more than a few pieces of glass tinkled down to the soft loam. Yejide turned the pack around and looked inside; several pieces of shattered glass had embedded themselves in the leather. It probably broke during the initial attack or by moving him here. Several pieces were curved, some objects were intact enough to discern purposes. Long thin tubes, small plates with lids. The sharp glass had cut holes in small bags that held leaves; the bag was some kind of foreign material; tough, flexible, air tight yet see through.

The zebra continued her inspection. There were hand covers made of a stretchy white material, a box with a big red plus sign on it, an intact glass jar labeled ethanol and another of iodine. Are these for health or testing? She wondered before realizing something else. The thing was she could read these words, they were written for anypony who could read. She continued to the small notebooks thinking the bottles may have been something he picked up. No two species spread so far apart could have the same written language. It was disconcerting as she read through three notebooks about different plants and animals and what they could do. So many were foreign to her; elm, poison ivy, dendrocnide moroides, poison joke, and the list went on.

Yejide set the notebooks down and continued to look through the items. A stand for holding the glass tubes. A camera smaller than any she had even heard of with a lens as big as the body. There was a hoofful of other unknown items including one that seems to go over a human face. There was a knife that was nowhere near as good as hers, water, and finally what looked like food. There was another clear bag filled with some type of oats with nuts and dried fruit. Another bag contained dehydrated strips of meat. The curious thing was the small tan bags labeled “Meal, Ready-To-Eat, Individual”.

Her stomach rumbled again along with a wave of queasiness. It might have been longer than she remembered. Yejide swiped a piece of dried meat and sucked on it while toying with the bag, it was sweeter than what she was used to. The package said it was from some creature called a teriyaki.

There were two bags of food, so each could have one, an actual meal while in the jungle sounded lovely. She grabbed the package in her hooves and pulled along a seam; despite the tough material, once cut it pulled apart easily. Several smaller packages fell onto the ground, each with their own separate label. Cheese Tortellini, cracker, assorted items and another pouch that said it would heat the food. She ignored the heating pack, not wanting to waste the precious water to activate it. She opened the smaller envelopes switching between squeezing and sucking the food out.

The flavor was good for trail rations. They were salty and heavy but would supply her with plenty of calories. The pasta was mushy and the sauce overpowered any flavor it might have had. A cookie in its own separate bag was dense and anything but sweet. Yejide savored the food as it filled her stomach.

“Wish that could make us even.” The human coughed from his place by the tree.

Yejide jumped at the noise, flipping around to look at the creature. His skin’s golden sheen was only getting deeper. “I am sorry to have partaken of your food. Sincerely hope I was not rude… in doing so.”

“Rude?” The human coughed. “I owe you my life.”

Yejide shuddered. There were species out there with weird ideas of honor.

“Besides, those things taste so bad. I’d rather you eat them.”

“Earth doesn’t have some sort of life debt does it?” Yejide scooted back, some species had weird rules regarding honor and duty.

“Like a Wookie?” The human asked, using his hands to push himself into a full sitting position, grimacing throughout it.

“A what?” The zebra shook her head. Such weird words

“A creature from home; a giant walking carpet. A big hairy bipedal creature.” He responded to her look of confusion. “Other than that I’ve never heard of a life-debt.” He quickly added to answer both her questions.

“Thanks be. Creatures like dragons are notorious for their hatred of help. They will hunt and eat any who try to save them to keep from seeming weak.”

Now it was his turn to look around nervous. “Speaking of creatures trying to eat us. Shouldn’t we leave soon?”

“Neigh!” Yejide responded quickly with a lopsided shake of her head. “You are incapable of moving yet. This plant can provide us safety for another day. I have no idea how to get out of this forest yet and this would not be a safe place after dark.” Any longer than that and a cure for poison joke may not come.

They both sat and looked around for a few minutes until the zebra broke the tension. “So you treat animal skins to produce leather?”

His brows knit.

“Your identification stated you were a tanner.” Yejide went over to his bag and pulled out a leather wallet which she plopped onto his legs. “Tanner el-who-rux” It had been spelled Tanner L’Heureux.

The human stared at her, mouth agape. “Tanner is my name. Humans have two names.”

“There are quite a few creatures that have two names.” Yejide interrupted. “ typically it shows their position. My name is Yejide meaning ‘the image of her mother’ who was arranged to be the shaman of another tribe.”

“And it’s La-roo. I study plants.”

Yejide heard his breath stabilizing more and more, the talking had helped. It was clear Tanner had to watch how much he spoke though. “Where is Earth from here?”

“You have to pass through Canterlot in Equestria.” The human’s eyes fluttered. “It’s a few miles…” He pointed one way then another, head dipping once. “West…” Then his head collapsed against the tree.

Yejide looked around the grove. Ground shaking as two large beige feet stomped past, at the top were four heads, the leftmost looked to the zebra then looked to the flowers. The hydra never stopped, the left head’s eyes went back to its path, tongue flicking out before chasing after a timberwolf. The forest was alive more now than the forest was earlier. It came to the zebra through the sounds and calls, the smells, the small glimpse as predators checked her out and decided the risk was too high. If she wanted them to get out alive though, these creatures would have to be understood and supplies would be needed. That would require a risky trip through the woods for several hours.

Yejide stopped at the edge of the grove. Clothing! She realized, thinking about how the human was garbed. The safest spot in the forest is this grove, especially while injured. Why not take the grove with us? The zebra immediately pulled out the knife, cut the stems on several flowers close to the ground and wove them together. She spent the next hour making a rudimentary jacket for herself, it covered down to her knees and up to her cheeks. Its bright blue contrasting with the background of vibrant greens. Bright colors signify poison. This should work as enough warning.

She stepped out of the patch of flowers, heart racing for everything that could go wrong. Already there had been one creature that wasn’t affected by magic, there could be more. That made her hesitate. She had a patient to care for, and a life she did not want to lose.

A pack of timberwolves lay several yards off with one of its members watching her from the corner of its eye.

Just like the start of your journey, just put one hoof in front of the other. Yejide stepped out of the grove and back into the forest proper, walking straight for the timberwolves. Each step was measured to show no fear. As she got closer, more of the pack took notice until all five were glaring at her. At three feet, they stood and moved off, out of her path. She walked right through the pack and further into the forest as the wooden predators returned to their positions.

Yejide was able to breathe a little easier and took the chance to find some new herbs to experiment with before returning to make a suit for Tanner.

***

Tanner groaned as he used the impromptu crutch made from a tree branch to stand up, covered in the azure of poison joke plants. The pack of timberwolves had left the previous night, leaving the area deserted.

