Chapters Druids and the Wooden Heart
The pegasus chuckled. "You should know who I am and also your suspicions were right. We have indeed met before! But that was long ago so I don't mind that you have forgot it." As he stopped, green flames consumed his body. Spirit and Bite jumped back and made them self ready to attack.
As the green flames were gone there now stood a changeling and grinned at Spirit. But he didn't had much time to say anything else because Bite instantly jumps at him and held him down. The changeling looked a bit annoyed. "Nice to see you again too. So it seems you took my advice. Could you please back off, it's hard to breath like this!"
'His advice? Wait! Is that...' Spirit walked up to him. "Are you Switch?"
He chuckled. "Hey you remember my name! I would shake your hoof if I weren't stuck under a giant wolf made of wood!"
Bite looked at Spirit and raised an eyebrow, Spirit looked at the changeling and then back to Bite. "I think we can trust him. You can go off of him." Bite shrugged, stood up and let go of Switch.
Switch stood up and knocked the dust from his legs. "Thanks for calling your wood dog back." As he said that Bite instantly turned around and growled.
Spirit walked next to him and patted Bite on the back. "He is not my dog. I don't call him back. And his name is Bite. Remember that!"
Switch held one of his front legs up. "Cold down. I doesn't meant it like that. So I am sorry, are you two now happy?" Bite stopped growling but still didn't let an eye off from Switch.
Spirit looked at Switch. "Sorry that we attacked you but how should we suppose to know that it is you?"
Switch suddenly began to cough and held one of his hooves up. He walked in another room and after a few seconds he came back with a pair of saddlebags."Sorry for that, so back to topic. Well first of, you could guess who I am by my disguise. I chose the same from the last time we met and just made his coat look like crystal. Also I didn't tried to suck your emotions out of your body like a normal changeling."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other then Spirit remembered something. "Wait if you are Switch, how does it comes that he couldn't remember your smell?"
Switch raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of perfume? Wait give me a second!" He walked over to the sink and turned it one. He grabbed the water with his magic and splashed it in his own face. "It is good to use magic again. I can't believe how somepony could live without it."
Spirit and Bite both looked at him with raised eyebrows but Switch ignored them. "So now I should smell normal again."
Bite sniffed at him then nodded to Spirit. "Yes I can identify his smell now." The changeling looked at them and waited for them to say something.
Switch walked to the table and set up the chair correctly and sat down. Spirit sat down on the other chair. "So what do you want from us and who is that boss you were talking about?"
Switch chuckled a bit before he answered. "Whoa, one question at the time. So what I want from you is what I said earlier, my boss wants that you stop searching for druids and my boss is the archdruid!"
Spirit looked surprised at him. "Wait what?"
Switch rolled with his eyes. "He is the archdruid. He wants that you stop searching about us and come to us."
Now Spirit was even more surprised. "Does that mean you are a druid and that you did all this today that we would meet?"
Switch chuckled. "Yes I was the one who spied on you in the library and I send you out as the librarian and I threw the flyer so that you would find it. By the way I had to pay very much for your food there."
"Sorry for that but back to the topic. Why should I believe you that you are a druid and that the archdruid send you to me to find me and bring me to him. Doesn't sound very believable to me."
Switch sigh. "It's always the same, isn't it? It took me long enough to find you and also keeping up with you without being see. So just let just make this quick. I am a druid you can believe me or not. I am here to recruit you, I know you searched for us to join us and now you have your chance. If you don't believe me I can guaranty you, you won't find anything about druids in any book in Equestria. So what will you do?"
Spirit looked at Bite. "We should at least try. I mean until now we haven't even found a hint to the place of the druids." Bite was silent for a moment and just sat there.
Bite walked one time around Switch who kept just sitting and looking at Spirit. "I trust him if you do."
Spirit looked back to Switch and wanted to answer his question. "Bite and I will..."
But Switch interrupted him. "Good, do you have anything to get before we start. Probably not, so if you don't mind, I don't want to waste any more time. Come just follow me."
Switch stood up and walked to the entrance of the building but turned around as Spirit and Bite didn't followed him. "What, are you waiting for an invitation?"
Bite and Spirit looked confused at each other. "How did you knew our answer?"
The Changeling smiled. "Well first off I know about your task from your elder. Second I know that you traveled through whole Equestria and didn't found a single hint to the druids. And at last you aren't my first recruitment and at that other time it almost went the same."
Spirit and Bite were still very surprised but they stood up now and followed Switch. As they stood before the doors Switch quickly changed his appearance back to the pegasus with green wings. Switch instantly walked in direction off the exit of the empire but Spirit stopped him. "Before we left I want to tell Cadence and Shining Armor that I will go. It would be rude to leave just like that!"
Switch nodded. "Ok then. Do that, but I am heading out now. I will wait at the entrance of the empire. I don't want to get caught by guards. Don't take too much time!" Switch flew away and Spirit turned to the castle.
As he reached the castle he searched for Cadence or Shining but couldn't find them so he just stopped one of the servants. "Could you inform the princess and prince that I will continue my travel. Say them that I found a hint." The servant nodded and Spirit walked to the exit of the empire.
As he reached the border he saw that Switch got stopped by a group of guards. As Spirit came closer he recognized the captain. It was the same who arrested Bite on the day before.
Thee captain looked very annoyed. "For the last time give me your papers or let our unicorn scan you so they can confirm your identity!"
Switch looked around to find a way out of this and started sweating a bit. "As I said I lost my papers and you can't scan me!"
The captain raised an eyebrow. "And why is that so? Do you have anything to hide from us? Explain yourself or we are going to force you to a scan!"
Switch again looked around and saw Spirit. Switch looked back to the guard and smiled. "Because I don't have to, my friend, Spirit a friend of the princess, will explain everything."
The captain turned around and put on a fake smile. "Oh it's nice to see you again. Do you already leave the empire?"
Spirit and Bite walked next to Switch. "Yes we do!"
The captain shook his head. "No you can't your friend here refuses to let himself be scanned and before that happens we can't allow him to leave!"
Spirit stopped, he hadn't expect that the captain would continue to stop them. Spirit quickly tried to make up a new plan. He looked help searching to Bite who thought for a moment. "Tell them that he is from the zebras and that he has a magical illness."
Spirit nodded then looked back to the captain. "I sorry for him but he didn't knew that he would need any documents, he comes from the zebra lands like me!"
The captain looked suspicions. "Then why didn't he arrived with you?"
"Um because he is..." As Switch saw that he didn't knew to continue he helped him out. "I was send to find him and bring him to my tribe!"
The captain still didn't looked happy with that. "Then why we can't scan him?"
Spirit answered as Bite told him. "Because he has a magical disease that transfers by magical contact." Switch coughed extremely heavily to confirm Spirits statement.
The captain looked between Spirit and Switch back and forth. "I can't risk to infect my guards just to scan somepony. You may pass but if you ever come back here we will scan you. That or you will show us proper documents!"
Spirit and Switch nodded and they walked quickly away. As they were sure that no one could hear them turned Switch to Spirit. "Next time you better hurry! Do you know what happens when they find a changeling? Because I don't want to find out what!"
Spirit was a bit surprised by that. "I am sorry but about this but let just move on before we get stopped by somepony else. So where we have to go?"
Switch pointed to the north. "We have to go to a forest in the north-west of equestria. It think it's called white tail woods or something like that."
Spirit tapped on his chin. "I think I heard the name once but I am not sure when... but anyway how do we get there?"
"Well with the train of course. We first drive in the middle of the equestria and from there we walk to the west." Switch began to walk in direction of the next train station and Spirit and Bite followed him.
After a while tried Spirit to talk a bit. "So why did the druids want to see and recruit me? From where does they know me? And how did you came to them?"
Switch gave a sigh. "Could you wait with these question till we can't be disturbed. I don't want to be caught while talking about a long lost organization but you can ask other question if you want."
Spirit walked a bit slower and though of a good question. Bite nudged Spirit in the side and that gave Spirit an idea."Hey Switch I was wondering something, what do you think about timberwolves?"
Switch looked over his shoulder and chuckled. "You ask somepony like me what he think of a creature who is the embodiment of nature magic? I don't have much of a opinion about them but there is one thing I really like about them... they always 'stick' together." Switch broke into a loud laughter while Spirit and Bite looked at each other.
"Is he serious?" Spirit looked at Bite and Bite just shrugged with his shoulders. They both shook their head once and began to walk, to catch up with Switch again.
As they reached the train walked Switch instantly up to one of the workers. "Good evening my friend. I have booked a train compartment for two ponies and a pet. Under the name Green Wing!"
The worker shortly looked t his clipboard then back to Switch. "Oh right Mr. Wing. You paid a lot money for this room, I hope it will be good enough for you! I will bring you to your room immediately!" He opened one of the train door and lead the way to a door he opened the room and stepped aside so they could look inside.
Spirit could see by one look that this room was far bigger than the one, in which he arrived. The room had two beds, one on each side and a small round bed in the middle of the room. On the left side there stood also a small desk with a chair in front of it.
Switch stepped inside and looked around. "It is nice. You can go now."
"Before I go I have to ask, what kind of pet do you brought with..." As he was about to ask walked Bite past him and laid down in the round bed. It was way too small for him. So he stood up again, shoved the small bed aside and walked next to Spirit.
The worker just stood there with an open mouth. There while laid Switch his bag next to one bed and laid down. "Just write down it is a type of dog or something like that."
The worker nodded and slowly walked away before Spirit could say anything. He put his bag down and turned around to look at Switch. "You know I don't like to keep Bite as a secret."
Switch sat up again and nodded. "I know but I also know that if you had told him he could write down timberwolf we couldn't talk without being disturbed." Switch now walked to the door and a green flash later there stood the changeling. His horn flashed green and the door also flashed once.
Switch turned to Spirit and Bite. "I just locked the door that we can't be surprised by anypony. Now to your questions, now would be a good time to ask!" Switch at down on his bed and just as he did the train started.
Spirit looked around before asking the first question. "How are you able to afford all this? It doesn't look very cheap and you told us that you had to pay extra for our food earlier."
"Ah that's an easy one. I got the money from the archdruid. You know a few member of the druids are working like normal ponies and some of them donate money for."
Spirit sat down on his bed and Bite laid down on the floor in front of Spirits bed. "Why does the druids want us and why now?"
"Ok for starter you should know that the druids watched over you for quite some time now. As you left to search for us I got the task to recruit you. But I also had to test your patience and I did it, I waited one year. If you had break up the search before that time would be around, I wouldn't take you to the druids. Originally I was thinking to give it more time but at the moment we don't have that much time. We are not as many as we wish we would be and since the event last year we have more problem than ever!"
Spirit looked Switch directly in the eyes. "What kind of problems?"
Switch turned to the window and looked outside. "Something wrong is going on with the magic of the nature. Animals are going crazy, some forests are growing rapidly and other are dying for no reason. So I shorten the time a bit."
Spirit nodded. "You shorten it down to one year? That's not what I would call short but anyway, I have one last question. How did you joined the druids?"
Switch raised an eyebrow. "You didn't let yourself nearly as much time as the last recruit but no I won't answer it at least right now. Maybe one day."
Switch turned around and was about to sleep but Spirit stopped him. "Oh yes, who is this recruit, you said you recruit somepony before me. Do I know the pony?"
"I am not allowed to tell their names right now but perhaps you will see her. Till we arrive you will have to wait, you should be a bit more patiently. It could take a while till you even see the face of one druid. Normally we keep our identities a secret but since I am a druid I started to test the recruits."
This made Spirit curios. "But you said you only recruited one pony before me or did I misunderstood you?"
Switch sighed as he realized that that would take a longer than he thought. "No you didn't, I only recruit one other pony till now but I made the tests for the recruits before you."
Spirit looked at Bite and they both were a bit confused. "Tests? What tests?"
Switch chuckled. "What did thought? That we just accept everypony? No we first do a test, like your year of patience, to sort out the ponies who just doesn't fit but it is just a quick way and it is not always enough to sort out the unfitting . This was the last question for now I have to sleep I had to stay awake all day because of you and I think I deserve some sleep."
Spirit wanted to ask more questions. "But..." Switch jut turned off the light with his magic and started snoring. Spirit looked at Bite and thanks to Bites green glowing eyes was Spirit able to see him. Well then good night Bite!"Spirit laid down while Bite nodded one time then laid down and started sleep too.
But Spirit couldn't sleep very much, he was awake for a long time thinking about what happened and what will happened. 'Is this changeling really a druid and is he really here to recruit me or does he has another plan? I should be careful anyway but if he is a druid and if I am being recruit I can finally finish my last task!'
Spirit looked again outside and looked at the moon for a few minute and meditated. After a few hours he was finally able to sleep.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
The next day began later than usually for him. He sat up and looked around. It was noon and the sun shinned in the room. As he looked on the other side of the room, he saw that Switch already left. Spirit looked down and saw that Bite was still laying before him, sleeping. Spirit poked Bite in the back with his hoof.
Bite slowly opened his eyes and looked at Spirit. "Come Bite, let's grab some food. Switch is probably already there eating."
Bite slowly stood up and stretched his back and yawned. He scratched his ear and sat down to wait for Spirit to stand up. Spirit remembered something as he stood up and reached in his bag. He pulled out the small plant that he got from Zecora, he put the plant on the ground and nudged carefully on the back of the flower. He quickly held a phial under it and the green powder fell into the phial.
Spirit laid the phial back in his bags and grabbed a full one. "We need to plant a bigger one soon. This small version might give the powder but it produces it so slow that we will ran out of it in a few months. Maybe if we find the druids I can plant one but now let's find Switch and get something to eat." Spirit grabbed his small bag and put the phial in it.
Spirit left the compartment and walked to the head of the train, slowly followed by Bite. As they entered the next part of the train, Spirit saw one room with a counter with food and a few table with chair, a few ponies sat there and were eating. In the middle of the room Spirit saw that Switch was sitting with a group of ponies at one table and talked with them in his pony disguise Green Wing.
Spirit walked over to him. "Hey Swi... um I mean Green Wing. Good morning! Why didn't you wake me up."
A Switch saw him he waved Spirit over to him. "Oh sorry I didn't want to 'leaf' you alone." He began to laugh heavily and the ponies around him started to fake laugh. "So everypony this is my friend Spirit, with the second name Wood and his wolf friend Bite, who is made of Wood." Spirit sigh at this but Switch just ignored it. "Come Spirit let us grab some food!"
They both walked to the table with food and Spirit whispered. "Shouldn't you be more carefully you don't want to get caught!"
Switch chuckled. "Don't worry about me. I am not a druid for no reason, I can take care for myself. So how did you sleep?"
Spirit grabbed two breads and put them on a plate. "Good and don't say that you will continue with theses jokes?"
Switch chuckled again. "Don't you like my jokes? But if you don't want me to tell these joke I won't continue. So what do we eat now?" They looked at the table and there were three bowls one with salad, one with bread and one with apples.
Switch looked very disappointed at the food. "In comparison to our room is this nothing. Nah I am not hungry anyway so I go right there and wait for you." He pointed at a table in the corner. But before he walked away he whispered something to Spirit. "And remember my name is Green Wing I am a professor for changeling biology that shows you around here in Equesrtia!"
'Really? That is your disguise?' Spirit nodded and looked at Bite. "What do you want to eat?" Bite looked at the food then pointed at the bread, so took Spirit two bread and they walked after Switch and sat down at the table.
Spirit grabbed bites bread and strew the powder on it and laid it before Bite down. Then turned to Switch and started to eat his food."So ,professor, how does it works with changelings eating? My teacher told me after that day we met that they eat emotions somehow. Can you explain me more?"
Switch raised an eyebrow. "And they say I am a bad actor. But yes I can tell you more. So changelings, they can eat like a normal ponies but that doesn't restore their energy. For that they need to absorb emotions and that can be done in two ways, there are more but these are just different in small points. So the first way is the most known way where the changeling sucks all your emotions out of you and just leaves back an empty body."
Spirit felt a bit uncomfortable as he heard this but just nodded. "So you ... they can suck out emotions just like that?"
Switch shook his head. "No, not just like that ,they have to be very powerful to do that. Then there is also the second way, that is more subtle way where the changeling just absorbs the over flowing emotions. The pony doesn't feel it and it doesn't do any damage, the bad thing is that the changeling doesn't gain any energy from it and just lives from it. At last there are many ways between these both but these are just in detail different."
Spirit looked at his bread, processing the information. "That is interesting. I would say the more you know, the less you fear but that would be a lie in regard to the first half. Anyway it is always nice to learn something new!"
Switch looked amused at the window. "I bet with you that you will take that back after one week with me and my... friends."
Spirit ate a bit of his bread and chuckled. "I hope you're wrong. I really want to learn from you and I don't want to fail at my task!"
Switch rolled with his eyes. "You should relax sometimes and think of something different than your task just lay back and enjoy the trip."
Spirit winced a he heard the last word and a Switch saw this he looked closely at Spirit. "Is there something? Did I say something?"
Spirit shook his head slowly before he spoke again. "No it is nothing. It is just a habit from me, nothing more!"
Switch slowly leaned back. "If you say so. A far as I see should we be stuck in this train for at least three days or something like that. I am going to..." He stopped as he saw guards on the other side, checking the passes of the ponies in the room and now coming right towards them.
Switch quickly looked away. "Damned. I don't have my documents! I was going to get them in Canterlot, what do we do?"
Spirit looked right on the table and whispered back. "I don't know just don't draw any attention maybe they left us out."
"Hello good sirs!"
Switch looked on the ground and his expression seemed a bit angry. "Or not."
The guard looked friendly at them. "May I see your document?"
Spirit instantly pulled his ID card out. "Of course."
The guard grabbed his card and looked quickly over it and canned it with his magic. then he gave it back and turned to Switch. "Can I see your papers now?"
Switch looked a bit around. "I am Green Wing Professor for changeling biology!"
The guard shook his head. "I am sorry but I need your paper. So could you just give me the papers?"
Switch looked a bit worried to Spirit. "That is not possible because... because..."
"Bite ate them!" Spirit quickly tired to save the situation but for that he earned a angry glace from Bite. "I am sorry Bite!"
The guard looked a bit suspicious. "And how did that happened? Aren't you the one pony that told everyone how smart timberwolves are?"
Spirit got a bit nervous. "Well... yes I am but you know ... as I made the food for him I didn't saw that I threw the ID card from the professor with in it and as I realized it, it was too late and he ate it already."
"Is that so?" The guard looked at Switch and Bite who both nodded. The guard sigh. "Ok then I will make an exception but you will show your documents immediately, when you get them, at the next station! If you don't do that, you will be checked very closely and long running! And you will have to face the consequences!"
Switch quickly nodded. "Of course. I will do this instantly when I get my documents!"
The guard raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Good to know, ok then I wish you two a good rest of the day." The guard walked to the next group and checked their documents.
Switch leaned a bit forward and whispered to Spirit. "I guess we have to stop for a little longer in Canterlot than I expected but I want to get over this with that as fast as I can!"
Spirit wanted to response but Bite bumped into his side. He looked t Bite and saw that he looked a bit angry at him and Spirit felt guilty for it. "Yes I know, I am sorry. I know you one for this!"
Bite looked satisfied and ate the rest of his bread at once, Spirit also turned to the rest of his bread and finished eating it. After a while stood Spirit up. "I think I will do my meditation training now. So see you later professor."
Spirit left and walked back to their room for some time to meditated but Bite stayed a bit with Switch. After a while noticed Switch that almost every pony in the room was looking at them and Switch leaned to Bite. "Do ponies often look at you with such big eyes?" Bite looked around like he didn't saw until now and just nodded.
Switch leaned back again and looked outside the window. He turned to Bite. "I will look around if I can find anyway a cup of tea, so I leave you alone for a few moments but I guess that shouldn't be a problem." Bite nodded and so left Switch and left Bite back alone.
After a while Bite got bored and laid next to the table down. He closed his eyes and nearly drifted into sleep as he felt something on his side but as he opened his eyes it stopped. He looked to his left and was surprised to see a little filly with his parent standing there. The filly seemed insecure from Bite's movement so Bite decided to lay down again that the filly would fell more save.
After two second the filly pet Bite again and soon a big group of ponies surrendered Bite and the foals petted Bite.
Spirit meanwhile finished his meditation and wanted to find Bite for their mental exercise. A he walked in the next room he saw the big group off ponies and got a bad feeling. 'Oh no what happened?' Spirit ran to the group and made his way through the crowd to Bite. "What happen..." As he reached the middle he saw that Bite was pet by a group of foals and that their parents stood around them to watch their kids.
Spirit calmed down again and walked over to Bite. A few foals walked a bit away as they saw the strange looking pony walking to them. Spirit leaned down to Bites head."I see you having a good time Bite? You got a bit lazy the lat days! I think we should train more when we leave this train."
Spirit wanted to continue s he was interrupted by a pair of parents. "Does he belong to you?" Asked the mare while pointing at Bite.
Spirit stood up again and turned to the parent. "Yes he does and his name is Bite and he is a timberwolf."
The stallion looked very interested at Bite while the mare seemed a bit confused. "You shouldn't leave your pet alone and without a collar!"
Bites head instantly went up a he heard this and Spirit expression went a bit more serious. "I should let you know that he is not my pet, he doesn't wear a collar and if he wants to be alone or not is not my choice."
The mare seemed a bit embarrassed. "Oh I am sorry I didn't knew that."
Spirit was able to calm down again and gave them both a smile. "No problem but he just don't like to be called pet and you should know that the most animals understand more of what we say than you may think."
"Ah there you are my friend I was already wondering." Spirit turned around to see Switch holding a cup of tea with his wing.
He walked up to Bite and Spirit and smiled. "Good you see that you both had such a good time while I was searching all over this train for a good cup of tea! It seem that Bite made many friends while I was away."
Switch walked to the foals. "I am sorry everypony but Bite now needs some time to rest but don't worry we won't left till the next days when we reach Canterlot!" But the only response from the foals were a loud 'ooh'. The foal walked back to their parents and Bite stood up. A few foals stopped again as they saw how big Bite actually was.
Spirit and Switch talked a bit with the parents and the foals had a last chance to look at Bites full size. Then after ten minutes the three were finally able to leave to their room.
In the room placed Switch his cup of tea on a small table. "I must admit these wings are much better to carry things with then my normal wings." In a green flash he turned back to his changeling form and lifted the cup again with his magic. "But there is nothing better than just levitate the things I need."
Switch sipped at his tea. "So and you say I would draw attention? You two were lucky, if they would have been the right parents the whole train had stopped for a couple of hours. And I don't think that I would come around a magical scan in this situation!" Switch walked while speaking to the door and locked it with his magic.
Spirit and Bite both nodded. Switch now walked to the window and opened it a bit. "But... but this proves one thing!"
Spirit and Bite looked at each other a bit confused. Switch meanwhile sat on his bed and sipped again at his tea. "This proves that at least one of you can relax from time to time."
The all laughed for a while until Switch turned to his bags. "I have to send a message now. I am already late enough for that and if I wait even longer, I will regret it." He pulled out a stone with a rune and Spirit instantly recognized the rune. Switch saw that. "Seems familiar? Well it should be this is a rune we got from the Zebra tribes. We use it to signalize each other that we finished our task and coming back."
He activated the rune with his magic then laid the stone back again and turned to Spirit. "And if they ask, I instantly activated the rune after you said yes!"
Spirit and Bite both nodded to Switch and he sat on his bed and drank a bit of his tea then made a disgusted face. "The tea is already cold. This was a wasted of money." He threw the rest of the tea out the window.
Switch suddenly began to cough heavily, he quickly stood up again and started to search in his saddlebags and pulled out a small bottle. He opened the bottle and drank it. "I hate this."
Spirit looked at the bottle and looked in Switchs back and he could see that there were at least another ten of them. "What are these for?"
Switch followed the view from Spirit and saw that he was looking at the bottles. "They are against my coughing. My lungs are a bit damaged and this is a medicine made to stop the coughs."
"How did your lungs got damaged?"
Switch gave him a weak smile. "Let's just say somepony thought it would be a good idea to spray at me... with bug spray."
"Oh I am sorry to hear that! Is that dangerous?"
Switch nodded and sat down on his bed again. "No it is not, I just have a strong pain at my lungs and sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night but beside that, I am pretty fine."
Spirit looked a bit worried at Bite then back to Switch. "Are you sure?"
Switch smiled. "Nah that was just a joke. As long as I take my medicine it just hurt a bit and sometimes I have to cough heavily."
'Ha-ha-ha what a funny joke.' Spirit shook his head. "I don't know where there the joke is but if it doesn't bother you..."
Switch leaned back and smiled. "Oh don't worry. I live with that for so long now that I got used to it. But now I think it is late enough." Without any more words Switch turned around and turned off the light with his magic.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
They traveled with the train for the next two three days and on the third day they would reach Canterlot. On that day woke Spirit really late up.
Spirit, with his eyes still closed wanted he to stand up but as he stood up he suddenly got water splashed in his face. Spirit opened his eyes wide and looked around. He saw Switch sitting on a chair smiling at him. "So you finally you decided to wake up. Bite and I tried to wake you up for the last hour."
Switch threw Spirit a towel in his face. Spirit used it to dry his face then threw it back to Switch who caught it with his magic. "And why did you threw water in my face after I woke up?"
Switch chuckled. "So that you don't fall asleep again, of course. By the way we should reach Canterlot in the next hour or so."
Spirit walked over to the door and stretched his back while walking. Bite also stood up now and walked next to him. "Good to hear. So you are going to get your docu... "In mid sentence the train suddenly stopped. Spirit fell to his side right into Bite and they both fell on the ground and Bites left front leg got smashed.
Switch jut looked at them both and burst into laughter. "I guess we arrived earlier than I thought!" He walked, still laughing, over to Spirit and held a hoof out. "Come let me help you up." Spirit grabbed his hoof and pulled himself up.
Spirit nodded friendly. "Thanks."
Switch now walked over to Bite. "No problem. Should I help you too? Let me hold you up while you rebuild your leg." And just like he said he grabbed Bite one side and held him up while he rebuild his leg.
Switch grabbed his saddlebags and turned to them both. "Everypony ready? No one missing a leg or something like that? No, good then let's go. I don't know about you but I don't want to stay to long in the city with the most guards and unicorns in all of Equestria."
Switch covered himself in green flames for a second and then there stood the pegasus Green Wing again. Spirit quickly grabbed the plant and laid it carefully in one of his saddlebags. After that he turned to Switch and nodded. They left, like most of the train guests the train.
Switch looked around and took a deep breath. "It is good to be outside again. You have no idea how much I hate to be stuck in a building for too long or in this case a train." He took another deep breath and turned to Spirit. "Do you smell this? This is the smell of a city where I don't want to live, even when you would pay me."
