The Zebra Homelands was a vast expanse of land mostly untamed, and almost always dangerous. Many of the villages and towns were always by waterholes, rivers, or lakes. The population of these villages varied from a couple of families to nearly three hundred. Town also had started to become more common, but cities were still countable by only single digits. Only about 11% of the Homelands had been tamed and were being used. One would think that with so few settlements and so many dangers travel would be incredibly risky being done only by the bravest of zebras. This however was not the case the zebra roads were well maintained and so long as you stayed on them you were safe.
Unfortunately I was an idiot and tried to travel at night. With little light and in full view of the stars. I was easy prey for their tricks, and the little light they gave me caused me to lose the path. Now I was lost in the grassy wilderness of Savana the largest of the Tribe Lands. After spending all morning I gave up on finding the road not knowing where it was or which way to go. I did know one thing though I knew that I couldn’t have gone to far south or north to avoid Maziwa. All I had to do was go west away from the sun rise and toward the place of his setting and I’d eventually arrive at the great lake.
I push on hoping to meet the sun as he set. Sure I was old enough to know that I couldn’t actually go with father sun into the sky if I caught up with him as the place of his setting, not like he’d take me, but the thought of being stuck in the wilderness during the night was a terrifying thought. The stars had played a nasty trick on me, but I wouldn’t wallow in self pity. No I would act as though they had done me a favor maybe then during the night they’d put me back on the road, believing it would cause me more distress than being in the tall wild grass.
Enjoying the walk through the grass wasn’t to difficult since no one was around I was able to remove the hood from my head. I wouldn’t take off the burlap cloak though just in case I ran into a hunting party from one of the small villages which dotted Savana. I smiled as the wind ran through my blue and white mane. It was the first time in over a week that I could enjoy the breeze not fearing if it would blow my hood off. Not all zebra villages were tolerant of half breeds. While some villages and even entire tribes were more than excepting of half breeds, others saw us as a curse, our existence as little less than a blaspheme. They’d rather entertain a Star Child over a Zony.
I was never safe in my travels even if I were on the road. I was safe from wild monsters, but zebras, zebras could be monsters too. I rubbed my eyes, the burlap that was securely tied around my legs did little to alleviate the irritation, but something must have blown into my eye. I swallowed and continued to walk to the west sure that eventually I’d arrive at the great lake. From there all I would have to do is buy passage on a ferry and I could go to Equestria.
Mom had talked a lot about Equestria while we where living together. It was where she came from and where she meet my dad. The two of them meet in college at a place called Canterlot. Which was like the pony’s version of Roam. They had lived there for many year and there they had married. Then the bad thing happened. Mom and Dad never really elaborated on what the bad thing was, but it caused the war, and dad was forced to leave Equestria. Mom, pregnant and not wanting the family to be split apart went with him back to the Homelands. We had lived on the outskirts of Roam for a while until I was born anyways. I was born looking like a zebra but blue stripes among other things branded me a pony. It was clear to everyone that saw me that I was a half breed.
After I was born my dad left the outskirts of Roam and went to Mji Wa Mto. Mom tried to become a professor there, but being a pony didn’t make getting a job easy. One day near dusk nearly a hundred zebras surrounded our house, which was about half a kilometer form the walls. They dragged dad, mom, and me out. I looked away and returned to the present some memories were to painful to remember, leaving wounds that hurt still even after so many years.
The wind must have thrown something else into my eyes because all of a sudden they were real watery again. The sun was directly over head and the day was beginning to become a whole lot hotter. I scanned the horizon for a shade tree and already my luck was beginning to turn around for the better. I spotted a nice big tree off in the distance. Licking the sweat of my lips I headed off in that direction.
I smiled as I surveyed the tree walking all around to be sure that it was safe. Then I walked around once more this time my eyes scanning the horizon all around me. Once I was sure that I was in fact all alone I took off my cloak. The breeze blowing around my body felt amazing. I quickly untied the burlap leg wraps which kept my blue and white coat hidden. They also served a secondary purpose.
The tree was large with good sturdy wide branches. I tied the burlap hammock to the branch and tested the knot. It held, with a smile I jumped practically gliding to the other branch and tied the other set of ropes around it. I jumped into the hammock and rocked back and forth. Smiling and stretching I sighed. Something about sleeping in the air just felt so right. I drifted off to sleep for the first time in over thirty six hours. Dreams of Equestria and the new life that was awaiting me there came to my mind, and I readily received them.
Author's Note
Hang on I think I can shove just a bit more exposition down your throat. I hope this chapter wasn’t to bad. Please tell me what you think in the comments. Put all words you don’t know into a translator or dictionary if you still don’t get it, then ask me.
I woke with a large yawn smacking my lips. I stretched out and yawned again. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the light, or lack there of. I could here the night birds singing their songs and asking their riddles. I didn’t really fill like walking through Savana alone at night, in the middle of the wilderness so instead I just rocked back and forth my hammock. The moon and stars glittering through the leaves above me.
I let my mind wander as I lay there my new life and future just a few days away. Would I miss the Homelands? It was a strange question for all ten years of my life it had been my home, and while many zebras hated me, many were indifferent, and many more looked out after me, making sure I was safe and had food while I rested in their towns and villages. It was strange to be loved and hated by so many just because of my heritage. I guess I could understand it if I were a Star Child; they were evil making pacts and striking hellish deals with the cold and dreadful stars.
