Druids and the Wooden Heart

One year. One year has passed since Spirit left Ponyville to search for the druids. He was a earthpony with a brown coat, a green mane he had in the traditional irokese of the zebras, like Zecoras mane. His eyes had a green tone and he had a ghost wolf as his cutie mark.

He searched all over around Equestria. He searched from Manehattan to Van Hoover without finding any clue except a few legends but nothing of it was any helpful. On his ways he didn't stop to show ponies the other side of the wild creatures of Equestria.

From time to time Spirit was getting more frustrated because of the situation. One day he sat in a train cabin and was writing a letter while Bite, his timberwolf friend, laid in the middle of the room.

Dear friends,

I know had long nothing heard from me I didn't write since three months. Since that I came around a lot, when I am writhing this, I am on my way to the crystal empire. I hope I can find there something about the druids. The last days I was traveling the most time on the way I met many different ponies I even had the chance to visit my family.

Also Bite went less energetic over the year ,sometimes he is even more serious than me. By the way he is now able to communicate full through our bond but he doesn't use it much, he said it felt strange for him, so he uses, like before, his emotions through the bond and actions for the most of the time to tell me something.

I also heard that much happened while I was away. I hope I have the chance to see it for myself, maybe if I don't get any information in the empire I come back and restart my search so I have the chance to visit you all again. If Zecora doesn't get the letter please tell her that her plant does perfectly so far, it may not bring as much magical energy as the original plant but is much more easy to handle and transport.

It is probably not able for you to write me back since I am traveling around but I still hope you are all ok! This was everything I wanted to tell. I will try to write you more often

your friends,

Spirit Wood & Bite.

As he finished writing the last sentence someone knocked on the door. "Yes?"

The door opened and a stallion walked in. "You ordered a tea sir?" He stopped as he saw Bite and his face went very pale.

Spirit rolled with his eyes. 'Why do they never tell the others about Bite?' "Yes I order a tea and no need to worry, he won't hurt anypony, also he is asleep!" The pony looked at him then walked around Bite, with a as large as possible circle, to Spirit and laid the teapot and a cup on the desk.

"Thank you." Spirit turned to one of his bags and reached in them for some bits. As he turned back to give the pony a tip, Spirit saw that he already left and also let the door open.

Spirit shook his head and walked over to the door and closed it. He turned around and looked at the sleeping Bite. "Some ponies seem to have fear for you even they never saw anything like you in there live before. How can that be?" In response Bite snored at him.

Spirit chuckled a bit then walked back to his desk and pour himself a bit tea in his cup an looked out the window. It was in the middle of the night and outside was a blizzard raging Spirit tried to look through the blizzard and could see the silhouette of the empire. At the next day he would reach the Crystal empire.

On the next day, as Spirit was about to left the train one of the workers stopped him. "We did informed the ponies through an announcement about your timberwolf but we suggest that you wait till the most left, we don't want to create panic!"

Spirit ignored the worker and moved on. "I am sorry but I want to change that and it doesn't help when I hid my friend!"

The pony was very surprised by this but didn't stop him. "It is your choice just shout if you need help!"

Spirit walked out of the train and as he expected the most ponies who saw him walked a few feet away. He just stood there with Bite for a few seconds and after a while he saw that the ponies who had driven with him started to calm erveypony down. After another few second the ponies started to continue with their doing.

"Good it seems that the ponies from the train ride listened to me. So now we need to find a post office! Let's ask somepony!" Spirit looked around and walked over to the first pony he saw. "Hello! Could you tell me where the next post office is?"

"Just down the street on the left side, you can't miss it!" The pony turned to the direction and pointed at one building. As he looked back he suddenly became very pale as he looked behind Spirit. Spirit followed his eyes and it was Bite just standing there and looking at them.

Spirit rolled with his eyes. "Well thank you and calm down he is harmless!" He turned around and walked to the post office followed by Bite.

Before he entered he stopped again and looked at Bite. "You should stay outside! I simply don't have the patience at the moment to explain them everything!"