“Think you can make it?” Yejide asked as Tanner hobbled through the smaller patch of flowers. She found a small bottle on a necklace and picked it up, she put it on after seeing the Ancient Zebrikan message. The weight felt reassuring.

“Don’t see why not.” He replied, smile smeared by a subtle scowl. “Would be nice to experience air con again.”

“What is Earth like?” Yejide asked. She had heard of Canterlot and the massive towers of marble, the deities that control the celestial bodies. But this other country was unheard of, not even a snippet.

“It’s large.” Tanner started, obviously floundering for words and to organize his thoughts. “There is no magic, everything is based on electricity, lightning in a bottle. We have massive cities that house millions or tens of millions of people.”

“Don’t you get tired of always being in such proximity?”

“Earth is larger than Equus by several orders of magnitude. The surface is mostly water, but there is still plenty of space for people to live in whatever kind of weather or population density they like..”

“. . .” Yejide stumbled, barely catching herself. “Another planet?” She had to work to keep her jaw moving, her lungs even refused to work for a minute.

“You didn’t know? But Celestia sent out messages to the different areas two years ago. Everypony should have known. There were summits, different leaders holding negotiations.”

“I have been… busy.” Yejide replied obliquely. She could accept her own pain, but to acknowledge it with others felt wrong.

Throughout their walk, despite seeing several monstrous creatures hiding behind trees, none even tried to approach them. After several hours, after the sun had started to set, they emerged into a small field. There was a single house nearby build into a tree, the top was scattered with birdhouses and other small animal domiciles scattered around. Yejide took a look at their poison joke armor, leaving it in the forest. Despite the coming darkness there was no sense of malice, just love and safety.

They walked for another mile, Yejide looked around at the peaceful area as houses popped up sporadically as they entered a hamlet. Straw thatched homes were scattered about, even on the edges of the town a spire could be seen in the middle as mountains stood in the distance. Every species, sometimes even every village had its own sense of architecture. The multicolored ponies were still milling about, giving furtive glances at what had to be a unique site. Surprisingly their glances lingered more on her than the human.

“Welcome to Ponyville.” Tanner waved about the arm not needed for support. “There is a hotel for traveling scientists, they should have a spare room. I’ll take the train in the morning to Canterlot. They’ll have lots of questions for me.” He turned to her and hesitated. “Thank you for all the help. You might want to visit Princess Celestia to tell her about that cure.” He had trouble swallowing something as the large node is his throat bobbed up and down. “If you ever need anything…” The botanist trailed off, unsure what to say and walked off toward a large spire in the center of town.

Yejide looked about, she could do anything. Even go up to Yakyakistan or watch the dragon migration. That wasn’t what she would do though; at least not tonight, a nice safe place to sleep. When is the next time you will see that. And as a doctor you have an obligation. The zebra knew what she wanted if only she could convince herself of the need to do it.

After another moment’s hesitation she ran like an empusa out of Tartarus. Legs pumping against the hard packed dirt of thousands of hooves trampling over it. Yejide had waited longer than she thought, as even with his slower speed Tanner had quite the lead.

He stopped in the process of opening up the door to a small house, and looked at the rushing hooves. “Is everything ok?” He asked, shifting his weight to better stand, worry etched on his face.

“Yes! You are still recovering. “ Yejide gasped for air, “What if there is some problem during the night? Infection and changing the bandages, the mixture of magic with your body, levels of toxins in your blood.” That wasn’t the only reason, but they were the ones she was willing to admit.

It didn’t have the reaction she expected. “Maybe I should pay for a private carriage to Canterlot.”

“They wouldn’t be able to treat it.” Yejide hesitated. “It was my own magic that allowed the potion to work.” There were other things. Were different types of magic banned here? And she was scared, only now realizing it. She didn’t want to be alone again, had tried her hardest most of the time not to be, even ignoring the customs of her journey. Mgungu was alone, he secluded himself to be more unbiased, she couldn’t even handle it a month before finding other creatures to be around.

“Ma binu. Mo ti puro.” It was an old tongue and never used, and embarrassing to admit. “I do not want to be alone. You should be fine, just let me change your bandage and you shall be good.” Yejide felt hollow. Have I, at any point, even queried myself on this pursuit of knowledge?

“It would be nice to have some company and talk.” Tanner resituated the crutch. “The ride back to Canterlot is pretty long.” He considered it a moment longer. “It would also be nice to have a doctor looking over me and get a chance to sleep in.”

Yejide entered the room behind him quietly. It was a single room with a connected bath, a bed lay off to the side and one corner contained a small kitchen. The furnishings were all clean and tidy shades of sunburnt yellow, even the air inside the room felt like a meadow. “Why are you being so nice?” The zebra asked, looking for where she would sleep, looking at the wooden floor next to the largest bed she had ever seen.

Tanner’s shoulders bunched and he looked away. “You saved my life, a life that probably wasn’t worth saving, and now you need help.” The botanist rubbed his neck, mumbling the rest of it. He then went into the bathroom with his pack and closed the door, a metallic click said it had been locked.

“I AM GOING TO PICK UP BANDAGES!” Yejide yelled through the partition and grabbed the small key that had been left by the entrance. She left and wandered around the village. It wasn’t exactly small, it was bigger than home by several times yet it still had that small feel. No matter where she walked the ponies milling about gave her glances but nothing more, she worried they knew what her Mark meant. Every pony has their own, they were mostly objects though, diamonds here for probably a jeweler, couch there for a shop owner, even one with a carrot.

She took time to see the city, went up to the giant central pillar which turned out to be a more ornate building, a tired looking matron dragged herself out of the building. What do I know about Ponies? One of the more widespread species. Matriarchal society under their Queen called Celestia whose age is unknown. Controls the sun and the moon. Three subspecies with their own specializations but rarely stratified. There isn’t much I know outside of the some flora and fauna. She realized. She walked while thinking, hoping to run into something that looked medical. Zebra’s kept their healers in the center of town to be easily reached, but the Saddle Arabians always had them pointed to the east. There was no telling where ponies placed their medical facilities, or even what symbol they used for medical. Is their queen worshipped? What symbol is their banner?

She walked passed a mansion, a giant symbol out front proclaiming the owner, a red cross with a heart in each corner. It was the biggest building she had seen yet, with a massive yard. Yejide pondered if the symbol was always in the family or maybe some sort of guild, it bore the same tudoresque architecture as the surrounding homes.

The town slowly grew quiet as the night passed. Yejide sat as the stars overhead came into their own brilliance, brighter and more clear than even in the desert.

“Beautiful aren’t they?” A white mare had taken a seat next to the zebra. “It’s to celebrate Princess Luna’s return.”

“Luna?”Has their god been usurped?