Bite nodded in agreement and Spirit jut chuckled a bit. "I think neither of us want to live here. It is too full and they care about the environment way to less."
Switch looked a bit around like he was searching for something. "But don't they grow dragon sneeze trees somewhere in the town?"
Spirit thought for a moment than remembered something that Spike told him once. "I don't think they do this anymore. One year they decided to cut them down because their treetop went to heavy and they were about to brake. And if I remember correctly they did a lot of damage before they were able to cut them down."
Switch looked a bit amused. "How much damage can a tree do in one day?"
Spirit shrugged. "Don't ask me I just tell you what a dragon told me."
Switch looked a bit amused. "I wish I would have seen that but let's get back to business. Follow me, we are going to meet somepony. Do you like flowers?"
Spirit nodded lowly. "Yes of course but why do you ask?"
Switch smiled and started to walk. "You will see!"
And after a few minutes they stood before a mall flower shop. Spirit looked at Switch. "What do we want here?"
Switch stepped inside. "Buy a flower of course! What do thought?"
Spirit and Bite looked at each other confused. Bite followed Switch first then walked Spirit inside at last. From the inside the shop seemed even smaller. There were many shelves and tables full of flowers of many different kinds. It was so full that you didn't had much space to move.
Switch turned to them. "So you both can look around if you want one. Oh and just in case, no I won't pay for you!"
With that walked Switch away and Bite and Spirit walked around for a bit. The problem was that you couldn't walk two feet before some leafs of branches got into your face. o after a few seconds Spirit and Bite decided to leave the shop and to wait outside for Switch. Spirit used that time to meditate a bit but he didn't had much time because after about one minute Switch came out of the shop, on his back was a sapling in a pot who was a bit too big."Could you help me?"
Spirit quickly helped Switch to place the sapling on the ground. Spirit looked at the plant for a few seconds then back to Switch. "Why did you bought this sapling?"
Switch sat down in front of the pot and searched for something. "What? Can't I buy a sapling for no reason? Now where is that thing? Ah found it!" Switch suddenly pulled something out of the pot and held it to Spirit. It was a small card with the identify information for a professor Green Wing.
Spirit looked back at the pot than back to the shop. "Wait, why was your card in this pot?"
Switch put the card in hi bag and shook his head. "I really thought you would came to the solution by yourself. I can just say you one thing. My group know how to do their job."
Spirit topped for a few minutes then nodded. Switch stood up again. "Good now can you plant this sapling in a park or something like that while I go show this to a guard?"
"Wait you want me to go to one random park planting a sapling and nopony would get curios? Don't you think a guard somepony else would ask what I am doing?"
Switch rolled with his eyes. "You don't have to scream around that you want to plant there a sapling and besides, if you would see a strange looking pony with a sapling and a big dangerous looking animal in a park, would your first question would be hat they are doing with that sapling?"
Spirit smiled weakly. "Point taken."
Spirit wanted to continue but Switch interrupted him. "And also there should be a hole for it in a park to the north, if everything is correctly prepared."
Spirit nodded. "Ok I will do it, should I meet you at the train station again when I am finished?"
Switch nodded. "Yes but you don't have to hurry I don't know how long that will take and also we would have to wait for the next train to Ponyville."
Spirit nodded and Switch flew away and Spirit grabbed the pot with the sapling and laid it on his back with Bites help. They both walked slowly to the north.
The pot was a bit heavy and they walked through the midday sun, so Spirit began to sweat and after a while he turned to Bite and stopped. "Can you tell me if there is a reason why I am carrying everything?"
Bite continued walking. "Because you didn't said anything."
Spirit rolled with his eyes. "Hahaha very funny!" Bite first waited till Spirit had caught up with him then grabbed the pot and Spirit bag and carried it for the rest of the way on his bag.
It took them not long till they reached the park and just as Switch told them there was a hole next to another tree. The carried the sapling to the hole and planted carefully. After that they both rested under the lager tree Bite suddenly sat straight up.
Spirit also sat up and looked around. "What is it?" Instead of answering he sniffed the air. Spirit raised an eyebrow. "You smell somepony? Who is it?"
Bite sniffed again then turned around. "I don't know who that is but I smelled the same day we were visited by our teacher. Maybe one of the high mages?"
"Maybe, I would really like to talk to one of them. Last time we didn't had the chance but maybe this time. So where does it come from?"
Bite jut looked up the tree and a he followed his eyes he could see a pony levitating over the tree. Spirit was so surprised to see a pony levitating himself that he couldn't bring a word out.
Suddenly a voice coming from the pony. "I think you wanted to ask me something?" The pony stopped levitating himself and jumped down. A he stood now in front of Spirit he could see that the pony was a big stallion with a grey-blue mane and a slightly pale red coat. The stallion also wore a ice-blue cloak with flames one it.
The stallion bowed a bit. "Greetings. I am Ice Eruption, the high mage of the elements. How can I aid you?"
Spirit was a bit overwhelmed by that but quickly pulled himself together. "I wanted to ask you a few questions."
Ice Eruption nodded. "Then follow me, let us drink some tea while we talk." Ice Eruption walked away without any more words. Bite and Spirit looked at each other then quickly followed Eruption.
They reached a cafe and they sat down. They remained silent until the waitress came to them. As they ordered their tea and a bowl of water for Bite the pony looked all the time nervous between Bite and Ice Eruption back and forth. They got their tea and the water surprisingly quickly and after Spirit had strew the powder for Bite in the bowl he turned to Ice Eruption.
Ice Eruption sipped at his tea than looked at Spirit. "You wanted to ask a question. So you may ask now!"
Spirit also sipped at his tea before he started. "What do you think of Timberwolves?"
Eruption sipped at his tea again. "They are creatures all any other. They breath, eat and live like everything else."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other, they both hadn't expect an answer like this but as Spirit saw that Ice Eruption was waiting for another question he quickly turned back. "So what do you do as a high mage?"
"I am a bearer of balance, who travel through the lands."
Spirit tried to clarified that a bit. "So you fight the darkness?"
" Yes but I don't strike it down."
That surprised both Bite and Spirit because Ice Eruption doesn't seem like someone who holds back. "Why?"
Ice Eruption created a ice crystal and a flam in the air while he explained. " Where heat is there must be cold. Where light is there must be darkness. Darkness may bring death but that doesn't mean that death should be its ultimate fate."
Spirit nodded and felt like he was back in one of his teachers lessons back at the zebra tribe and bowed a bit in respect."You remind me much of my teacher, you both are very wise and strictly."
He bowed a bit back. "And you remind me of my student ,you both have much to learn."
Spirit looked around. "Where is your student?"
Ice Eruption drank the rest of his tea. "By now he should reach Tartarus to bring me a insignia from there."
Spirit was again very surprised how the high mage said it like it was nothing. As Spirit didn't ask more questions stood Eruption up. "That seemed to be your last question. That we may meet again, Spirit Wood from the Zebra lands." With that he walked off.
Spirit waited a bit to pay for the tea but the waitress said that they don't had to o they left to the train station.
As they reached the train station they saw Switch already waiting for them. As he saw them Switch walked up to them. "Where have you been so long? We missed a train because of you!"
Spirit smiled weakly. "I am sorry I drank a tea with one of the high mage his name was Ice Eruption do you know who he is?"
Switch seemed to calm as he heard that name. "Of course I know who he is. No other pony had ever done so much for the balance of the nature! We wanted to recruit him long ago but before that he became a high mage." And with a chuckled he added. "And by now he is stealing some of the most promising recruits for us."
They heard the train coming but Spirit wanted to ask another question. "Does he know from existence of the druids?"
Switch shook his head. "No I don't think so but if somepony would know it would be him. Now come, we have to go in the train now."
Spirit and Bite both nodded and so the three entered the train to Ponyville.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
In the train to Ponyville it was rather empty, there were only a few ponies in the train. A bunch of them stared at Bite but Spirit decided to ret for today. They already made more progress than they had planned so they stayed silent for the whole train ride.
As they finally reached Ponyville both, Bite and Spirit looked around and took a deep breath. After that turned Spirit to Bite. "Should we visited our friends? I really would like to see them again and hear what happened lately."
Bite just nodded with a big smile but as they wanted to walk into town stepped Switch between them. "No you won't. I am sorry but we don't have much time and if they even see they will ask you probably thousand of question. And in the worst case they would invite you to eat with them. Again I am sorry but we don't have enough time for that. You can see them after your meeting with the archdruid."
Both Bite and Spirit wanted to argue but as they saw that Switch raised one eyebrow they remain silent. "Good now. You have a cloak if I remember right. So put it on and Bite you should fall apart so that nopony can see you."
Bite nodded and Spirit reached in one of his saddlebags and pulled out his cloak from his tribe. As he turned around Bite had already fall into pieces. Spirit quickly searched for the core part and laid it into his bag and after that he put his cloak on. He pulled the hood up and nodded to Switch, who had by now also a grey cloak on.
As they were about to enter the ton Switch suddenly stopped and shoved Spirit aside. As Spirit wanted to ask why hold Switch his mouth shut and whispered. "Time to change the plan. I will fly there and you will walk by feet. Just go to the west until you reach a forest, there I should wait for you! Understood?"
Spirit nodded then whispered back. "But why?"
Switch rolled his with eyes and shortly pointed at two ponies on the road. "Because of them! I will explain later more but not now. Don't let them see Bite. See you."
Spirit turned back to Switch to ask further only to see that he was already gone. Spirit turned back to the ponies and looked closely. The pony wore a dark blue cloak and a white mask with blue runes around the eyeholes. "Who are they?"
Spirit walked a bit closer and got an idea. "Bite could you look at their magic aura if you find something special."
Bite agreed and Spirit could fell that Bite stretched his aura out. Spirit took a deep breath and tired to look as unsuspicious as possible while he passed the two ponies.
As Spirit passed them he started to walk quicker but stopped as he heard a voice behind him. "You there stop right now!" Bite quickly moved his aura away.
Spirit turned around to see that the both ponies walked to him. "Who are you?"
Spirit pulled his hood back. "I am Spirit Wood. Did I do something wrong?"
They both scanned Spirit looked over him closely and Spirit tired to turn Bites core as far away as possible. One of them shook his head. "I am sorry we are looking for a unicorn my partner probably just imaged something."
They walked away and Spirit could hear one last sentence. "But I could swear I saw something strange coming from this pony. I suppose I should get a bit more sleep."
Spirit didn't waited any longer, he pulled his hood back up and walked a quickly as he could. "Did you saw something at their aura?"
"No nothing but it seemed like they could see me." Spirit though while he walked how this could be than got an idea. "Maybe the rune around their eyes let them see magic auras like the magic glasses our teacher had."
Spirit could sense that Bite came to the same conclusion and nodded. "We should ask Switch later who they are."
Spirit walked as quickly a possible through the city and was able to do so without any problems and as they finally left the town through the west Spirit pulled his hood back again and looked at his bag where Bite in was. "I hope we don't have to sneak through a city because of our friends again."
As Spirit and Bite came closer to the forest they could see Switch already standing there looking hectically around. As witch aw him he quickly walked over to Spirit and dragged him to the forest. "There you are. Now come. We have to move before one of the magic hunters see me!"
Spirit began to walk quicker but didn't stopped asking. "Magic hunters? Are they the ponies with the cloaks and the strange masks?"
Switch looked back once again while he walked. "Yes they are. Did they see you? Probably not since you are here."
They were already deeper in the forest and Switch started to slow down until he completely stopped. Switch sat exhausted down and breathed one time in and out and dropped his disguise. "Now you can ask your questions. I will answer them till we reach the meeting."
Spirit nodded but first he grabbed Bites core out of his bag and laid it down. After a few seconds it started to shine brightly in green and pieces from trees began to levitated toward it. They began to slowly but steady forming a big wolf. After Bite was finished he stretched his back and Spirit turned to his saddlebags again and pulled out his necklace. Before he put the necklace on he looked at the wooden marks, in the middle a rune from his teacher on the left a mark with a hoof print and on the right a mark with a wolf paw print.
He put the necklace around his neck and looked at Switch who just shrugged. "Hey, I won't judge your taste of fashion but you want to ask a few questions right? You can ask them while we walk."
So Bite and Spirit started to follow Switch as he led them deeper into the forest. "So who were these ponies with the masks? You called them magic hunters right?"
Switch nodded. "Yes. They are a elite group that is specialized in the fight with magic and magical anomalies."
"And why did you flee from them?"
"Because, they have strict rules how to handle a changeling and with their masks it is completely impossible for me to hide from them! The runes around the eyeholes make them capable to see magic auras and also see through illusions like my disguise."
Spirit nodded and looked at Bite. "So that is why they stopped us. I guess they work similar to the rune glasses from our tribe."
Switch nodded. "That could be possible," and suddenly stopped. "Wait they stopped you? How did you managed to escape?"
Spirit shook his head. "I didn't had to. We wanted to know what so special about them is so we came to the idea that Bite would stretch his aura too look at their if that was the special but then stopped me and looked at me for a short time. After that they said that they were searching for unicorn, so they let me go."
Switch nodded. "That is interesting. If they send magic hunters to search for somepony it can't mean anything good."
"But why said you that they should not see Bite? I mean they don't seem like they would hunt Timberwolves."
Switch shook his head. "That wasn't what I feared. I don't think they would hurt you at all but if they had seen that you had a tamed Timberwolf." Bite gave him an angry glace for that and Switch apologized. "Oh sorry. I meant if they had seen that you are traveling with a Timberwolf and that you have a magical connection with him, they would probably stop you and ask you thousands of questions."
Spirit wanted to reply something but Switch continued. "Then you would be held in place and all your statements would be checked and then they would, eventually ,let you go. For that we just don't have enough time, first of all you would miss the meeting, second I couldn't wait here for long since somepony could see me anytime."
Spirit nodded. "Ok I think I understand that but I still wonder why they are here. But I should focus on my meeting with the druids!"
Switch smiled. "You know that I am a druid too, so you basically met already one. That reminds me." Switch stopped and reached in his bag and pulled out a dark green headband and tied it around his head. Spirit looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
Switch started walking again while he explained. "I wear this so the druids know who I am. It was made with a rare plant and give a magical signal and with that they can identify me. For you ponies it seem almost impossible to tell which changeling is which."
Spirit nodded. "I think you are right with that but with what do identify changeling who of them who is?"
Switch chuckled. "That is hard to explain. First of all we normally use numbers instead of names. You get your number when you are old enough, you can also choose a name but they don't really matter except when you have a very high rank, then other changeling have to call you by name. The number also tells how high your rank is, the smaller the number the higher the rank. We look for the number or name with some kind of extra sense, don't ask me how that works, I only know that it works. I mean I worked with thousands other changelings and never got the numbers wrong."
Spirit looked at Bite. "I wonder which number Switch had." Spirit nodded and wanted to the question from Bite but Switch was faster. "We are there." They stood in front of a tall thorn bush wall. Spirit looked to the left and right and it seemed that the wall never ended.
Switch walked along the wall and searched for something while Spirit and Bite followed him every five feet or so he shoved a bit dirt to the side then continued to walk.
"What are you doing?" Asked Spirit while following him.
Switch suddenly stopped and pointed at a stone in the dirt which had small symbols on it. "I searched for this. We are lucky this could be on the whole other side."
Switch laid the bag down and searched for something. "So you will pull your hood up again and look down. The other druids will also have their hoods up so that you can't recognize them if you are not accepted. Next thing, you won't say a word to anypony there, only when we reached the archdruid then you are free to talk." While Switch explained this he pulled out a small rock with a rune that Spirit never saw before but as he looked closer he saw that it was the same rune as on the stone in the dirt.
Switch levitated the rune directly in front of the thorn bush and activated it. Slowly a path opened in front of the three. Switch nodded threw the rune back in his bag and walked to the entrance.
Switch was about walk through the entrance but Spirit stopped him a lat time. "Wait I have a last question for you, what was your number at the swarm?"
Switch new that this question would come and smiled. "16." He turned immediately around and walked through the entrance. While Spirit turned to Bite. Bite jut nodded in the direction of Switch and they quickly caught up with him. Switch meanwhile waited for them on the other side of the entrance. As he saw Spirit and Bite he nodded and pulled his hood up.
They walked directly forward and Spirit kept his head down like Switch told him and just followed him. Bite there while looked round while he walked. Everywhere there stood ponies with cloaks to hide their faces. All standing in groups and talked to each other, Bite could also see that there were a few griffon in the groups. Bite could also spot a few tents and even tables and chairs but the strange thing was that their more look like there were grow naturally like this instead of made.
On the way Switch sometimes looked back and looked after Spirit and Bite and a he saw that Bite was looking around he turned to him. "Bite stop looking around or they going to kick you out! Also if we accept you two, you have plenty of time looking around but for now heads down!"
So Spirit and Bite both held their heads down and just kept following Switch. They stopped a they reached a tent were two druid in front of it. They turned to witch and Switch just Looked a bit up so that they could see his headband. They nodded and stepped aside.
Switch Bite and Spirit walked in. It was very dark inside and Switch immediately walked a bit to the left and whispered to them. "Step next to me in line."
Bite and Spirit did as he told and waited for someone to say anything. After a few seconds Spirit wanted to say something as suddenly blossom on the wall opened and filled the room with a warm glow.
Spirit looked a bit around and could see a few shelves with potion and powders. in the middle of the room stood a table who seemed like it grew out of the earth. Spirit turned to Switch and wanted to ask some question but he just shook his head and pointed to the other side of the room.
Spirit looked to the other side of the tent and saw a pony in a cloak but this time the cloak the cloak had a bunch of symbols stitched on it an also a hole in the hood for the horn. 'This is probably the archdruid.' Spirit bowed down and waited.
The archdruid walked toward the three and topped at the table. "Did you frighten the recruit again Switch?"
Switch chuckled and threw his hood back. "What did you expect from me?" He suddenly began to cough. He reached in his bag and quickly drank one bottle with the medicine. "Sorry, I should have taken my medicine before I came inside."
The archdruid chuckled also. "Nothing else. I know how good you are to keep the identity of the other druids a secret and I respect you for that. But now to you two, Bite and Spirit Wood from the Zebra lands. Spirit you should know by now that you don't have to bow before somepony like me also you can pull your hood back now, here is nopony except us four. Now come, sit down we don't want to waste too much time."
Suddenly three chairs grew out the earth right next to the table. Switch immediately walked to one of the chairs and sat down. Spirit threw now also his hood back and walked to one of the chair and sat down while Bite walked behind him and then sat next to him on the earth.
The archdruid walked to the last chair and sat down. He turned to Switch then back to Spirit and Bite. "Now let us begin, soon we will see if you are worthy of being called a druid."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
The archdruid pulled his hood back and revealed his face. He had a grey mane and a dark green coat. He had a small beard and brown eyes. The archdruid looked at Bite and Switch for a few seconds. "Are you sure that you want to join the druids? Do you know what that means? If you are called, you have to drop everything and do your duty. You have to choose the desire of the nature above your own! Do you two understand that?"
Spirit and Bite looked at each other then back to the archdruid and nodded. The archdruid nodded back and turned to Switch. "Farewell then it is up to you, Switch. You are going to decide if he is worthy to join or not. So what do you say?"
They looked at Switch who had leaned back and quickly sat up correctly and turned to Spirit with a gloating smile. "Ah right I have prepared something for that." Switch grabbed his back with his magic and laid it on the table. He began to rummaging in his bag until he found something. "Ah here it is. So have fun!"
Switch laid a bunch of papers in front of Spirit and Bite, who just looked at the paper really confused. "What is that?" Spirit looked at Switch already fearing the answer.
Switch chuckled. "Well, a test for you. I wrote this test while is followed you the year." Bite chuckled a bit and Switch turned to him and coughed. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you. This test is for you both! And it will show if you two are going to be druid or not!"
Spirit and Bite looked at the first page and saw a random bunch of question from historical question to biological questions and even math questions. They read the first side and already got confused.
"Oh I almost forgot, you will need this," He threw a pen in front of them both, "and you don't need to hurry. You have the whole day left, what should be at least ten hours or so. Ok I go and grab a tea for myself, do you also want one archdruid?"
The archdruid smiled and nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you."
Switch left the room and the archdruid walked behind Spirit and Bite who were already answering the first questions, and put a hoof on Spirit shoulder. "Don't worry too much. We won't ban you for a wrong answer."
Spirit didn't knew how does that could help so he and Bite just tried to answer the question as good as they could. As they finished the first page of the test came Switch back with two cups of hot tea. Switch gave the archdruid one cup and sipped at his own then whispered to him. "Did you said him what I said?" The arcdruid nodded. Switch smiled. "He didn't got it, right?" The archdruid nodded again and Switch chuckled. "Then this is going to be fun."
The archdruid looked at Switch and grabbed his tea with his magic. "I must say your way to test the candidates are very unique."
Switch looked at Bite and Spirit. "But they work and why shouldn't I have a bit fun while doing so?"
The archdruid nodded. "Yes and I do respect that you kept that attitude through all these years."
Switch nodded and they both sipped at their teas. They watched how Bite and Spirit tried to answer all questions and smiled.
They were through all question and started to overlook the answers who they though could be wrong. "Ok Bite There is a flower. One day it got stomped. A griffon, a unicorn, an earthpony and a pegasus argued who it was. The pegasus said that it wasn't him. The unicorn said that it was the earthpony. The griffon said that it was the unicorn. The earthpony says that the unicorn lies. Only one of them says the truth. Who was it? Who told the truth?"
Bite read the paragraph again and tried to make sense of it. Spirit started by mark the races and looked again at the paper. "Ok let's start with who the truth says. What if the unicron say the truth?"
Bite looked at the sentences then shook his head. "Then the pegaus would lie and two would have done it and I don't think that is the answer."
Spirit nodded. "Yes I think you are right but the pegasus can't say the truth because then the statements of the unicorn and the earthpony would contradict each other... so that means that the pegasus was it..." Bite finished the rest. "and that the earthpony tells the truth."
Spirit nodded and wrote it down. "Ok, I think we did now all questions. Let's give it to Switch." They stood up and walked over to Switch who was talking with the archdruid. "We finished the test."
Switch nodded and sipped a last time at his tea before he levitated it to the table and grabbed the papers. Switch overlooked the papers quickly not really looking at the answers until he came to the page with the riddle. "I am surprised. I didn't expect from you two to solve this riddle." Switch just ignored the next pages and burned the paper with green fire.
Spirit and Bite waited for a few seconds then looked at each other confused. Spirit turned to Switch. "And how many points do we get?"
Switch levitated the cup of tea back to himself. "I don't know."
This confused the both even more. "What do you mean by you don't know?
Switch chuckled. "I mean I don't know. I don't even know the half of the answers for the questions. I just wrote a random bunch of questions, except the riddle. I just wanted to see how you do on it."
This explanation till didn't helped Bite and Spirit. "Then what was the point at doing this test? How you going to test if I am good enough or not?"
Switch nodded. "Well you were expecting a test weren't you? So I give you this. Also I watched you over a year, I think I already know if we can trust you or not. I just wanted to see if you would do this test even it seems unnecessary and it was funny to see your heads breaking at these questions."
Spirit wanted to complain but Bite stopped him and then he realized something. "Does that mean I am going to join the druids?"
Switch nodded and the archdruid stepped forward. "We decide that you are worthy to join but I have to ask you two one last time. Do you want that? Whatever you choose you can't step back from that decision!"
Both nodded at the archdruid. "We are sure. We want to join the druids."
The archdruid walked to the table. "Then I am happy to announce that you are from now on the newest member of the druids. You two will do your best to guard the nature and all that comes with it! You will be put in a group to keep the number of known identities a minimum, I hope you can understand this. Switch will bring you two to your group."
Spirit and Bite bowed before the archdruid and Spirit wanted to thank him. "Bite and I want to..." He topped a he felt a sudden pain on his back head and felt down unconscious. Bite quickly looked around and saw that Switch had hit Spirit on the back head. Bite raised an eyebrow. So did the archdruid.
Switch drank the rest of his tea before he answered. "Hey I only did what the others wrote me. They said I should do that."
The archdruid nodded. "Ok then now that that is settled, I have to leave. Good bye Switch and Bite."
Switch turned to Bite. "Could you carry him? I think you are stronger than I am."
Bite nodded so levitate Switch Spirit on Bites back and they walked out of the tent. Switch pointed to the left and began to walk. "In that direction we will meet the others. Do you have any questions so far Bite?"
Bite just pointed with his head to Spirit still lying unconscious on his back. Switch shrugged. "Don't ask me that. Darren, you will met him later, wrote me that I had to do that before I bring Spirit to us. You can ask him later if you want. Any other questions?"
Bite nodded to the hood from Switch.
Switch coughed a bit. "Oh you mean why I don't have my hood up. That's because my identity isn't in any way important, even if one of us wanted to make our identity public he could just say one of them is a changeling and that wouldn't help anypony to find me."
Bite nodded and they walked the rest silent. As they reached a tent, which was smaller than the tent from the archdruid and walked inside. In the inside there were, like in the other tent small blossoms to light up the room. On the one side there laid two bags and Switch laid his and Spirits next to them.
Switch grabbed one of his medical potion and drank it then tuned to Bite. "You can lay Spirit down. He should wake up soon and the other should be arrived till that."
Bite laid Spirit down, laid down next to him and began to watch the entrance. Switch meanwhile searched in his back and began to read through a few documents.
After they waited for a few minutes someone entered the room. Bite looked up and Switch walked to the newcomer. It was a very big griffon who wore a cloak which hides his face and carried a steel rod on his back. A he entered the room he pulled his hood back. He had dark brown feathers and a big beak. He had small, brown eyes and a very serious look on his face.
The griffon look around in the room and saw Spirit lying and Bite who stood now next to Spirit, following every movement of the griffon with his eyes.
Switch walked up to the griffon. "Hey Darren how... " But Darren interrupted him. "Why is he unconscious?"
Switch looked at Spirit then back to Darren. "What? You wrote to me that I should knock him out before I bring him to us!"
"I meant that you knock them both out before they even get to us, the druids, so that they couldn't find the way back here. In the case we wouldn't accept them."
Switch frowned. "First you could have been more accurate when I should knock them out. Second I already decided that they would join us before we arrived."
Darren looked at Spirit lying on the ground. "And what if they had refused?"
"That would be very surprising for me. I watched over them almost over a year, I think I can predict their decisions very well."
The griffon walked over to Bite and Spirit and looked at Bite for a moment then walked over to his back. "When do you think he will wake up?"
Switch walked over to Spirit and held his hoof at Spirits forehead. He closed his eyes and his horn glowed for a second. "He should be up in the next few seconds."
At that moment Spirit slowly opened his eyes."What ... What happened?" He looked around and tried to stand up and Bite helped him with that. "Thank. So what happened?"
Darren walked to him. "There was an misunderstanding, nothing more. But still I welcome you, as the newest member of the druids and our group. I am Darren. And you are Spirit Wood right?"
