Valley of the Fog

”When will you be back?” The small filly asked, her words echoed around Coyote’s ears.

“Are you ok, Sir?” The mare next to him questioned.

Coyote snapped out of his train of thought. He glanced over to his left, walking beside him was a purple alicorn, her mane was purple and violet with a pink streak running down the left side of her mane. Her Cutie Mark was a dark pink star surrounded by five smaller white ones. She also wore a face of concern and guilt which worried Coyote more than ever. He shook his head, realizing the foal he knew and cared for was not around. The stallion walked beside the young mare, following her on the gray gravel road they traveled on.

Coyote scratched the back of his ear with his hoof, fearing he may be hearing things once again. “What did you say Miss? I thought you said something?” He asked the purple mare beside him.

“I asked if you were ok, Mister. You seemed… Fixated, on something?” She urged in a worried tone.

Coyote closed his eyes and slowly shook his head up and down, informing the mare he was sound in nonverbal communication. The purple mare nodded in understanding, knowing that the stallion did not want to talk about his situation. As they progressed through the dark forest Twilight grew impatient and irritated regarding the stallion next to her. Not planning to wait until they reach Ponyville, Twilight focused her eyes on the stranger and spoke in a charming tone.

“Soooo…” She started. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, what's your name kind Sir?”

The stallion looked at the mare with curious eyes almost as if he had never been asked this question in a long while. “M-,  My name?” He hesitantly asked.

“Yes, your name?” She smiled.

The Stallion stopped and brought out a hoof for Twilight to shake. Twilight turned around and inspected the hoof with joy, she calmly took the hoof and shook it.

“My name is, Coyote” He said. “Coyote Scavenger” He repeated.

“That’s an odd name? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cot-ioy? Am I saying that right, Sir?” She asked in an apologetic tone.

Coyote laughed “Close,” He proceeding to walk on the road beside Twilight Sparkle. “Its, Kia-oh-Tee.” He explained and corrected her.

Twilight giggled. “Sorry, it's just a bit hard to pronounce with-” Twilight stopped mid sentence as her eyes scanned over the rump of the stallion.

No Cutie Mark was seen on the stallion’s flank. It was barren and deprived of any sort of symbol. The mare’s eyes widened with surprise. Coyote followed her gaze and quickly caught on to what the mare was surprised about. Coyote only smiled at the concern face of Twilight, now knowing that the mare cared for the ponies around her. To him. It was a very rare site.

“A cutiemark?” He directed his attention to his blank flank. “Yes ma'am, I have no mark,” Coyote Smiled, eyes focused on the road ahead.

He had mixed emotions on the subject. It was not common that ponies wouldn’t bare a cutiemark or some type of symbol. It was actually rare to see a pony without one. But most would push it to the side and say they have not found their talent or just simply find one. That or the other...

“I’m sorry!” She immediately and quickly responded to Coyote’s comment. “I’m just not used to seeing a pony without a Cutie Mark, It’s… different? Did you not find your talent?”

Instead of answering the mare’s question, he ignored her. Not in cruelty or anger, but in shyness. He was never jealous of the ponies who bare their own mark. He thought of not having a mark as a gift. It could mean he had more than one talent, or he was special in some supernatural way. Either way. It was a strange site to see.

They continued their walk without any words. Twilight felt guilty for asking such a private question. But in the end it was only instinct. The two travelers reached the end of the dark scary forest. Light from the sun dipped behind the mountains, blinding the stallion for an extended period of time. Not long after the flash of unexpected light, Coyote’s eyes adjusted to the bright environment.

The land was white and lush, the water that lead through the town was cyan and clear, and the air was fresh with the scent of tree sap and freshly watered grass which invading the stallion’s sense of smell. It was powerful. It all was a sense of change for him. He was, to a great extent, stimulated and excited. When looking down at the world he felt color blind. It was just too bright with lights and colors being very vivid. He felt like he was in a different world. And in a way he was. Was this truly their once fantasized home?

Coyote’s thoughts were interrupted by a clapping of hooves.

“Welcome to Ponyville!” Twilight greeted. “A friendly place with friend to make and ponies to greet!”

