Druids and the Wooden Heart

Darren pointed to the north. "A druid was able to spot them in the north we have to hurry!"

Darren already began to turn to the north while Switch talked to them. "Bite can carry Spirit? You should be fast enough to keep up with us."

Bite nodded and Spirit jumped on Bites back. Leaf looked at Switch and protested. "What is with me?"

Switch turned to Spirit. "Can Bite carry you both?"

Spirit looked at Bite who looked back and nodded shortly. Spirit turned back to Switch. "He should be able to."

Switch nodded grabbed Leaf with his magic and put her on Bites back. Switch began to start flying in his pegasus form. "Now hurry!"

Spirit looked at Leaf. "Hold on tight." He turned his head down to Bite. "Go Bite. Run as fast as you can!" Sprit leaned forward and held onto Bite.

Bite began to run and slowly gaining more and more speed. Bite saw Darren and Switch flying ahead, he followed them and tried to catch up with them.

While Bite was running asked Leaf a question. "Did you done this before?"

Spirit looked over his shoulder at her. "We did this once or twice over short distances while we were searching for druids to train a bit but he never had to carry two ponies."

Leaf nodded and held her head down again to get less wind in her face. Bite finally caught up with Switch and Darren and slowed slightly down again.

Spirit turned to Darren and spoke against the wind with him. "Where are we going?"

Darren shouted back. "We are going to a forest that is in the northwest of Ponyville. There is a tavern between the mountains. That was where the hostage-takers were last been seen."

"Did they said any requirements for let them free?"

Darren shook his head. "No they probably are still preparing everything. I don't think they wanted that you know about this until tomorrow."

Spirit looked in the direction they were running before asking the next question. "Who was it?"

Switch tried to answer but the wind made it really hard to understand him. "Yesterday, a group of imprisoned griffons broke out. Their boss is named Crey or something like that."

Spirit was surprised to hear that name again but nodded. "He again, I think he really didn't took it good that I ruined his career."

From behind him he heard Leaf. "Do you know him?"

Spirit shrugged. "More or less but it is a long story." Spirit leaned forward and concentrated. "Bite is everything alright?"

Bite nodded. "I am fine I hope just we reach that place soon!" Spirit nodded back even now Bite couldn't see it. They traveled like this for next ten hours.

Darren and Switch both suddenly stopped and as Bite saw that he immediately stopped also. Darren and Switch landed and Spirit and Leaf jumped from Bites back who laid down and panted heavily.

Spirit felt a little guilty. "I am sorry Bite, I would give a bit powder but I forgot to get new."

Switch walked to him and opened his bag. "Here I bought a few while you went to Zecora." Switch levitated a phial with the powder to Spirit who opened it and strew it on Bites back. Bite began to absorb the energy quickly and stood up again.

Switch raised an eyebrow. "Why did you do that?"

Spirit began to explain. "Well like this is Bite able to absorb the energy. It is not so efficient as if he eats it in normal food but it is useful to regain quickly energy."

Switch nodded and wanted to ask another question but Darren stopped him. "Not now we have to hurry." They all nodded.

Darren began to walk and after a while a building was in sight. It didn't looked very welcoming. The windows were all shut and curtains were blocking any view to the inside. On the sign that hung over the door was only the picture of two crossed daggers.

Before they entered pointed Darren at Leaf, Bite and Spirit. "You three will stay outside if you see somepony or something run outside try to track him. Switch and I will go in there." The three nodded and Switch and Darren walked inside.

As they were inside turned Spirit to Leaf. "What is this place?"

She shrugged. "Switch once told me about this place he said it is some sort of illegal tavern where criminal meet each other and do deals."

Spirit was shocked to hear that. "Why don't they tell the guards about that?"

She sighed. "Because it wouldn't matter. When a guard would come even close, everypony inside would be gone and nothing would be gained. Darren said once that like this we know where all the criminal are and can easily spot the really dangerous of them."

Spirit nodded and sat down waiting for Darren and Switch to come out again.

As Switch and Darren entered the building they saw that it didn't changed a bit since the last time they came. It was very dark, only a few candles were lightening the room, it was filled with a bunch of wooden tables and one counter in the other side. There were a few barrels stocked behind the counter and two staircases, one leading up and the other leading down. The tavern was full of sinister looking ponies and other creatures sitting at the tables.

Behind the counter stood a big dirty looking earthpony. Switch and Darren walked directly to him. The barkeeper greeted them. "What can I bring you?"

Darren looked serious at him. "We are here to find a group of griffons!"