Bite nodded and Spirit walked inside while he sat down before the door. After a few second Bites noticed a group of guards slowly walking towards him. "Spirit!"

As Spirit felt the call from Bite he instantly ran outside and saw that Bite was now surrounded by guards. He ran between them and Bite. "What is going on?"

One of the guards stepped forward. "One citizen has reported that a wild creature is running around and threatening the ponies. We are here to arrest him, so could you please go out of the way sir!"

They walked forward but Spirit didn't moved away. "He is no wild creature, he is with me and I will not let him alone!"

The captain looked annoyed at him. "We are sorry but we have our commands. But I see you will not listened, so how about you come with us too."

Spirit nodded. "Yes I want to finish this quickly as possible, it is already late. Could you send one of your guards to the princess and tell her that Bite and Spirit came for a visit!"

The guards looked at each other and the captain looked amused at him. "I can do that but do you really think she will come to help a random pony from the street and his timberwolf?" He pointed at one of the other guards, who saluted and ran in the direction of the castle.

The captain turned to Spirit who just nodded. The captain chuckled and gave orders. "Now be nice and follow us. And don't do anything dumb!" He turned around and the other guards started to surround Bite and Spirit and they walked to the prison.

The captain lead them to one cell where he shut Bite in. "So your friend has to wait till tomorrow. Then we can discuss what is going to happen with him. You there, recruit, you will take care that he doesn't do anything but doesn't harm him we don't want the princess be mad at us!" The captain smirked as he said the last sentence and left the room.

The guard saluted and stood next to the door and Spirit sat down on a bench. He thought for a moment then turned to the guard. "I don't think this will take much longer but could you bring me a bowl of fresh water and a bread, please?"

The recruit looked confused. "No I have my orders. I will stay here!"

Spirit rolled with his eyes. "You should bring it me or Bite here will starve he needs the water to survive. Also your captain order to do no harm and I think starve to death would be would be harm!" "Liar!" Heard Spirit Bite calling him in his mind.

The recruit slowly nodded. You are right I will get everything quickly!" With that he ran off and closed the door behind him.

Spirit tuned to Bite with a smile. "What do you mean liar? We both haven't eaten the whole day! And also I wanted some peace." Bite rolled with his eyes and laid down.

Spirit closed his eyes as he suddenly heard a voice. "Did these stupid guards finally did something right by putting your friend in jail. Although they didn't throw you in too, so it seems I hoped too much."

Bite instantly jumped up and turned to another cell and growled. Spirit stood up and walked to the cell. "Who is there?"

A griffon walked out of the shadow and just stood before him. Spirit shook his head, the griffon rolled his eyes. "Maybe this helps you." He pointed at his red neckerchief.

Spirit thought for a moment. "Bite do you remember his smell?" Bite sniffed at his direction then started growling again. "You are the boss of the poachers right?"

"Oh right I never told you my name, I am Crey... So you got finally what you deserved." Crey laid down on a small bed and closed his eyes.

Spirit glared at him. "No you're wrong. You got what you deserved, we won't stay here for long! But you will!"

The griffon turned his back to them and waved them away. "If you say so but you would be surprised how quickly you can get out of the jail. Now please be quiet, I want to sleep!"

Spirit looked around and looked in the other cells. "Where are your friends?"

Crey chuckled. "Friends? They just work for me. They are in another cellblock but it was full so I got this cell for myself. Could you shut up now I want to sleep!"

Spirit sat down on a bench and closed his eyes again. 'I hope he will learn his lesson some day but I also hope that I will never see him again.'

After a few seconds the guard came back with a bowl of water carrying on his back. "I have got your water!"

Spirit opened his eyes from his meditation and grabbed the bowl. "Ah thank you!" He laid the bowl down and reached in his bag and pulled out the plant he got from Zecora.

"Sorry Bite but I don't have any powder left but I think the spores should be enough for now." He hold the plant above the bowl and tapped on the head of the plant. Green powder begun to fell down in the water. The water glowed a bit then turned to a weak green, Spirit shoved the water to Bite and sat down on the bench again.