Coyote smiled at the mare’s joyous demeanor. “Well it sure seems, friendly” He pointed both eyebrows at the mare.

The two laughed with happiness in their souls. The laughing ceased after a short intake of air. The two ponies made their way down the now changing dirt road, into the brightly lit town. Twilight held the look of thought while Coyote stared in awe at the localized area that glowed in bright colors.

“Sir?”

Coyote turned his attention at Twilight. “Huh?”

“If you don't mind me asking. Where are you from? And what were you doing in the Everfree Forest?”

The pony cringed at the question. “I’m from Doug City, I took a shortcut” He lied..

“A shortcut?”

“Yea?” He chuckled “A shortcut?”

“Huh…” She looked away, ending the conversation.

The two ponies entered the town without question. The town was beautiful in the eyes of Coyote. He was fascinated by the colorful things he saw. The layout of the buildings, the size of the population, and the area all together. The ponies in the town appeared clean and sane. From a distance, the ponies also seemed friendly and nice. They cared for one another and they always display a smile across their face. He could not get over the feeling, it felt different, it just felt so different! Like a dream. Like a dream that was too fake to be real.

Was he actually dead and hadn’t noticed it yet?

He turned his head back to Twilight, afraid to find her missing and lost. But she was there, well and alive. When turned back, he found himself standing in front of a large tree like castle. The tree’s bark? was made from some sort of crystal and the door was made of gold with silver outlining.

What the―

“Well? I guess this is where we depart!” She sheepishly smiled, tapped the tip of her hoof against the steps of the castle.

Realizing the large temple that stood in front of him was the young mares home, he stepped back and off the white marble stairs. “Right! Sorry to bother you,” He said scratching the back of his head with embarrassment.

“No problem. Anything to help a fellow pony. Uhmm, can I ask you one more question?”

“Yes ma’am?”

“Did you bring any saddle bags with you by any chance?”

The brown stallion instinctively reached for his back and patted his side,feeling for his belongings. In next to no time, he became conscious that he had left his bags and his knives back in the forest, in the hut the two recently came from. His eyes widened, he sprinted away from Twilight’s home and off towards the dark forest. “Wait! Where are you going!” She yelled.

“I forgot my belongings at Zecora’s hut!” He called back. “Don't worry ma’am! I'll be back in Ponyville later tonight!”

As the stallion fell out of Twilight field of vision, she sighed and shook her head left and right, knowing that the stranger would take some time before he returned to Ponyville. Twilight let the scene pass her by and entered her new home.

He re-entered the forest. Running pass bushes and trees. He came to a stop, seeing the all too familiar cobblestone road that lead to the hut of his fellow helper. He knocked on the door with his dirt covered hooves and waited for a response. Time passed and the door opened slowly, he was greeted by the same black and white striped face of Zecora.

“Greetings friend, as we meet time and time again,” She stepping aside for the stallion to enter her hut.

“Thank you, Zecora” He panted, regained his breath from the long run. “I think I left my belongings here ma’am?”

Zecora nodded. The zebra walked over to nearest table and brought out a small sheath and a single strap daypack. In the sheath were three metal objects though they were hard to judge due to how well hidden they were. She gave the daypack to its respective owner but kept the sheath. She held the black fabric in front of Coyote and took out one of the three objects in the Sheath. It was a small knife with no supporting handles. She rotated the knife in her hoof, it shined in the light. Sweat dripped down the stallion’s left forehead, rationalizing an excuse to say to the shaman. Zecora put the knife back in the black fabric, into the holster. Giving the sheath back to Coyote.

“What is your profession, if I may question?” She ask with a brooding expression.

If only I could tell you the truth, would you understand “I..” He thought. “Used to be a hunter…” Again, for the second time of today. He lied.

Zecora, was flabbergasted. Coyote knew that he, and like the rest of his equine kind, did not eat meat. They were herbivores. But it is true that some ponies could hunt for food for their dogs or cats. That much he knew, but he was uncertain if those rule applied in this world, It was not common though.

“I understand, but was it unplanned?” Zecora walked over to her cauldron and uncovered the top. it was empty.