Switch nodded. "They probably have two ponies with them. We know they came through so tell us where they went!"

The barkeeper looked at them bored. "Why should I? Also, it slipped my mind maybe you can help me?" The barkeeper held out his hoof.

Darren grabbed his steel rod from his back and stomped with it on the ground. After the loud noise the rod made almost the whole room went silent and a few ponies in the room stood up and waited what happens next. Darren looked at the barkeeper. "Don't try to fool us we know you have the information. And we don't have time for your shenanigans."

The barkeeper pulled his hoof back but still didn't seemed very impressed and just shook his head. Switch decided to try it different. He dropped his disguise and pointed at his headband. "Does this help?"

The barkeeper was surprised but nodded. "There to the south they have their camp in a clearing."

Darren put his weapon back and nodded. "Good and one thing, this better not a lie or we will come back."

They both walked outside again. Darren pointed at the south while walking. "They are in that direction. Come now."

They stood up again. Spirit looked at Switch. "Why aren't you disguised?"

Switch smiled. "I just showed the barkeeper who I am."

Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Why that?"

Switch continued. "I know him from a job for the druids before I was a real part of them."

Leaf got curios as she heard that. "What was the job?"

Switch shrugged. "Nothing much. I just had to find something and I think he doesn't like me since that. So I guess he just wanted t get rid of me as fast as he could."

They walked as fast as they could and after one hour they saw a clearing. Darren walked to a bush and they all hided in it.

The camp of the griffons was not much more than a bunch of large tents and a large campfire. There were around ten griffons walking around and drinking.

Darren pointed at a big cage. "There they are." Spirit looked at the cage and could see his parents lying in the cage. They seemed very frighten and looked hastily around.

Darren looked at them. "I have a plan. Spirit, Bite try to distract. Switch you will to sneak around and get them out. I give you a signal when it is save." He nodded and began to sneak around.

Darren turned to Spirit. "You will try to talk with their boss. Walk a bit in the middle. The griffons will try to surround you. Let them, when Switch got them both out Leaf will blind them, in that moment you will come back to us and we flee."

Leaf nodded and began to cut with a small knife lines on a stone. Spirit also nodded but Bite had a question that Spirit asked for him. "What is when one of you get caught?"

"We will do everything we can to get the hostages out safely even if we have to kill some of them. Be always ready to defend yourself."

Spirit nodded and they all waited till Switch reached the other side. As he saw Switch on the other side. Darren nodded to Spirit. "So time for your part. Good luck and don't look back. This is our duty."

Spirit nodded and stepped out. He heard the voice of Crey a few feet away. He talked to Spirits parents. "Tomorrow I will send a message to your son. He will probably come to save you and pay any price. Maybe I even get his bunch of living sticks as a bonus."

As he saw Spirit and Bite he was surprised but then smiled. "Or maybe I don't even have to do that." He walked towards him and laughed. "Hey Spirit. Happy to see me? Probably not. So how did you find us? No wait I don't care." He turned serious and pointed with a crossbow at the head of his parents. "Do you have enough bits?"

The griffons began to surround Spirit and Bite but the most of them had no weapons. Only five of them were at the scene the rest was on the other side of the camp.

Darren turned to Leaf. "I will knock out the others. Stay here."

Leaf interrupted him. "Yes I know, I will finish the rune. I would be faster if I wouldn't be disturbed."

Darren nodded and began to walk around and knock out some of the griffons who sat alone and shoved them in the tent.

Spirit tried to stay calm and tried to engage Crey in a conversation. "Do I look very rich to you? But I would like to know why are you free again. I mean your prison time is probably not over yet."

Crey led the crossbow down and walked a bit closer to Spirit and Bite. "You just need connections and I know a few ponies. So I and my workers were in a prison transport but thanks to one of my ... friends the security was not as good as it should be. But enough of me, I see that you still have your puppy with you."

Crey walked up to Bite and broke a small branch off. Bite growled at him but he just walked a few feet away again and pointed at Spirits head with his crossbow. "No growling you piece of wood. You may be able to repair your head but I don't think that Spirit can do that."

Meanwhile walked Darren back to Leaf. Leaf gave him the rune. "Try to throw it in the middle, I will activate it."

Darren nodded but as he turned around he stepped on a rotten branch it broke and a bird flew away. A griffon nearby had heard that and walked in their direction.

Darren quickly whispered . "Come a bit back." They walked a bit backwards while the griffon walked still towards them. The griffon walked through the bush. Just as he was through, Darren grabbed him and held his mouth shut. Darren shortly hit him on a nerve on the neck and the griffon got unconscious instantly.