Spirit smiled friendly. "Yes I am and this is my friend Bite."
Darren shortly looked at Bite but said nothing so Spirit continued. "So we are a group now?"
Darren nodded. "Yes but one member is still missing."
"Who is it?"
Darren was about to answer but was interrupted by Switch. "It is a secret. You will see soon enough." Darren just raised an eyebrow at Switch who sat down next to his bag but then turned back to Spirit. "We will discuss what we do next when we all are here. You can do whatever you want for now. But don't leave the tent without your hood up!"
Spirit looked around and searched for something. "Where is my bag?"
Switch threw his bag over to him. "Here is it!"
Spirit saw the saddlebags flying and quickly ran to catch it. He was able to catch them few feet from the ground. "Carefully! In there is a plant and a bunch of phials."
Switch rubbed his back head. "Sorry!"
Spirit turned to Switch and Darren and showed them a blossom with seeds for the magical plant. . "I need to plant these for the food for Bite, I have a smaller version but I need a bigger one or it isn't enough for Bite. Do you know if I can plant it somewhere here?"
Darren shook his head. "I am afraid not. We only met here for a few days after that everything has to be gone."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other. "So what do we, I mean I probably can get a few phials in Ponyville but that won't be enough in the long run!"
Switch sat up. "I have an Idea. I could give a few blossoms to our archdruid and after a few weeks you will wonder from where all these shops have this new plant!"
Switch was about to grab a few blossom and go but was hold back by Darren. "No, you can do that when we leave. I won't wait any longer when the last member of our group comes!"
Switch sat down again. "Ok then I will talk to the archdruid later."
Spirit looked at Darren. "Is there a place where we can meditate in peace?"
Darren nodded and pointed at the second exit of the tent. "There you should be have your peace. Only our group is allowed in this area but you should let your hood up, just in case."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other and nodded. Spirit pulled his hood back up and he and Bite walked outside the second exit. Outside they began to meditate.
After a few minutes Switch sigh. "In this time I could have gone to the archdruid and tell him everything ten times! I hope she has a good excuse."
Darren nodded. "I give her five more minutes after that we start without her and you can go to the archdruid. We can tell her everything afterward."
Switch reached in his saddlebags and pulled out a few papers. "I could already compare the data I asked for. Do you have them Darren?"
"They are in my bags. The papers are marked with the numbers four to six."
Switch looked in the biggest bunch of bags and after a few second he pulled out three papers. He looked at the pages. "Just as I expected." Switch sat down again and compared the three papers with a bunch of paper which he pulled out of his own bags.
Only after a few seconds later heard Spirit something coming inside the tent. He heard a female voice. "I am sorry that I am so late but I got attacked by a manticore at my way through the Everfree. I have a few wounds you should look at Switch."
Switch stood up and chuckled. "I'll do that but don't you want to greet our new team member first?"
Spirit and Bite now opened their eyes from the meditation as they heard the new voice and walked back inside. As they were inside they looked at the new mare. She wore a cloak like all the others with her hood on. Spirit could see black and white stripes on her legs and a long green mane hung out of the hood and a horn.
Spirit instantly knew who it was but couldn't believe it. The mare looked at him and recognized him two. The both looked at each other and none of them said a word.
Darren looked a bit confused at them both but stayed silent and Switch jut waited until they would say something.
Spirit still couldn't believe who he had standing in front of him. "Leaf? Is that really you?"
She also seemed confused. "Spirit? Bite? Why are you two..."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Old friend and another test
Bite, Switch and Darren just watched how Spirit and Leaf couldn't believe what they saw. After a while stepped Darren forward and coughed to get the attention. "So you two know each other? Was that the surprise you had Switch?"
Switch nodded. "Yes it was but I didn't expected this reaction from them. I mean they have not seen each other for several years!"
Spirit and Leaf still didn't said a single word. Bite walked to Spirit and poked him in the side. Spirit looked surprised at Bite and back to Leaf. He bowed exactly how the zebra etiquette says to greet an old friend. "It is nice to see you again. I must say you haven't changed a bit." Spirit looked up again and aw to his surprise that Leaf hadn't move. He looked to Bite. "Did she forgot that she should bow back?" Bite shrugged shortly and Spirit turned back to Leaf.
"I don't know if you mean that as a compliment or not but it is still nice to see you again Spirit. And you too Bite." She pulled her hood back and revealed her face.
She had, like you would expect from a Zebra, a black white striped coat but she a long straight green mane and a horn on her head. She looked like Spirit remembered her but he immediately spotted something different. Her right eye was, instead of the normal white eye with green iris, completely green and had a strange symbol in the middle instead of a iris.
Bite looked at Spirit and raised an eyebrow. "I guess she has changed more than you though." Spirit nodded and turned back to Leaf. "I must admit I didn't expect you here Leaf. Were you send here too?"
She shook her head. "No I wasn't. I choose this by myself and left the tribe."
Switch stepped forward and interrupted them. "To be exact I gave her the choice. "
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "And when and how did that happened?"
Now he turned to Spirit. "Do you remember when we first met back at your tribe?" Switch nodded and Switch began the story.
Well, I was there to recruit Leaf, the druid heard from her special talent which makes her able to analyze magic within one second if she saw it with her right eye. So anyway, your teacher gave me the necklace for the permission to pass through. I searched for quite some time until I finally found other houses. By the way I must add that your teacher lives very far away from the rest but anyway.
I disguised myself and asked around to find Leafs family, what was a bit difficult since only the half of the zebras speaks equestrian and I don't speak your language. But after an hour or so I finally found their house. I knocked on the door and as it opened a female Zebra, Leafs mom, stood there.
"How may I help you traveler? Oh I see that you have a symbol from Volg. With that you may enter."
I walked inside and wanted to do this as quick as I could. "I actual have not much time but I have to talk to your whole family, if that is possible."
She looked at me with big eyes but nodded. "Of course I will get Leaf." She walked away and I closed all windows and sat down. After a while they came back. "You can sit down but this probably won't take long so first of."
I dropped my disguise and as I looked at them the both looked at me with big eyes. "I am a Changeling and I am here for your daughter." I began to cough heavily and quickly drank asmy medicine.
Darren interrupted. "What is the point by telling us that you had coughed?"
Switch shrugged. "Nothing but when I think back now, this scene sounds kind of wrong. But anyway..."
As I finished drinking my medicine I continued. "I am a druid and the talent of your daughter could be useful for us, so we want to recruit her."
Leafs mother looked at me like I said something wrong. "Why should we believe you? You could just want to kidnap her!"
"Why should I? What would I earn by kidnap a random zebra? But maybe this will change your mind." I gave them a letter I got from the archdruid I don't know what was on it because it was completely written in the zebra language.
But her mother still wasn't convinced. "This doesn't prove anything and even if it would Leaf is needed here! I would appreciate if you leave now, you can ask the elder if you want anything else."
"I know I can't convince you." Then I turned directly to Leaf and gave her a rune the archdruid had given me. "You can come with me to the druids or stay here. Tehis is all your choice. I will wait for the next three days at my camp, just walk to the north you can't miss it. So until then!"
I just left after that. From the inside I heard them talking but not in equestrian so I don't know what they said and Leaf don't want to tell me so.
...I waited for two days on the third came Leaf to me and said she would come with me. I asked he how she convinced her mother but she never answered me that.
Spirit didn't said anything and looked at Bite. "I guess that Switch was right. It was similar how he got us to believe him."
Leaf stepped now a bit forward and continued. "I left the tribe years ago. I am no longer a part of your tribe."
Spirit was a bit surprised by these drastic ways and went silent for a few seconds, while Switch whispered to Darren. "I planned this to be a bit more happier than this. I guess a zebra thing?"
Darren slightly nodded and whispered back. "Probably but we have to respect that and I warn you if interferer again! This is there thing, not ours!"
Switch sat down. "Don't worry I won't do anything. Calm down."
They both looked back to the scene in front of them. Spirit shook his head. "You left our tribe? Why..." Spirit interrupted himself and bowed. "I am sorry. I shouldn't question your behavior. Surely you have your reasons and it was your choice. As a member of the tribe I respect that."
Leaf smiled. "I know you do that and also I hope that you are still my friend."
Spirit was still bowing as he suddenly felt that Leaf hugged him. Spirit hugged back and pulled Bite with.
Darren stood up and walked over to them. "I think that was enough seeing again for today. If I am allowed to, I would really like to start now!"
Leaf quickly stepped back and nodded. "Of course!"
Switch walked to the rest. "So do we start now? Or should I check on Leafs wound first?"
Darren looked at Leaf and hook his head. "You can do that later. For now it seems she can survive it."
Leaf nodded and they sat down in a circle and Darren pulled out a few documents. "As you know we have a new member, Spirit." Bite looked at Darren and raised an eyebrow but Darren ignored him. "He will join our group and we will teach him everything he has to know to be a druid! So tomorrow we will go to a mission together. Normally this mission would be for one or two druids but we will use it to show Spirit how he has to operate."
Spirit felt a bit guilty. "Oh I am sorry. I don't want to take your time because of me!"
Leaf and Switch chuckled a bit and Switch shook his head. "You really act like I would expect from a zebra. We have to train new druids or we would die out some day."
Darren nodded. "I have to agree with Switch, it is our duty to teach you everything. As a higher druid it is a honor."
Switch rolled with his eyes. "Anyway, we have to go to a small forest in the east. We found out that the forest is rapidly dying and there seems to be no cause."
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "So what are going to do there?"
Switch gave him a paper with data about the forest. "We will look at the problem by our self and help as much as we can."
Darren stood up. "We will do our duty but for now we should rest. Also Spirit could you give me your notes to druids you collected of over the year?"
Spirit was a bit surprised but nodded to Bite. "But I should tell you that the most of them are just old myths and legends, so don't expect too much." While he spoke grabbed Bite the notes and gave them to Darren.
Darren grabbed the papers and began to read. "Don't worry I don't expect much new information from these notes and for the myths and legends, almost every story has a bit truth in them." Darren walked away sat down and began to read. While Spirit turned to Bite and Bite just shrugged.
Switch stood up and turned to Leaf. "Ok then Leaf you said you had a few wounds I should look at?"
Leaf nodded and pointed at her back. "I got a few scratches on my back." Leaf pulled her cloak off and revealed her back which had many scratches on it. Spirit was also able to see Leafs cutie mark for the first time. It was a purple blossom with the same rune in the middle that Leaf had on her eye.
Switch turned to the wounds and looked at them closely while Spirit wanted to talk with Leaf. "So how did you got your cutie mark?"
"Back at the tribe. I had to make a bunch of tests to look at what I am good. One of the task was to draw a advanced rune but no came in my mind. Ouch!"
Switch raised the eyebrow. "Whose fault is it that you got injured? Yours. So hold still that I can do my job." Switchs hooves began to glow and he held them on Leafs wounds.
Leaf turned back to Spirit. "So where was I? Right the test. As I said I had to make a rune but as I got none in mind I just try to make one up. As I finished the teacher looked over the rune and asked me from where I knew this rune. I said him that I just make it up as suddenly the room started to look strange. I suddenly saw everything completely different. Everything glowed in different colors. As I looked back to the rune I could see the lines on it glowing a bit brighter than the rest and I somehow understood the rune."
Bite looked now up and listened carefully while Spirit raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you understood the rune?"
She pointed at her right eye. "The rune I have on my eye is the same rune I made this day. This rune can absorb magic energy and showed the type of magic by glowing in a color. "
"And how did you got this eye?"
She shrugged. "After a few days my teacher said that my eye started to changing color. Our doctors looked at it and said that this is probably a side effect from seeing magic."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other then back to Leaf. "So let me get this straight, you can see magic with one eye and it changed slowly because of that?"
She nodded. "Yes pretty much. Ouch! Switch you were suppose to heal me not hurting me more!"
Switch stepped back. "I am finished. Don't thank me too much. You should really train more or at least learn to run faster."
Leaf stood up and rolled with her eyes. "Ha-ha really funny Switch. You know that I am not a bad fighter! I defeated Spirit once!"
Switch chuckled. "Congratulations you won against a pony with little to no fight experience whatsoever a bunch of years ago. I am sorry but I forgot your medal."
Bite chuckled quietly and Spirit turned to Switch. "Hey I am not that bad! I fought against a hydra once!"
Suddenly Darren came to them. "So you are a fighter? I thought you just could communicate with animals but if you say you can fight we should test that. I guess Bite will fight with you?"
Spirit didn't liked were this was going but just nodded.
Darren grabbed the steel rod from his bag. "Then I shall test you together. Timberwolves can rebuild themselves if I am not mistake, right?" Again Spirit just nodded. "Good then I won't have to hold back."
Switch reached in his bag and pulled out a white bandage. "Can you wait till I bandaged Leafs back?"
Darren nodded. "I give you five minutes Spirit and Bite. We will fight outside."
Darren walked to the second exit and Spirit and Bite turned to the others. "What now?"
Switch warp the bandage around Leafs back while he explained. "You just said that you can fight so now Darren will test how good you actually are."
Spirit turned to Bite and gulped. "The first few minutes as a druid and I have to fight! Sorry to pull you into this Bite."
Bite just shrugged and laid down to wait when they would began. Switch finished bandaging Leafs back and went outside to Darren. Followed by Leaf who looked at Bite for a second then turned to Spirit, who was searching for his weapon, and smiled at him. "It seems that Bite got more relaxed the last years. I hope that doesn't affect your fighting for the bad."
As he found his claws he took a deep breath and put them on. "Let just get over with this." Bite nodded and they walked outside. As they were outside they saw that Darren stood there already in fighting position.
Switch and Leaf sat down at the site. Darren stomped the rod on the ground. "Let this battle began."
Before Spirit could say anything charged Darren at them. Bite jumped backwards and was barely able to dodge the attack. Darren hit the ground and left a small mark on the ground. He lifted the rod again and immediately jumped back to went back into start position.
Spirit looked at Bite. "He is much faster than I expected. I get the feeling we don't have much of a chance here." Bite nodded shortly and walked closely to Spirit.
Darren began to spread his wings and as they saw that Darren wanted to fly they tried to jump at him. They tried to attack his wings but Darren just expected that. He pulled his wings back again and spun around to hit Spirit at the side with the steel rod.
Bite used that to attack him. Bite tired to grab the steel rod at the other end. Darren saw that and spread his wing and began to fly. As Bite front was lifted a bit in the air he let go of the rod. As Bite was completely on the ground he looked up and Darren dashed down again. Bite jumped backwards and Spirit tried to attack Darren in the side. Darren saw that and swung the steel rod around and hit Spirit at his side.
Spirit stumbled backwards and sunk to the ground. Bite walked to Spirit and stayed between Darren and Spirit. To Bites surprise moved Darren not even a bit.
Darren waited till Spirit slowly stood up again. He looked to Bite and nodded. They both jumped again at Darren but this time a few feet away from each other. Darren just raised the rod and blocked both of them. Spirit and Bite tried to attack him but Darren blocked every attach with ease. After while Darren began to attack furiously and Bite and Spirit had problems not to get hit.
Spirit and Bite walked a bit backwards and were about to attack again as they heard a noise from the side. They saw that Switch started coughing heavily. Between the coughs he explained. "Oh I am sorry I should take my medicine." Switch walked back in the tent and returned shortly afterwards again.
As Spirit and Bite turned back to Darren they saw that he was gone and as they looked up they saw that Darren was quickly coming towards them and leashing out to hit Spirit. Bite saw this and jumped in the direction of Darren to stop him.
Darren reacted by stopping in midair and hit Bite with the rod. He hit Bite right in the face and smashed the wood by doing so. Bite immediately fell into pieces. Darren landed next to the pieces and looked at them. Spirit tried to use the distraction to attack from behind but as he got near Darren, spun the older druid around and hold the rod at Spirit throat.
Spirit stopped and Darren stepped back again. "I think this here is over. All I can say is that you know what to do but there is a lack of practical experience."
Switch and Leaf walked to them and Switch turned to Spirit with a amused expression while Leaf walked to Bite and watched how he was rebuilding himself. "I must admit that it took Darren much longer than I expect, to beat you."
Spirit chuckled and looked how Leaf was observing how Bite was rebuilding himself. "Thank you I guess. But I think I have enough fighting for the next month."
Meanwhile Bite finished rebuilding and shook his head, he still felt a little woozy after that hit on the head. Leaf looked at his head. "Do this hurt you?" Bite nodded. "Much?" Bite shook his head after a few seconds. Leaf smiled at him. "That is good to know." She pet Bite on the head they walked to Switch and Spirit.
They talked for a bit till Darren came back to them. "Enough for today. we should rest. Tomorrow we will begin our journey." They all nodded and walked in different corners of the tent and started sleeping.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Beginning of the first mission
On the next day
Spirit sat up straight and looked around. "What is it?" He looked down and saw that he got his cloak thrown in his face.
Leaf was walking around and searching for her own cloak. "Come on Spirit we have to hurry we have to go before the sun rises. Have you seen my cloak?"
Spirit stood up and looked around but couldn't find it. "No I am sorry." He turned to Bite. "Hey wake up! We have to go!"
Bite slowly stood up stretched his back and looked around still a bit sleepy. As Bite was up he saw something brown behind him. "Leaf I think there is your cloak."
Leaf turned to them "Where? Oh so it was really behind Bite. Switch told me it would lie there but I didn't want to wake Bite up."
Spirit gave Leaf her cloak and smiled. "Hey don't be too nice. He became lazy enough the last year. Next time just wake him up."
Leaf chuckled and wanted to response as suddenly Darren came inside. "Are you two not finished yet? Hurry you two we want to leave in the next ten minutes!" He left the room again and left them alone.
Leaf put on her cloak and Spirit put on his traditional cloak from the zebras. They grabbed their saddlebags but before they left asked Spirit Leaf one last thing. "Why is it that Darren never counts Bite in?"
"I am not sure. I think that has something to do how he looks on Timberwolves but you should ask him yourself one time if you want to know more." She explained him.
They both put on their saddlebags and pulled their hoods up and Bite, who was now also fully awake, walked next to them as they left the tent. They looked around but neither Darren nor Switch were there. Spirit looked at Leaf what they should do now.
Leaf just pointed to the direction of the exit. "They are probably waiting outside for us. Come follow me."
They walked back to the spot where the entrance had opened as Switch and Spirit firstly came to this place. They stopped and Leaf pulled out the same rune Switch used to open the path. Leaf activate the rune with her magic.
The thorn wall began to open and Spirit wanted to ask. "How does this works?"
Leaf gave him the rune and began to explain. "Well we use theses runes every group has a slightly different one to open the wall at a different spot so that won't find out the identities of other druids by accident. When we leave we take the rune for our entrance with us and when the whole wall will be gone. That reminds me, here your own team rune."
She gave him a rune and Spirit looked at it for quite some time. Leaf was already walking out as Spirit had a last question. "But what about the tents? Wouldn't they still be here?"
They waited outside till the entrance had closed again and Leaf explain while she pulled the rune out of the dirt. "No the archdruid brings them away. I don't know how he does that but he does." She put the stone from the dirt in her bag and pulled off her hood and so did Spirit.
Spirit and Bite nodded understanding and they walked for a few seconds till suddenly."Hey there! You three really let yourself time!"
They jumped around, except Bite who already turned around, to see Switch standing behind them. Leaf gave him a death glare. "Stop that Switch you know that I don't like to be surprised like this!"
"Oh come on it was fun. See I got one laughing." He pointed at Bite who chuckled quietly. Leaf just turned around and began to walk again.
Spirit turned to Bite. "You smelled him?" Bite nodded. "You knew what he was up to?" He nodded again. Spirit sighed and mumbled to himself. "And you put all afford into your concentration that I couldn't read your mind right?" Bite nodded again.
Switch walked to them and smiled. "That was fun but we better go now before Darren goes without us." Spirit and Bite nodded and they followed the same way that Leaf went.
Suddenly, after while walking, stopped Bite, Spirit. He pointed at Spirits bag and send him a massage through their bond. "The plant, Switch wanted to give the archmage the seeds." "Oh you are right. Hey Switch I just remember you wanted to give the archdruid seeds for the magic plant."
Switch continued to walk. "I know and I already gave him a bunch of them before you woke up. So don't worry." Spirit and Bite were both very surprised and stood still for a minute then quickly followed Switch. As they reached the edge of the forest they saw Darren and Leaf waiting for them.
Darren stood up. "Good you are finally here we have to go. But before we go I have to talk to you Spirit."
They all nodded and Spirit walked to Darren. "What is it?"
"Nothing big. Just to let you know here at the druids we won't teach you like a student. You are here to learn by yourself. We will answer all questions we can but we won't show you your way. That is up to you!" He explained.
Spirit tried to make sense of it and just nodded. Darren there while called the other. "Ok we will go directly through the town to save time. Try not to draw any attention to yourself and keep in mind Spirit, the druids are suppose to stay as a secret."
Spirit nodded and they turned to the town. Switch quickly changed his appearance to the green winged pony before he followed them.
Just as they entered the town whispered Switch to them. "Tell me immediately if you see a magic hunter! Just look out for ponies in blue cloaks and white masks."
They all walked as quickly as they could and were able to left the town without a encounter with any pony. As they just left the town sighed Switch. "I glad we came out so easily. I wonder what happened if somepony would have seen us."
Spirit chuckled a bit. "Well worst case would be a surprise party with the whole town."
Switch raised an eyebrow."Really?" Spirit wanted to explain but Darren walked between them. "We have no time for this. Now come."
Switch rolled with his eyes and wanted to reply but Leaf hold him back. "Come Switch you know that wouldn't lead anywhere." Switch sighed and nodded.
Spirit and Bite looked just back and forth from Switch to Darren. Then they looked at each other and just shrugged.
They keep heading to the west till the sun was going down again and they had to stop and make a camp fire. Leaf and Switch went to get some wood while Darren, Bite and Spirit build up the tents. As they were finished but the other still hadn't returned began Darren to read the notes Spirit gave him.
Spirit and Bite started to meditate and went through about what happened. "So we finally fulfilled our last task from our teacher." Bite agreed to that but had also something else in mind. "But what is with Darren. He acts like I was not a part of it." Spirit also agreed to that and tried to calm Bite. "When that happen again I will ask him about that, don't worry." Bite wasn't really satisfied but before he could say anything they heard Darren.
"Spirit could you come for a second?"
Spirit walked over to him and bowed almost automatically. then remembered that he wasn't in front of his old teacher. "What is it?"
He pointed at the pages Spirit had copied in the crystal empire. "Where did you got these information?"
Spirit looked at the page then remembered it. "That was when we were in the crystal empire. I found a book with a black cover. I couldn't read a single word but there were a few pages loose between the pages which I could read."
Darren eye went wide. "The book in which you found this had a black cover and was written in a different language? I have to inform the archdruid!"
"Inform him about what?" They heard Switch ask. They turned around and saw that Switch and Leaf had come back.
Darren grabbed the page and spread his wings. "Spirit found a dark book and an information that could be important. I have to report that to the archdruid I should be back in a few hours." With that he flew away and left the others back.
Switch laid the wood down and turned to Spirit. "One question, does he meant the book you read in the library? With the black cover?"
Spirit nodded. Switch chuckled. "I think I should have told him that I already told the archmage about that book."
Leaf laid her wood to the wood from Switch. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you told us earlier?"
Switch leaned against a tree and shrugged. "Because it didn't seemed necessary. I mean I told the archdruid."
Leaf sighed. "Fine but I don't think that Darren will be happy to hear this."
They continued to discussed for a few minutes while Spirit and Bite started the campfire. They had a few problems but as the fire was finally on gave Spirit a sigh of relief. He and Bite walked a couple of feet away from the fire and began to meditate while the other finished their discussion.
After a few hours returned Darren, who instantly walked over to Switch. "Why didn't you inform us? You know we do these meetings for a reason!"
Switch stood up with an serious expression. "I told the archdruid. That is enough. If an information not important for us, why should I tell you about it?"
They began to argue and to Spirits surprise very calmly. He turned to Leaf and raised an eyebrow.
She whispered to him. "They both have different views on how to act as a druid. For the most time they tolerate the ways of each other till a certain point. Wait a moment."
Leaf walked between Switch and Darren . "So, that is enough. You two know that this will not lead anywhere. Just stop it, okay?"
Switch looked a bit down and nodded while Darren also nodded shortly. "You're right. But I want to be informed next time!" Switch nodded and Darren walked to his tent.
As Darren was in his tent Spirit could hear that Switch whispered something. "If I think it is important." With that Switch sat down next to the fire and dropped his disguise.
Spirit looked at Leaf who simple sat down like nothing happened. Bite nodded in Leafs direction and he and Spirit walked to her. "How could you interfere their discussion? They are higher in rank."
Leaf wanted to answer but was interrupted by Switch. "That is because we don't have a higher rank than her. To be exact you have the same rank as I or Darren. The druids measure your decision value for everything separately. Only the archdruid has always a higher rank."
Spirit looked even more confused. "How do you mean that?"
Switch sat up and pointed at Bite. "For example if we have to handle with Timberwolves your opinion on this subject had more value than mine or Darrens but in the end the archdruid always has the last word."
Spirit nodded and looked in the flames. 'Very interesting. I thought that they had a clear rank system.' He looked at Bite who nodded and Spirit expression turned surprised. "You heard what I thought?" Bite nodded again there while Switch started to make soup.
Leaf looked between Spirit and Bite. "Is that why your auras seems to melt together. I hardly can tell apart which aura is which." She closed her right eye and looked at them with her normal eye. "Much better. This magic vision annoys me from time to time." She smiled and Spirit smiled back.
After a few minutes called Switch everyone to eat. They sat down around the campfire and ate their soup. As Switch gave everyone a bowl Looked Spirit in his bags and remembered something. "Oh could you remember me to get more magic blossoms?" They all nodded and Spirit pulled out the smaller version of the plant and laid it down.
He tapped on the back head of the plant and caught the powder with Bites bowl. Leaf there while laid her bowl down again and looked at the plant. "Can I look at it?"
Spirit simply nodded and Leaf grabbed the plant with her magic and levitate the small plant and looked at it closely with her rune eye. "This looks so strange. The magic in this plant seems to move all the time, I heard of this plant but isn't it normally bigger?"
Spirit nodded while laying the bowl with the powder in front of Bite. "That is because that is a version that Zecora had breed to make the plant transportable. Bite and I helped her a few times but for the most part it was her work, she just gave it to me."
Spirit began to eat his soup but was stopped by Darren who looked at the plant for a moment than turned back to Spirit. "I must admit that you already do great work as a druid by breeding such a unique plant. Even when you just helped out!"
Bite gave a small growl. While Spirit put the bowl down again and ask in a slightly annoyed tune. "What about Bite?"