The guard looked at the timberwolf who was now drinking the water. "What did you put..." He wanted to start as door suddenly opened and the captain ran in the room and started unlocking the door hastily.

"I am so sorry I didn't knew you know the princess! Please that was all just a big misunderstanding!" He bowed his head in shame in apologized over and over again.

"You only did your job but I would recommend that you tell the pony who accused Bite of threatening that he shouldn't do this again."

"Of course I will go to him personal and clear that up but first the princess wants to see you and Bite. I will bring you to the castle." The captain walked to the door but Spirit stopped him.

"You should first clear this with the pony, I will find the way alone. I wish you a good rest of the day!" With that he and Bite walked out off the room and looked around. He wasn't far from the castle so he head direction to the entrance.

Just before he could enter the castle two guards blocked his way with their spears. "I am here on the order of princess Cadence. You should let me through."

The guards looked at each other than pulled their spears away. "You may pass."

Spirit walked through followed by Bite. The guards suddenly jumped a bit aside as they saw Bite and Spirit was about to start explaining but stopped himself. 'No it is too late for an explanation right now and if I keep explaining timberwolves to everypony I will not come to anything!'

So Spirit and Bite walked down the hall way till they reached the throne room. As he reached the throne he and Bite bowed down. "You wanted to see me princess?"

"Yes and you don't need to bow. We just wanted to see you, Twilight wrote us that you left to find the druids but that is nearly a year over!"

Spirit and Bite looked up again and they saw Cadence and Shining Armor. "Well it seems the druids are not so easy to find like my teacher had sound it like. I was about to search in the local library and maybe ask a bit around."

Cadence smiled at him. "Good to hear that you have clear plans but I think it is too late for any of these things. How about eating with us dinner and then you can sleep in one of the guest rooms!"

"How can I refuse this offer, I would be happy to eat with you but I don't want to bother you."

Shining Armor nodded. "It wouldn't bother us. This castle is big enough for two guests and I want to hear what you did the last year!"

Spirit bowed and they walked into the dining room and sat down. Two seconds later three ponies with plates came into the room and laid them before them down. As they were about to go stopped Spirit one of them. "Excuse me. Could you bring another plate for my friend?"

The pony looked at Cadence, who nodded, then looked back at Spirit. "Of course." He left the room and came after a few second back with another plate and laid it down before Bite. Spirit strew a bit powder on it then turned to his own plate.

As there were eating turned Shining Armor to him. "I was wondering why did it took you so long to get here. Yes I know Equestria is big but I don't think that it takes a year to go through it."

Spirit tasted the salad before answering. "You are right normal it wouldn't take a year but I wasn't just traveling as you should know. I spent in every city a few weeks so I could look around, talk with ponies, read book and also tried my work from Ponyville in other cities."

Cadence ate a bit of her salad before she spoke again. "And how was it to travel through Equestria?"

"It was fine I guess. I didn't really came to see much of the cities . As I tried to watch a play in Manehatten but I was stopped by a few guards and so I missed the whole play."

Cadence nodded. "I am sorry to hear that but I wonder where you have been so far?"

He tapped his chin. "As far as I know I should have been in every town the Zebra lands know from. I even was in a small town that wasn't on any map. That reminds me I forgot to ask about the name of the town."

Shining Armor nodded. "That sounds very interesting but I was wondering, how did your training with your wolf went?"

Spirit stopped. "Please don't use the term 'your wolf' because he is not. He is my friend and a part of me nothing less."

Shining looked surprised but nodded. "I am sorry I didn't mean to insult Bite so how did your training went?"

Spirit returned to eat his salad. "Very good. The only bad thing that the better we get with our communication the more difficult it goes to keep our thoughts for our self but till now it was no problem."

They talked after that about a bit more casual thing for a few minutes till they decided they would go to bed. A crystal pony leaded Spirit to his chamber. "Can I bring you anything Mr. Wood?"

Spirit looked at the room. "No, no you can go." The pony nodded and left the room.

Spirit laid down his bags and laid down in his bed. "Tomorrow we will start at the library. Good night Bite."

Bite yawned and laid down on a rug in the middle of the room. He closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly.