Marked

In a passageway off the main tunnel, four diamond dogs crouched.

"Do you think it could dig for gems?"

"It looks strong..."

"Maybe too strong! Few of us, it hurts us!"

"Bah! It weaponless! It not able to hurt us, you mutts! Net it!"

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I walked down and down and down the passageway. After all, what other option did I have?

*THROOMPTH*

...The option to be netted, apparently.

"You! Stay where you are! We get you! You dig gems!"

Dog... things. They look like... no, that's not possible.

"Tremble in fear! You now serve the Diamond Dogs!"

"I'M IN EQUESTRIA?"

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"Stupid bird! This not Pony land! This Diamond dog land!"

"Uh," I noted.

"Maybe this one stupid. Not good."

"You're stupid, and it not affect your ability to dig gems..." the dog growled.

Huh. I have claws...

And a beak...

And they're busy arguing...

Is that a unicorn?

I was looking at a medium-light gray unicorn stallion. His head shape let me know it was a he. "Hey! You!" I hissed.

"Me?" He levitated a gem up and started throwing it between his hooves,

"Yes you! Put that sharp thing on your head to good use!"

"Eh."

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" I gave him the best puppy dog eyes I could, then glanced to make sure the ugly mutts were still arguing. They were.

"Look, honey, if we both work at it, I'll get us both out of here." I fluttered my eyelashes. "Please?"

He shrugged. "They dropped the net. Just pick it up and fly us out."

I grinned and gave him the thumbs up.

Alright, here goes...

I flipped the net off onto the Ddogs, shouted "Get on!" to the unicorn, and shot down the hall as fast as I could go.

"WhoooOOOOooohH!"

That was the unicorn as I scrabbled up the tunnel in a panic, trying to find clawholds, and panting.

"Why don't you fly us out, dude."

I glared a little. "Point A, I don't know how to fly. Point B, I'm a girl."

"Dudette then. Don't get your feathers in a twisket, dudette."

"What, by Celestia's nonexistent beard, is a twisket?" I secured a clawhold and pulled us up.

"It's a figure of speech, dudette. Don't sweat it. I'm Stingray, by the way. Stingray Surf."

"Well, you're heavier than you look, Stingray Surf."

"Whateves, dudette."

"Honey, if you don't stop calling me dudette, I will personally stuff sand up you, strap you to the bottom of a surfboard, and surf a tsunami with it." I gave him my death glare.

"Chill, dud- er, griffin gal."

"My name is Claire," I said absentmindedly. I was trying to figure out what part of my brain had been responsible for that threat. I mean, I've made playful threats, but at that time... I had every intention of carrying it out. And it scared me. What if he'd called my bluff? ...What if it wasn't a bluff?

Being a griffin will be hard to get used to, I decided.