“No,”

“What task, if one were to ask?

“I don’t want to say…”

The shaman nodded in understanding. She walked to one of her many shelves with books and potions. It was an awkward moment. Coyote strapped his belongings to his daypack and threw said daypack over his shoulders, landing perfectly on his back. Coyote totted over to the front door of the wood hut and tapped its rough surface.

“May I leave?” The zebra closed her eyes and nodded her head. Coyote took another glance at the mare before exiting her strange hut. “Can we keep this between us?”

Zecora looked back at the stallion with soft eyes. “Yes we may,” She smiled. “It will not weigh,”

With few words said. He left the hut and in the direction of Ponyville. He pulled his hood over his head which covered his eyes and his features.

She was very understanding...

The night air was cold and quiet, the moon was hovering over the mountains and the sky was littered with twinkling stars. His hoofsteps did not echo like they normally would when at home in luna’s night time. The streets were empty, the lights above lit the yellow dirt road, and the houses were asleep. Coyote became paranoid. Not because of the dark, but because of the empty silence. It was eari. It was different. It was change as said before. but he could not get that through his head.

Coyote winced at the sudden sound to his right, he brought his right hoof next to his chest by habit. Where the sound came from, was of the utmost surprise. The building next to him was a haven of candy. Its walls were made of dark brown graham crackers and It’s roof was made of frosting and cakes. Decorating the sides of the home was chocolate and more frosting. The sound that emitted from the strange structure were laughing ponies. It could not be any more obvious with the high pitched voices.

Coyote glared at the architecture with a raised eyebrow, wondering why somepony would make a home made entirely of candy. The light that came from the home flickered on and off. The shadows from inside the house danced and twirled in different directions. It was nothing more than a mares party.

He looked away from the house and walked further into the town with his daypack in tow. His walk was short, and his mind grew tired from the stress of memories. The sound of water fell.

A fountain?

He moved his head over the pale concrete wall and gazed into the clear liquid. It was clean and his reflection showed, behind him was the bright moon. Coyote unclipped his daypack and threw it to the side. He sat down on a wood bench that lay close to the fountains side, he opened said daypack and brought out a small rectangular photo.

In the picture were two earth ponies, a small filly whose mane was long and black, her coat was white gray with gold rings wrapped around her four hooves and her eyes were a bright amber. In the photo, she was sitting on the shoulders of a stallion. The second earth pony was a pale brown stallion. He wore a large red winter coat and a large hat that covered the top of his head, hiding his ears and mane. It was mostly used in the winter times. In his left hoof, he held a large bottle. On the side of the bottle, written in bold letters were the words “Alcohol”. And the pegasus, was him. Supporting the little filly on his shoulder.

He smiled at the fond memory.

Coyote placed the photo back in his bag, putting it between his 3 packs of MREs and his canteen where a small plastic bag was sitting. He opened the plastic bag and placed the photo inside. He took out one of the MREs and placed it on the wood bench he sat on while still rummaging through his belongings. Pink hooves made their way into Coyote's line of site. He quickly reached for one of his knives in his daypack but kept it out of view from the pony. He slowly looked up, grip still held strong to the weapons handle.

“HI!” The pink pony smiled, her white teeth and blue eyes seemed to shine in the dark. She was dressed in dark pink pajamas with different color candies decorating its surface. “What’cha doin!” She asked, her smile seemed to grow.

He stared wide eyed at the pink female. Who is she!? He asked himself, panicking over the bizarre situation. How did she sneak up on me, I didn’t hear any hoofsteps!?

“Pinkie! Darling! What are you doing!” A more adult figure interrupted, the voice was feminine and seemed to show a more mature volume unlike the pink pony whose voice was high pitched. Coyote quickly put the knife back in its sheath and sat up. A mare whose mane was dark blue and coat was white approached the two and just like the pink pony, she was also wearing pajamas. “What did Twilight say!”

Twilight?

“She said not to bother him?” The pink pony sheepishly shrugged her shoulders.

“Thats right!” The white mare said, lifting her head up high. “And what are you doing!”