“Yes. This is the third year Princess Luna has ruled alongside her sister.” The mare was white as a summer cloud, soft pink hair in a bun behind her white cap. “After a thousand years they were finally reunited.”

“Why were they separated?” It wasn’t the question Yejide planned to ask, but it was the one that came out, she wanted to keep the conversation off of herself.

“The stories all say jealousy turned Princess Luna into a creature of darkness who was banished for one thousand years.” Yejide felt eyes moving over her body before going back up to the sky. “What brings you to Ponyville?”

The zebra released her breath and tension, scared of some hidden question. “I was looking for some place to get bandages. There was this human in the woods who got attacked and needed his bandages redressed.”

The mare gave a soft light giggle hidden behind her hoof. “Sorry, but you are standing in front of the hospital.”

“This manor? But it looks like a house! Where are the totems? The wardings for the sick? The aura of magic and death?”

“There are plenty of patient rooms and comfortable patients heal faster.” The earth pony’s muzzle lengthened. “We take very good care of our patients!”

“I meant no disrespect.” Yejide tilted her head and leaned back. “Most places it is left unchecked. Fear and malevolence surround the site, normally to the sensitive it is quite the bite.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were a shaman!” Her personality became bright again. “Zecora, she’s a zebra in the Everfree, came by to help along with some humans from the local Embassy. Is your patient staying in the- of course he is. I will send an orderly over with enough bandages to last.”

I am not a shaman though, does she assume so because of the medical knowledge? “Um, how do I pay for the supplies, I can offer services at the hospital or around town if need be. I have knowledge of many medicinal herbs and-”

“Nonsense!” The medical pony jumped up. “Zecora has helped us so much and the human’s run a tab and pay regularly. If you need any books on human physiology just come by the hospital and ask for Nurse Redheart, I will be working all night.”

“But I insist! There has to be some way…”

The nurse bolted after the first three words as if the zebra’s insistence were the start of a race. A trail of dust followed in her wake, billowing out before falling down in the dead night.

That was interesting. I hope all ponies aren’t as impulsive. It would be best to return to Tanner before the orderly gets there.

Yejide got lost on her way back, partially to avoid a brilliantly pink pony that had an aura of disaster. It was well into the witching hour before she returned to the room. Tanner had collapsed onto the bed atop the covers. A light had been left on in the bathroom, enough to illuminate the room and give her space to work. Next to the bed sat a large pile of bandages, more than enough to last a week but his leg hadn't been touched and was left naked as was everything but his lower torso.

She pulled a few herbs out of her pouch to make an antiseptic and analgesic spread. Yejide chewed the raw herbs until her tongue started to numb then rubbed the concoction over the two puncture wounds. As the orange paste came in contact with the wounds, the human’s leg twitched and shook. It seeped into the skin and lost the color, slowly becoming the gold of his skin. The skin also had a beige tinge along with bumps as if it had been scrubs with an abrasive. The zebra then wrapped the leg in bandages, careful to keep it taut.

Yejide then went to inspect the bottle. A small capped vial on a silver chain, the white concoction speckled with black. There was nothing else to identify it but other than the feeling of a familiar potion. She gripped the cork top which relinquished its hold with a solid tug. The contents smelled of petrichor. Her eyes blinked rapidly and uncontrollably before her head started to shake. Before any doubts could set it she downed the whole vial, there was no taste and it never seemed to touch her throat; it just evaporate upon touching her tongue. No potion had ever done that before and she was ever more confident who the gift was from as it thrummed with her own lifeforce.

Moments later her eyes dropped to the floor and her hooves gave out from under her. Yejide stumbled to the bed, using its height to keep herself standing. But every second her consciousness receded more. She climbed into the bed, the soft pillow felt like a cloud holding her muzzle, the bed shifted and changed to her shape, emitting its own heat. It felt like Heaven.

Yejide looked at the endless desert, stretching for miles in every direction. Sanding shifting and moving under her weight as sweat caked sand to her hooves. Her mouth had filled with dirt as had every open orifice, the zebra had never wondered what moving through an arid landscape might be like except for the heat and neat of water.

It had been three days since entering this pit of death and not even a scrub had been found. No plants, no animals, no insects; just sun sand and scorching sweltering heat. The sand continued to shift as the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. Dunes crumpled and coalesced in the ever changing landscape, only the moving of the sun could tell her which way was west. The sky above, what could be seen through the careening silica was bright and blue. Rustling of the sand and wind was deafening, her fur itself was so covered with dirt there was no feeling to be had except the sharp pang across her right flank.

‘Pang? Had the waterskin burst?’ Yejide wondered as something warm dripped down her leg. Looking back she saw rivulets of blood dribbling down her leg, the water holder was in the jaws of a creature mere feet from her.

The creature’s body shifted under the wind as pieces of its “fur” were blown off to be replaced with more sand. The creature appeared to be entirely constructed of sand, small rosettes of darkened sand splotted its body. The brown waterskin was entrenched in the sand leopard’s jaws, teeth firmly planted in the leather. Water could be seen traveling vertically up the fangs, drawn along by the sand with a harsh “shhhhhhttttzzzz” while the spots darkened.

It was something new, a creature made of sand, it oozed magic the way it absorbed water. Yejide ran through potential ways to attack it. Heat might evaporate the water it had just absorbed, but that might make it more desperate and she had no way to create such heat. Seeds might be able to use the water and root it into place, preventing it from moving. A strong enough wind could even blow it apart. If she had the ingredients or the time to cast any of that.

The zebra moved away slowly, unsure how the sand leopard hunted or if it did hunt.

With a shake of its head, the animal tossed the skein aside and searched the dunes before melting into them. A ripple moved towards her through the sand, subtly moving from side to side. Yejide sprung to one side as it lunged at her chest, yet her hind leg couldn’t stand the jostling and failed.

Yejide stared at her leg for a second before back to the hunter. She kicked with her leg; nothing. She tried again as the monster slinked towards her as a lion through the plains. No sensations even came from her right leg anymore. Her body ran cold as she tried using her other three hooves to move, there just wasn’t enough traction for the inexperienced. And in that moment of inattention it lunged.

Yejide felt the four sharp teeth pierce her skin while smaller ones gripped her neck, two large paws wrapped around her body and dragged her to the ground. Her heart raced as she tried bucking the creature off while the “shhhhhhttttzzzz” and its purring filled her ears.

Yejide’s eyes shot open as cold sweat trickled through her fur, the slight breeze through an open window didn’t help the chill in her bones. There was a face mere inches away, jaw agape, snarling emanating from its maw, golden palor that of sand; it was attacking. The zebra pulled her legs up and bucked as hard as she could, sending the creature feet and into the wall while using the rest of the force to push her the opposite direction of the side of the mattress. Her breath came in short quick gasps, readying her to run or follow it up. All that came from the wall though was a groan and coughing.

