The Brightest Light Casts the Longest Shadows

Despite the sun having clearly risen several hours ago the cabin was surprisingly quiet when I woke. There was only the shallow breathing of the other ponies and the gryphoness to break the silence.

I gently levitated the blankets off my back and stepped off the bed.

My hooves clicked against the floor as I made my way to the fire on the opposite end of the room. Taking care not to wake the others I sat in front ot it and used my magic to pull the door open while bringing a log over.

I turned as I heard the clicking of another set of hooves against the wooden floor. A bat pony was standing there stretching like a cat would, with her hooves close together and her back up in an arch. “So you’re Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yes.” I turned back to the fire and set the log in it.

“And what are you doing now?”

“Just getting the fire started again.”

She watched me silently as I closed the grate, I turned back to her and saw that she was no longer stretching, but was watching the fire through the small slit. That or she was watching me. For some reason she looked dejected, sad even; her shoulders were slumped, her wings were almost falling away from her side, I even thought I’d seen a few tears welling up but I couldn’t be sure.

Then she yawned showing of her fangs. Nope, all sadness gone, no more sad face and no more tears. She just looked dejected… and had a vicious pair of fangs.

She let out a deep breath.

Seeking to break the awkward silence I spoke. “Hey. I’m uh… gonna go get some water to boil. You want some?”

“Nah… hey uh, you know, the others might want some when they wake up. I’ll come with you, might as well get enough that we don’t have to do another run after this.”

“Fair enough. Shall we?”

I motioned to the door with my front leg, the bat pony nodded. “We shall.”

A few moments later when we were outside our cabin and in the woods she spoke again. “I looked you up while I was in Canterlot.”

I almost fell to the ground in shock. “You what!?”

She rolled her eyes. “Relax miss Sparkle, I don’t care what you do in your free time.”

“You don’t? And also, how do you know my name?”

She shrugged. “You’re name’s easy, it’s written on everything in your bags. As for what you did, like I-”

“You looked through my things!” I was mad. Correction; I was beyond mad. This was a violation of my dignity as a pony. This was a complete breakdown of law. This was-

“Yeah, ‘course I did.”

“Why?”

“Just get over it. It happened, you were unconscious, until now you didn’t even know about it so it couldn’t have affected you. More importantly, as I said before, I don’t care about your… activities.” Faster than I could see she jumped at a bush. When she turned back she swallowed something. “Didn’t figure we needed a snake trying to bite one of us.”

I nodded carefully; I don’t like snakes and with good reason.

We returned to walking; it would take a few minuets to get back to the road. As we walked along I tried to restart the conversation, for the third time since I woke up five minuets previously. “I’m flexible, not-”

She chuckled, interrupting me. “Again, I don’t care.”

The rest of the walk was silent. Two seemed to be perfectly fine with just walking in peace and I was lost in my thoughts, namely that Two didn’t care what I’d done.

“Two.”

“Yeah?”

“Have you told the others about what I did?”

“No.”

“Are you going to?”

“No.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

___ ______ ___

The river was freezing. Perhaps it was because the day was overcast and the sun wasn’t warming the water, perhaps it was because the river was formed from snow melts nearly three miles above Canterlot, perhaps it was because, as a rule, I avoided cold water and was thus sensitive to it, perhaps it was a combination of all three. Regardless of the reason the water was cold and frustrating.

I knew when Two pulled the hundred gallon water bag out of her saddlebags that I’d have to climb into the river to even have a chance at holding it in my magic. It didn’t help matters that as soon as I got in the river she was called away by Three.

I tired to respect their privacy, but even with me in the middle of the river I still caught snippets, they weren’t exactly keeping their voices down.

“...I’m done with this Three…”

“...can’t back out now…”

“...and you know it Three so you go right ahead and tell her…”

“...try me… ...won’t end well…”

Two laughed. “Right… ...think about what you just said…” A moment later Two stood up straight. “Look here, I am done with this. I’m gonna get my share of the bounty on all three, then I’m leaving. End. Of. Story.”

“It’s not the end of the story ‘cause you’re not leaving.”

