Imperial Hunter

Chapters

Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter X

Chapter I

The Shaded Forest was dark as always, the oppressive canopy strangling any light that tried to reach the ground below. Wherever a shaft of light passed the leafy roof, the undergrowth took after the leaves and branches, choking the light with dozens of different plants crammed into a small area only a few hooves wide. Of course, with that many plants in such a small area, the ground would soon go bad and cause the plants to die, leaving gaps where the undergrowth wasn’t present and light lay everywhere.

Dragon Arrow was in one such clearing, tying leather into a makeshift sled so that he could drag the manticore carcass back to the village. It was good meat, if a little tough. The neurotoxin would be incredibly useful for further hunts, whether by him or other Hunters. The chitin from the scorpion tail would go toward making ceremonial gear for Hunters, and the fur would go to provide winter clothing for the mares and foals. Bones were good supports for their homes and the entrails and organs would be fed to the wolves, leaving nothing of the manticore behind. That was the way of the Imperial ponies. If anything was wasted, the village was a waste.

With a grunt, the Imperial Pegasus heaved and rolled the manticore corpse onto the small yet sturdy sled. That task done, he walked over to one of the trees and yanked his arrow out of it only to drop it in disgust; it was broken. He shimmied the arrowhead out of the tree and dropped it into one of the pouches strapped to his chest. It was good steel, even if it had to be smelted down to use again. He turned on the spot again, feeling his pouch of runestones rustle against each other, and walked back to the sled, stopping in front of it. Sitting down, he quickly manipulated a leather cord and tied it to a small hook set on the armor adorning the back of his hind leg. Reaching for another cord, he did the same to the other leg and now had the sled tied to his legs, allowing him to pull the sled without needing a harness.

Standing back up, he started to walk forward. It was slow going and strained his back legs until the sled picked up speed, allowing him to walk at a more normal speed. It was a six hour walk back to Leaping Wolf village. Good thing this wasn’t the first time he had needed to drag a manticore back to his home. It likely wouldn’t be the last time, either.

***

Finally. Arrow thought as he exited the Shaded Forest and caught sight of the log walls surrounding the village. On top, he could see several armed Hunters patrolling. From this distance, his eyes could pick out the longbows they wielded. Like all Hunter bows, they had small spikes on the bottom. Hunters were trained to be able to plant their bow, fire off an arrow or two, and move before they were hit. Of course, bows weren’t the only weapon the Hunters were proficient in. They also had wing blades and hoof blades, though Dragon didn’t like the latter.

Approaching the solid gate, it slowly rumbled open as the Warriors inside opened it to allow him passage. Standing in the center of the lane and directly in his way was Shield Fire, a Warrior Unicorn. On his back was the shield he was named after, a small slit allowing him to blast fire through it. The Armorers started putting that after they tired of him melting holes in their shields. “Back from another hunt, Strike?”

“That’s not my name.” Arrow said in reply, already feeling irritated. “You know the chief renamed me two years ago.”

Shield just laughed, though the hostility was clearly hearable. “You slaying that dragon was a fluke. That should have been my kill and my glory.”

“You wielded a hammer then, correct? Perhaps you would perfer it if I started calling you Scale Smash?” Dragon asked neutrally.

Shield just glared at him, his muzzle lips pulling back as he bared his sharp teeth at him. It was another show of dominance from the Unicorn, one that had been done a dozen times before. It was a contest where the two would stare at each other until one looked away. Of course, Dragon’s teeth were sharper. Arrow bared his teeth in a silent snarl as well, staring directly into Shield’s glaring eyes without hesitation. The other Warriors watched on, long familiar with the animosity between the two former friends. Arrow knew, though, that they would back him up if Fire tried to start a fight.

Shield Fire’s eyes kept flicking down to his teeth, all of which were still bloodstained from the manticore’s torn out throat. That alone meant Arrow had won, but he kept staring. He wanted Shield to submit. It didn’t take long. Moments later, Shield look to the side and toward the ground, then stepped out of Arrow’s way before mumbling. “Chief wants to talk to you. Said it was important.”

Arrow nodded and continued into the village, the gates closing behind him once the manticore was clear. The Pegasus didn’t really hate Shield, just severely disliked him. Shield kept going straight to the Harvester, who would methodically dismantle the manticore before sending all the pieces to wherever they were needed most. He passed dozens of wood and straw homes, structured more like massive huts rather than the houses of Equestria. Each home was different from the next yet retained the same style. In the village, each new family was tasked with building their own home out of bone, wood, and leather. If there wasn’t a Hunter in the family, then they could buy it from the shops, trade for it, and have a Hunter gather it for them specifically. There were quite a few times a newly formed family paid him to bring back bone, hide, and meat.

A couple dozen ponies greeted Arrow as he walked through the walled-in village. With only a few hundred ponies living in the village, names were well known and nopony forgot anypony. It led to a close knit community, but rumors also spread in a mere day after they formed. The Hunter returned the greetings, not surprised at all when several Hunter apprentices stared in awe as he dragged a full-grown manticore behind him. Most Hunters didn’t have what it took to hunt large predators like a manticore, but Arrow was one of the best. Most stuck to deer, and while Arrow wouldn’t pass up a chance for easy meet, he always tracked down the predators that might end up threatening their home.

Ahead of him, his sharp eyes caught sight of the open-air building that was the workplace of the Harvester. The walls were wood and angled rather than the straight walls of other civilizations, but one entire walls was missing to allow the Hunters to bring in their prey. To make up for the lack of support on that side, there were two support beams in place of an actual wall, with the welded bone being reinforced by magic even further.