Yejide felt her neck and flank, there were small well healed scars, she couldn’t remember where they came from, some of many that spotted her frame. Uncontrolled shivers racked her lithe frame. It was just a dream. Remember where you are. Ponyville. Escorting a human to Canterlot. Banished from…

She looked again at her flank, where the coil of snakes wasn’t. Yejide stooed and circled both directions, but it was gone. Was that a vision? A dream? How was that a gift?!?! Her mind realed and struggled; her stomach retched, leaving a small puddle of bile over the hardwood floor. Her coughing joined that of the human’s. Control yourself! Get up! The zebra yelled inside her head. You have the bandages and probably broke several of his ribs. Your patient needs attention! GET UP!

Yejide slowly got each hoof under her, wobbling and shaking, but managed to move across the floor. Her breathing was still raged and the acid burned her through. She closed her eyes to try and focus. It wasn’t long before she found Tanner curled up into a ball.

Somehow the magic used to counteract the auviper venom still floated through his system and allowed the medicine mare to feel his system, to get an internal look at his system. Several of the bones in his chest were fractured, nothing the most severe, it would require wrapping and subtle movements on his part. All she could do was apologize and try to repair it.

It took thirty minutes to check and properly bandage his chest. Another ten to check the rest of his body for injuries then gave him a palliative and off to bed. Yejide stayed up most of the night, sitting on a patch of floor. Every time she closed her eyes there was the sand leopard at her neck. To pass the time she cleaned the floor, inspected her herbs, took a long bath and even submerged her body under the tepid fragranced waters.

Before long it was morning and the two were ready for the trek to Canterlot, the spare bandages made it into Tanner’s bag. Opening the door though they both stared at the waiting chariot, white pegasi clad in gold armor flanked the door. Yejide eyed the bricks of horses as they passed. There were two on either side forming a walkway to the carriage. When Yejide tried to pass between two of the pegasi on her left, their wings shot up, severing blades of grass in their wake, missing her snout by inches. She stared at the hidden edges of metal glinting between feathers.

Their eyes never wavered and never blinked, staring across at their companions. “Please step onto the carriage.” A canary yellow unicorn stared from the carriage. It was clear her smile was forced, and she stood just as the armored guards. Her voice was silty, sounded smooth with a hint of roughness, but it was all very forced.

The conveyance was, just like the guards, clad in gold. Behind the bearing straps for the fliers were two elongated benches facing each other and rising halfway up the sides. Tanner stepped up without a second thought, sitting across from the unicorn, warily Yejide followed, trying to keep track of the six pegasi. There was nothing to secure the occupants from falling out. Four of the pegasi strapped themselves into the front, they went from a trot to a gallop, wings flapping rhythmically.

Rising felt like nothing more than going uphill, rushing air through her mane. The only one who seemed unaffected by the wind was the unadorned guard, her cornflower blue bun never moved. Nopony talked as Ponyville shrunk behind and the Canterhorn grew in front with its castle jutting off the edge. Tanner kept moving his head, actually avoiding everyone’s eyes while his hands fidgeted.

Was the orderly actually a nurse? Did I do illegal magic? Is that why Tanner is nervous and we have the armed escort? Yejide’s thoughts ran, she was stuck though. Wait for more evidence. “Why do we rate such a fine escort to Canterlot?” The zebra winced at her own voice, deeper and more forceful that she’d intended.

“I’m not at liberty to say other than Celestia has ‘requested’ your appearance.”

Yejide tried to resituate herself, straightening her back, dropping her shoulders. “To what do we owe this fine honor?”

The guard’s eyebrows dropped several centimeters. “I don’t know. I was told to be there before you two tried to leave and to make sure you arrived at the castle safely.”

All movement in Tanner stopped. His breathing became shallow and the golden flecks in his eyes seemed to glow in the morning light. She couldn't tell if that was biological, her imagination or an effect of the light. They sat in silence as the castle towers got closer. There was no parapet probably due to its height up the mountain. There were not a lot of ponies moving about, in fact as it approached it looked like a ghost town except for the various guards stationed about, more than a few were some weird species with bat wings.

The carriage descended through the cloudless skies. Yejide contemplated jumping off once they got closer to the ground, making a run for it. There would really be no places to hide, the only zebra she had seen was hiding in the woods. Do zebra’s even fit into this society? Can they? Are we outcasts with Zecora being accepted because she helps a small town? Thoughts barrelled so quickly through her mind that she never realized the carriage had stopped moving and that they were in the middle of a garden.

Statues of ponies in regal poses surrounded large bushes. The pegasi unstrapped themselves from the reins. All four took up positions at the end of the carriage. The air felt different here; warm, yet cool, like the first rays of sun on an autumn morning. Slowly it warmed up, it wasn’t a heat though, but a different kind of warmth, it started on the inside as a sense of contentment before spreading throughout her body.

“Thank you for joining me. Would either of you care for some tea? I just got in a lovely blend from Russia. Donated from Mr. Putin.” To say the voice was singsong was an understatement, it was magical.

Yejide turned around. There, as tall as a human with a blowing aurora as her mane stood an alicorn. The zebra was rooted in place as the lithe white frame sauntered forward, almost gliding along the trimmed grass. The golden jewelry across her body matched the Princess perfectly.

Yejide went down low into a very formal bow until her muzzle touched the ground. But that phrase rattled around Yejide’s. Magical. Magical. Magical. Her brows shot up in surprise.

“You truly are a quick one.” Celestia giggled, moving a hoof up to cover her open mouth. “Guards, would you kindly take Mr. L’Heureux to the blue room and be sure he is well taken care of.”

The four guards gave a curt nod before leading the human off.

“Ai. That includes you.” Celestia gently reminded. The unicorn guard gave a crisp salute before moving off.

“She really is one of the best for these purposes.” Celestia said to nopony in particular, following the guard’s movements. “You never did answer about the tea. Zecora tends to prefer the blend from China. Kibitz can bring that out if you prefer.”

Yejide raised herself back to standing. At some point the carriage had disappeared and a small table had been set out with a porcelain tea set. Next to it sat a try of triangular pastries. She picked up the teacup with her hoof, Celestia was already sipping on her own.

Yejide stayed quiet, sipping on the liquid. It just tasted like every other tea though, maybe a bit sweeter. Maybe I can get some samples, they might have medicinal qualities.

“How did you manage to come up with Wyrm’s Root as a cure?” The Princess asked over the edge of her cup, eyes barely open.

“. . .” Yejide opened her mouth and let it hang there.