“Do you really wanna fight me little colt?” Three shook his head. “Good, I just wanted to make sure we both understood the situation, because once I leave if I ever see your face or One’s again I will make sure it is the last time.”

“Boss won’t let you leave and she won't let you interrupt the transaction.”

“I assure you little pony that Boss is the least of my worries, because you and I both know that she’s smart enough not to fight me.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed if you go down this road.”

“I don’t care. I’m done. But you, you still have a chance at life. Go back home, beg forgiveness because our group is gonna vanish fast when we make the transfer.”

Three huffed. “Fine. Have a nice death.” He jumped into the air and zoomed off to parts unknown.

I pretended that I hadn’t heard the conversation, even if I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant.

“That’s way more than enough.”

I turned around. “Oh.” I looked at the bag, it was two thirds full and I doubted we’d even need thirty gallons before we hit the trail this morning. “Well I suppose we’ll have a little extra.”

Two laughed. “I suppose we will. Come on, let’s get this back to the cabin.”

___ ______ ___

It was nearly eleven in the morning when we got the water back to the cabin. I placed my estimate of when I woke up at around ten; nearly seventy gallons collected and moved in a hour, not bad.

In the two hours since I had boiled several gallons of water and kept the fire running while Two chopped wood to keep the pile from disappearing.

After flying away from Two, Three had been sent on a reconnaissance mission by Boss to find the best route to 'the hill'. At this point I wasn’t sure if I’d follow them, it probably wasn’t a terrible idea, they seemed to know what they were doing.

Now, while I sat next to Two with my hot cup of tea Boss and Three were discussing the results. “…all I’m saying is that we have maybe eight hours left of sunlight, tops. I don’t think we’ll make it too far, especially when we have to concern ourselves with dinner and prisoners.”

“The map says eleven miles to the bridge, then another twenty-four to the village.”

“And if we ford the river as you’re proposing?”

“Sixteen miles as the pegasus flies. I got about halfway in the time allotted. Including terrain it looks to be about twenty, maybe thirty.”

“Twenty miles gives us what on a hilly road, three, four hours, but no path so it’s six, seven?”

“Roughly. Include the prisoners and the ford.”

“Eight to ten hours.”

“More tea?” Two held the cooking pot between her hooves.

I quickly took it my magic. “Thank you. You burnt?”

She looked at her hooves. “I don’t think so, my hooves are just a little toasty now.”

The gryphoness, who was casually lounging on her bed on the opposite side of the cabin, chuckled. “Ya' know, I could have helped with that.”

Two was a little flustered. “Really, it’s fine, I’m fine.”

The gryphoness took a sip from her mug of hot chocolate and returned to her book. “Whatever you say.”

___ ______ ___

That night I glared at Three and the massive pile of wood chips in front of him.

Even though he’d started with fewer chips and joined in only part way though the game he had still managed to rob me blind.

In hindsight I should have known something was up when Boss sighed dramatically and Two left the game citing ‘no sense beating a dead ego’ the moment he asked to join. Until that point I had been winning, my pile was nearly three times the size of either Boss’s or Two’s. Three had cleanly removed Boss from the game and with apparent ease took half my pile.

“Raise. Three-fifty.”

I looked at my cards, I had a great hoof, roughly eighty precent odds of victory and it’s not like we were playing for anything more than bragging rights.

I called it. “All in.”

Three flipped up his cards. I dropped mine. “How!?”

Two leaned in and pressed her muzzle against the top of my head near my left ear. “Nooooo poooooony knooooows.”

“Cut it out Two.”

“Ugh… yes Boss.”

Three pushed his chips aside. “No hard feelings, right?”

I shook my head. “I just want to know you either won or folded every single round, perfectly. We’re you cheating.”

“I wasn’t cheating.”

“Then how?”

He shrugged. “Trade secret.”

I raised an eyebrow and he broke out laughing. “Back maybe four years ago when I stilled lived in the windy city there was this magician who came up to the clouds. She was quite the unicorn, of course because she was a unicorn none of us trusted her, me included, but I managed to convince my parents to go with me to her perfo-” His voice suddenly cut out as he had a small hiccup, there were tears in his eyes.

“You okay?’’