Darren turned back to his own soup and answered. "What about him?" Before he drank a bit of his soup.
Spirit raised an eyebrow and tried to sound as calm as he could. "You never include Bite. Do you have something against him?"
There while was Switch leaning back while drinking his soup but still listening to every word. And leaf had put the plant down again and looked back and forth between Darren and Spirit and Bite.
Darren shook his head. "No I have nothing against Bite. As a living being he deserves our respect and guarding but he is not a druid!"
Spirit jumped up and Bite slowly stood up too. "Why is that?" Spirit asked angry. "He did the same I did! He livid almost the same live I did! Why should he not be a druid?"
Darren drank again a bit of his soup before continuing. "Because druids are the guards of the nature not the nature itself!"
Both Spirit and Bite where surprised by that answer and just raised their eyebrows. "Explain that!"
Darren he waved with his claw over the forest around them. "Let's say that there was a forest were every two years a storm comes that kills every tree. Now one tree grows so big that it protects the others from the storm. Does that make him a druid? No, it doesn't. A druid isn't the nature itself it is the force between the nature and all things that want to hurt it."
Darren drank the last rest of his soup and stood up. "That makes Bite, from my view not a druid, only a help. And these are my last words to this topic." And with that Darren left them and walked in his tent.
Spirit turned to Leaf and Switch. "Is he serious?"
Switch nodded. "He is always serious."
Leaf petted Bite on the back. "Don't worry, I sure you can convince him otherwise." She turned to Spirit. "Don't take that to personal. Darren is just a bit old thinking nothing more."
Switch stood up. "Anyway let's get some rest. Good night!" He walked in his tent and closed it. Leaf also said good night and walked in her tent. Now Spirit and Bite were alone. Spirit looked at the stars for a few minutes and fall asleep.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
On the next morning was Spirit woke up as he heard a loud noise. He immediately stood up only to realize that it was just Switch coughing. Spirit sat down again and looked around and was surprised to see not the forest around him but the walls of a tent.
"Weren't I outside as I fall asleep?" He asked that more to himself then to anyone. He looked around again and saw Bite lying on the ground looking at him. "Did you brought me in here?" Bite nodded. "Thanks. What time is it?"
Bite shrugged then slowly stood up. Spirit also stood up. "Okay then let's go outside. Maybe we can meditate a bit before we have to go."
The walked out of the tent to see that Darren was already outside and already dismantling his tent. Bite stayed at their tent while Spirit walked to Darren. "Will we be going soon? Do I have to pack my things?"
Darren shook his head. "No you can start packing your things when the others do it. I just want to be finish with mine as fast as I can."
Spirit nodded and walked back to Bite. "Should we also start already?" Bite nodded so the two began to pack their tent back in this bag and make everything ready so that they could leave anytime.
Just as they finished came Switch out of his tent and stretched a bit. "Good morning!" He instantly dismantled his tent with is magic and shoved it in his bag.
Bite looked at Switch for a moment then poked Spirit in the side who then also looked at Switch. "You're right Bite. Switch shouldn't you put on your disguise? I mean we always can encounter a pony."
Switch just shrugged. "Don't worry I don't think we will meet anypony here. Also we can worry about that when we encounter a pony."
After a few minutes came Leaf out of her tent.
She seemed a bit surprised that everyone was ready except her and began with her tent. "How comes that I am the last one I thought that at least Spirit or Bite would be still asleep."
"Probably I would be if Switch hadn't coughed so loudly." Spirit said.
Switch spun around and pretended to be insulted. "Hey! How is it my fault that I got insect spray in my face? But don't worry next time I coughed quietly... or so loud that it wake you all up."
Leaf rolled with her eyes while Spirit turned to Switch. "That reminds me, how did you got your lungs hurt?"
Leaf nodded. "Yes and how did you became a druid? I mean as a Changeling."
Switch looked to Darren searching for help who nodded. "I think it is Switch decision if he wants to tell or not... but I would say you should tell them."
Switch mumbled to himself. "Thanks Darren." Then sigh and turned to the other three. "I guess I tell you but we should walk nevertheless."
Darren nodded. "Switch is right he can tell you the story while walking we have a job after all."
Every of them nodded and so they started to walk while Switch began. "So... I think I should start with my job in the swarm..."
Years earlier where I was still a part of the swarm I was, as you know, number 16. That came because I was the highest medical changeling. I had the responsibility for every injured changeling. It wasn't a bad job, I had to give orders to my team and heal the difficult cases, nothing more. I lived and did my job till we reached the cold area in the north of Equestria. We had stopped in a cave for some time, it was a very big cave with lots of different tunnels. The workers also dig even more to make enough space.
We got more and more ill changelings because of the cold and at one point our recourses weren't enough and I had to make decisions. One day two changelings who were near to death were brought to me. The first one was a aggressive general who was responsible for many deaths and the other was one of the other medical workers. I had to decide who should live and who should die and I picked my worker. I thought I had made the right decision but the queen thought different.
I was called to meet the queen and didn't wasted a second. I reached the part of the cave were the queen lived. She was sitting on a thorn made of stone, guards were spread in every corner of the room and one of our highest generals stood next to the queen.
I slowly walked in front of the thorn and bowed. "You ordered for me, my queen?"
The queen stood up and walked next to me. "Yes I did. One of my guards told me that a generals passed away, is that true?"
"Yes my queen."
She began to walk around me. "And is it true that a lower drone could be saved that day?"
"Y-yes my queen."
She walked in front of me and lifted my head with her magic. "Care to explain why you let one of my generals die even when you had the chance to save him?"
I knew at that point that my chances to say anything that would calm her were near to zero but I tried anyway. "Well at the moment we don't have enough recourses to maintain the injured, all the medical changelings work 24 hours the day. I saved my worker because I thought he was more needed than the general. But maybe if we ask others for help we could..." And at that moment I crossed a line I shouldn't have crossed.
The queen shouted at me in anger. "Enough! That was not your thing to decide." She quickly calm herself. "I know you care that every one of us can survive but at the moment is that simply not possible. So, I will order number 12 to watch you. He will tell me about every decision you make. One mistake and you will face the consequences."
I bowed again and turned to go. "As you wish, my queen."
Just before I about to go the queen stopped me. "And don't rely on being the only changeling with a big amount of medical experiences. That may be true... but there are others who come close enough!" I bowed again and left the room.
I went back to my workers followed by number 12. From that day on I had to make many hard decisions. Every day I had to choose whether a changeling should live or not. I hated every second of my live.
I did this for a week till three changelings were brought to me and we only had enough recourses to save one. That was enough for me. I sought for a audience with the queen and surprisingly I got one.
But on that day I made more mistakes than ever in my live again. I directly walked to her, forgot any kind of manner. "This is enough! I will not go on like this! I followed your orders! I had to choose over the death of my brothers and sisters! I did as much as I could but it can't go on like this. I got three today and only one could be saved! We die, we suffer and it will go even worse! We have to do something!"
The anger in the eyes of the queen were indescribable at that moment. "You dare to speak to me like this? You dare to point your hoof at me? You dare to disobey me? I won't tolerate this behavior! You can call yourself lucky for your ability, that I let you live but you will be no longer in charge number 12 will take over your part and you will heal the one you will be ordered to heal! And I don't want to hear anything more from you, did I made myself clear?"
I just nodded in defeat. It was over for me. I had thrown away all chances I had. I went back to work but I made a plan. A plan that was just foolish. At the night I send a message to number 12 and I fled.
Leaf stopped him there. "What was in the message?"
Switch gave a sigh. "The message was : 'I write this to warn you, we will die if it goes on like this. I won't be a part of this any longer. I will go and hope that our queen will realize that she has to change her plans or she will responsible for the death of our race!' I was so stupid this whole thing was completely stupid. Neither would our races die from this nor would the disappearance of one changeling change anything. But I did it, I ran away thinking it would help."
Darren turned around to them. "And I still think that this was one of your most wise decisions."
Switch just nodded with appreciation before continuing with his story.
I sneaked out of the cave and flew away. I flew until my wings were so frozen that I had to walk. I walked for two days straight to the south. As I reached Canterlot and did the first thing I could think of, I disguised myself and started to steal what I needed. I was barely able to survive from the emotions I could get without drawing any attention to myself.
I had to live like this for years. After a few days I decided to search for a job. The last job I had was it where I discovered something interesting.
I worked as a assistant in a pet store and my job was to take care of the animals. While I did this I realized that I was able to get emotions from them, it was much less than from a pony but enough to survive. I kept that job for a long time till one day, there was a guard control and I had to flee.
From then on I began to help every animal I could find. To get at least a bit of emotions. But that brings me to what happened with my lungs.
So one night I flew around, I didn't had a disguise on to save energy. I heard a howl from a dog, I began to look where he was and as I found him I saw that the dog had pinched his paw in a grating.
I went down to help the dog with my magic, I was able to free the dog but while doing so I didn't notices that the owner had come back. I heard a scream from behind me and spun around only to get insect spray in my face. The stupid thing was that I had my mouth open because I wanted to calm the pony but instead inhaled the gas. I grabbed the can with my magic to stop the pony.
"GUARDS!" I just heard and without wasting any more time I flew away as fast as I could.
After an hour or so flying I reached a forest and quickly flew into it. Where I nearly collapsed. I began to cough more and more. I looked at the can for a second only to read that it is very dangerous to inhaled. I began to search for a blue flower because I knew that it should help, that or if I would get the wrong one I would die immediately.
"As I found one I just ate it and I died at that day. Story end."
Leaf rolled with her eyes. "Come on. That joke is not funny."
Switch chuckled. "Alright alright... so where was I? Right I ate the plant..."
After a few second breathing got easier and I looked around I realized that I was in a forest to the east of Canterlot. I thought that they would now search for me so I decided to stay away from there for a while. I stayed in that forest for I think two years or so. While I was there I helped the animals and plants around me to get at least bit energy. I also helped travelers through the forest but that didn't get you much emotion, even when you do it for free.
After these years I got a letter, I just laid before the entrance of my hiding place. They letter said that I would get help if help them. Below that were instructions that told me to go to Vanhoover to search for a group of ponies.
Switch stopped and looked at them. "You know where Vanhoover is?"
Spirit nodded, Leaf thought for a moment. "That is somewhere in the west of Equesrtia right?"
Switch nodded and continued.
So I got the address on this letter and was told to arrest somepony. The letter also said that there would be a animal I should help. I thought to myself at this moment that this would be easy. Which it wasn't. I decided to try at least because in my situation I didn't had anything better to do. So I grabbed the bits from the ponies I guided through the forest before I stated to make it for free and bought a train-ticket. That was also the day I created the disguise Green Wing.
As I reached Vanhoover I was stopped by a group of guards. "You there identify yourself!"
Luckily I prepared a well thought excuse. "I am sorry my good sirs but I have to hurry. I was ordered to hold a lecture about changelings and I am already late."
But I overlooked one detail. "What is a changeling? Never heard of that!"
"Well that is a race of shape changer. They sneak into towns and impersonate one to gain energy from the love this pony gets."
The guards still seemed not to believe me. "Are you a professor of mythology?"
"Um ,yes? I mean yes, yes of course I am! So could I go now I am already late enough."
They looked at me for a few moments but then sighed. "Just go and tell the ponies about your dusty books." They laughed at me but let me through.
I searched for the address and as I found it, it just looked like an old house but the door was locked and the windows were barricaded. As I looked around the building to find an entrance and I found a window a bit higher which wasn't barricaded so I sneaked into the house. I walked downstairs as quiet as long as I could and saw two earthponies talking to each other.
I also saw a cage with a red bird. I didn't knew which race it is but I knew that it was the animal that I was suppose to help. As I tried to walk closer but they heard me.
"Did you heard that?" I quickly hide around the corner and thought what to do and got only one idea. I dropped my disguise and revealed myself.
I try to look as dangerous as I could and spoke to them. "Leave now or I will kill you! And don't even think of taking the bird with you!"
It didn't gave the result I wanted. "What do you think. Would somepony buy an overgrown bug?"
I got really angry at this point you should I don't like to be called bug. I jumped at the first of them and began to fight with him. After I knocked him out the other tried to run as I saw this he was already trying to unlock the door and just as it opened, vines began suddenly to move and tied up the pony.
It didn't really bothered me that the one was defeated by plants, I immediately turned to the cage and opened it pulled the bird out, which I now could identify as a phoenix and began to heal him. I was so focused on healing him that I didn't even realized that somepony entered the building. I almost got a heart attack as the pony spoke to me.
"I see that you followed my instructions. I will let you work than I want to talk with you."
I finished healing the phoenix who immediately flew off and turned to the pony who was no other than the archdruid.
Switch stopped with that and left the three behind Spirit quickly caught up again. "And then?"
Switch shrugged. "Not much else to say. He ask me if I would like to work for him and I agreed. I worked for him and after another year he made me to official part of the druids."
Spirit and Bite looked at each other. Then looked at Darren who walked a bit ahead. "And who did you joined the druids?"
"I was asked to." Darren simply stated.
Spirit wanted to ask further but was stopped by Switch. "It is really not a big deal You will hear his story at one time but for now we had enough history lecture."
Leaf, Spirit and Bite nodded and they turned back to follow Darren again.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
They continued to walk for a few minutes. Until Darren stopped suddenly.
Darren looked at a few trees and nodded. "We reached our destination." He turned to them. "Now let's find out what is happening here."
Everyone nodded and they all looked around, except Spirit and Bite. The two walked to Darren and asked. "What exactly are we looking for?"
Darren pointed at a dead tree. "Do you see this? This tree didn't died naturally. We are looking for the cause. I have an idea what it is but I wait with that till the others find more evidence."
Spirit nodded and walked to the dead tree followed by Bite. "Do you smell something?"
Bite sniffed at the tree then at the surrounding trees. "There is something, something strange. It smells dark!"
Spirit looked at the trees and thought for a moment. "Dark?" He said more to himself. Suddenly it hit him. "Leaf could you come for a second?"
Leaf who was a few feet away looked up. "Yeah what is it?"
Spirit waved her to him and pointed at the dead tree. "Could you look at this?" Leaf walked to them followed by Switch who was now also curios.
Leaf closed her left eye and looked closely with her rune eye at the tree. "There is something dark on this tree. Very dark but nothing natural. Somepony or something had caused this."
Darren nodded. "Dark magic. I hoped... I would be wrong."
Switch reached in his bags and searched for something. "Ok Leaf try to make an energy rune I have something." He pulled out a bunch of seeds. Leaf began to draw lines in the ground with her magic next to the area with the dead tree and Switch buried the seeds in the middle.
Switch turned to Leaf. "Ready?"
Leaf nodded and Switch turned to the place where he buried the seeds. His hooves began to glow and he pressed them on the earth. Leafs horn began to glow and the rune around also began to glow.
Spirit wanted to walk to them but was stopped by Leaf. "No, if you step on one line we have to start again."
Spirit bowed in apology and walked back again. "I am sorry."
Leaf rolled her eyes annoyed but didn't said anything. After one minute stood Switch up again and nodded to Leaf who stopped with her magic. Spirit looked in the middle of the rune where now was a small sapling. "So what is this plant for?"
Darren gave Spirit one of the seeds. "This seeds is from a rare plant that needs magic to grow. With this rune we helped the plant to grow till it's a sapling. From now the plant will absorb all not natural magic. It should clean the area from dark magic, but we have to stop the pony or thing that has done this!"
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Was that all we going to do here?"
The others nodded and Bite and Spirit looked at each other raising an eyebrow. "I have to admit I have expected more." Bite nodded.
Darren put down his bag down and pulled out his tent. "Ok we will rest here for the rest of the day. Remember not to build your tent near the plant or the area with the dark magic."
They all nodded and began to build their tents. Switch was the first who was finished his tent. "So then good ni-" He began to chough and quickly drank his medicine. "I hate this!" Switch walked in his tent and they could her snoring after two minutes.
Spirit bowed with zebra manners. "Good night to you all." He and Bite walked in their tent while Darren and Leaf stayed outside.
As Leaf finished her tent turned to Darren. "So what now?"
"We will go back. Spirit probably wants to meet his friends in Ponyville. I will go directly to the archdruid, you and Switch can diced what you want to do in that time. I will contact you when we get another task." Leaf nodded and Darren walked in his tent. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." With that they all went to sleep.
On the next morning.
"WAKE UP!"
Spirit and Bite jumped up from their sleep and walked outside. They looked around and saw Darren drinking soup and Switch with a wide smile. Spirit looked to his left to see that Leaf also just awaked. Switch chuckled. "I said I would wake you up."
They dismantled their tents and each of them got a bowl of soup. Spirit strew a bit of magic powder in ne bowl and gave it Bite.
As they finished their soup stood Darren up. "So we a have a few days till we get our next task. I am going to go straight to the archdruid. Does one of you want to come with me?"
They all shook their heads and stayed silent.
Daren nodded and said. "Ok then I'll go alone. I will contact you when we get our next mission." And with that flew Darren off.
Switch turned to the others. "So what do you do now?"
Leaf shrugged and Spirit turned to Bite. "I would say we go to Ponyville meet our friends again, what do you think Bite?"
Bite nodded and Switch walked to them. "I come with you I want to see the ponies that would spent time with you."
"Hey!"
Switch ignored him and chuckled. "Leaf do you come too?"
Leaf nodded. "I would like to come."
Switch smiled and pointed in the direction where they came from. "Then lets head back to Ponyville."
The four began to walk in direction of Ponyville. Just before they reached the town stopped and put on his disguise. As they entered the town it was noon and the ponies were walking around.
The ponies who noticed them just looked at them but didn't said anything. Switch leaned to Spirit and whispered. "Not very welcoming here, aren't they?"
Spirit whispered back. "We are three ponies in cloaks and a Timberwolf, what did you expect?"
Switch chuckled. "I guess you are right."
Leaf walked between them. "Do we even have to wear these cloaks at all?"
They stopped and Switch nodded. "Good idea maybe then we won't look so strange and they stop staring at us."
So they took off their cloak and just a few seconds later a few ponies seems to recognize Spirit and Bite. They continued to heading forwards the castle as they were suddenly stopped.
"Hey Spirit!"
Spirit looked up to see Rainbow Dash standing on a cloud above them. "Hello Rainbow Dash. Nice to see you again."
Rainbow flew down and landed in front of them. "So you are back then. What is with the druids and who are your friends?"
"Well the druids-" Spirit wanted to began but Switch punched him with his wing the side and shook his head. 'Oh right the druids are a secret.'
He looked back to Rainbow Dash who was still waiting for an answer. "Well, um I haven't found them yet but to my friends, this here is Leaf, she was part of my tribe back at the Zebras. And this here is Green Wing."
Switch stepped forward. "Professor Green Wing if I might add. I am professor of changelings, their history, biology and behavior. I am helping Mr. Spirit Wood with his investigations about druids."
Rainbow looked at Switch for a few second then shook her head and turned to Spirit. "Guess you want to visit the others too? They are probably in the castle at the moment. I will fly ahead and tell them that you are coming." She flew away not waiting for Spirit to answer.
Spirit turned to the other three and shrugged. "I guess we'll go to the castle."
The others nodded and the headed to the castle. As they reached the door knocked Spirit at it. After a few seconds opened Spike the door. "Oh hey Spirit. Rainbow already told me that you would come. Come in the others are in the dining hall."
They walked in the dining hall and saw 6 ponies. Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and two ponies who Spirit didn't expected. One was a young mare who Spirit recognized her as Fallens sister and Twilight student Bright Side. She had a dark yellow coat, gold yellow hair and blue eyes. The last pony was a stallion that neither Spirit nor Bite were familiar with. He had a white coat, a dark blue mane and yellow eyes.
Spirit walked in the room and bowed. "It is very pleasant to see all my friends again." He greeted them in the zebra way.
Twilight smiled at them. "Spirit you know that you don't have to bow here in Equestria before any of us but it is nice to see you again. So who are your friends?"
Spirit stepped a bit forward and began to introduce them. "This here is Leaf, she was that zebra I was befriend with back at the zebra tribe. This here is.."
Switch interrupted him and stepped forward. "I am professor Green Wing, I am professor of changelings, their history, biology and behavior and it is an honor to meet you your highness."
Spirit looked at Leaf confused. Leaf leaned to him and whispered. "He is just playing his role. Just let him do, normally he knows what he is doing."
Spirit looked again through the room. "Is Fallen not going to eat with us. Is he working on an experiment?"
As he said that they all looked a bit down. Twilight sighed and explained. "This is a long story. We will tell you later, ok?"
He nodded and Spirit Leaf and Switch sat down while Bite laid down behind Spirits chair. As Spirit had sat down the male pony turned to him. "So you are Spirit Wood. Bright here told me that you tried to make peace between ponies and Timberwolves and that you can read the minds of animals. It is nice to meet you."
Spirit smiled. "Nice to meet you. You are... you're..." He looked behind him at Bright who pointed at the cloak that was hung over his chair. Which confused Spirit only more.
The pony just looked at him with a cracked smile. "She never mentioned me, did she? No problem, so I am Rising I am the archmage."
Meanwhile began Twilight to talk with Switch. "So, you are a professor for changelings. I had make some notes based on one encounter with them, you probably heard of the attack at the weeding in Canterlot. I wanted to ask if you would mind looking over them?"
"Um I don't think we should do that now. I mean we are going to start with eating soon."
Twilight just smiled. "Oh that shouldn't be the problem. We still have almost an hour till we start so would you mind?"
Switch wanted searched for an excuse but couldn't find one. He sighed in defeat and nodded. Twilight smiled happily. "Thank you. Follow me." With that the two headed to the library.
Leaf who was sitting between Spirit and Switch stayed quiet and just looked what the others did while she pet Bite on the head.
Spirit turned to Bright and his expression turned serious. "So what happened with Fallen. It had something to do with the summer sun celebration last year, right?"
Bright instantly stopped smiling and looked a bit down but nodded. She took a deep breath and began to explain.
Meanwhile in the library had Twilight given Switch a bunch of paper which he now looked through. He was surprised who much information they actually had. "You got all this information after the one attack?"
She shook her head. "We had one or two changelings who had impersonated a few ponies. We have invented a spell that revealed the true self of a changeling."
Switch continued to read through the document and nodded. "Very interesting . What do these spells if they hit a non changeling?"
Twilight looked at him as if the answer was obvious. "Well nothing of course. That reminds me, I was working on a spell that reveals the changeling and paralyzes the body too. I haven't a chance to try if it has any effects on pony. Would you mind if I try the spell on you?"
Switch hadn't listened really and just nodded. Twilight began to charge the spell and just then realize Switch what she was doing and dropped the bunch of paper. "No! No! No! " But it was too late. The spell hit Switch directly.
As Bright finished the story nodded Spirit just slowly. "I am sorry to hear that. Maybe I try to talk with him. I mean may not been the best of friends with him but I know what it means to be called monster." While he said that he looked at Bite.
Bright nodded. "Maybe you could..." They stopped as they heard a sudden noise.
"No! No! No!"
Leaf and Spirit looked at each other knowing that that was Switchs voice. They jumped up and ran in direction of the library, followed by the others.
As they opened the doors from the library they saw Switch lying on the ground and a confused Twilight in front of him. Twilight saw Spirit and raised an eyebrow. "Why is the professor a changeling?"
Spirit tried to think of something. "Well that is because..." He looked to Leaf who also had no plan.
Switch lifted his head. "You can tell them who I am." After he said that he let his head on the floor again.
Spirit nodded. "Well ok then. You know I told once a story about a changeling I met years ago?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes Applejack told us that you encountered a changeling who came through you village. You said that he was friendly."
Spirit nodded again. "Yes, well he is the changeling from back then. He helps me with the druids. He left the swarm years ago, even before the attack on Canterlot."
Switch lifted his head again. "Yes I am one of the good now. Could you be please so kind now and let me go?"
Before Twilight could say anything stepped Rising forward." Before you do that let me check the rest of them." Twilight nodded and Rising stepped in front of Leaf and Spirit and performed his spell.
They both glowed a second and Rising nodded. "I am sorry but I had to make sure."
They both nodded understanding and Twilight broke the spell on Switch. Who stood up and nodded to Twilight. "Thanks."
Twilight nodded. "Ok then let us all go back to the dining hall. The others should arrive soon."
They all went back to the hall and sat down again.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
One talk and two messages
As they all were sitting again Twilight turned to Switch. "I have one question...?"
"Switch."
Twilight smiled. "I have one question Switch. Who does shape change works?"
Switch was surrounded by green flames for a second and had his Green Wing disguise back on. "Like this."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Switch chuckled. "Nothing just a joke. But anyway you could imagine it like a normal spell. First we have to imagine the appearance of the pony. We can use the one of a pony in front of us or we create like Green Wing a whole new pony."
He wanted to continue but began to cough heavily. They all looked at him and Bright asked a bit worried. "What is with him?"
While Switch began to reach in his bag for his medicine explained Leaf. "He has a injured lung since an accident. He need to take his medicine to stop him from coughing."
Switch finally found his medicine and quickly drank it. "Yes I have to drink this potion every now and then because somepony thought it would be a good idea to use insect spray directly in my face."
He sat down again and Switch turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy , how have been the visiting at the pack been while I was away?"
Fluttershy looked a bit down. "Not so good. First many ponies wanted to see the Timberwolves but after some days less and less ponies came."
Spirit looked a bit sad but nodded. "That was predictable. The ponies are simply not really interested at them but at least tell me that nopony seemed to have anything against them."
Fluttershy nodded. "As far as I saw had nopony a problem with them the most seem to just not care about them."
Spirit sighed. "At least something."
Leaf meanwhile just sat back and listened to what the others were talking about. What none of them had noticed is that she had covered her right eye with her hair. Until Pinkie spoke to her. "What's with your eye?"
Leaf turned her head to the to the right so that no one could see her right eye. "Nothing."
Pinkie chuckled. "No silly. I mean the other eye." Pinkie grabbed Leafs head and pulled the hair away. "It's all green and shiny."
Leaf pushed Pinkies hooves away. "I got it with my cutie mark. It allows me to see the magic energy of everything."
Twilight heard this and looked at the eye. "You mean like the aura view spell?"
She nodded. "In the basics ,yes but it is a bit more advanced. I can see the magic in everything even the weakest. I also can see the magical construction of runes, see what they do before activated and see mistakes almost immediately."
Twilight nodded. "That sounds very practical. I bet that is very helpful."
Leaf smiled at her. "Indeed it is."
They talked like this for the next ten minutes. After that Applejack and Rarity also arrived. As Rarity came in she stopped as she saw the others ponies. "Good afternoon. Who are our guests?"
Twilight began to introduced them. "This here is Leaf, she is a old friend of Spirit and this is Switch he helps Spirit finding the druids."
Applejack nodded to them. "Howdy!" She sat down next to Fluttershy. Rarity smiled to them. "It is nice to meet you." And she sat on the last free chair, next to Switch.