“That is a very difficult ingredient to come by. Wyrms themselves are rare. Did you find a particular one and follow it around or did you happen upon its leavings?”

Is this polite conversation? What do I say? Is this a test?

“Everything is a test. But I am quite curious.”

“H-how did you know what I used?” Yejide stammered.

“There are only three ways to cure auviper toxin. But he has your magic in his veins and the coloration is still there so you performed a rather complex alchemical spell. It has been centuries since that kind of medical prowess has been seen.”

Yejide dropped the cup, everything else forgotten. If the zebra had realized she was holding the cup it would have been thrown. “YOU KNEW!?!?!” She screamed. “How many have died because of you?!?!?!” Her mind was in flames, hooves stamping on the ground. “What kind of monster are you?”

“More than you could ever count.” Celestia fully closed her eyes but nothing else changed, not her ears, her expression or even her teacup lifted in her golden aura. “You are mistaken in thinking it is out of cruelty though.” Setting the still full cup back on the table. “I could cure all of their problems, solve every disease, end conflicts. But what would they learn? What would they accomplish? My job is to teach, as was Mgungu’s. How much have you changed in these last three years? Or twenty-five? How do you feel now?”

Yejide couldn’t even gather the power to swallow as she thought. She had gained pride, a sense of self, a love of herself and others. I am not who I was. “b-” she coughed, rubbing her own throat. “But why ask me here? Why present” she waved her hoof about, “in such a way?”

“Life is too long not to have fun.” She picked her teacup back up, emptying it in a second. “Besides, there is no better way to understand another mind.” The smile returned. “There is an interesting opportunity for you though.”

Yejide’s ears perked up.

“How would you like to visit another planet? Study medicine from a place without magic?”

Yejide couldn’t help it. Her eyes began to water, lips lifted, ears raised. “That sounds amazing!” She couldn’t control the constant shifts of emotion, it was hard to control her reaction. Fear, happiness, anger. “How would it work?” She felt like a foal again.

“We have an exchange program with educational facilities on Earth. You will have to apply but, I will gladly write you a letter of recommendation as, I am sure, will the leader of the human expedition here. You will be put up here for a few days, Ai can help you with the paperwork”

“T-thank you! But why?”

There was a glint in the eye of the goddess. “What did you think of the Everfree?”

Author's Note

Well, this is awkward. The story of Yejide's past was meant to be a one-shot. When I showed it to someone though I had to double the length (they felt it needed to cover her trip out of the forest).

I love symbols and creating worlds. Rhyming is interesting. However, there are times when Yejide herself rhymes. The question is why?

Celestia is best princess, and a caring troll.

oriṣa-binrin translate to... will let you figure that out. Will just say that it is the goddess of the soul, whose symbol is a crescent moon laid over the sun. One of the Zebrican pantheon of the old gods. If you read "Monster" then you may have come across mention of another, the goddess of the body whose symbol is three claw marks, has a lovely tree named after her.

The Path of Knowledge

Yejide rolled onto her back, tasting the early morning air mixing with the dry plains grasses. White clouds moved through the blue sky, tan stalks of wheat obscuring her vision. No souls were around for at least a mile or her warning wards would have gone off. So she enjoyed her last days of freedom. For today only, she might as well be the last soul on Equus, and she reveled in it.

Has it truly been a year? She asked herself as the wind blew lines through the grass like tumbleweeds through a desert. Yejide stared at her hooves as she raised them toward the sun as if to grasp the yellow ball. But, what had she really learned on this journey? She still had no idea if she was ready for her duty; what would she do after returning to her village?

Her life in the village had not been anything unique, she had tried every job like a proper zebra, knew every function and member of her herd. The last step was to leave on her twentieth birthday and learn just as much about who she was as she knew about everyone else. This year had also been to teach the need for others, how hard it was to live a life alone, to forage, to lack companionship.

Yejide let out another sigh, this quest had not been trying, but instead she felt unshackled by her call to be a shaman’s apprentice. Few were skilled enough with the ancient arts to perform the needed duties in protecting and caring for a village, not just the physical bodies, but also their souls. Rolling over, the zebra got to her hooves and stretched like the hyenas she had spent the better part of a month with, chuffing as she moved. The problem was, there were other aspects to becoming a shaman that still made no sense. She knew the reasons why they rhymed, at least the stated one, but it made no sense as it was too impractical.

The zebra pulled a small knife from its sheath on her flank, covering a large white spot, and used the knife to cut off a piece of grass and stuck it in her mouth to chew; it calmed her stomach’s growling. She wasn’t allowed to eat for several days before returning to symbolize her death and rebirth as a full member of her village. It wasn’t the most fun, but it would be followed by a large feast.

She walked the last few miles through the grass covered plains, ears twisting to check for dangers. Yejide spotted the round, straw covered huts of home and realized she would miss the freedom of being by herself. Not just that though, the freedom to explore, to learn, to not be beholden to a group. At the same time she was happy to be home, to see forgotten friends, to not have to forage every day and to gather extra in case of problems. The ability to discuss new ideas with others.

There was a small circle around the village, a warning to prevent unwelcome visitors. The zebra slammed her hooves against the hard packed dirt, the solid thunk spreading throughout the village. “This is Yejide of clan Uuko. Returning from her journey; she is ready to rejoin the herd and seeks permission to reenter the herd.”

She waited for several minutes before making the call again. “This is Yejide of clan Uuko. Returning from her journey; she is ready to rejoin the herd and seeks permission to reenter the herd.”

There was still no response. She didn’t dare cross the line. If it was properly warded she would be in more than a little pain. And even if it wasn’t, she would risk her return for violating the rules of the Rite of Ascension. The zebra had no idea how her return would be treated, every adult was different and the only ones involved would be her chosen and the one she chose to follow. Her best friend Kullinda, and the shaman Mganga.

An old stallion with his stripes faded walked out of a hut and halfway to her. His chest and back were covered in animal bones to the point his mark was hidden. He stared at her, his eyes boring into hers before turning back around and returning to his hut. He was out for only a few seconds.

Yejide stepped forward, barely stopping before the line. That was Mganga and he just walked away without a word. She inspected her body, maybe there had been some sort of protocol she forgot. The curved knife was properly held on her left hip, the pack on her right hip held all the herbs and natural medicines she found in her journey. She moved the stalk of grass from one side of her mouth to the other before spitting it onto the ground. Could that have been it? She glowered at the stalk, and internally at herself. Did the food restriction extend to consuming anything?

“Long time Yii.” Yejide relished the firm, but soft voice, this was the zebra who might as well be her sister; in youth they had spent every waking moment together. But Kullinda had hit twenty first and had to leave on her journey.