Though still it was my home my whole life was spent here good zebra’s gave me many things to be grateful for. Bad zebras had taken away those I loved most. I hated this place it, but still it was my home could I really leave it, could I change that fact? Would I? I sighted and closed my eyes again, with effort I found sleep again, a restless and dreamless sleep.
I awoke with again with the rising of the sun. I quickly got my stuff and got down from the tree. I would have to hurry. I put the wraps back on, and started a light gallop through the dry grass land. Putting my cloak on as I left the shade of the large tree toward the western horizon and the still out of sight great lake.
***
I had made good progress though the early morning hours and was now casually walking through the grass my hood down as I enjoyed the soft breeze blowing in from the west. The wind and the patchy fluffy clouds in the sky were keeping the temperature down and the walk bearable. I was already losing myself to my thoughts again, until a spear struck the ground at my hooves. I cast a quick glance to the north and saw them. A fifteen zebra hunting party, I threw my hood back over my head. I started to run narrowly avoiding another spear which missed me by only a hoof.
I ran as hard and fast as I could. Unfortunately my strides were only half the size as theirs, and I was not moving twice as fast. I looked over my shoulder. They were gaining on me and gaining fast. I turned my focus back on the horizon, and put everything I had into getting to the edge of the sky.
"We have you now Star Child, justice is ours." One of them jumped slamming into me as they landed. The assult wasn't over though, he grabbed, flipped me over and threw me to the ground on my back. I lay there sore and dazed as the others caught up.
"Call off your beast now Star Child and we shall make it quick!" One fo them put his spear to my chest.
"I'm not a Star Child!" I said in desperation I lifted up my head so that the hood came off, revealing my blue strips. "My name is Milia ya Samawati, and I am no Star Child!" I prayed that these zebras would not kill me for my half blood, but at the moment it was all I could do to keep them from killing me period.
"Star above he's a half blood." My heart sank in my chest as one of them lifted there spear. It was the first time I cried since I lost my parents. I was so close so close to Equestria I could taste it, and now I was going to die in the middle of the wilderness. The killing blow never came. The zebra that had pinned me brought his spear around nocking the pointed blade away from me. It drove itself half a hoof into the dirt next to my chest. He wasn't finished though. He spun his spear with a level of experience and grace that I would have thought impossible, and forced all of the other zebras away from me.
"What kind of a fool are you?" he demanded. "To kill in cold blood a brother zebra, under Father Sun and then expect to be shown mercy in our current troubles."
"He's a half blood." the other zebra spat.
"Half brother or full brother. He is no Star Child." The zebra that stood between me and the others put the butt of his spear into the ground. "Mark my words now you foolish zebras and learn this. If you kill this colt in cold blood today, then Nyasi will be erased from all, but the stories by the end of the month." The other zebras stepped back looking between themselves. "No we will not do this thing to him. Am I understood."
"He's half pony they are our enemies." I didn't even see the blur of my guardians movements he was simply seemed to vanish from between me and the hunting party to directly in front of my accuser. His hoof came around and slammed into the zebra's throat. He fell to the ground gasping for breath.
"They were our enemies at one time yes, but the war is over and has been for five raining seasons now, and will never start again. You were not there you have no right to demand recompense of the ponies." My defender's voice was cold and drenched with unspoken threats should the issue be pushed any further. "Now." he said looking over his shoulder to me. "What to do with you?" I gulped. Causing him to laugh. "You need not fear Milia ya Samawati, you will not be harmed. I will pay you back for the harm already done, now why are you out here?"
"I was heading to Maziwa to the great lake that boarders the Homelands from Equestria." I said as he helped me back to my hooves. I absent mindedly threw my hood back up. "I was traveling the road at night and the stars played a nasty trick on me. I got lost in the wilderness and thought myself still on the path until dawn. I've been traveling ever since yesterday, through the grasslands."
"The stars have played a crueler trick on you than you know. If you had stayed on the main road you would have gone to Maji Makuu and avoided Nyasi all together." He sighed "I will take you to our home today. Even though it is under siege you will be better off there than in the wilderness."
"And if I don't go with you?" He sighed and after a moment of thought bowed and offered me his spear. "Then take my spear as payment for the injury I caused you, but mark my words you will not survive the night." I was terrified now. A hunter's spear was like a brother to him or her. It was never lost, broken, or given away.
"What beast were you talking about?"
"I will not speak its name while not safely behind Nyasi's walls." The zebra hunter sounded scared. Which shattered my already shoot nerves.
"I'll go with you." I said getting as close to my protector as I could.
"I can not protect you from what attacks our village but if you survive the night. you can take the road too Maji Makuu. It is a days travel if you make haste and leave at dawn you should arrive at their gates by dusk. The beast does not hunt during the day." I nodded. "It is noon now we will return to Nyasi. We will return to Nyasi and prepare ourselves for tonight." he said to his fellow hunters. They nodded, we began walking south west.
The sun was half way between its zenith and the horizon when we made it to Nyasi. The white washed walls stood a whole three zebras taller than the zebra tall wheat that surrounded the small town. The wooden doors were open and abandoned as we approached. The guards weren't the only things gone the town itself seemed to be devoid of any life. As we approached the gates I thought the city was abandoned. Until an elder came and stood in the middle of the road, and with him were the first two ponies I'd seen in five years.