After a few seconds Spike carried the food in the room. They all got a bowl of salad and Spirit strew magic powder on Bites salad.
As they were eating turned Rarity to Switch who still had his disguise on. "So Mr. Switch. That is a very interesting name, from where do you come from?"
Switch then realized that he still looked like a pegasus. He dropped his disguise and chuckled as he saw who Rarity jumped back. "Did I scared you? For faces like this I should drop my disguise more often." He laughed a bit.
Rarity looked now a bit angry. "I will not sit next to this bug creature!"
Suddenly Switchs face turned serious and his hooves began to glow. "There is one thing I don't like and that is being called a bug."
He began to stand up but before he could say anything else Leaf jumped up. "Why don't you sit on my place and I sit next to you Rarity?"
Switch relaxed again and nodded. They switched the seats and they began eating again, until Rarity tried to talk with Leaf. "As I see you are a zebra. To be honest I don't like the stripes but that brings me to your hair. Did you dyed it to get this color?"
As Switch and Spirit heard Rarity they wanted to stop her but it was too late. Leaf stopped and stood up. "No I didn't!" She walked out of the room.
Rarity turned to the other. "Did I said something wrong?"
Spirit sighed. "No not really. It is just against her pride to ask if she had dyed her hair. Bite could you?" Bite nodded and followed Leaf.
Switch continued what Spirit began. "She once told me that her father was a pony who stayed with the zebras but he died as she was just eleven. Don't worry she will probably be a bit grumpy for some time but it is not that big of a deal."
Outside walked Bite to Leaf who walked around and mumbled. As Leaf noticed Bite she pet him on the head. "Hey Bite. Spirit send you, didn't he? Don't worry I am just a bit annoyed by this with my hair color. I had enough pointing at my hair back at the tribe."
Bite looked at her and raised an eyebrow and Leaf nodded. "Yes I know, they couldn't know." She sighed and looked in the sky. She sat down and Bite next to her.
In his mind Bite could hear Spirit reaching out for him. "Is everything alright? Could you calm her down?" Bite showed him Leaf sitting in front of the door as an answer. "Good. Thanks for the help Bite. Bring her back inside when you think it is ok."
Shortly after that turned Bite to Leaf and poked her in the side before pointing to the door with his nose.
Leaf smiled and stood up reaching with her magic for the door but before she opened the door she turned to Bite. "Thanks Bite and thank you Spirit for sending him." She said that knowing that Spirit was probably listening through Bites ears.
She opened the door. "Let's go back inside." Bite nodded and they both walked back inside.
As they were back inside apologized Leaf to them. "I am sorry Rarity I shouldn't react like this. You couldn't know."
Rarity and he others smiled. "No problem darling. It wasn't very polite of me to ask that. Why don't you sit down again and we forget that?"
Leaf nodded and they finished their meal while having a few friendly conversations. After they finished their meal. The most of them said goodbye and left again.
Spirit walked to Bright. "So can I try to talk with Fallen?"
She nodded and Rising came to Spirit. "I bring you to him."
Spirit turned to Leaf and Switch. "Can you wait here until I come back?"
They both nodded and Spirit and Bite followed Rising. He lead the both out of the castle and to a building next to it. Two guards stood in next to the door. As they entered the building they came in a small hall with another guard standing there.
Rising stopped in front of the door and looked at Spirit. "Behind this door is the room with him. You can send the guard outside if you want. I will wait here."
Spirit took a deep breath and they both entered the room to his right sat another guard. "Can you please wait outside?"
The guard first raised his eyebrow but then nodded and left to the first room.
Spirit turned to the left and saw a transparent wall. Behind that wall stood a unicorn with a black cloak with purple lines at the edges. A curved red horn was visible through a hole in the hood. He was working with a bunch of potions.
"Hello Fallen."
"I prefer being called Malonex and now tell me who they sent this time to waste my time."
"Your name doesn't matter and I wasn't sent I asked to come here to visit you."
Fallen answered with a sarcastic tone in his voice. "Yes I am quiet honored to be visited by a no named pony that doesn't even bother to answer me."
"You know me, I am Spirit and this is my friend Bite."
He turned around and looked at him. Fallen had a grey coat and a dark red mane. his right front hoof was replace by a dark crystal. "Ah yes I remember you. You're that earthpony with magical aura that thought just trying to do something counts as a plan."
Spirit smiled and rubbed his back head. "Yeah that sounds a bit like me."
Fallen looked at him and waited for Spirit to say something.
Spirits expression turned serious. "And you know that I did this for my ideals."
Fallens face showed a short grin but turned serious again after a second. "Ah yes, your ideals. I must admit I never saw a fool filled with more naivety than you. Absolute peace is impossible to reach, it is the first lie every foal is told and only fool believes in."
Bite growled but Spirit hold him back. "It may be a goal out of my reach but that doesn't mean I can't strive for it."
Fallen turned back to his potions and spoke over his shoulder. "I think this conversation isn't worth wasting any more time with."
Spirit nodded and Bite walked first out of the door but Spirit stopped in the door to say one last thing. "Remember you always have a choice and this choice doesn't have to be good or evil there are many ways."
Just before the door closed, Spirit heard Fallen say. "I know and I made this choice long ago."
Outside nodded Spirit to the guard who immediately walked back in the room. Rising looked at Spirit and raised an eyebrow. "And how did it go?"
Spirit shook his head. "Not so good. He isn't really open to listen to somepony. I still wish you luck with him and say Bright that I am sorry for her."
Rising nodded. "I will and thank you for trying."
Spirit left the building and walked to the others who were waiting in front of the castle. As Switch saw him they walked towards him. Switch, who had his disguise back on, turned to the others. "So where are we going now?"
Spirit looked at the sun and saw that is was early afternoon. "Well I want to visit Zecora and then have some peace for the rest of the day... but first I want to check the flower shop."
Switch smiled. "You want to check if they already have the magic plant. I bet with you that they have them!"
Spirit smiled. "After the thing with the identification card in Canterlot it wouldn't surprise me at all if they have them."
So they walked to the flower shop where he was greeted by Rose. "Hey Spirit haven't seen you long. Do you want to buy something?"
Sprit shook his head. "I just wanted to ask if you have some sort of magical plant?"
She nodded. "Indeed yesterday a pony in a cloak donated two and a bag full of seeds for them. Why do you ask?"
"Just curiosity. Good bye. Have a nice day." Said Spirit with a small bow before leaving again.
Just as they were outside Switch turned to Spirit and laughed. "I told you!"
Spirit sighed. "Come now I want to met with Zecora. We have to walk a bit."
Switch shook his head. "You can go alone I will look around on my own a bit. So see you!"
They said bye and they walked in the direction of the Everfree forest. On the way asked Leaf a few questions. "So who is Zecora?"
He thought for a moment. "Well she is a zebra and from her appearance she was or is an elder."
Leaf looked at him surprised. "Really? What is she doing here?"
Spirit shrugged. "She never said that and we should respect that." Bite interrupted him and nodded at his necklace he had still on. "Oh right. She also gave me the two symbols on my necklace. She has given me these as a symbol of my rank now."
Leaf nodded and looked at the forest. "And she lives in this forest, I heard that it is very dangerous and that there live more animals than in any other forest."
Spirit nodded. "Yes she does She once stated that she has her ways. That's all I know."
They walked through the forest without anything in their way and as they reached the house knocked Spirit on the door.
"You can come in if you haste
Spirit stepped in followed by Bite and Leaf. Spirit instantly bowed down. "Greetings Zecora."
Leaf looked around till she suddenly heard Zecora who came now around the corner.
"Ah Spirit after one year I think was it
Spirit raised again and cracked a smile. "I am sorry. It seems like I got a bad habit with that."
Zecora nodded and turned to Leaf.
"And you must be Spirits old friend my dear.
Leaf stepped surprised back. "Who do you know?"
Zecora smiled.
"I might not live in our lands anymore
Zecora looked at Spirit.
"I still have an important note
Spirit looked surprised as Zecora gave him the letter. It was signed with the symbol of the tribe. It was written completely in the language of the zebras. Spirit began to read.
We know. You have fulfilled you task. They have let us know. We send you this letter to congratulate you. We know that you will represent us very good even when you're not allowed to tell anypony. Your parents want to give you their bests of wishes. They hope that you can visit them one time in the future. The tribe wishes you a bright future,
May our ways cross again,
the elder.
Spirit looked up from the paper and Zecora spoke up.
"Attached to this letter"
Spirit bowed. "I am honored to hear these words from an elder."
Zecora smiled.
"I must say I am happy to see your delight
Spirit smiled at Zecora and bowed again. "Thank you Zecora. I think I will go now, so I wish you a good rest of the day."
Leaf nodded. "It was nice to meet you Zecora."
Zecroa nodded to them with a smiled and they left again. They walked back in the direction of Ponyville. One the way wanted Leaf to start a conversation.
"So as we ate together with your friends you asked... I think Fluttershy was her name, how the visiting to the pack went. What visits were you talking about?"
Spirit though for a moment. "Well one day Bite heard a strange noise, which turned out to be the howls of a timberwolf, a alpha to be specific. He was attack by a group of poachers and we saved him together with some guards but the alpha got injured in the fight. "
Leaf interrupted him. "And you helped him to get on his feet again?"
Spirit and Bite both nodded. "Yes we did and as we escorted him back to his pack we ask him if we could bring other ponies to the pack to show them a bit around. I hoped that would take at least a bit of their fear away."
Leaf looked at him. "Do you think it helped?"
Spirit gave a sigh. "I can only hope. I mean even if they don't want to visit them doesn't mean they hate them it could just be a sign they are uninterested in Timberwolves . You have to consider that this is not a small thing to do, I will probably never see the final outcome."
Leaf chuckled and Spirit looked surprised at her. "What is so funny?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. It is just that you have much more from the zebras then some zebras I know."
Spirit smiled at her. "I take that as a compliment."
She laughed. "Do that."
They walked on until Bite suddenly stopped. Spirit looked at him "What is it?" Bite turned his head to the left and barked. Suddenly from the left came two shadows. Bite sniffed shortly, sat down and waited.
The two shadows came closer and Spirit saw that it was Darren and Switch. They ran quickly to them and Darren began to speak.
"Spirit we got a message two ponies were ponynapped! We have to hurry!"
Spirit shook his head. "Wait wait. Who got ponynapped?"
Darren looked directly at him. "Your parents!"
Leaf walked between them. "Wait. Your parents? Sinder and Cero?"
Darren shook his head. "No his biological parents Lens and Insight Wood."
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."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Darren, Bite and Spirit traveled to the forest and walked right inside it. They walked a bit in the forest around until they heard a branch breaking behind them. They turned around and suddenly a pegasus landed behind them.
The pegasus wore a brown cloak that covered everything except the wings that were completely white with yellow tips. Bite could tell that it was a mare from her smell. She held her head down so that shadow covered her face.
"Did you listened to the trees and want to help?"
Darren stepped forward to answer. "Yes we did and we are here to serve the nature."
She turned around. "Good then follow me we have to hurry. Your job is it to stop a pony who trains herself in magic we believe that she also trains others dark magic."
They began to follow her but while walking whispered Spirit to Darren. "What was it about listened to trees? Was that a code?"
Darren nodded. "Yes it is but we change it from time to time to keep it save. But now stay quiet, this druid will give us all information we need and after that we can talk." Spirit nodded and they continued to follow the druid.
While they walked began the mare to explain. "The unicorn I watched studied at the school of gifted unicorns. She seemed very promising but left one day. I was able to find her in a cave where she was reading a black book. I watched her for a few days and saw that another pony brought her new books every day."
She suddenly stopped and turned around. "If you continue to walk in that direction you will find a cave in that should she be, do everything to get her. I will go now, may the nature guide you."
She bowed a bit down and so did the three. As they bowed down they heard how she spread her wings and flew away.
Darren and Spirit both pulled both their hoods back. Spirit looked in the direction that the pegasus meant. "So we are going to capture a dark mage?"
Darren nodded and they began to walk in the direction of the cave. While Spirit began to ask further. "But shouldn't we inform the royal guard or these magic hunters and they capture her?"
Darren nodded again. "We could do that but then she would go into prison and we would lose our only trail we have. She might know what is going on with the forests."
Spirit raised an eyebrow before he turned his head to Darren. "So we are going to observe a bit, then try to capture her, ask questions and then we will hoof her over t the guards?"
"Yes that is what we are going to do but we have to be careful , she might be able to use dark magic. The best thing would be knock her out first."
Spirit looked surprised at him. "Isn't that a bit hard?"
Darren shook his head. "It is in any case better than battle a dark mage."
After a while reached they the opening of a cave. They looked inside and saw a mare in a black robe sitting in front of a book she was reading. Around her the walls were full of runes and other symbols, some of them were crossed out while others were in circles.
The three sat down next to the cave and Darren began. "So that must be her. We need to get her out of there as long as she is in there has she an advantage. So we have to wait."
Spirit nodded and they waited for a few minutes. Spirit had begun to meditate while Darren watched the unicorn. Until suddenly Darren grabbed him. "Spirit hurry."
Spirit looked in the cave and saw that the unicorn was gone. Darren walked inside the cave followed by Spirit and Bite. "What do we do now?"
Darren pointed at the book. "We will look what books these are. Bite could you guard us?" Bite nodded and walked to a corner that was next to a way deeper in the cave.
Darren began to read the text that was written in a strange language while Spirit began to read notes that the mare probably had made.
Meanwhile the mare was gone to get another book she had stored in the back. As she came back saw she a pony and a griffon reading the books she got from her teacher. She got angry but then thought that it would be a good way to test some spells.
She quietly walked closer to them and her horn began to glow. But she stopped as she heard the stallion speak. "If you try to cast a spell on us you will get into much trouble!"
The mare was surprised and began to walk backwards until she walked into something but it wasn't the cave wall it felt like wood. She looked up and saw the face of a wolf made of wood . She screamed and jumped back.
Spirit and Darren turned around to see her looking at Bite. She began to charge her magic and shot at Bites front leg which broke into pieces. She turned to Darren and Spirit. She looked at Spirit for a moment. "You are this pony with the Timberwolf as pet, aren't you? My teacher has a message for you. He will get your friend then will you wish that you had never disturbed his plans."
She began to attack Darren and Spirit with energy bolts they tried to doge them but that was extremely hard since they were in a small cave. Spirit got hit at his front leg while Darren got hit in his chest. They both stumbled a bit backwards but without any big damage.
The mare continued to fire at them but didn't realized that Bite had rebuild himself again. He walked behind her and hit her from the side with his claw. As Bite stood there Spirit was able to see a small mark on his shoulder that glowed.
The impact send her a few feet through the air and she landed hard on the ground she tried to get up but Darren quickly walked to her.
He pulled his iron rod from his bag and pointed at her with it. "What do you think you are doing?"
She stood up and began to walk backwards but Darren walked with her until she bumped into the cave wall. "I defend myself!"
Darren pointed with the rod at her head. "I ask again. What do you think you are doing here?"
She gulped. "I-I learn d-dark magic." She closed her eyes and waited.
Darren looked angry at her. "If that really what you think what you are doing then it means that you are even stupider than I thought!"
She ducked her head but then she looked at Spirit and Darren for second time. "You are druids, aren't you? My teacher told me everything about you. You put your stupid plants over everything else! But my teacher had prepared something for that."
Her horn began to glow and a rune on the wall began to glow too. Darren shortly looked at the rune then back to the mare. "What did you thought would do that?" Everyone in the room could hear that Darren tried is best not to burst out in anger.
The mare looked at the rune wondering why nothing happened. "Well my teacher said it would keep me save if I ever encounter druids."
Darren grabbed her at the neck and shoved her to the rune. "You want to tell me that you don't know what this rune does and still activated it?" She nodded. "This rune helps you in no way it is a message rune!"
Spirit walked to Darren who had let go of the mare. "What does the message say?"
Darren sighed. "The druids exist." Spirit looked at the mare who seemed a little confused.
Darren turned around back to the mare. "Who is your teacher?"
She looked down. "I don't know. He said his identity has to be a secret."
Darren rolled frustrated with his eyes.
Spirit waved Bite to them and pointed at the rune on Bites shoulder. "What is that?"
She looked at it. "A rune."
Spirit rolled with his eyes. "And what does this rune?"
She shrugged. "I don't know my teacher said I should mark your Timberwolf with it."
Spirit sighed and continued. "Why did you wanted to learn dark magic?"
She shrugged again. "No big reason I just wanted to use this opportunity to learn something new."
Darren looked angry at the mare and reached in his bag. He pulled out a silver powder and blew it in the face of the mare who sank down and began to sleep immediatly.
Darren pulled out a rope and began to tie the mares legs together. "Before she activates more runes. We will contact the royal guards and they will arrest her. Come now we have to go."
Spirit looked at the black book. "What about them? Shouldn't we take them with us?"
Darren shook his head. "They are worthless. They are just books for advanced magic translated to the old language."
Darren left the cave quickly followed by Spirit and Bite. "Why should somepony make himself this work?"
Darren sighed. "To fool her and probably us too."
Spirit though about what they learned and tried to sum it up. "So this teacher made her think that she learns dark magic so that we would find her and with that confirm that we exist. Also he wants something from Bite."
Darren nodded. "He seems to understand the old language and through that probably know from us. We have to report to the archdruid. It seems that we underestimate our enemy."
They began to walk back to Ponyville and Spirit wanted to ask Darren a question. "Darren why were you so angry at her? I mean in the end was she fooled by her teacher."
Darren sighed. "She was a student in the school for gifted unicorn she should have known better. But still had she chosen to follow somepony blindly."
Spirit nodded. "So what do we do now?"
"Well first we will go back to Ponyville. I will inform the royal guard then we will contact the archdruid and tell him that our enemy knows about our existence."
With that walked they the rest of the way silently.
They entered the castle from Twilight and were instantly greeted from Twilight who was followed by the archdruid.
Spirit looked surprised at him. "What are you already doing here?"
"I brought your parents somewhere save and now I am here to hear what happened."
Darren turned to Twilight. "Your highness, may I ask if there is a room where we can talk without disturbances?"
She looked a bit surprised but then pointed at the door to her left. "You can use this room and I promise nopony will interrupt you."
Darren bowed shortly and entered the room. The archdruid followed him then Bite but as Spirit wanted to enter too he was stopped by Twilight. "Could you give me an explanation? How do you know advisor Root and why does you want to speak in private?"
Spirit gave her a weak smile. "Sorry but I can't tell you, maybe one day." He followed them in the room and closed the door behind him.
The archdruid looked at them. "So what happened?"
Darren began to report. "We found the mare. She was reading black books which were made by her teacher. She thought that it would be dark magic but was just normal advanced magic. She also send her master a message. He now knows that we exist."
Root nodded slowly. "That is bad but probably not as bad as you think. He may know about us but he won't tell anypony. If he would try to inform somepony about us we would instantly know and it wouldn't bring him any advantage. Is that everything she told you?"
Spirit shook his head. "She also said that her teacher will come and get Bite."
The archdruid stood up. "Then t is clear what we do. You will meet with Leaf and Switch and wait till our enemy acts again. If he wants Bite can we use that."
Spirit stopped the archdruid. "That reminds me in the fight with the mare got Bite a small mark on his shoulder."
The archdruid walked to Bite and looked at the rune for a moment. "This is an old rune. I don't know what it does but you should change that piece. Take that piece and show it to Leaf she should know what it does."
Root walked to the door. "You will meet the others in a forest in the north of Canterlot. Go there immediately."
Spirit bowed and Darren nodded. The archdruid left them and walked away. Darren now also stood up. "Ok then let us not waste any time and go."
With that they walked away and Darren, Spirit and Bite entered the train to Canterlot.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
They reached Canterlot, they left it immediately again and walked to the forest in the north from the mountain where Canterlot stood.
They walked a bit in the forest. It was getting late so they started to built up their camp. As they had everything set up, Spirit began to make a clear soup.
He gave Darren a bowl and took one for himself and one for Bite. Bite drank his one in two seconds and laid down. As Spirit ate his own Bite suddenly raised his head and sniffed the air.
Spirit looked at him. "What is it?"
"Switch is in one of the trees. He is slowly getting closer to us." Bite laid his head down again and Spirit stood up.
He walked to their bags and grabbed another bowl he filled it with soup. He looked up to the trees and asked loudly. "Do you want some soup Switch?"
Instantly jumped Switch down and landed in front of him. "You got me. I knew I had forgot something. Bite smelled me, didn't he?"
Spirit nodded and just at this moment Leaf came out of the woods. "He even bet if he could surprise you."
Spirit smiled. "And on what did you bet?"
She smiled back. "You can guess." She reached in one of her saddlebags and levitate a small bag to Switch. "Here are your five bits."
Spirit chuckled. "Ouch. You could have at least just pretend that you were on my side."
Switch looked in the small sack and turned to Spirit. "I said that too." Switch put the sack in his bag and turned to them. "So what happened? What is our next job?"
Spirit gave them both a bowl of soup and Darren explained to them what happened and after that he added. "And now we will try, if the mage comes to get Bite, to capture him at that moment and question him."
They all nodded and Darren continued . "I would say at least one of us will keep watch on Bite. We will wait either till five days are over or till we are called somewhere else." Again everyone of them nodded.
Leaf turned to Spirit. "You said that Bite got a mark in the fight. Can I see the piece of wood please?"
Spirit nodded and grabbed in his saddlebag where he had put the piece. Leaf looked at it for a few moments. "This is a tracking rune but it seems different than the normal ones. Normally only the pony who placed the mark can follow it but in this case it seems that it is connected to a certain spell."
Darren nodded. "That means that our enemy probably knows where we are."
Switch drank his medicine before he also nodded. "I already wondered how he wants to find us. Now we can just sit back and wait and if he comes we will get him."
For the rest of the day they all waited and talked with each other. As they went to sleep was Darren the first who stayed awake for two hours longer then woke Switch up who kept then watch for the next two hour. After then he woke Spirit up and he woke Leaf after two hours.
They did this through the whole night and on the next day Darren turned to Leaf and Spirit. "I have considered what to do and one thing I would recommend would be to train a little bit. You two could fight a trainings fight."
Leaf shrugged with her shoulders. "Why not? What about you Spirit?"
Spirit looked at Bite as Darren interrupted him. "I would say you fight without Bite this time. You may be the best in a team but sometimes you can't choose if you will fight together."
Spirit nodded understanding and after a few minutes he and Leaf stood face to face a few feet away from each other. Spirit had his wooden claws on and was a bit lowered to be a smaller target while Leaf just simply stood there.
Switch, Darren and Bite sat at the side and Darren began to count down. "You two will fight till one of you is knocked out or gives up. Go in three, two, one!"
Spirit didn't wasted a second and jumped at Leaf who jumped a bit aside and shot at him. Spirit jumped back again and the magic bolt from Leaf let a small imprint. Leaf began to walked a bit sideways then waited.
As she stopped jumped Spirit again at her and she again dodged him and fired. They did this until Leaf had surrounded him once.
Spirit made himself ready to attack as Leaf stepped one step backwards. " Gotcha!"
Her horn began to glow and so did all the imprints Leaf had made as she fired at Spirit. Spirit now realized that there wasn't just imprints but runes. He quickly jumped towards Leaf but just before he could reach her he was stopped by a barrier.
Leaf looked triumphantly at Spirit. "Seems like I won."
Spirit thought for a moment then saw that Leaf horn was still glowing. He looked at her with a small smile on his face. "How did you got this idea?"
Leaf looked confused at him. "I won you can't fight me as long you are in there. You can't beat me."
Spirit sat down right in front of the barrier and began to meditate. "You win if I surrender or I am knocked out. Since both things are not the case it means that you didn't won."
She looked at Darren. "But..."
Darren shook his head. "He is right. He has to surrender or you knock him out somehow."
She looked back to Spirit and began to think. She looked around and already felt her magic weaken. After a few moments, she sighed. She stopped her spell and Spirit immediately opened his eyes, jumped at her.
Too exhausted from her spell, he was able to tackle her and held her down. She sighed again and surrendered. "Ok you win."
Spirit let go of her and helped her up. "Sorry for hitting you so hard."
She brushed of the dust from her mane and shook her head. "No problem. I really should have thought this more out." She smiled at him.
The others came to them and Darren nodded approving. "You both did very good but you also made mistakes you shouldn't do in a real fight."
He looked at Spirit. "Remember not to rely on such things. If there were two enemies you'd be dead." He turned to Leaf. "And you shouldn't use this rune if you are alone. It may be good to contain one enemy for a short time but if you are alone, it is way to shortsighted."
Switch nodded with a big smile. "But beside of that you both weren't that bad. Hey how about I and Darren doing a show fight?"
Darren nodded. "Good idea."
Spirit and Leaf nodded. They walked aside and sat down next to Bite. Switch and Darren stood face two face and Spirit began to count. "Three, two, one go!"
Darren grabbed his steel rod from his back and Switch hooves began to burn in bright green fire. Switch began by dashing at Darren, he aimed at Darrens chest and tried to hit him. Darren blocked the attack with the steel rod. Switch began to press against the rod and Darren hold against him. Switch horn began suddenly to glow and he wanted to fire a magical bolt.
Just as he shot the bolt started Darren to spin his weapon it blocked the bolt and also made Switch back off again. Darren didn't wasted any seconds and immediately jumped at Switch, he swung his steel rod and tried to hit Switch from above.
Switch jumped to the left to doge him, he flew up and tired to counter attack. Darren there while had hit the ground with his weapon but quickly turned to Switch and blocked his attack. Darren now also started to fly. Switch and Darren began to attack each other in the air but both were able to block every attack.
Suddenly in midair grabbed Darren Switch. With the steel rod he held him in place and stopped flapping with his wings, what caused them both to fall down again head first. Switch was a bit lower so he would hit the ground first but Switch began to cast a spell and his head began to cover in green flames.
As they hit the ground, a huge dust cloud formed and neither Spirit nor Bite were able to see anything. Leaf could, thanks to her magic vision see that both Darren and Switch where standing at their start positions again and waited till the dust cleared again.
As the dust was gone Darren began slowly to move towards Switch. Suddenly Switchs hooves stopped glowing and he coughed. He quickly walked to his bags and drank his medicine as he was finished he smiled at Darren. "I would say you win."
Darren nodded and put his rod back on his back. Switch turned to the others. "That's how you fight but you should left out the part I began to cough. That is not a good thing in a battle."
Darren also walked to them. "You should always be prepared to fight. Even though you won't fight very often. Now we all should rest some rest."
It was noon and they returned to their camping spot they ate something and began to relax bit. Spirit and Bite meditated for the rest of the day and as it was getting late started they a campfire.