She didn’t realize how much she missed that particular voice, the exploration through the plains as foals, the experimenting with new herbs, the sneaking into the snack shed for a scone. Yejide’s first reaction was to tell Kullinda about her journey, the new things she had seen. There was such a thing as hair of the diamond dog which showed remarkable properties when mixed with Wyrm’s Bane. Or the use of ponyfeathers to restore flight to a griffon.

“Kay, you came! Is everythi…” Her voice trailed off. When Kullinda had completed her journey the year before she had become a protector; she, who would take on the evil to protect the herd. The leather armor fit her as it snugly covered her entire body including the face, leaving the original owners teeth at the bottom of her muzzle. Her stoic eyes just stared at the returning zebra.

“By request of Shaman Mganga, you have been denied reentry into the Uuko herd. Your only belongings shall be what you have on you from your trip. Any items left in Uuko will be placed into storage until Mungu Tayari grants you reentry, you die, or are forever banished from these lands. You will be provided with no food, no shelter, no stay. Nopony will be allowed to see you off and if you attempt forceful entry…” Her old friend let the threat- no, promise- trail off. Her eyes seemed vacant, as if Yejide were nothing more than a bug, not even worth looking at.

She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. This was her home. Her family. It wasn’t the loss of the books she had memorized, but what they symbolized; most were gifts from the herd. Her family didn’t want her - didn’t need her. She had to think. There had to be something.

“What are the charges?” Yejide glared, she could not lose.

“No charges. The elders have spoken. You did not fulfil your duties. You are not ready to return. There is no job here you could take.” Kullinda whispered, but her mouth didn’t move. “There was a set response you could have given. I am sorry. He said you do not yet know what it means to be here, that you are not ready. May never be ready.”

Yejide snorted, blowing air through her nose. She was ready to yell her reply, to make her old friend understand. But she had taken a big risk in passing on anything. A violation like that could lead to banishment. “I have spent the last year getting ready.” She hissed, she felt her lips receding up her face. “I can become a shaman.”

“Yet you do not rhyme.” It felt like an accusation, a stab in the heart.

“Because it is stupid and pointless.” Her voice raised on its own accord. “How is anypony supposed to learn if nothing is ever said?”

“That is why you are not ready. Your mind is still thready.” The voice was low and gravely.

Yejide instantly took a knee, that was the voice of Shaman Mganga.

“Now leave here and embrace your fate. Lest this one’s life you desecrate.”

She knew who the shaman was pointing at. Yejide wanted to argue, wanted to yell, to fight. She moved up to stare him down, and stopped.

Mganga normally had hard round eyes, some said he was actually blind, yet his movements had begged to differ as he had snuck up on her. But today they were different, different even from when he had exited his hut. They looked no different, just as black and just as small. But, somehow, Yejide felt a sense of loss from them. She wasn’t the only one losing something.

The now homeless zebra stumbled, bumping into the old stallion, ignoring her friend. One last thought struck her and she removed the bag from her right hip, unbuckling the straps on her leg, and tossed it to her friend. “I collected these for the herd anyway.”

Kullinda reached her muzzle down for the small leather satchel only to have it pulled away by Mganga. “We cannot accept this gift. Not from someone set adrift. This will aid you while you travel. Lest another life be allowed to unravel.” And her old teacher tossed the bag back to her.

Yejide laid it across her back and walked off; the last thing she wanted was to remain here. She looked at the sky, figuring which way to travel. To the east stood mountains and the potential for more herbs. To the west stood desert and death.

“If redemption you seek. To the west you must peek.”

Taking his last parting words as a sign to enter the Saddle Arabian Desert, Yejide set off.

***

Yejide looked back at the vast desert, glad to be out of it. A feeling of loss spread through her body, not of home for that had passed, but of something else. Something just out of reach.

She had forgotten a waterskin the first time through and had to turn back. As a bonus for her efforts though, she now had dried meat in case of emergencies. It wasn’t her favorite food, quite the opposite, but it traveled well and provided much needed energy. It also reminded any who lost their way just how precious life was.

Her mane and tail had grown long in the past year and a half, whereas they had both been shaved off in the past, now they covered her body; she had taken to braiding them just so the hair stayed out of her way. Yejide turned to the forest, another unfamiliar area which stood out in stark contrast as light brown sand met dark green ferns. At the border the two just blended together.

The zebra made her way through, large paths cleared through the trees, something bigger than her used them regularly; something with two legs and a lot of weight. Yejide moved off the path and into the denser forest, it would make her slightly harder prey.

She began to miss the plains and savannahs of home, the familiar ground and wildlife. Knowing what watering holes had which creatures and mineral deposits. She felt woozy from a lack of salt. A bush off to her left rustled for a second, stopping just before her eyes could focus on it.

Yejide pulled out her small knife, a splotch of blood she didn’t remember on its blade and handle along with bits of sand. The taste of life and metal filled her mouth, blocked by the sense of urgency. IF these are pack hunters than standing here will doom me. If it is a single predator I have a chance only if it cannot surprise me. She took one last look around, another rustle behind her. The zebra turned just in time to catch the hint of white feathers and green serpent tail.

She ran through her memory of animals, but nothing fit the bill. The inkanyamba was never so small or so far inland. Impundulu came with storms; a rockodile did not have physical scales. She had smelled the air to no avail. There was only one plan, she ran.

Her hooves made crashing noises through the lush vegetation and dead branches. Eyes and ears alert. She knew every predator would now be alerted to her presence. If Yejide saw a thick group of vines she would cut them and jump through blindly.

She stopped and many yards later, waited for whatever was trailing her to make the mistake of jumping through the bushes at an armed and trained zebra. And she waited. Nothing came through the brush after her. In fact, it was completely silent except for the sound of chanting.

Chanting? She listened closely. It was an older version, something the zebra hadn’t heard since she was a foal. Yejide followed the sound, still watching for predators. Before long she came across a large tree, there were windows and a door set into its trunk, but the tree was still alive. It even looked like the tree had been hollowed out.

“What kind of magic is this?” Yejide muttered as she walked around the tree, it was like nothing even heard of. Outside by a second door stood two masks, masks that most homes had. They represented ‘hello’ and ‘welcome.’ Following customs, she stamped her hooves outside the door.

“This is Yejide of clan…” She had never done this as just herself.

“This is Yejide seeking…” All she wanted was some company. For the past two years she had been alone. There had been others to visit and talk to, but while Saddle Arabians had a unique view of the world and unique practices, they would never have been able to understand her; she who was without a home. That home, that herd, gave one an existence. If this was a zebra and it followed formal law, then she would never even be granted an audience.