He nodded, then changed and shook his head. “No, not really. It was just… oh it doesn’t matter. Anyway, back to the story. We went to her performance. I was entralled by her, afterward I managed to corner her and ask a few questions. Before she left town she taught me a few things about magic; it’s about misdirection of the audience attention and reading what the audience wants.

“So…?”

“So I misdirected you attention, then read what you wanted.”

“I wanted to win.”

“You told me, I just knew when you thought you had a chance.”

I shook my head. “I’m not that bad of a player.”

He laughed again. “Not at all. You’re quite the player, you were beating Boss and that’s an accomplishment all on its own. No I’m just very good at reading ponies, these two don’t keep me around for my looks.” With a single motion that I only caught out of the corner of my eye he spread the cards evenly across the ground. “Pick a card.”

“If I chose one will you tell me about why you almost cried earlier.”

He nodded. “Sure.”

I pointed to a card with my hoof. “Very well.”

He pushed it out of the deck and motioned for me to take it in my magic. I gently picked it up.

“Now, memorize your cards, but don’t tell me what it is.”

I glanced between it and Three a few times. “I got it.”

“Good. Now give me back my card and I’ll give you your saddle bags.”

“What?”

I looked at Three and noticed that he had somehow managed to get my bags under his left wing. “That’s how you want to play it little birdie?” I grabbed his bags from across the room with my magic and held them near the roof in the middle of the cabin. “‘cause I can blow your bags into little bits and pieces.”

He laughed, then tackled me. A second later my back was lying on the ground. I dropped his bags by accident, but didn’t hear them hit the ground.

I pushed up on Three’s stomach and kept pushing until he was lifted off of me. In the head of the moment I directly used my magic to roll the two of us until I was the one on top, straddling Three.

I pinned him to the ground with my hooves and he relaxed his shoulder while laughing. Once I had a moment to breath I panted heavily and realized that I shouldn’t have tried to directly influence his body.

Boss and Doc were chuckling, the gryphoness had a small smirk on her face. On the opposite side of the cabin from the door the two pegasi had smiles on their faces. Two dropped from the rafters down on them. “Hey bros... WIPE THOSE GRINS OFF YOUR FACES!” In an instant their smiles were gone. “Much better.” Two spun around and reared up on her hind legs, then she fell backwards onto the two no longer smiling pegasi.

I stared a Two while Three and Boss turned away, clearly straining their facial muscles trying not to laugh.

Taking their hint I turned away as well. When I did I saw the Canterhorn through the window to the North. The sun was setting, casting a brilliant glow over the entire landscape, the west side sparkled brightly while the east side was almost completely dark. Canterlot sat on the boundary of the two; half ablaze in the sunset, half blacked out like charcoal.

I stepped off Three to get closer to the window. Who knew homesickness could strike so strongly. Three rolled over and stood. I turned around when I heard him yawn loudly.

“Well, that was fun but I think it’s time for me to get some sleep. I’ve got watch later, Two you gonna join the rotation?”

She nodded. “I can take the middle shift if you want, Boss, you?”

Boss pursed her lips. “I can take last watch, if you wanna wake me around for then I’ll get everypony up by eight and we can be on the road by nine.”

Three nodded in agreement. “I guess I’m on first then.”

Two nodded, then walked to the door and called over her shoulder. “I’ll be back in a few.”

I sighed and looked out the window. I still didn’t know anything more about the group that I was traveling with than I did the previous day. I had learned nothing other than that Two was a bat pony, Three had a few magic tricks and there were a few seams coming apart in the group's fabric. Simply put; nothing learned.

I felt terrible for knowing so little.

___ ______ ___

True to her word Boss had woken us up at about eight and we were on the road by nine.

Half an hour later and we were still trying to cross the river. I held my breath as I tried to hold up Boss’s bags from across the river. I slowly lowered them to the ground. Doc took them in his magic and lowered them the rest of the way. Boss, the two pegasi, the gryphoness and Doc had forded the river while I stayed behind with Two. Three had flown across the river to secure the bank.

Twelve sets of bags across, twelve more to go; halfway there. I picked up the next set.

I turned to Two. “How come you ponies have so many bags?”

She looked away from the road and turned towards me. “Huh?”