After a few hours was the fire getting lower, Darren and Leaf were already asleep, turned Spirit to Switch. "I will go to get some wood for a fire." Switch nodded and laid back.
Spirit began to search for good wood as he heard a noise behind him. He jumped around but nothing was there. Suddenly heard he a voice behind him. "So predictable." He felt a hit in his back head and his whole mind went black.
After some time stood Switch up. He went to wake Darren up and pointed to the place where Spirit left. "Wait here I will check where Spirit is." Darren stood up and nodded.
Switch walked in the direction where Spirit went and after a few minutes he shouted to Darren. "Hey wake up the others. I think we have a problem."
Darren quickly woke them all up. They all rune to Switch who pointed and in imprint in the ground. In the imprint was a rune with glowed in a dark green color. Leaf immediately walked to the rune and looked at it for a second then gave a relived sigh.
She turned back to the others. "Ok it is just a marking rune."
Darren looked at Bite. "Do you smell something?"
Bite sniffed at the rune and at the imprint. He began to growl. Darren looked at him. "The dark mage?" Bite nodded.
Darren looked down to the imprint. "It seems that our enemy has tricked us. He wasn't after Bite. Leaf disable the rune we go back to the camp and make ourselves ready to leave."
Leaf stopped Darren. "But if I deactivate the rune he will immediately know!"
Darren shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Our enemy already proven that he had planned more ahead than we thought." Leaf nodded and shortly deactivated the rune.
Meanwhile Spirit slowly woke up again and shook his head. He tired to look around but realized that he had a blindfold over his eyes. He tired to move but felt that his hooves were hold with some kind of magic together, he began to roll around only to felt the walls of some kind of box. Spirit could hear the sound of a carriage driving on a dirt road.
Spirit heard a voice from outside. "I hear you are awake know. Just in time your friends have found the little rune I left for them."
Spirit turned his head in the direction where he assumed the pony. "Who are you?"
He heard the pony laughing. "Do you think that I am stupid enough to tell you my name? While I am doing this I can give you my address."
"Are you the pony behind the dying forests?"
"More or less. I was just testing a spell I am working on. That the forest couldn't handle the magic isn't my fault."
As Spirit heard that he got angry at the ignorance of the pony and replied. "The whole forest could die because of that! You say that like it wouldn't matter!"
He heard the voice from outside answering with the same amount of anger. "Because it doesn't. It just a forest. It can't think, it can't feel."
"If you don't think of the forest at least think of the defenseless animals. They need the forests to survive."
"They are just as worthless. They don't think they just act how their instinct tells them. They are replaceable."
Spirit realized that arguing with this pony nowhere leads so he decided to change the topic. "Where are you brining me?"
"To one of my hiding spots. That reminds me I think we can stop here for a moment." Spirit felt a sudden stop of movement. He heard a scratch of wood and felt the pressure of magic suddenly left. He wanted to remove the blindfold immediately but was stopped by a sudden surge of magic through his body.
He felt a hoof on his shoulder. "Do you really think I didn't prepared anything. Now step outside then I will remove your blindfold."
Spirit did as he was told and as he was outside he just sat down. His blindfold was just removed at this moment. He immediately looked around. he saw a small carriage with a box on it. He looked next to the carriage but couldn't find anything that could have pulled it.
He looked down on himself and saw that his necklace was gone and that he had instead a strange collar around his neck with at least a dozen of runes he never saw before. In front of him sat a pony with a tattered cloak. The only thing Spirit was able to see from the pony where his grey coat and grey horn.
The pony help his with his magic a piece of bread in front of him. "Eat this."
Spirit looked at the bread for a moment but then took and ate it. "Where is my necklace?"
"This piece of wood on a string? I have it but you have to wear this collar for now and don't even think of taking it off. That would hurt a lot more than just a normal shock from it. And if you try to run you also will be shocked even if you manage to overcome the pain I will be able to track you with it."
Spirit looked directly at the pony who still had his hood deep down his face. "What do you want from me?"
"From you nothing. As my so called student probably told you, I want your wooden friend and I will get him. Maybe I even get the chance to learn of the identities of the other druids."
Spirit shook his head. "One of the druids will find me and Bite will be far away from you!"
The pony chuckled. "Not as long we keep moving. Without the connection you and Bite have won't they be able to track me and thanks to your collar I will know when he comes anywhere close to us. When we reach the my place they won't be able to find us without him."
Spirit got an idea and closed his eyes but just got another magical surge. He looked at the pony with the cloak who shook his head. "Before you even think about calling him through your bond, one of my runes around your neck will prevent you from doing so."
Spirit looked at him closely and tried t find something recognizable. "Who are you and why do you do this all?"
"As I said I won't tell you my name. But I don't think it would hurt if I tell you about me. Once I was a high professor at the school for gifted unicorns. My subject area was experimental magic but one day my colleges found out that I use living creatures for my experiments. These idiots, what should I do? Test it on myself? Or on another pony? What did they do? They imprisoned me!"
Spirit began to grin. "Only with that information I will be able to find out your identity."
"You really think so? Tell me what do you think will happened if a teacher from a high class school gets imprisoned?"
Spirit looked surprised. "I don't know."
"Easy thing they deleted every evidence that I worked at this school. I was fried, my classes were told that I left and every rest data was destroyed to grantee the good reputation of the school."
Spirit almost smiled as he got an idea. 'Maybe the school won't tell but the archdruid may know about you.' "Then what do you do now?"
"Well since I had to change my subject, I began to study the old language. I began to search for new spells in the old books and one day I found a few of the black books. They contained many new and unknown spells. Some of them work some do not and a few are not finished. That is what I am doing now."
Spirit looked at him with wide open eyes. "But these book contain dark magic. They are evil."
The pony sighed. "They do and what does it change? I only want to finish these spells. Whether it is dark magic or not."
The pony stood up. "Enough talking go back inside. Don't even try to fight back." His horn began to glow with dark green magic.
He shot two bolts on the ground next to the carriage. First nothing happened but then something green began to go out of the grass. The two points slowly began to form two pony like creatures. As they stood there it seemed that the constantly changed shape, blurred and went clear again. They walked to the harness ready to pull them at command.
The pony nodded at them. "One of the unfinished spells. Still working on it."
Spirit looked at the ground where they were formed. The grass looked completely dried and dead. Spirit said coldly. "You hurt the natural magic just to perform a spell."
The unicorn pushed him to the box. "You druids are even worse than I read in the books." He threw Spirit the blindfold to his hooves. "Put that on." Spirit did and the pony pushed him in the box where he suddenly felt the grip of the magic form earlier again.
From outside he heard the unicorn saying. "You will see I have planned everything and with your wooden friends I will be able to finish my biggest project."
"Do you even know what will happen?"
He heard the pony laughing. "No I don't, I have my theories and if I don't try nopony will."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Back at Bite and the others.
They all were sitting in a circle and thinking about what to do next. Darren shook his head. "Why did he took Spirit with him?"
Leaf looked at him. "Does it matter we have to get him back." Bite nodded agreeing.
Switch also nodded. "You are right but how?"
Bite closed his eyes and concentrated on his bond to Spirit. He stood up and barked in the direction. Switch looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You know where he is?" Bite nodded.
Leaf looked at the others. "This is our chance we can find them get Spirit back and arrest the dark mage!"
Switch tapped at his chin. "But if Bite leads the way we will play him directly in his hooves. Also he probably know about that connection and expects us."
Darren nodded. "You are probably right but I don't think that we have another option. Bite are they moving?" Bite closed his eyes and followed his bond. As he opened his eyes again, he nodded. Darren turned to the others. "That is what I expected. He will keep moving to find him without Bite could take way to long."
Switch nodded at them. "Then we should not waste anymore time. We've got to rescue a pony!"
Leaf turned to Bite. "Lead the way." Bite turned in the direction where he sensed Spirit and began to ran followed by the others.
They ran for at least six hours. They all were completely silent to save their energy. While they were running Bite suddenly felt something odd at his bond. He stopped and all the others looked at him.
Bite felt something reaching at his bond but he was able to shake this feeling of and searched for Spirit again. After some time he was able to locate him again, the strange thing was that he sensed him under them.
Bite looked at the ground and Switch stepped next to him. "What is it? You can look at the ground another time."
Darren grabbed Bite at the shoulder. "Come now lead the way."
Bite shook his head and dug a bit in the ground. Leaf looked at Bite then at the ground. "What is it?" Bite rolled with his eyes and dug again in the ground. Leaf raised an eyebrow. "Is something under us? Is it Spirit?" Bite nodded.
Switch looked confused at the ground. "Under us? How did he got there?"
Darren looked at the ground and then looked around. "They are probably in a some sort of hidden cave, let us search for it."
They all nodded and began to spread. They looked around behind every tree and under every stone but they couldn't find anything. Leaf began to draw runes in the earth while Darren and Switch began to observed the area from the air. As they landed again they checked if Leaf had found anything.
She looked at one of her runes. "Well here is certainly something but I can't say where exactly. Did you found anything?"
They both shook their heads and Switch sighed. "Nothing. Does one of you have a plan? I mean there must be a way!"
They all just stood there in silence and none of them had an idea what to do.
Suddenly Bite rose his head and sniffed the air. He began to look around to find where this smell came from. As he found the direction he began to follow it. The others saw that and first looked confused but then followed him.
Bite walked to a big heavy looking rock and sniffed at it. Switch looked at the rock. "What with the rock? I already saw it and tried to move it but it is stuck somehow under the earth. No way anypony could move it."
Bite looked at the stone he was sure that this was the entrance he began to walk around the stone but couldn't find anything. He dug a bit in the ground but only to hit stone again.
Bite sat in front of the stone for a moment before he got an idea. He closed his eyes and began to stretch his aura out. As he did this he was able to see a strange magic field around the stone. Leaf now looked closely at the stone and seemed surprised. "This stone is not real. I can see a weak magic field."
Bite there while began to look closer at them magic field. As he followed the magic he found that there were two strings going away from the stone too two treetops.
Bite opened his eyes again. He walked to the trees and barked at it. Darren rolled with his eyes. "We don't have time for something like this. We have to focus on our mission."
As Bite continued to bark at the tree walked Leaf to the tree and looked up to it. "I think there is something. Switch could you look if there is a rune?"
Switch flew right up and disappeared in the treetop. After a few second they heard his voice again. "I found one and it is activated!"
Leaf nodded and turned to Bite. "Do you know were the second rune is?"
Bite nodded and walked to the second tree and looked at the tree top. Leaf walked to the tree and was able to spot a rune from the ground. She turned her head in the direction of Switch. "On three you will shoot at the rune, ok?"
"I am ready!"
Leaf looked at the direction of the rune and her horn began to glow. "One, two, Three!" She shot at the rune and in the same time they heard Switch's bolt hitting the tree. Suddenly the big rock began to fade and finally disappear.
There looked at the place where now a deep hole was. They looked down there was a ladder going down and at the bottom of the hole they saw a small light.
Darren pointed at their bags. "Ok everyone only take the things you really need, we don't know what is down there and our bags might just weigh us down."
Meanwhile down, deeper in the cave, was Spirit tied to a table. The unicorn had also cast a spell that Spirit couldn't speak anymore. The cave itself was very big and everywhere stood tables with notes and books. There where sketches from runes and instructions for spells. In the middle of the cave stood a table with various plants and chemicals.
Spirit saw that on the other side of the cave was another table but with birds, cats, dogs and other animals. The unicorn, still with his cloak on, stood before them with a bunch of phials and powders.
Suddenly stopped he in his working and his horn glowed shortly. He turned around to Spirit. "It seems your friends found the entrance a bit too early. I had planned to greet them but it looks like I have to go with plan B. What a shame."
He walked to a small box and pulled something with his magic out. It was a ball made out of dark crystals and glowed purple in the middle. "I found this together with one of the black books. The problem is till now I couldn't figure out how it works but maybe with that your wolf friend can help me." He created three of his strange pony like creatures. One walked to Spirit and the others walked next to the unicorn.
The pony walked to wall far away from Spirit. "And don' think that plan B is my last one."
Switch, Darren and Leaf there while reached the end of the first tunnel and began to walk slowly and carefully forward. On the way saw Leaf a bunch of strange plants hanging from the cave ceiling. She pointed shortly at them and whispered. "These are probably what you had smelled but normally these kind of plants don't grow here. The pony we search for must have brought them here."
Darren turned to her and whispered quietly. "Quiet now. We want to surprise him!" They all nodded and switch quickly drank one of his medical potions. They continued to walk and they saw a light. They made carefully their way towards the light and just as they walked through the entrance they saw the pony with the dark robe and Spirit that was tied to together.
The pony greeted them. "So you are the druids. I didn't expect you this early but it doesn't matter." Darren reached to his weapon but the pony interrupted him. "One more movement and your friend is dead!"
They all looked at Spirit who now had a knife hold against his throat by the green creature. Darren stopped and turned back to the unicorn. "What do you want?"
The pony pointed at Bite. "Him. To be more exact his core. He will walk towards me till I say stop then I will take his core and you can have your friend."
Leaf still looked at the strange pony-like creatures that stood next to the pony. Switch walked one step towards but backed off again immediately as the horn from the unicorn began to glow. Switch looked at the pony and asked. "What do you want from Bite?"
The unicorn pulled out a dagger which was completely made of crystals. "His magic, nothing more. Now I don't have all day!"
They all looked at Bite who nodded and slowly began to walk. As he passed Leaf she whispered something. "Bite these things are instable one hit-" Suddenly a green bolt hit Leaf and she was unable to speak any further.
The unicorn began to sound angrier. "If one of you tries to whisper again I will not hesitate to kill you friend!"
They all nodded and Bite continued to walk towards the unicorn with the dagger. On the middle of the way he suddenly stopped and turned to Spirit, in a few seconds he jumped at the strange creature next to him and bite it. The thing immediately vanished.
Darren and Switch didn't hesitated and ran towards the unicorn but now the other two creatures jumped forward and as they hit the ground they tuned into a thick cloud of smoke. It began covered Darren and Switch and left them without orientation.
The unicorn now turned to Bite and threw his dagger and hit Bite right in the middle, through the wood in the core. The dagger began to glow in a light green and the unicorn pulled it out again. He began to walk to the way deeper in the cave and threw the black orb behind Leaf and the others. As he reached a smaller part of the tunnel he stopped and activate two runes who created a barrier in front of him.
The unicorn turned around and looked at them. At this moment Spirit saw one blue and one yellow flashing under the dark hood for a second. The unicorn turned around and laughed. He began to walk away and shouted over his shoulder. "Have fun with that!"
Leaf saw that orb and had already a theory but first she ran to Spirit and untied him. Spirit quickly stood up and pointed at the collar he still had around his neck. "Can you remove this?"
Leaf nodded and began to cast a few spells and removed it. As he was free from the collar he ran immediately to the core from Bite that laid on the ground. "Bite can you hear me? Are you alright?"
First he didn't sensed anything in that core but then he left a weak response. "I am alright. Need time to rest..." Spirit felt that Bites mind began slowly to drift away but he was still alive.
There while the smoke around Switch and Darren disappeared. Darren looked around for the unicorn but as he couldn't find him walked he to Leaf and Spirit, followed by Switch. "He got away, didn't he?" Leaf and Spirit nodded. Darren sighed and looked around. "We can at least search for clues."
Leaf hectically shook her head. "No we can't! We have to hurry come now." She began to walk towards from where they came but stopped as she saw the black crystal orb. It had a small crack and black smoke came out of it.
Leafs eyes went wide. "No it is too late." In front of their eye began a giant wolf made of smoke began to take form and blocking the whole entrance for them.
The wolf himself looked like a living shadows, his outlines seemed to fade and appear over and over again. Where his eyes should be where just black holes and his face looked completely distorted. The wolf looked through the room, not seem to notice the group in front of him and howled.
Switch leaned to Leaf and whispered. "What is that?"
Leaf whispered back. "A shadow wolf. I will explain later, try not to draw any attention. Maybe I can send him back in the crystal."
The wolf suddenly sniffed the air and just as he did he began to growl. Darren grabbed the steel rod from his bag. "Too late he knows that we are here. Leaf try to send him back we will draw his attention to us."
Daren grabbed Spirits pair of claws he had took with him and gave them to Spirit. "You will need them." They made themselves ready to fight and began to walk a bit forward except Spirit who first wanted to try something else, he laid Bites core on the ground and sat down.
He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind to the mind of the shadow creature. As he connected with the shadow wolf he was overflowed with anger and nothing else. He tried to send him positive and calming emotions but even though they seemed to reach it the emotions didn't change.
He opened his eyes again and walked next to Darren and Switch. "Seems like we have to fight." Right at this moment the wolf jumped at them and they were barely able to doge.
Darren jumped forward and tried to hit the wolf at the leg but the rod just went through. He wanted to pull it back through but this time it hit something and the wolf pulled his leg away. The wolf attacked Darren with his paw and forced him to jump away.
There while Spirit jumped to the side of the wolf and attacked. First his claw seemed to hit him but in the middle of the way he just went through like through smoke.
Spirit jumped back again and turned to the others. "Something isn't right. His from seems very unstable. Most of my attacks just went through him."
Now Switch tried he flew up and to the face of the wolf. On the way the wolf raised his paw and tired to hit Switch from above. Switch, too late, saw the attack and closed his eyes. Again the paw just went through him and hit on the ground. Switch opened his eyes surprised again only to get hit by the rising paw of the wolf.
The impact hurled him away. He landed next to Leaf who was drawing lines hectically but still carefully in the ground. He expression seemed very tensed. Switch stood up. "Could you please hurry. This thing really makes some trouble."
Leaf continued to draw lines and responded with a very annoyed tone. "If you think this is so easy you can draw the next runes! I need to concentrate, go help the others!"
Switch was a bit surprised by this outburst but just turned away and flew back to the others how tried to doge the attacks as good as they could. The wolf was about to bite Darren but Switch kicked the wolf in the face. He hit the wolf who pulled his head away.
Darren now attacked back and tired to strike from above but again his rod just went through his head. Right at this moment attacked Spirit from the side and actually hit one of his hind legs. The wolf responded by jumping a bit backwards in the tunnel.
The three walked in a line began to constantly attack the wolf and doge his attacks. Even though almost half of the attacks on both sides just went through them. Suddenly they heard from behind. "Out of the way!"
The all jumped aside and Leaf activated the rune. The black orb, where still black smoke came out, began to glow and the smoke was sucked back inside of the orb. As the wolf was completely gone, Darren and Switch sat exhausted down while Spirit walked to Bites core and looked over it before he also sat down.
Switch pulled with his magic a bottle of his medicine from a small bag he head with him and drank it. "What was that? And what was going on with it that some of our attacks just went through?"
Leaf walked to the black orb and looked at it. The crack it had was gone again and the orb had a weak green glow now. "This here is something from the of times before the crystal empire first was attack. It is a prototype of a dark spell that almost destroyed the whole balance of nature."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
They all were still in the cave sitting around the black orb. Switch had taken care of their wounds and they have got their stuff down. Right now was Spirit working to heal Bites wounds in the core while the others looked at the orb.
Darren grabbed it and looked closer at it. "So this is the prototype? One of the first? I thought they all were gone with the dark mage."
Leaf nodded, Spirit now laid Bites core aside after he did all he could. "A prototype of what? What was that and where does this come this from?"
Darren sighed. "It is something from over thousand years ago but Leaf should explain that she knows more about that." He turned to Switch. "Come help me take care of these animals."
They both stood up and went to the cages of the animals and began to open them. Leaf there while sighed and began to explain. "So to this orb. You probably already noticed that it is made of dark crystals. This kind of crystal can be made with dark magic and was used by a race that attacked the empire once but got banished underneath it. The zebras call them the dark."
Spirit nodded and Leaf continued. "You know what a dark one once did? Long ago one of them did something unforgivable."
Spirit got what she meant and looked at Bites core. "The Timberwolves!"
She nodded. "This orbs was used for a dark spell to rip off their destiny as it was called, in the notes that were made. As you probably know gave the druids the wolves later a destiny with the wooden heart."
She sighed and looked at the dark orb. "But this is what the dark one created at this day we thought that he took all of them down with him."
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "You called it a prototype, what does that mean."
"It means that they made more."
Sprits widen his eyes. "You mean more of these creatures ? How could this happen?"
She sighed again. "Well at this time there was only the archdruid and a few recruits left. As you saw is this one not stable his existents is always on the edge. They decided to make more of them. For every Timberwolf there is a shadow wolf but only for the oldest generations since the spell couldn't reach too far in the future destinies of the wolves. At this time we didn't exactly had the ponies to do anything and as they were gone they took most of their magic."
Spirit looked down. "You mean that they made probably hundreds of these in the years? Can we not free their destiny from these crystal."
Leaf opened hear mouth to answer but Darren, who stood behind Spirit, interrupted her." No you can't. These are no longer the wolves. They are a small thing that was ripped off and destroyed the rest by doing so."
Switch walked next to Leaf and nodded. "He is right. Even if we would be able to free them and repair them there would no place for them. As the druids created the timberwolves, the place from the original wolves was closed."
Spirit looked at the orb and grabbed it. He laid it in his bag and turned to the others and asked slowly. "So what now?"
Darren turned his head around. "Well we should look through the stuff here maybe we find something out about this strange pony."
They all nodded and began to spread in the room but Spirit first tried to talk with Bite. He sat down, closed his eyes and concentrated on his bond. "Bite can you hear me?" "Yes I can hear you but I am still weak." Spirit explained him everything about the shadow wolf.
"What should we do with the black orb?" Spirit looked unsure at his bag and sighed. "I would say we keep it and maybe we find a way to help free it, without killing it." Bite was about to answer but then his mind blacked out and his communication faded.
Spirit opened his eyes and looked closely at Bites core. "Bite? Bite? Are you alright?" Spirit waited a few seconds and made sure that Bite was still alive. As he was completely sure everything was aright, put Spirit Bites core in his left bag before laying the bag carefully aside.
Spirit now began, like the others, to search through the documents and books that were laying around. The first five books were written in the old language so he had to give them to Darren but after a while he came across a folded paper.
As a he unfolded the paper, he saw that it actual had the size of one pony. The first half was a big rune and under it, in the second half, were a bunch of instructions how to make it. The first half was written again in the old language but after that was something written in the equestrian language. There was also a smaller paper which Spirit began to read that part:
Entry number 1:
Entry number 2:
Entry number 3.
Entry number 4.
Spirit laid the paper down and turned to the big paper. He turned his head to the others. "Hey I think I found what he is trying to make." The other laid down what they were reading and walked to him. Spirit pointed at the rune. "I think that is what he wants to make. I also found these smaller paper with entries to this rune."
He gave Darren the smaller paper while Switch began to read the instructions and Leaf began to look at the rune. Spirit read to the instructions form what was written in equestrian.
"When the rune is drawn you need four objects that you place in the four circles in the middle. Then activate first the whole rune then power the four circles, one after another, with extra magic. The four things you need are a Alircorn feather, magic from the nature, a root from harmony itself and the breath of the cold ones.
The order is very important! If not followed the energy might faded before finishing the ritual. "
As Spirit finished reading it he saw a small note on the side. It were four letters: M A R B. He turned to the others. "Hey I think I found something."
They all turned to him. Switch raised an eyebrow. "M A R B? What does that mean?"
Darren grabbed the paper and looked closer at it. "I don't know but we have to figure the order out quickly." Darren laid the paper on the ground again and turned to Leaf. "Copy the rune and try to figure out what it does. Does any of you has an idea what the order is?"
Spirit looked at the paper for a few second while Leaf began to copy the complicated rune. Then Spirit got an idea and pointed at the paper. "I noticed something. M A R B and look at the underlined letters in the list. They match up so that means that this is probably the order he has to collect the objects."
Darren looked at it and nodded. "That could be the case and with magic of the nature he probably meant the magic he got from Bit. So his next target should be the alicorn feather."
Switch still looked at the list and asked. "But what does he means with root from harmony itself and breath of the cold ones?"
Spirit tapped his chin before he answered. "I am not sure about the breath of the cold ones thing but I have an idea what the other thing is but I have to ask Twilight can confirm it."
Leaf finished coping the rune and turned to the other. "I am done. What now?"
Darren nodded to Switch who quickly pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen and began to write down the list in the correct order. There while rolled Darren the paper up and reached in his bag. He pulled out a phial with a red bubbling liquid in it. He opened it and pour it over the paper. It immediately caught fire and burned to dust.
Spirit looked surprised at the ash. "Why did you burn it?"
Darren began to walk towards the exit and said over his shoulder. "So that no pony can ever use this again. Now we need to contact the archdruid quickly! We will head to Canterlot as fast as we can."
They all grabbed their stuff and followed Darren and as they were outside spread Darren his wings and began to fly followed by Switch. Leaf and Spirit began to ran after and it took them all strengths to keep up with them.
They ran for at least five hours until they reached Canterlot. As they reached the entrance from Canterlot Switch quickly put on his disguise before they entered the city. Just as they were at the entrance. Stopped them a group of guards.
Two guards crossed their spears in front of them and another one walked to them. "Halt! Why do you want to enter the city in the middle of the night?"
Darren looked annoyed at them. "Because we have to talk to somepony! Now let us pass."
The guard shook his head. "I am sorry but you have to identify yourself before that happened we can't let you pass."
They rolled with their eyes and pulled out their identifications. The guards looked at them and nodded. "They look alright but I still want to know why two ponies a griffon and a..." He looked shortly at Leaf. "A Zebra? What do you want so late in town?"
Darren looked angry at them. "it is important that is all you need to know. We have identified ourselves and now we have to go!"
The guard seemed to think for a moment but then shook his head. "No I can't let a group of strangers enter the city in the middle of the night. I ask again what do you want in the city?"
Now Switch stepped forward to answer. "We have to talk to the Root, the advisor at the school for gifted unicorns."
The other two guards looked surprised at each other and the third nodded. "We will go with you and if it turns out that that was a lie you all go have to face the consequences!"
The guards lifted their spears and walked next to them and they began to walk. As the third one also wanted to turned around stopped Daren him. "Then let us hurry at least, we have an important message!"
The guard nodded and they began to walk quickly through the city. After a while they reached a compare to the other houses, small house. The guard walked to the door and knocked at it.
The door was opened and in the light from the inside there was the silhouette in from of the archdruid. He stepped outside and looked at the guard with a raised eyebrow. "What brings you so late to my home?"
The guard saluted. "These four individuals say that they have to meet with you."
The archdruid looked behind him and as he saw them he nodded. "Yes they work for me. Thank you for bringing them here. You can go now."
The guard nodded and he left followed by the other two guards. As they were gone walked Root back inside. "Come in and tell me what happened."
They followed him and all sat down around a table. They explained them what happened and what they found out. In the end Spirit had still one question. "As the advisor of the school, do you know this unicorn?"