In the end, she had to try though. But, what would she say, how would she greet the home? Those griffons, how did they ask to enter? They were supposed to live around here somewhere. Although I am not sure where exactly here is. Andalusian Mountains?

The chanting was still going on inside, she recognized the rhyme. ‘Monday’s Child.’

“Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child works hard for a living,

Saturday's child is loving and giving,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath day

Is bonnie and blithe and good and gay.”

“If you are going to enter, though do not expect a zebrikan mentor.” The voice called out.

Yejide jumped back, she had lost herself in the old rhyme.

“Do not jump with a start, instead take it to heart. With this brew some help I could use, before you ask, your problem is easy to deduce.”

Yejide glared at the door, it was a shaman, a female shaman in the middle of nowhere. A roar could be heard elsewhere in the forest.

The zebra entered and immediately felt at home. This was the place of a shaman, one with deep spiritual connections. What is she doing way out here?

This new zebra came out from behind a golden cauldron and started gathering ingredients; pointing to others for Yejide to grab and prepare. There were more ingredients than the young zebra had ever seen; so many new materials. The one that grabbed her attention most was also the one the shaman was asking for. The spring green stem moved up to an orchid-colored heart-shaped petals that folded against each other, with auroelin sprigs sticking out of the bloom.

Yejide watched the shaman work. So many years of experience could be seen in the new shaman’s work, on the level of Mganga. Slowly the concoction condensed into a pure white liquid which she then bottled, cleaned out the cauldron and started on another potion.

“Zecora is thy name, to not ask is a shame. Knowledge and Wisdom are never the same. If one is just given the answers they seek, the mind becomes lazy and the soul becomes weak. Rhymes serve to force the young to think, and the shaman to learn and then to critique. Slow thoughtful movement is the life I bare, the better for knowledge and experience to gain and share.”

Yejide stood and stared at Zecora. Not even Mganga was that good at predicting what a zebra would do or was thinking. How could she know? The outcast blocked out the world as she thought, barely noticing the concoction hardening in the pot. She ignored that it was in rhyme, this was the first time anypony had made a comparison between knowledge and wisdom.

There was her blank flank, her lack of proper calling to enter the home, her long disheveled mane, maybe even having determined the ingredients in her bag. But hermits were a rare thing for zebras to become due to their need for community. The only times they would do that were in the pursuit of knowledge or running from something. This Zecora had not been banished; at least she didn’t have the mark of one.

“Do not misconceive, but it is time for you to leave.” Zecora said, breaking up the solidified mass and grinding it up in a small mortar and pestle. “You are needed in another place, if your future you wish to face.”

Yejide saw the sun lowering outside. She would have to leave soon. Where should I go? Where can I go? The world is so large and I still can’t understand. The markless zebra opened the door and stared at the dark forest, already she could hear predators up and about.

“The world it grows yet do not fear, pay close attention to that which you hold dear.”

Yejide closed the door to those finals words, the forest looked like a different world than it did during the day. Shadows were deep as a yellow spot moved through the black. A slight rustling of leaves and snapping of a twig off in the distance. The zebra breathed through her nose and mouth to get a better scent, the forest had become so pungent with the smells of death and life for the unfamiliar to parse them.

She pulled the knife from its sheath and held it as she moved slowly through the verdant brush. She took a wide path around a patch of cobalt blue flowers, afraid they were the infamous plant poison joke. Brightly colored plants were always to be avoided, even predators avoided them. She lost track of time unable to see the moon’s path.

Her mind kept going over the words, the rhymes and meanings slipping. Again, rhymes were inefficient, if they couldn’t be discerned quick enough; whatever they contained was lost. What possible use could they have? Yejide did wish she could have stayed in that hut, or with some company. Being on her own was wearing on the zebra. It was only now she realized how much. Alone, afraid, and mad. She did what she could to shove every emotion aside, hesitation led to death.

As she continued to wander the forest, around what she hoped was midnight. Yejide heard a rasping breath close by shallow and small The zebra crouched low and listened, taking rapid tastes of air. There was nothing else she could sense, there may have been a snake off somewhere but she couldn’t tell. The creature sounded like it was injured. She debated whether to help, maybe put the thing out of its misery as it was clearly dying.

She rounded the tree slowly, hesitant from a trap. There were plenty of creatures that would act weak to lure in prey and others that would use injured prey to catch something bigger. The trees were unmarred; bark intact with no loose strands. No limbs were bowed from excess weight; the foliage looked unmoved except for weirdly oblong footprints.

Yejide needn’t have bothered; lying against the tree was the dying creature, a product of its own stupidity. The creature had long arms and legs like a dragon,

The creature gave a weak cough, blood with gold flecks dribbled from his mouth. The auviper’s poison worked fast, turning whatever it bit into pure gold.

Yejide turned to go, but she heard the thing whispering; not just whispering, but whispering in a language she knew.

“Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” Its voice cracked, pleading. “Please don’t leave me. I know I’m dead, no one survives the King Midas Snake, But I don’t want to die alone.”

She turned on the creature; it shouldn’t have been able to see her. She finally understood ‘wisdom’ and it filled her with fury. There are things you cannot fight against in this world, the flow of time and the creep of death. Knowledge is useless against such forces. It is a wave crashing against a rocky shore. Everything has its time and- The idea of hopelessness and just casting others off.

“Oriṣa-Binrin no!” Yejide spat, at herself, the creature, Mganga, and the world. It was true, there had never been anyone saved from such a toxic poison, it worked too fast and the damage couldn’t be undone. But it was still alive. She approached, using her hooves to check the gums and teeth; she had to know what kind of medicines it could take. Omnivore, it has the canines, incisors, and molars. Good, it can eat anything, now just to hope the herbs aren’t poison to it. Knife still in her mouth she held the leg down and made a quick slice across the flesh, the blade was sharp enough to face no resistance as it cut. Blood trickled out, and with any luck some of the poison would go with it.

The creature stared at her in shock and the trickling blood. “What the hell are you doing?” It tried to back away on its hands, being against the tree kept it from moving.

Yejide replaced her knife. “It is to pull out poison. What creature can be so stupid?” She pulled out some itse and chewed it into a paste then placed it on the puncture marks. It left a green texture through her mouth; the paste quickly took on the color of the creature’s skin, in moments the thing was unconscious. Itse was a wonderful plant found at the bottom of rivers, an analgesic.

Unfortunately, now she had to drag the thing to that patch of poison joke. The shirt at least gave her a grasping point. The thing wasn’t heavy at 120 pounds, but it got stuck on so many branches, the clothing worked against the zebra. Yejide let his body drop and ponyhandled him onto her back. It was easier going and soon they were at the treacherous plant.