"After mine, the two pegasi's and the gryphoness' bags there are still sixteen left. Among the four of you that’s four sets each.”

She snorted, amusement clear in her eyes. “Occupational equipment.”

I nodded, not entirely sure what their occupation was… I knew it included, at least on occasion, bounties. If I was honest with myself I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. “Hey, uh-”

“Listen, I need to talk to you.” Two had cut me off, but her’s sounded more important. “Sorry, go ahead.”

I shook my head. “No, you go first.”

“Keep sending the bags over the river. Can you keep your focus if I tell you something that might shock you a little?”

“Sure. I’ll just need a moment when it gets closer to the other side.”

“Good. Let me know when and I’ll stop talking.” She took a deep breath. “I’m… look, I need you to run away before we get to the hill.”

I almost dropped the bags into the river. “Why?”

“Because I can’t do what I need to do if I have to worry about civilians.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Run away.”

I got the bags halfway across. “So you need me to run away so that you can run away?”

She looked down. “I tried to be a good pony, I really did, but then I got drawn into this, now it’s my mess to clean up, so I’m gonna clean it up.”

“And you need me out of the way to do that?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Good, take the gryphoness with you. She might slow you down, but if you bring her back to their lands you’ll-”

I raised a hoof signaling to Two that I needed to focus.

For the next ten seconds I poured a not insignificant amount of magic into my levitation as I slowly lowered the bags. When Doc had them in his magic I moved to the next set and lowered my hoof. Two continued. “Take her with you and get her to the kingdom, or at least to one of their embassies. It’ll put you in their good graces and you’ll probably have no trouble applying for refugee status, or even citizenship if you want it.”

___ ______ ___

For what felt like the hundredth time I stepped off the road and around a mud filled puddle that occupied it. After crossing the river it had taken us seven hours to meet up with the road leading south from the bridge.

Far above me the tops of the trees were swaying in the slight wind. Unfortunately there was none where we were, a mixture of being a the bottom of the hill, having only a very light breeze at the time and having thousands of thick tree trunks blocking whatever little wind there was made sure of that. I was hot and sweaty to say the least.

A gust of wind swept across my back and I moaned in pleasure. I turned my head as a loud, but muted thump to my right signified the arrival of a pony.

Two tucked her wings to the side. “We’re coming up on the hill, maybe half an hour left.”

I nodded. “I know.” Boss was leading the group from fifty or so paces ahead. Doc was at the rear making sure the two pegasi didn’t escape and Three was high in the sky scouting ahead.

“You ready?”

I nodded again. “I think so.”

“Good, signal me when you’re ready, I'll immobilize-”

“Hey Two.” Boss had somehow snuck up on us, I froze in place.

Two took a few steps forward until her shoulders were even with my muzzle, then she stopped, turned and faced Boss. “So he told you.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.”

Two looked to the ground. “You sent him ahead, had him change the location.” She shook her head. “That’s a pity, I didn’t want to have to kill him, he still could have had a life, still could have gone home.” She sighed and shook her head again. “His death is on you. So they’re here?”

Boss nodded. “Just around that curve in the road.”

Two raised her head and looked Boss in the eyes. “I won’t go down without a fight.”

“If you run we won’t go after you. It isn’t worth it for any of us to fight you and it isn't worth if for you to fight us, just run.”

“And our guests?”

“They stay, you get paid, you get to go your own way and we don’t follow.”

“Twilight, when I tell you to run you run. Understand?”

“Y-yes. Now, what’s going on?”

“Good.”

Four hundred body lengths to the south two wagons rounded the bend. There were a dozen pegasi flying either directly around it or higher up in circles almost half a mile wide. The blocky wagons were being pulled by two earth ponies each and despite the cloth coverings I could tell that it was a solid mass underneath, not a frame like a proper covered wagon. On the ground, surrounding the wagons there were at least two dozen ponies.

“Time to make your decision Two. What’s it gonna be?”

“I made my decision about leaving a week ago and I made peace with myself and my decisions a long time ago. I just hope that you have as well.” Two reached under her left shoulder with her right front leg. When she drew it back there was a steel gauntlet around her foreleg. It had a very jagged knife running the length of the front.