The archdruid sighed. "Yes I do. Normally I wouldn't tell you. I too, swore to never talk about him again. He once was a well know professor but then all the things about his experiments came to light. Until that I even considered making him a part of the druids."
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Then who is he?"
"His name is Test Bolt. Professor Bolt focused his work on unfinished spells and testing spells under almost all possible conditions but he was young and thought that he could do what he want. Then the animal tests came to light and he was imprisoned and we destroyed all information that he was ever a professor at our school." The archduid sighed and shook his head. "As I heard that he began to study the old language I thought he would start studying history but it seems like I made a mistake assuming that."
The archdruid was silent for a few seconds then straighten again and looked at them. "If that what you tell me is correct he will be after a alicorn feather next. We need to guard them!"
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that the job of the royal guards? Also with what explanation do we want to give them? I don't think they would believe us that a evil pony wants to harm them."
The archdruid nodded. "That is right and that is why we will go now to the princesses and talk with them." He stood up and the other quickly followed him.
The archdruid walked quickly and Spirit had to ran to catch up with him. As he was next to Root slowed Spirit down again. "Isn't it a bit late?"
Root shook his head. "You have to change your behavior. As a druid we work for the safety of the nature and right now the nature could be in serious danger! Your job as a druid has to be your top priority." Root began to walk faster and the others followed him.
As they reached the entrance of the castle two guards crossed their spears in front of them and the left guard spoke up. "What do you want in the middle of the night? Oh advisor, I am sorry but I can't let you pass."
Root looked at the left guard then to the other and said to the right one. "We have to speak to the princess on an instant."
The guard saluted and turned around and walked into the castle, leaving behind the other guard, who seemed very confused. "What? But we have to stay here! " The guard shouted to the one that left. He turned back to Root. "Can you explain this, advisor?"
He shook his head. "Not now your friend knows me that is all you need to know." The guard first raised an eyebrow but then shrugged.
After a few minutes came the guard back and nodded. "The princesses are now informed you can enter and wait in the audience hall till they come."
The archdruid nodded. "Thank you my friend." He walked inside followed by the others. They walked for a bit till they reached the audience hall. The two thrones were still empty so they just waited.
After a few seconds a big door opened and Celestia and Luna, followed by a bunch of guards entered the room. Celestia and Luna both sat down on their thrones and the guards took position next to them.
Celestia looked at the four. "Good to see you advisor what brings you and your friends here so late?"
Spirit was about to bow but was stopped by Darren who simply shook his head before turning back to the princesses. Root there while nodded. "I will explain but first have to insist that the guards leave."
The guards looked shocked at him and wanted to protest but Celestia stopped them. "Please leave us alone." The guards first didn't moved but then nodded and left through the door again. Celestia turned back to the group. "So what is it that you want to tell us?"
Rot nodded. "Well I first of I am not here as the advisor for the school of gifted unicorns, I am as the archdruid."
Luna looked a bit confused but Celestias expression didn't changed a bit. As they didn't said anything, continued Root. "My organization discovered the plan of a former professor from the school. If our information are correct should he after a feather of an alicorn. I come to ask if my druids can guard you and watch the situation."
Now Luna spoke for the first time. "Why should we allow that? We all are able to protect our self not to mention the royal guard."
The archdruid nodded. "I understand but it is our duty as the druids to protect the nature and if he gets the feather and we didn't try to protect you we would have failed our duty."
Celestia nodded with a smile. "I understand. You may send to each princess one of your druids. I give you this on your way to prove to everypony that you work in our name."
Her horn began to glow and two symbols, who seemed to be made of some sort of glass, appeared. "Give this to the druids you send to Twilight and Cadence. I will also inform them in a letter."
The archdruid nodded with a thankfully smile. "Thank you for your help." He turned to Darren und Spirit. "You two will stay with the princesses." He turned to the other two. "You Switch will go to Twilight and you Leaf will go to the crystal empire." They both nodded and immediately left.
Darren looked at Root. "What will you do?"
Root turned to the door and said over his shoulder. "I will go through your documents and study the ritual. Be ready, you could be attacked anytime. Till now Bolt was always step ahead."
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Spirit was sitting with Bite next to princess Celestia as suddenly a note in front of Celestia appeared. She opened it and she put the letter down after a few seconds and turned to Spirit. "I have bad news. It seems like Bolt has got a feather from Cadence. She wrote that he fooled her and that Leaf is on her way back."
Spirit stared for a few second in nothing after he had heard that. Suddenly poke Bite him in the side with the nose and brought him back to reality with that. "Then I have to go. I am sorry your highness that we wasted you time."
She smiled calmly. "There is no need to be sorry. I have faith that you will win the fight against this pony."
Spirit nodded and jumped on Bites back who immediately began to ran out of the castle and in the direction of the house from Root.
As he and Bite reached the house of Root they saw that the lights were on. Spirit jumped from Bites back and ran to the door and knocked at it while Bite followed him and waited behind him. "Root? Root, are you there?"
Shortly afterwards the door opened and Spirit saw the archdruid in front of him. Spirit bowed shortly before he began his explanation. "I immediately came back as I got this letter. It seems that Bolt has the feather."
The archdruid Root just nodded and waved them in. "I know. Now came in you two we have to discuss what to do next."
The archdruid walked back in and Spirit and Bite followed him. As they walked in the living room he saw that Darren and Switch were already there.
Spirit looked confused at Switch. "How did you all came here so fast? I mean Darren sure he is faster than Bite but you? You came the whole way from Ponyville to here in a few minutes?"
Switch grinned at him. "Well, being able to teleport is a nice thing, isn't it? Also Twilight helped me with the spell."
Spirit turned his head to Root. "Do we wait for Leaf?"
He shook his head and sat down. "No we don't have time to wait for her when she arrives I will give her the instructions what to do next."
Switch nodded in agreement. "That begs one question, what should we do next?"
Root pulled out a piece of paper. On it where the instructions for the rune that Test Bolt wanted to make. "Our next step would be to find out what this next part is. A root from harmony, does any of you know something that would fit this description?"
Bite yawned and Spirit tapped at his chin. "Twilight once mentioned something like that, I think it was the flower of harmony or something like that." "Tree of harmony." "Right the tree of harmony, thanks Bite."
Root nodded. "Ok then you will go to Twilight and ask her about this tree but you have to do it without the others." He turned to the other two. "I received information from other druids that all around Equestria the forests seem to die. After a bit searching they found smaller and simpler versions of this rune."
Darren looked at the rune for a moment before he answered. "So he tries to distract us? How many forests are affected?"
Root sighed sadly. "It seems like every single one in Equestria. Bolt planned this much better than we thought. I need you, Darren and Switch to help finding theses runes and disable them. Darren you will go to the north and Switch you will go to the west. Search in every forest you find and disable all runes you can and if you can't destroy one try to call for help from other druids."
They both nodded and stood up. They turned to the door to leave but the archdruid stopped them a last time. "Before you go take this with you." He pulled out two green stones and gave them to the two. "When these stones begin to glow immediately leave and go wherever the stones lead you, we will meet there."
The both nodded serious and left through the door. Now the archdruid turned to Spirit and Bite. "You will go to Ponyville and guard this tree of harmony as best as you can. I will look if I can find any other possible thing that could be meant by root of harmony. If you get Bolt or if he gets the root use this stone, just strew a bit of your magic powder on it and say if you succeeded or not."
He gave Spirit a stone, one that looked similarly to the stones he gave Switch and Darren but it had thin lines in form of a complex pattern on it. Spirit nodded and put it in his bag. He turned to the door but before he stepped outside he stopped and turned to Root. "What about Leaf?"
"It will take her a few more hours till she arrives and I will have to talk with her about the rune. She is the only one who can find out what this rune does in time."
Spirit nodded and walked out of the door followed by Bite. As they were outside turned Spirit to Bite. "So are you ready to go?"
Bite nodded and sat a bit down so that Spirit could get easily on his back. Spirit jumped on it and they left in direction of Ponyville.
As Spirit was gone turned Root to the paper again and looked at it. "It doesn't matter if we win or not if I can't find the place. We should have searched for it years earlier." He walked to his desk and pulled out a box from under the desk. In the box were a bunch of old looking books. The book on the top had the title, The heart of the nature. Root opened it and began to read it like several times before but this time he searched for something in particular.
Spirit, on Bites back arrived in Ponyville at noon. Ponies were walking around and Bite had to be very careful not to bump into the Ponies. They went directly to Twilights castle and ran inside.
As they ran through the door they bumped into Spike, who was carrying a bunch of scrolls, who fell on the ground and Bite stopped. Spirit turned his head to him. "Spike do you know where Twilight is?"
Spike began to collect the scrolls again. "You know, that really hurt."
Spirit quickly nodded. "Oh right, I am sorry."
Spike pointed at a door at the left. "If you look for Twilight she is right now in a lesson with Bright right now. You might want to come back later..."
But Spirit didn't listened he and Bite just ran through the door. Inside the room sat Twilight and in front of her Bright who seemed to try to do some sort of spell.
The both looked confused at Spirit as he began to speak quickly. "I need your help. You told me once about this tree of harmony. Well I and the others think it has something to do with the next thing Bolt wants! Can you bring me to it?"
The both mares looked at him confused at him before Twilight said anything. "Of course I can. But may I ask how you'd get that idea?"
"Well on a note from Test Bolt was written that he needs a root of harmony. Then I remembered that you said something about a tree of harmony. So we thought that he wants a root from this tree."
Twilight nodded and stood up. She turned to Bright. "I will go and bring Spirit to the tree, you can read the rest of the chapter."
Bright nodded and Twilight turned to Spirit. "Ok then let's go."
Twilight walked outside, followed by Bite and Spirit. They walked in silence until Twilight began to speak. "Earlier this day I got a letter that said that Test Bolt has a feather from Cadence. Switch immediately left as he heard that. Can you tell me what Test Bolt wants with that feather?"
"Well, it seems like he wants to draw some kind of rune and for that he needs a bunch of things. One of them was the alicron feather."
They now entered the forest and Twilight looked at Spirit while walking. "What exactly does this rune?"
"We are not sure. We only know that its destroys the forests all over Equestria to get energy but we still don't know what the rune does with that energy ."
Twilight nodded and they walked the rest of the way without saying anything. Just as they were almost able to see the tree again began Twilight to speak again.
She pointed at the direction where the tree stands and began. "Over there is the tree. You only have to walk a little bit more in that direction."
Spirit nodded. "Thank you Twilight. You can go now I think I and Bite can guard this tree alone. See you... Oh and say the others I said hi."
Twilight nodded flew away. "See you."
Spirit turned back to the direction where Twilight pointed and smiled at Bite. "So let's go. We have luck that we got here so fast there is no way that Bolt could get here faster than we."
The walked in the cave were the tree of harmony was but as they walked in they saw that there was a silhouette in a robe. A shovel was leaning against the tree and a pile of dirt next to it.
As Bite saw the silhouette he instantly sniffed the air and turned to Spirit. "It is Crey!" Spirit looked at the griffon and made himself ready. "What are you doing here?"
The griffon turned his head to Spirit and his eyes went wide. "You again." In his claw was a small piece of a white root. As Spirit saw that he ran in his direction.
Crey opened his wings and flew in the sky. Spirit saw him flying in the direction of Ponyville. Spirit turned to Bite. "Can you track him?" Bite quickly nodded and Spirit jumped on his back and Bite began to ran.
From the sky looked Crey down and searched for the two but his view was cut by the leaves of the trees. After a few minutes flying he decided that he needed a bit of rest and landed.
He landed on the crown of a tree and began to look around. As he couldn't see them he sat on a branch and whispered to himself. "This dam pony. Every time I try to do my job he and his stupid wolf are in the way!"
Suddenly he heard a noise from the left and he saw Bite and Spirit jumping from another tree at him. It was too late for Crey to react and Bite grabbed him from the Branch and pinched him down to the earth. The root from the tree fell on the ground a few feet away from Crey.
Crey tried to pull himself free. "Let go of me! Can't I cut a small root from a white tree without being stopped by a stupid pony like you?"
Spirit jumped from Bite's back. "No you can't. Not from this tree! Do you even know what kind of trouble this root could cause?"
Spirit began to walk towards the root as Crey answered angrily. "No and I don't care. If I find this pony who gave me the job! He said nothing could go wrong!"
Spirit reached down to grab the root. "You will get a lot of trouble for this." As he was about to put the root in his bag it disappeared with a dark green blink.
Spirit turned his head around trying to find something."Who is there?"
Suddenly in the shadows opened tow eyes. One yellow and one blue eye and a the familiar voice of Test Bolt began to speak. "I thought the runes would keep you druids away but still I have what I want."
Spirit didn't wasted a second and jumped at Bolt but the unicorn just teleported away. Spirit looked around but Bolt had teleported too far away. "Seems like I finished my job after all."
Spirit turned his head around to see that Crey who was still pinched to the ground by Bite grinned at him. Spirit walked to him and looked angry at him. "You are such an ignorant idiot! Thanks to you has Bolt, a mad mage, an powerful magical object that might lead to the total destruction of every forest in Equestria!"
Crey just grinned more. "I don't care. I would go to jail anyway. I will probably not even notice the missing of a few forests."
Spirit opened his mouth but then just sighed and shook his head. He pulled out a rope from his saddlebags and began to tie Crey. He laid him on Bites back and they walked back to Ponyville.
While they walked back pulled Spirit the stone that the archdruid gave him and strew some magic powder on it and whispered to the stone. "Bolt won... again."
As they reached Ponyville again they walked directly to Twilight and told her what happened. She ordered a bunch of guards who arrived a few hours later.
They threw Crey in a closed carriage and the captain turned to Spirit. "Thank you for your help getting this piece of scum back in jail."
Spirit nodded and sighed. "No problem but please ensure that he can't escape this time. He did enough damage in his time free."
The captain nodded serious. "Of course. We will ensure that he won't come free for the next few years."
Spirit nodded thankfully and watched how the guards flying away. He walked to Twilight. "I have to go I must tell the archdruid that I failed..." He sighed.
Twilight pointed behind him. "Maybe you don't have to. Look Leaf is there."
As he turned around he saw Leaf walking towards him. She was smiling as she saw Spirit but stopped as she saw his expression. "What happened?"
Spirit sighed again. "Bolt has the root from the tree of harmony. He send Crey to get it but just as we stopped him, he appeared and took the root."
Leaf mumbled something just quiet enough that Spirit couldn't hear her. Spirit looked at Bite, who just shrugged he turned his head back and looked at her. "So Where will be meet for the next thing on the list?"
Leaf sighed before she answered. "That's the point we have no idea what with the breath of the cold one could mean. The archdruid said we all should keep looking around and that we should activate the rune stone if we find Bolt or something else that would help."
Spirit nodded. Bite poked him in the side and nodded in the direction of Leaf. "Did somepony found something about this rune out and what it does?" Spirit translated to Leaf who then sighed again and nodded sadly.
"It seems that Bolt was wrong as he said that the rune would do something else if it is finished. The rune is actually nothing more than a spell to destroy nature with the components it just does it faster and if the rune is once started it cannot be stopped again, except with the right counter rune."
Spirit looked shocked at her as he heard that. "Do you know the counter rune?"
She let her head down and sighed again. "No... I don't know the rune. This rune... it is so complicated! Every part of it works different I tried it a dozen times there was always one part that I couldn't stop!"
Bite walked to Leaf, sat down in front of her and just looked at her face. She looked up again and Spirit now also walked towards her next to Bite. "If the achrdruid doesn't need us right now can we help you with that. Hey Twilight do you mind if we look a bit in your library?"
Twilight smiled. "No of course not. I can help you researching too."
Spirit nodded to all of them. "Thank you Twilight. We could use every help we can get. How about we immediately start searching?"
Druids and the Wooden Heart
"Did you found something?" Spirit asked on the next day after nearly six hours read through Twilight books. He sat in front of a stack of twelve books. All categories as books about magical effects.
"No, nothing." Came from Twilight, who was behind a wall of books she already read over the day.
Bite came back to Spirit to bring him a few more books. Bite laid them down in front of Spirit who closed the book he just finished and laid it onto the other books.
Spirit looked around before he turned to Bite. "Have you seen Leaf?" Bite nodded and set him through his mind that Leaf was in the room to the left. "Could you see if she found something?"
Bite nodded and walked out of the room and right back into the room to the left. As Bite entered the room he saw Leaf sitting behind a pile of books and a bunch of papers next to her.
At this moment she was writing something on a piece of paper and seemed very frustrated. "Why can't I find the solution, how can it be so hard?" she threw away few papers and laid her head on a book.
As Bite walked closer rose Leaf quickly up and turned to him with a fake smile. "Oh hey Bite! I am doing good here! I think we have made great progress!"
Bite just tilted his head to the left and looked at her. Leaf let her head hung and sighed. "Ok ok, I found nothing... This rune it is so much more complicated than any rune I ever saw." She looked back down at one paper that was laying in front of her.
In the other room stood Spirit up and closed his book before he turned to Twilight. "I will go look for Leaf I get the feeling the feels pretty down right now."
Twilight flew a bit in the air so that she looked over the pile of books and looked at Spirit. "Should I come too?"
Spirit thought for a moment but then shook his head. "I am sorry but she still don't really know you very well I guess it would be better if I talk to her alone."
Twilight nodded understanding and flew down again. "It's ok. While you speak with Leaf I will look for Bright. Maybe after her lesson she can help to search for information."
Spirit nodded thankfully. "That would be nice." With that he left the room.
Meanwhile in the other room Leaf was still staring at the piece of paper in front of her. With Bite looking over her shoulder at the paper. On it was the rune with dozens of notes, some of them circled some of them crossed out.
Bite read through all the notes and was impressed by the amount of information she had gather in this short amount of time. He turned back to Leaf who was still just starring at the paper with a extremely stressed expression on her face.
Bite tilted his head to the left before poking Leaf in the side. Leaf instantly umped up and stared at Bite. "What is it ? I need to figure this out so don't fool around like this!"
Bite sighed and turned his head to the door where Spirit was standing now. "He wants that you should not worry so much, it's not good for you and will not help if you stress yourself so much."
Leaf looked at him at him unbelieving. "How can you say that if we won't figure out a way to stop this rune Bolt could destroy all nature with it."
"But remember what they told us as foals. If you concentrated not enough you won't come forward but if you concentrate too much you will lose track."
Leaf gave him just a big sigh in response. Whereupon he continued. "Yes I know you left the tribe but you know that I am right. It doesn't is any use if you get so frustrated that you don't come forward."
Leaf sighed again but nodded. "Yes I know. I won't find anything like this but I have to! We don't know when Bolt will do his next step but we have to get this done. We might not have another chance if Bolt gets the last piece..."
Spirit stopped for a moment and thought, he turned to Bite. "Bite what do you think?" Bite looked at Leaf for a second before looking back at Spirit. "She definitely needs to rest or at least relax for some time."
Spirit looked outside a window and saw that it was already noon and turned back to Leaf. "Why don't we go get something to eat? We searched the whole day and we haven't eaten yet. Bite what about you, hungry?"
Bite nodded eagerly and began to push Leaf in direction of the door. Leaf tried to stop but Bite was stronger. "No I have to read this! There might be something in it!"
Bite just continued to push her, ignoring her objections. Leaf now jumped up and turned to Bite. "Okay, okay. I will go with you eat but I can walk on my own!"
Bite smiled happily and began to walk ahead while Leaf turned to Spirit. "So where are we going to eat? Did you had something in mind?"
Spirit nodded and began to follow Bite. "We thought to go to the locale cafe and maybe get a tea and a little something to eat."
Leaf nodded even though she still wasn't really happy with that. Spirit began to lead the way towards the cafe in town.
After a few minutes they sat at cafe Leaf and Spirit each with a tea at the table and Bite laid behind Spirit with a bowl of water with a bit powder in it.
They drank they tea quiet until Spirit broke the silence. "So I wondered why did you left the Tribe? I mean I understand why you went with the druids but why did you left the tribe completely?"
Leaf sipped at her tea before sighing and answering. "I left because it was the easiest way. As a druid I only follow the nature and the archdruid and I thought it would be better to Leaf the rest behind."
Spirit nodded understanding but asked. "But what about your mother? Your job at the tribe? Or your friends there?"
Leaf sighed again and looked in the sky before answering. "Friends? I don't know if you remember but as a foal I didn't had any friends beside you."
Spirit sipped at his tea. "But what is with the time after I left?"
Leaf looked back at him with a bit anger in her eyes, her green right one even seemed to even glow a bit. "I didn't made any I was more focused about finding my job at the tribe. I spoke to a few other and meet them but I never got really close enough to really call them a friend and as I got my cutie mark I had not much time left I always was working on new runes or analyzing old one of which our tribe forgotten the use of. So I didn't had much time for social interaction with other zebras."
Bite at this point stood up and sat next to leaf down so she could pet him what seemed to calm her a bit. Spirit waited a bit before continuing. "What about the other things? You mentioned your job. Wasn't it important to you?"
Leaf now looked at Bite while she petted his back with her hoof as she answered. "To be honest it wasn't really needed. The runes I invented were almost the same as the one we already had mostly only insignificantly better. Also the old runes I analyzed were for the most part just older versions of the ones we already used, not mentioning that I am not the only one that can analyze runes. I am just faster than the most. So nothing really that would hold me there."
Spirit emptied his tea before he asked his next question. "And what about your mother?"
Leaf was frozen in place one off her hoof still on Bites back who was now also looking at her. "She is ok."
Spirit and Bite looked at her closely with curiosity in their eyes and Spirit continued to ask. "That is all you have to say? That you think she is ok?"
Leaf sighed and looked at them. "Just as Switch left we began to argue whether I should go with him or not. She was the opinion that we couldn't trust him and that he might had an evil plan or something while I was the opinion that I should try. For me I just saw a possible future for me, I didn't wanted to sit around making and analyzing runes, I wanted to do something." Leaf stopped seemingly frustrated.
Spirit raised an eyebrow. "So you decided to leave the tribe?"
Leaf shook her head slightly. "Not exactly. You see I argued with my mother for the rest of the day until night and as I went to bed I looked at the rune Switch had given me looking at it normally it just looked like a rune that would make a small light but as I looked at it with my right eye I saw the complexity it had." Leaf reached in the small bag she had with her and pulled out a small stone with simple lines on it.
Spirit and Bite both leaned over to look at it closely and they both knew that this rune would made just a light green glow but as they looked closer they saw dozens off much smaller finer lines all around the stone.
Leaf began to levitated the rune and the lines began to glow in a smooth green color. The strings began to loose from the stone and rearrange above the stone, forming a small tree made off light strings with a few in the middle forming a star.
Spirit looked at the small glowing tree for a few seconds while Bite had noticed that a few other ponies had started to stare but as soon as Bite looked in their direction quickly turned away again.
Leaf slowly let the stone down again and the green light strings began to disappear. "For me that was prove enough to believe Switch so I decided to talk to the elder the next day...
Leaf stood in front of the tent of the elder taking a deep breath before stepping inside. As she stood inside she was greeted by the warm smile of the elder who was sitting in the middle of the room on the ground.
"Ah it is you Leaf I see
Leaf held her head down and began quietly. "Do you know about the changeling that claims to be a druid?"
The elder nodded in response so Leaf continued. "Well I believe him and I wanted to ask for permission to go with him."
The elder seemed to think about something for a moment before he answered her.
"You don't have to ask my dear,
Leaf looked up, very surprised ,at him. "What is it?"
"As the druid came I asked my seer about you future here
Leaf shook her head confused about what the elder wanted to say her with that.
"They didn't saw you at all and not as a part of us anymore
Leaf surprised at the elder, shocked by what she heard." But why? Why do I have to leave completely?"
"I can't say what the future has installed for you my friend
Leaf still looked confused at him. "I still don't understand!"
"I believe the burden off the tribe and the druids is not meant for you to bear
Leaf wanted to argue again but just sighed and nodded. "If you insist elder."
"Thank you but there is one last thing
Leaf nodded. "Of course I will do that!"
...And so I had made my decision I would leave the tribe to become a part of the druids and it even seems like I could fulfill my promise and guide one of the tribes to become a druid. Though I never thought that one would be you."
Spirit thought about what Leaf had said and looked at his empty tea cup. 'Did the elder expected that one day one of the tribe who join the druids?'
"Maybe his seer saw it? Or maybe he just ask a just in case?" Spirit nodded and looked back up at Leaf. "But what about your mother?"
Leaf looked sadly down at the table. "I never had the courage to tell her but I asked the elder about it when I was gone but I let myself sometime I stayed for the rest of the days until the third one when I had to go to Switch."
Spirit nodded. "If that is what you thought is the best I respect that."
Leaf rolled her eyes at him and shook her head with a small smile. "You are really no help. You sound too much like the Zebras from back at the tribe but thanks for listening anyway."
Spirit looked confused at her. "What did I do?"
"Nothing I just miss home from time to time and you remind me so much of it." Leaf stood up and turned in direction of the castle. "I think we should go back and continue our research."
Spirit wanted to object but was stopped by Bite. "You won't get her relax more and you have to agree that we should continue our research."
Spirit slowly nodded and they followed Leaf who already walked ahead. They walked for a few seconds when Bite suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. Spirit noticed that and turned around. "What is it?"
Bite pointed with his nose towards the castle. "It's the high mage."
Spirit turned his head around to see that Leaf had stopped and in front of her stood now the high mage Ice Eruption. Ice Eruption looked at the three. "Greetings, Spirit Wood, Bite and Leaf."
Spirit bowed. "High mage. It is nice to see you again."
"You really have to drop this habit!" Whispered Leaf over her should before addressing the High mage. "How do you know who I am?"
Ice Eruption nodded at as an apology. "Oh I am sorry I didn't introduced myself first. My name is Ice Eruption, I am a high mage. The advisor of the school for gifted unicorn asked me if I could help Spirit with a problem and he also said that he would probably be accompanied by a zebra named Leaf."
Spirit raised his head again and looked at the old unicorn. "Advisor Root send you here to help us? Well we just were on the way back to our research."
The high mage nodded and stepped aside. "Of course you may lead the way then."
Spirit nodded and moved past him quickly followed by Leaf and Bite. Just after Bite walked past Ice Eruption himself turned in their direction and began to follow.
They went back to the castle and to the room where Leaf had worked. She showed Ice Eruption the rune and the notes she had done so far. She began to explain and Ice Eruption began to ask questions. Spirit and Bite both tried to follow but after the first five minutes he didn't understood anything since they talked about very complex and difficult magic so they sat back and watched them discuss.
Leaf looked at suggestion that Ice Eruption had drawn and began to nod. "So you think we should try instead of disable the rune just add another point to drain the magical energy?"
Eruption nodded and pointed with his hoof at the middle. "If you would add these lines at the outside, the middle should just begin to lighten up. It would be completely harmless if everything goes right."