Darren hide him in another bush and they walked back to their hiding spot. Darren looked at the camp. "Did one of them saw that?"

Leaf looked around and shook her head. "No it doesn't seem so. But we should make us ready, it seems that Switch is unlocking the locks."

While Spirit talked with Crey and Leaf and Darren made them self ready, Switch walked to the cage. Spirit parents backed off a bit as they saw Switch. He quickly whispered. "No words. I am here to help. So be quiet and warn me if one of these griffons looks in this direction understood? If yes just nod."

They nodded and Switch began to unlock the lock. He mumbled to himself. "I hate locks!" After a few minutes he finally unlocked it. "Come now, we have to hurry." Switch used his magic to help them up and they quickly walked in the forest and walked around the camp.

Darren and Leaf saw this and made them self ready.

Spirit also saw this and began to walk a bit backwards again."You know I changed my mind I will let you alone now." He covered his eyes and so did Bite.

Crey was very surprised and looked confused at him. "What now? But I have your pare..." As he turned around he saw that the cage was open and he got furiously. "What did you do?" Crey aimed at Spirit and was ready to shoot but at that moment threw Darren the stone and Leaf activated the rune on it. The whole area was covered in bright lights and the griffons got blinded.

Spirit and Bite quickly turned around and ran away. They ran in the bush where the others were waiting for them. He saw his parents completely exhausted lying on the ground. Darren quickly grabbed them and laid them on Bites back. "Let's go!"

They began to ran away from the camp and Spirit could hear Crey cursing. "I will destroy your live do you hear me? I am going to get you!"

They continued to ran for the next hour till they reached a clearing. Darren stopped. "Ok I think we can slow down a bit but be careful. Can you two walk?"

Spirit father nodded. "I think so." Spirit helped them from Bites back.

Spirits mother looked at bit frighten at them. "Who are you?"

Spirit wanted to explain but Darren was faster. "Spirit can tell you everything while we walk but we are still not completely out of danger."

They began to walk to the east in direction of Ponyville. Lens, Spirits father whispered to his son. "Who are they. Why is one of them a changeling?"

"Don't worry they are friends of mine."

His mother Insight still looked worried at Spirit. "But it is a changeling?"

Switch heard that and walked to them. "Yes I am and you are ponies, Darren is a griffon and Leaf is a zebra. Did I forgot someone? Oh right Bite is a Timberwolf. Aren't we a colorful group?"

The two ponies were just even more confused but seemed less frighten. Spirit walked to Darren. "So what do we do now?"

"Well first we will return to Ponyville. I will talk to... our boss, he will decide what to do. Don't forget you haven't found the druids yet!" Darren said.

Spirit nodded and he walked back to his parents. "We will bring you to Ponyville then we will look further."

They nodded and they all walked the rest of the way silent. As they finally reached the town they went to Twilight castle. Spirit quickly explain her what happened and just as Twilight wanted to lead them to a room knocked someone at the door.

Spirit walked to the door to opened it and was surprised . It was the archdruid but without his cloak. Spirit was able to see his cutie mark which was a simple tree with a green star inside of it. "It is you Spirit. You have your parents?"

Spirit nodded and let the archdruid inside. Spirit lead him to the main hall where his everyone was waiting. As Twilight saw the archdruid she seemed very surprised. "Advisor Root? What brings you here?"

The archdruid nodded to Spirits parents. "I am here to bring them somewhere save in Canterlot." He began to explain to Twilight where he wanted to bring Lens and Insight while Spirit walked to Darren and asked. "Advisor?"

Darren whispered back. "He works as an advisor for the school of gifted unicorns. Not a big job but like this he can observe a group of potential recruits."

Root and Twilight talked a bit but as the sun was going down. The archdruid wanted to leave but turned to the group. "Could you all come a few feet with me?"

As they were outside of the castle began the archdruid. "Good job but I have something new. Leaf you will come with me. Switch you will do some research about the dark magic that kills the forests. And you three will meet with a pegasus who had watched a unicorn that acted strange and I want you to help the pegasus."

Switch nodded and spread his wings and flew away. Spirit, Darren and Bite nodded and Darren asked. "Where are we going to meet the pegasus?"

"You will go to the white tale woods. Wear your robes and the pegasus will come to you." The archdruid explained. The three nodded and put on their cloaks.

Root turned around and walked away followed by Leaf and Spirits parents who seemed very confused but the archdruid shortly said to them. "When we arrive in Canterlot I will explain."