She hesitated; poison joke had a nasty sense of humor that couldn’t be predicted. Even a slight touch would cover a pony in pollen and let the magic infuse the target. It worked like a neurotoxin and spread through the body instantly, but it waited for the target to sleep and would then use their magic for its own purposes. The cure was also a very hard thing to find, next to impossible without a large supply and time.

Yejide trampled the blue plants, thoroughly covering them both in pollen. It would hurt later, probably hurt a lot. But it should counteract the auviper’s toxins for a time, death wasn’t funny. She laid him out, hoping it was a he by the broader jaw, and felt for magical currents in his body. They were so faint, it was as if this thing didn’t use magic like all other life did, that would explain how he was still alive and would make her job harder. The coloration has spread, his skin taking on a golden sheen.

Slowly the poison joke was working; she could feel the magic eddies if she concentrated. It was turning the gold into pyrite, forcing the gold to attack itself and not the host. If there was just a bit of silver she could have made a wrap to block out ambient magic.

Yejide realized the auviper would be mad at the lost meal, pulling her back off to see exactly what she had to work with. She picked up each item and placed them into a ceramic bowl. Soil from around her, the stuff from which all life springs. A bit of the plant from Zecora’s, having remembered it as heart’s desire to fulfil her wish. Wyrm’s root to absorb gold, a byproduct of their journey eating various minerals. And finally, she pulled out the knife, making an incision across her hoof, the creature didn’t have its own magic so this would have to be used to connect them.

Yejide stirred until it became a mass of paste. Theoretically this could work. Theoretically it could also kill. The soil would provide a basis for life to spring from the blood and travel through his body carrying her wish while the Wyrm’s root finished off the gold poison.

She took a hooffull of the concoction and shoved it in her mouth, the taste of blood causing her to retch and force the zebra to her knees. That was one taste she couldn’t stand, even with the hyenas. Yejide gathered her will, there was no way this would defeat her, not after struggling and fighting so save his life. Spitting a small amount onto the leg wound, she rubbed it over; glad the creature didn’t wear full length pants.

The next step would be the more vital. She moved up to his head, rechecking his mouth, checking the throat, checking his pulse and that he would stay asleep. The zebra pressed her lips against those of the creature; they had a chill while his mouth contained an intense heat. Slowly Yejide used her tongue to move the concoction into his mouth, working her hooves along his throat, forcing him to swallow. After the third bit she felt him respond, his lips moving. She ignored his motions and finished forcing the medication into his system.

She sat back and waiting, pulling off her waterskin and swallowing what medicine remained in her mouth. It needed to connect them. Now all she could do was lie down and wait, hopefully come morning the thing would still be alive.

***

Yejide rolled onto her back. The scent of life and the fight for survival filled every sense. She was connected to the world like never before, stretching her legs toward the sky. A soft breeze causing the poison joke to wave in the crisp morning air. Soft snoring could be heard from deeper in the patch, the creature was still alive. It had woken up just long enough to give thanks and say it was a researcher from some country called Earth.

It had been a crazy night, the auviper had tracked them, Yejide had barely woken up in time to kill it. But, there was a sense of peace she had not felt before, it was profoundly more than during her journey.

Mganga was right. I would be a horrible shaman. He has to decide what is worth spending resources on, who is more important to the community and who to save in a disaster. Or worse, in an epidemic who gets saved. That is not me. The realization came to her during the long night. I am too much the fighter. I could have died, poisoned myself, fallen into a trap. All on being able to do the impossible. Buck wisdom.

Yejide looked at her flank, it had caused her to freak out during the night until she realized it was the joke. The funny thing was, it led to her discovery. There, where her mark would go was the sign for BANISHED. A ball of fighting snakes, a creature that would kill itself and everyone else they were near.

Author's Note

This is the original story minus the epilogue. Chapter 2 (which is what I needed to add based upon hearing back from a prereader) and will be their trip to Canterlot and her deciding to travel to Earth. The epilogue will be what it sounds like, her moving on and reflecting on the journey.

The Path Ahead

Yejide sat in a small meadow near Janss Steps; a human sat in a hammock tied between two trees. Physiology books lay on the grass as she thought of her past life as she doodled designs in a notebook. It was a dear gift. She pulled down her right ear to look at the betrothal ring again. Gold inlaid with a piece of cork etched with the ancient Zebrican word or “GIFT”. At one point that cork had helped hold something found at the edge of the field of poison joke and had been filled with a white fluorescent liquid with black specs. It was the concoction she had helped Zecora brew. A cure for poison joke infused into a memory spell. It kept the memory of the desert from fading forever back into the black abyss..

She looked down at the verdant grass, felt the cool breeze through her mane as the sun warmed her fur. Cranes flew ahead, while others moved around the crystal clear pond. Further away stood a waterfall of jade and in the middle of it all a copper column, this was Mt. Kunlun, it was perfection. The zebra stared at the bland wooden door set into the copper pillar.

“You know that if you leave all you will find is pain.” The Queen Mother of the West spoke.

And Yejide knew it with all her soul, and knew this was a place she could never return to. There were others here of all different makes, all getting along, and if she left and saw many of these species again they would try to kill her. She still had sixth months left of her journey though and had found such wonderful materials like Wyrm’s Root to deliver back home. Pain filled her chest as she looked at the Queen in all her heraldry and gowns, wings folded at her side.

“I can’t.” Yejide looked back to the door, it felt impossible, picking one or the other.

The Queen Mother of the West bowed her head. “I understand.” With a wave of a hoof, the door opened, inside was pitch black. “Safe travels young one.”

“And peace be with you.” Yejide made a long formal bow until her chin lay along the ground. She turned and stepped for the door; the instant she did that though she woke back up in a desert. Just as she had appeared back in the desert instantly, as did her memories of Mt. Kunlun faded.

She found herself in the desert, far from any civilization. The dawn light showed blood caked sand at her hooves.

Yejide twisted her head to get a good look at the drawing. It was a winged staff with two snakes winding their way up its length. The Caduceus, human symbol for medicine. She had finally been accepted to John’s Hopkin’s School of Medicine, she was finally on her true path which meant a pilgrimage back home to get her chosen mark emblazoned on her flank by Mganga, or if he had passed, the new shaman. Whether or not the tribe would accept her again, they would not hinder her journey. Her flank would no longer be blank.

It was a hard life, filled with pain and struggle and the zebra wouldn’t have it any other way. For it had its own unique beauty and mystique for without the hardship the joys meant nothing. Nopony could know everything and fighting against death was futile. But, she was never that wise of a zebra.

Author's Note

This is the epilogue. I actually like this character and will probably revisit her at some point. What do you want to see though?

You really want to see something fun? Look up Mount Kunlun. It may change the story a bit and her fight against death.