Leaf began to smile. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much help this is!"
The high mage nodded politely. "No thanks to me I was just following the request from Root and besides that you were already pretty close to the solution."
Spirit now stood up and walked to them. "So you have found out an solution?" While he asked Bite turned to the paper on which the changed rune was drawn.
Leaf nodded happily at him. "Yes we finally found a way!"
Spirit nodded and gave Leaf a small smile. "I am glad to hear that you have found a solution. That means we only have to wait for Bolt to reveal his position."
Ice Eruption raised an eyebrow. "Bolt you say?"
Bite, Leaf and Spirit looked at each other before Spirit answered. "Well yes he is the one who wants to test this rune."
Eruption nodded knowing. "This may be enough information for me. I will stay here for a couple of days if you have any more questions, do not hesitate to ask me!"
Spirit and Leaf nodded simultaneously and Spirit said. "Yes we will and thank you for helping us with the rune."
Ice Eruption bowed slightly at the two and a second time, this time in direction of Bite, before leaving. Spirit turned to Leaf and sighed. "That means we have to wait now. Maybe we can relax..."
Right at this moment Leaf stopped and turned to her saddlebag opening it an pulling out a stone with her magic. The stone itself was glowing in a bright green. Leaf looked at the stone her left eye now also glowing in the gentle green. After a few seconds she blinked a few times before her left eye returned normal.
She put the stone back in her back before looking at Spirit. "The archdruid found Bolt we have to go! The archdruid said he is about to unleash something nopony can contain!"
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.
Druids and the Wooden Heart
Searching and a few ponies
The next day Spirit woke up very early the sun was just going up. He waited till some servants were awake, before he woke Bite up then walked outside and told a servant that they would left now.
They went outside and Spirit looked around. "Good. Now we just have to find the Library. Let's ask this pony over there."
They walked to a pony who was sitting on a bench and reading a newspaper. "Excuse me could you tell us were the Library is?"
The pony kept reading while answering. "Just the street down. It is a big building on the left side, you can't miss it."
Spirit smiled. "Thank you and have a good day!"
The crystal pony put his paper down and looked at Spirit. "No problem and you too..." He stopped as he saw Bite and began to stutter." Wha... Wha... What is that?"
Spirit instantly stopped and looked at the pony. "Oh right I am sorry. This is my friend as you can see he is a bit different. I travel around to show ponies that Timberwolves are not evil."
The pony was no a bit more calm but still very tensed. "That's good to hear. I wish you luck with that." The pony slowly walked away while not letting an eye from Bite.
Spirit took a deep breath. "We still have much to do but that is for another day." He tuned to the direction the pony gave him and walked down the street. Soon they were able to find the Library.
He walked and looked around. Spirit was very surprised by the amount of books they had. "It will take forever only to find the right wing!"
Suddenly Spirit heard a voice behind from behind . "May I help you?"
Spirit turned around and saw a older crystal mare before him. "Good morning and yes do you have any books about druids or something similar?"
The mare first looked behind Spirit at Bite she seemed shocked and freeze completely. Spirit tried to explain. "No need to worry he is completely harmless. See." He pat Bite on the head.
The Librarian nodded slowly then thought for a few moments. "O-ok then if y-you say so." The mare now tried not to look at Bite and took a deep breath before answering his question. "No. I don't think we have a book about druids as far as I can recall."
'As in every other town. I hoped at least here there would be any book about them.' Spirit nodded. "Do you have any books about old mythology or legends?"
The mare nodded. "Follow me please." The pony lead them to a shelve with very big books. "These are all books about mythology and legends we have. If you have any other questions please ask me."
The pony walked away. Spirit turned to Bite and dropped his saddlebags. "Good we have much to do. I start on the left side, you on the right." Bite nodded and so they started.
Spirit and Bite began to read through the books and so they went through the shelf and after three books Spirit finally found something. It was a book with a black cover and it was written in a language Spirit couldn't understand but inside was a bunch of loose paper.
"Bite. I think I found something. This looks like a few pages from some sort of journal. It is signed with the name 'mage from the forest'. One of his last records was about a ritual. It says they had found a dark one and that he killed something important. Then he wrote something about a big mistake, that the ritual had worked but the recourse was destroyed during the ritual."
Spirit turned to the next page which was written much clearer. "The next page is written different, it looks like an old legend. 'The heart is gone, the chains are broken but the enemy still lies down. The heart is gone, nothing had changed but when the darkness rises and the heart still misses, flora will die and fauna will attack for revenge. The heart needs to return fast or the light lost before the darkness even strikes.' This doesn't sound good, Bite could you give me my notepaper and quill please?"
Bite looked in the bag then grabbed everything with his mouth and laid it to the left of Spirit. "Thanks." He started to copy the page then putting it to his note and the book back in its spot in the shelf. As he did that Bite spoke with him. "There is somepony watching you! On the left."
Spirit looked with his eyes to the left and saw a grey pegasus watching him but as the pony saw that Spirit looked at him, he quickly turned to a book and pretended to read it. Spirit slowly walked to Bite and whispered. "Bite try to keep an eye on him I have the feeling something is wrong with that pony."
Bite nodded and he shoved his book, with the nose, a bit to the right so he could watch the pony through the corner of his eyes. After that Spirit continued to search for something else about druids but they just found a few children stories of which Spirit already made copies. They read the whole rest of the day without finding anything else.
Spirit was reading a book about an myth that told about an cave in the mounts of the north as the Librarian interrupted him. "I am sorry but you must leave now, the Library is closing."
Spirit nodded and the pony left again. He turned to Bite. "Come on. Let's go, we can come back tomorrow." They put the books back in the shelf and while doing that Spirit saw that the pegasus that watched them was suddenly gone.
As Spirit left the building he noticed that the most ponies were still reading. 'Hm nopony seems like even thinking about leaving.' He and Bite walked outside and looked around. "I am hungry. What about you?" Bite just nodded. Spirit looked around if he could spot any kind of restaurant as suddenly a flyer flew before his hooves.
On the flyer was written: Only today! Only here! At Boileds bar 25% off on our homemade soup! Only in Boileds bar with 100% natural ingredients! I guarantee it, YOU will taste it! Come now before it's too late!
"Come Bite, that sounds good, here there is an address at the bottom." Bite nodded and so they went to the restaurant.
On the way Bite yawned and Spirit smiled and turned to him."You can't be tired already." Spirit wanted to continue but suddenly a small foal walked in his way.
Spirit looked down to the foal and the foal looked shyly down and spoke quietly. "I am sorry mister but my friend said this wood dog is evil but I don't believe him. He said I would not dare to pet him so I wondered if I could, maybe, I mean..."
Spirit smiled at this child and nodded. " You don't need to be shy and of course you can pet him if you want." Spirit walked together with the foal to Bite. The foal looked once at Bite then walked a few steps backwards.
Spirit hold the foal and turned to Bite. "You don't have to worry, he won't harm you. Watch." He pet Bite on the head and smiled at the foal. "Look, he is very nice. Come Bite lean a bit forward that she can pet you on the head." And Bite leaned forward that he was on eye level with the foal. The foal on the other side slowly held her hoof out and touched Bite on the head.
They stayed like this for a few moments, then the foal began to pet Bite and Spirit stood next to him and smiled. Suddenly he heard two voices and as he followed the noises he could see two crystal ponies ran towards them.
'Probably the parents.' Spirit stepped between the parents and the foal and smiled friendly. "You must be the parents of this nice kid. You don't need to worry, she is alright."
They both stood there a bit surprised. The stallion stepped forward. "Yes we are and we want to take our daughter and go. Could you please come!" The foal stopped petting Bite and walked to her parents.
The parents were about to drag there daughter away but she stopped them. "Mom dad this wood dog is so cute, can I have one of them."
Spirit laugh a bit. "I don't think that that is possible but you could start with a normal dog. Although I think Bite is happy that you like him so much."
The foal looked at him with big eyes. "Really? Can you talk with him?"
Spirit just nodded. "Something like that but yes, I can understand what he wants to say."
The foal looked at her parents. "Can I have a dog?" The parents looked at each other and her mother answered. "We talk about that at home come now we must go."
They were about to go but the foal turned around once again. "Bye Mister and bye wood dog." The parents looked at Spirit and just nodded quickly. They then turned around and began to walk away quickly.
Spirit and Bite went on in direction of the bar and Spirit smiled. "At least some ponies don't run away if they see you." Spirit looked at Bite who also smiled now.
The bar itself looked not very special from the outside and as they went inside they saw that the most tables were empty. There were just sitting three at one table one at the bar counter and one in the corner of the room.
As they entered the pub the barkeeper looked shortly at him and didn't really reacted but as he saw Bite he smiled widely. "Oh good evening my friend! How can I help you? You are probably here for the soup!"
Spirit was very suspicions because of the reaction to Bite but didn't mentioned it. "Yes we are..."
The barkeeper walked over to them. "Good then follow me, I bring you to your table." The barkeeper brought them both to the table near the corner with one chair and a small bank on the other side, then turned to his kitchen and walked away.
Spirit turned to Bite and whispered that nopony could hear them. "That was strange. From every reaction to you this was the most unexpected till now."
Bite nodded and he sat down on the bank and considering how big he was made it a bit uncomfortable for him to sit down. Spirit, couldn't do other but chuckled a bit as he saw how much problems Bite had with the bank, while he sat down on the other chair.
After a few seconds the barkeeper came back with two soups. "Here are your soups my good sir! Do you want something else?"
Spirit was still suspicious about the behavior of the barkeeper but kept it for himself. "No thanks, but is it possible that I could pay now?"
The barkeeper bowed a bit and smiled. "Of course that makes 38 Bits please!"
Spirit gave the barkeeper the money and after the third time telling he had everything the barkeeper finally left them alone. As they were alone Bite looked at Spirit and raised an eyebrow.
"I just wanted him to leave us in peace. I don't really trust this. I mean I don't think that anypony would be so happy to have a timberwolf in their property. Something isn't correct here. But for now let's just eat our soups." Spirit was about to eat his soup as he was stopped by a quiet noise from Bite. Spirit looked up again. "What is it?" Bite leaned forward and sniffed at his soup then pointed at his bag with his nose.
"Oh right sorry." Spirit reached in his bag and grabbed a phial with the powder and was about to strew the powder in Bites soup as somepony bumped into him.
The phial fell on the ground and broke into pieces. Spirit looked around to search for the pony and saw a pegasus with a green mane and a grey coat. "Oh I am sorry I didn't mean to bump into you! Hey you are this pony with the timberwolf, Spirit, right?"
Spirit slowly nodded. "Yes that is me. Did we met before, you seem very familiar."
The pegasus smiled. "Well I saw you one time today but you were hold off by guards, so I didn't had the chance to talk with you, you probably saw me there!"
"Why did you want to talk with me?"
"Because I have a problem. I heard you are good with animals. The problem is, there are rats in my home and I have to get rid of them till tomorrow and I wondered if you could help me? If you don't help me I have to call somepony to kill them."
Spirit stopped and thought about the situation. 'This request seems a bit strange and this pony is a bit strange but again what I have better to do?' He looked at Bite who just nodded. "Ok then but I would be happy if I could finish my meal first!"
The pegasus nodded heavily. "Of course! Thank you! I have to pay anyway before I can go. So I just wait for you outside."
The pegasus walked to the barkeeper while Spirit reached in his bag for another phial but didn't let an eye of the pegasus. The pegasus walked with the barkeeper and started to pull out some money, very much as Spirit noticed, and laid them on the counter but suddenly the barkeeper held him and started to pointed at Bite and started to talk louder and louder. "... You didn't said." The pegasus tried to calm the barkeeper down and threw another 20 bits on the counter and the barkeeper went silent.
The pegasus looked at the direction of Spirit and Bite, Spirit quickly turned away, and then left the building. Spirit now strew the powder in Bites soup, who instantly started eating. Spirit also continued his meal. "Did you heard this? Something is not right with this pony! We should be very careful."
The both were able to finish their meal without any other disturbances and walked outside and saw that the pegasus stood next to the wall waiting for them. "Ah there you are, I was already wondering if you would go to sleep there."
Spirit was very confused by this comment. "I was in there for just like ten minutes and why would I sleep in a bar?"
The pegasus rolled with his eyes. "That was supposed to be a joke, you really don't live with ponies for long!"
Spirit looked at the pony and raised any eyebrow and waited to any further comments. The pony chough one time. "Anyway do you want to help me now?"
Spirit nodded. "Yes I said I would do it, so why should I suddenly change my mind?"
The pegasus laughed a bit. "Oh I just wanted to make sure, so I will show you the way, follow me!" The pegasus opened his wings and Spirit just now saw that his wings were the same green as his mane. The pegasus flew in direction of the wall of the empire.
Spirit and Bite just looked at each other. "Is he serious?" Bite shrugged in response and just then the pegasus came back. "I am sorry but I completely forgot that you are not a pegasus. I will show you the way."
The pegasus landed in front of them and started to walk in the direction he was flying earlier. On the way Spirit started to ask a few questions. "So how did you heard about me again?"
The pegasus looked away. "Well, I heard a few rumors about you nothing more. A pony who has a timberwolf as his company, trying to make peace between them and ponies and also searching about druids. That very interesting to talk about, don't you think?"
'How does he knows about my search about druids? Only a few ponies know what I am searching for exactly.' Spirit looked a bit around at the different buildings. "So, are you sure we never met before? Your voice and appearance seems very familiar!"
The pegasus nodded. "Yes. At least I think so. I mean you never were in the empire before as far as I know and I never left the empire, so yes we never met before."
"That reminds me. I didn't ask about your name."
The pegasus began to walk quicker. "Well yes my name ... oh we are there. We should hurry!" The pegasus walked inside and Spirit stayed outside and looked at the building. In compare to the other it looked a very run-down.
Spirit walked to the door but then hesitated. He turned to Bite. "Could you identify his smell?" Bite shook his head. "Something is not right with this pony but I can't say what. Bite stay a little back and if you think that he is up to something try to jump at him and hold him down!"
Bite nodded and they walked inside, Bite a bit behind. Spirit looked around inside the building, the wall were very dirty and many cobwebs covered the corners of the room. In the middle of the rooms stood a table and two chairs, one standing next to the table the other chair laid next to the table on the other side on the ground. "You are sure this is the right house. It looks like nopony was living here for a long time."
"Yes I first wanted to get rid of this rat problem before I would clean up." Spirit nodded and he saw how Bite sat down behind the pegasus and not letting an eye of the pegasus.
Spirit looked around the walls for mice or rat holes but couldn't find any of them he turned to the pegasus. "So where are these rats?"
He chough one time. "Oh right they should be around somewhere!" As he said this Spirit could see a few rats running around in a corner. The pegasus saw Spirits face and followed his view. "Ah there they are! Good, go on and just send them away."
Spirit nodded and slowly walked towards the rats while doings so he stretched out his aura and connected his mind with the of the rats. "Hello. Don't worry I won't hurt you! I have just an simple request, could go somewhere else, somepony wants to live and he can't if you all stay around here. So could you go somewhere else?"
One of the rats just nodded and walked away. 'That was way easier than I thought!' He truned back to the pegasus and raised an eyebrow. "Ok that is done they will go but now why did you brought us here really here, these rats went after a few words and I know about rats they are normally very stubborn. So why did you brought them here and why do you wanted to meet us really?"
The pegasus chuckled a bit. "My friends always say I am a bad liar and it seems they are right. Yes I didn't brought you here because of the rats. I brought you here because of your research and my boss said I should stop it!"
In the background Bite made himself ready to attack and Sprit also slowly went into fighting positions. "Who are you?"
Druids and the Wooden Heart
The archdruid left, leaving Darren and Spirit with the princesses alone. Darren turned to the princesses. Spirit also turned around and whispered to Darren. "What now?"
Darren was about to answer but Celestia was faster. "You two will take the place of two of our guards and look out for this pony."
Spirit was surprised but nodded. And just as Celestia mentioned the guards, the door opened and the guards entered the room again and bowed before the princesses. Celestia nodded to them and they all stood up again to take position next to Celestia.
Celestia looked outside the window and turned to look a Luna. "Luna it is time, the day begins soon." Luna nodded and they began to walk to another door which leaded to a balcony the royal sisters walked in the middle The guards followed them but stayed on the inside. The horns from Celestia and Luna began to glow. The moon slowly began to lower while Celestia began to raise the sun.
Darren and Spirit both watched this all in silence and as the princesses were finished turned Celestia around to look at them. "Here I give you that." She showed them two small bands. "Put these on and our guards will know that you are here to help and gives you the permissions of a high guard." She levitated the two bands to them.
Darren did put his around his right claw while Spirit tied it on his left front leg he bowed a bit and smiled. "Thank you highness."
Darren grabbed him at his shoulder and pulled him up again. "We are here as druids not as servants!"
Spirit nodded and they heard the princesses chuckling. Luna turned to her sister and nodded. "I am going to rest now my sister." She began to walk to the exit and Darren and the half of the guards followed her.
Celestia sat down on her throne and Spirit took with the guards position next to her. They were there for few minutes until Spirit broke the silence. "This may sound strange but could I ask if one of the guards could bring me some wood?"
Celestia smiled and nodded to one of the guards who simply saluted before he left.
There while followed Darren princess Luna until they reached her room. Luna entered it and closed the door while the guards and Darren stayed outside. Darren looked at the guards and asked. "Does the room has windows?"
One of the guards nodded. "Yes, two to be exact."
Darren raised an eyebrow. "Are they guarded?"
The guard shook his head. "No, it never seemed necessary. There are no good position to watch it and we don't have enough guards to cover the complete section."
Darren nodded. "I want that six pegasi immediately to come and cover the windows. Always one for each window and if one gets tired he will change with one of the other six. At least ten other guards will march around the castle I want not a single quarter without watch!"
One of the guards stepped forward. "Who do you think you are to command us like that?"
He showed them the band again. "At the moment I am higher ranked than anypony except the princesses. I have the mission to guard the princesses! Two of you will watch the nearby hallways and the rest will go outside and watch everything!"
Darren grabbed the steel rod from his back and stepped right in front of the door. "Now hurry!" The guards nodded and went to their new positions without any protest.
While Spirit and Darren stayed with the princesses was Leaf almost at the station for the train to the crystal empire. As she arrived, she directly walked to one guard who stood there and showed him the symbol she got from Celestia. "Hello I am in the order the princess here and have to get to the crystal empire as fast as possible."
The guard looked shortly at the symbol, nodded and ran away. He shortly returned with two other guards and a carriage. The guards saluted and the first guard explained. "These two will bring in a few hours to the empire!"
Leaf nodded thankfully and stepped on it. The guards immediately began to pull and they flew off with an amazing speed. Leaf looked back and saw who Canterlot began to became smaller and smaller every second.
At the same time was Switch on his way back to Ponyville and after about an hour he reached the town. Just after he left the train he walked straight to Twilight castle and walked inside it. As he was in the middle of the hallway he was stopped by a voice. Switch turned his head to see that it was Bright. "Hey Switch! Twilight said one of you would come and I should send you to the library."
Switch shortly nodded and walked in the direction of the library. As he opened the door Twilight immediately walked to him. "What happened? The princesses send me a letter that a druid would come, why this? She wrote that there is a danger. What is it?"
Switch held one of his hooves up. "One question at a time. First of I want to know if we are the only ponies in this building."
She nodded a bit confused. "We are the only one, except Spike and Bright of course."
Switch immediately turned back to his changeling form. "Good I hate being stuck in this pony form. Wanna play a card game?" While he said that he levitated a deck of cards out of his bag.
Back at the Canterlot palace a guard had brought a bunch of wood. Spirit shortly at the pile of wood and shortly closed his reached to Bite with his mind. "This isn't enough, isn't it?" He opened his eyes again and let Bite look through his eyes. "No it isn't and tell them to bring more unshaped wood I can't build my legs with theses blocks ."
Spirit closed his eyes once and opened them again. "I am sorry but I need more and it would be helpful if you could also bring a few more branches and twigs."
Spirit heard the guard groaning but still doing what he said. And as the guard was gone looked Spirit at the others guards who looked at Spirit like they saw a ghost. Spirit turned confused at the princess. "I am sorry but did I missed something?"
Celestia gave him a friendly smile. "I guess the guards were just surprised that your eyes glowed green as you friends mind looked through your eyes."As the guards heard the thing about a mind of another pony the seemed even more unsettled.
Spirit eyes widen by a sudden realization. "Wait he looked through my eyes? We never did this till now. Strange that we never thought of this till now." The last things he more said to himself then to the other ponies in the room.
Leafs carriage there while reached the empires castle after another few hours. As they landed the guards sat exhausted down and tried to catch their breath.
Leaf instantly stepped down and began to walk towards the castle but not without saying quickly. "Thanks."
As she reached the door the guards crossed their spears and stopped her but she just showed them her symbol from Celestia and they let her through. As she was on the half of the way was she stopped by Shining Armor. "So you are the druid?"
Leaf nodded and showed him the symbol Celestia gave her. "I have to go to the princess immediately, the unicorn could strike at anytime!"
Shining nodded and they both quickly walked down the hall. While walking began Shining to ask a few questions. "What is this pony after? What does he wants from Cadence and who even is he?"
"He is a former teacher that is all I can say for now I don't know if I am allowed to tell you more, you have to ask Celestia for more information. I am sorry. And for what he wants, he wants nothing more than a feather from an alicorn."
Shining nodded and they reached the throne room were Cadence was sitting surrounded by a dozen of guards. Shining immediately walked next to her and whispered to her. She then nodded and looked at Leaf. "It is nice to meet you. May I ask what you name is?"
"Its Leaf."
Cadence smiled at her. "Ok, Leaf. Seems like you will be here for the next time why don't you tell me something about you. I would like to know, what brings a zebra to Equestria?"
Back in Ponyville Switch had explained Twilight that he is a druid and that Test Bolt wants a feather from her or the other princesses. Now he was playing cards with himself while Twilight was reading a book.
Suddenly stopped Twilight and turned to Switch. "One thing is there that I still don't understand. Why didn't you told us earlier about the druids?"
Switch interrupted his card game and looked serious at Twilight. "We druids always worked undercover. It was the best way till now. It would make things just complicated if we would make the existence of the druids public."
Twilight though about it for a few seconds then nodded. "You could be right."
Meanwhile in Canterlot one guard had dropped a bag of wood in front of Spirit. Spirit looked at it for a second then nodded. "I think this is enough thank you."
The guard first sighed in relive then mumbled something while he turned around and began to walk away. Spirit walked to the pieces of wood and reached in his bag. "here Bite that should be enough wood. He laid Bites core in the middle of the wood while the rest of the guards looked curios what he was doing.
Spirit stepped back again and after a few seconds Bites core began to glow, together with the wood, in a dark green color. The guards instantly took action. Two of them jumped on Spirit and held him down while the rest pointed their spears at the green glowing wood.
Spirit tried to explain the situation. "Calm down that is just Bite! He is friendly!" But the guards didn't listened. Bite began to slowly build himself. As the guards saw how the wood began to from a body they stepped a bit back.
Piece after piece Bite rebuild himself and as he was finished he opened his eyes only to see that he was surrounded by guards. He looked around and as he saw Spirit held down to the ground. After seeing that Bite began to growl.
As the guard began to walk closer to Bite until they were stopped by Celestia. "Enough. Guards you can let go of Spirit and lower your spears."
The guards bowed and did what she told them. They walked back to their position but still kept their eyes on Bite. Bite walked to Spirit and helped him standing up. "Thanks Bite."
"I would recommend you to inform the people around you about Bite before he begins to build himself. Many ponies have never seen a timberwolf and those how did have most certainly met not a friendly one."
Both Spirit and Bite nodded simultaneously. "I guess you right. I will try to remember that." He turned to Bite who smiled at him.
In the Crystal empire was Leaf meanwhile sitting together with Shining armor and Cadence at the lunch table. They all were silent until a crystal guard entered the room, he walked to Shining Armor and said something but he was too quiet for Leaf to hear what the guard said.
Shining Armor nodded and the guard left again. A few seconds later stood Shining up. "I have to apologies but there is a problem and I need to talk to the guards, we can't allow any holes in the security." After he left Leaf and Cadence ate their meal in silence.
As they had finished their meal stood Cadence up and walked on the next balcony and looked around. Leaf followed her and also began to look around. She grasped quietly as she saw the empire shining in the sun. "This is one of the most beautifully things I have ever seen!"
Cadence nodded understanding . "I know it is so beautiful."
"HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!"
The both turned their head in the direction of the screams. Leaf looked worried at Cadence. "What was that?"
She shook her head in response. "I don't know but I know that we have to help!"
Leaf held her at the shoulder. "No the guards can do that it is too dangerous if you left alone."
"HELP! PLEASE HELP!"
Cadence opened her wings. "No the guards could be too late." With that she flew off in the directions of the screams.
Leaf silently cursed in her head and ran down the stairs out of the palace.
Cadence now had reached the place where the screams had come from. She saw a grey unicorn hanging out of the window only held by his black cloak. The pony tired his best not to be strangled by his cloak while he hung there.
Cadence flew over to him and tried to help. "Calm down I will help!"
The pony looked at her and gave a smile. "Oh thank you your highness."
Cadence flew closer and turned around. "Try to get on my back!" The pony did as she said and sat on her back. After that Cadence flew a bit higher and undid the cloak from the window . As she finished that she slowly began to fly down.
Suddenly as they almost reached the ground the unicorn on Cadence struggled for a second and Cadence almost lost the balance. The pony on her back quickly apologizes. "I am sorry your highness I am not used to such heights."
Do to the stumbling her wings hurt a little but she just nodded. "No problem." As they finally reached the ground the pony jumped off from her back.
The pony bowed deeply. "I need to thank you your highness you were very helpful but I have to excuse myself. I don't have much time. Goodbye your highness." The pony turned around and began to walk away quickly.
At the same time was Leaf still on her way to the princess. As she saw how the pony with the black cloak walked away, she took all her strengths together and ran as fast as she could.
While walking she shot a bolt at him but missed the pony. The unicorn now noticed Leaf and turned around with a smile. He levitated a pink feather in front of his face then his horn brighten up for one second and green magic covered him and a second later he was gone.
Leaf stopped and looked at the small mark the teleportation had left on the ground. Cadence now came o her still not knowing what happened. "What is it? Did you know this pony?"
Leaf nodded and looked at Cadence directly. "Yes. That was Test Bolt. The pony who wanted an alicorn feather and now he has one. I need to go back to Canterlot as fast as possible."
Cadence nodded. "Of course." They walked back to the castle and Cadence ordered two pegasi guards with a carriage. As the guards waited turned Leaf one last time to Cadence. "Write a letter to the other princesses that Bolt has the feather."
Cadence nodded Leaf didn't wasted another second, she immediately stepped on the carriage and left.