“Asking him why he was about to eat out of this strange thingy that looks like a box?” She held up the MRE.

Coyote looked back at the bench where he assumed his dinner was, but was now in the hooves of the pink mare. Coyote quickly stood up on all fours and snatched the plastic covered food from the mares grip with insecurity. “Tha-That’s mine!” He choked.

“Pinkie Pie!” Another voice jumped in. It was Twilight! She like the other two females, was in pajamas. “I am so sorry, Coyote!” Twilight apologised, lowering her head. “I didn’t realize, Pinkie would come up to you at such a late night!”

Coyote was confused, and scared. The situation he was now in, was very sudden. He placed the MRE back in his bag, zipped the one strap pack close and throwing it over his shoulder. He trotted away from the three mares and further into the town. The pink pony yell as he trotted farther, and farther away from the group...

It was silent. It was quiet. Either way it was described, there was nothing other than the large sphere in the dark sky and the lamps that showered the streets in light. He was nearing the center of the town. Across the street was a Town Hall. Coyote trotted over to the porch of the Hall and sat down, hoping to get some rest after the stressful scenario.

Repeating the same actions as he did at the fountain, he opened his daypack and brought out the MRE. He opened the MRE. Inside the brown bag was lettuce, crackers, bread, salt, and many other substanince, but a very small amount. Enough to leave his belly full for half a day.

Coyote stared down at the food he held in his hooves. He was hungry but the scene from before had left him in thought and unenthusiastic about his dinner. “It's just change, Coyote?” He told himself. “They were just trying to be friendly,”

He picked up his fork on the side of the plastic plate with his right wing and dug it into the salad. He brought the fork to his mouth and ripped the dry plant off the black plastic. There was no taste in the food he ate. He repeated the process twenty-seven times until the plate was deprived of food. He opened his bag once more and brought out his green canteen. He taking a swig of the fresh water, washing down the left over food in his throat..

He threw the now crinkled up plate and MRE container into the nearest trashcan. He walked back to his spot on the porch, gathered his luggage and tucked them under the steps of the wood foundation. leaving behind his personal effects and venturing further out into the dark streets of the town.

...No yelling...

...No screaming...

...No agony…

Even in the dead of night, the world was silent. A silent world with peace. He had to climb higher and discover the sky, see if it was as clear as the stories said they would be. He opened his wings and threw them towards the ground, sending him skyward. The wings he flew with were enormous and wide, the sheer size would send any Pegasus to envy such beauty. He dodged the clouds with ease, the liquid contained in the gray would soak his sweatshirt in H2O. leaving him to shiver in the cold.

He pierced the gray textured cotton and above up was a large portion of open space where the free could roam and fly. The stars around him twinkled. It was a dream, a gift from… Somewhere.

Letting his wings relax, he drew them back to his side. His full bandaged and scarred body fell. He approached Equestrian ground at high speeds. The wind that past him made him feel weightless and powerful. In the first time in his life, he felt like he was actually alive. His wings opened. He avoiding the ground by mere inches,  Coyote found himself gliding two feet above the ground.

Deciding to get a better view of the village. He propelled himself into the sky once more and took flight, away from the humble town. He gazed down at the village near the outskirts of Ponyville. His eyes caught the sight of a steep cliff, he glided down towards the cliff. He touched down on the soft grass, he watched the town from said cliff while also feeling a strong breeze. Coyote unzipped his hoodie and hung it at the edge of a tree branch where it flapped in the wind. He walked further towards the edge.

Coyote opened his wings and closed his eyes, he could feel the same wind that blew around his clothing, brush against his bandages, coat, and mane. Tears poured down the stallions cheeks leaving a dark stain down his face. The heart that kept this stallion alive pumped blood through his veins. The feeling was indescribable. The wind, the air, the light. It was nothing he imagined.

His knees gave out, he sat on his rump and lied down feeling the soft grass under his hooves. Coyote smiled and his mind wandered the dreamscape.

Sleep came rather quick for the stallion…

One cannot say that his or her life is better just from a glance off a mirror or window

one must experience that life first hoof before you start to judge somepony on their lifestyle

then you will learn the truth behind that lie

S.C.