Dragging the corpse in between the two supports and into the main area of the Harvester Hut, he greeted the Harvester who was currently working on a small deer. From the looks of it, she was just about to finish up with it. “Hello, Cleave.”

The Earthen mare looked up and smiled, her teeth glinting in the light of the dying day. “Good evening, Dragon. Another manticore?”

“Came across him after he ate the deer I was tracking.” Dragon replied with a smile. “Figured you wouldn’t mind so much because of how much they give.”

“Not at all.” Bone Cleave said with a grin. “It’ll take me most of the day tomorrow to take him apart and the Chief won’t have to schedule another hunt quite as many hunts before winter.”

“Speaking of the Chief, I’ve heard that he wants to meet with me.” Arrow replied, detaching the makeshift sled from his armor. Bone Cleave nodded and quickly moved over to a desk and grabbed a small pouch before tossing it to him. The leather pouch jingled when he caught it, telling him what was inside.

“Sixty Teeth.” She said when he looked at her questioningly. “The rest will come after I’ve taken him apart and examined his condition.”

Arrow nodded and dumped the golden teeth into his money pouch before setting the bag down; he already had enough of thim with over two dozen strapped to him, most empty. Arrow nodded his farewell and turned to leave. “May your travels be swift.”

“And may your prey be strong.” Cleave said, finishing the traditional Hunter farewell.

Leaving the Harvester hut, he turned and started to make his way toward the Chief’s longhouse where he and any wives he may have had would live. The building was pretty much just an oval with bone supports and frames, the roof drapped with leather and covered in straw that was replaced every couple of years. It was a simple house but contained everything the Chief would need, whether to raise a family or run a village.

Stopping and knocking on the bone support next to the leather door, he waited. A few moments later, he heard a clear invitation and he stepped in, pushing the leather aside. His eyes were greeted by the sight of the village’s Elder and Chief sitting side by side on the floor, waiting for him. The Elder gestured with a wing in front of him and he walked in and sat down, his armor and pouches jingling slightly from the motion. Quickly, he flashed a small smile to the Elder, the pony who had teached him all about rune magic. He received a quick smile in return before the Elder focused on the matter at hoof.

The Chief, Roaring Thunder, straightened his back right before he started to speak. “Dragon Arrow, you have been a Hunter for this village for over half a decade now, and an apprentice for double that. Other than Elder Spell, you are the only rune mage we have. You earned your name when you slew a dragon who had threatened our village with a single arrow.”

Arrow nodded; it was all true. He had been an apprentice to Hunter Trail Finder for ten years, a Hunter himself for six. The Pegasus had studied under the Elder for six of those ten years. The arrow did have an electricity rune attached to it, though everypony knew that. He was confused as to why the Chief was saying this. He wasn’t confused for long.

“Two days ago, Emperor Shade received a missive from Princess Celestia. There is a new beast plauging the ponies of the town named Ponyville and she sought our help. Naturally, our emperor seeks a Hunter from the Leaping Wolf village, as we are well known for our Hunters.” The Chief continued.

Arrow nodded again. Leaping Wolf was known for Hunters, Stalwart Bull was known for Warriors, Shadow Grove for Gatherers and so on. Each clan had a speciality. The Hunter was starting to suspect why he had been called there, though he didn’t speak. It was rude to do so unless asked a direct question from either of them.

“I’ve decided to send you.” The Chief said, confirming his suspicions. “While you are still rather young, a mere twenty-four years, and not our most experienced Hunter, your ability with runestones has made you one of our most effective in bringing down predators and threats. Do you have any qualms?”

The question was just a formality; the Chief wanted to send him so he was going to be sent, whether Arrow really wanted to or not. Of course, everypony in the clan knew that. “I do not.”

“You’ll be departing alone, as I know you prefer to hunt alone.” The Chief continued. “Before you leave, Elder Spell has a gift for you, as well as your supplies.”

The Earthen Chief stood and Arrow did as well. The Elder, Spell Rune, was allowed to remain seated due to both his age and his position. He was equal to the Chief in most cases, greater in others. The Chief nodded his head and in reply Arrow bowed low. When they stood, Arrow spoke. “May our lives bring prosperity.”

“And may our deaths bring songs.” The Chief replied before exiting through a side door, the leather falling a moment later and concealing the room he had entered.

Arrow sat back down and turned to Elder Spell and smiled to his mentor. “How do you fare, Elder Spell?”

“Well.” Rune replied with a smile. “My joints do still ache, but that is to be expected in my age. Pleasantries aside, we must discuss your mission.”

Arrow nodded and ask the question on his mind. “What is the beast, or do we not know?”

“A bone Naga, a rather insidious creature with horrible venom. Most assume the beast to be undead, but this is not true. Instead, it has a white exoskeleton making it seem like it is covered in bones.” The Elder replied, making Arrow frown thoughtfully.

“My normal venoms will not work on this creature, would it?” Arrow asked.

“Nay.” Rune replied, shaking his head. “I have taken the liberty to request a special venom, Tartarus Blood, from the Apothecary. I had to collect the supplies myself and there is only enough for three doses, so do not miss. The vial is wrapped up tightly in one of the bags behind you, which contain all the supplies you will need.”

“With a name like that, I can understand how it will work on the Naga.” Arrow replied, glancing back to the bags. It was several small pouches he would replace his empty ones with, a full bag that would hang off of his side, and a camping pack that he would sling over his back.

“Indeed. The Princesses do not know it is a Naga as they are not native to their land, nor this one, but you should know several things about them. First, the venom will kill you in under thirty seconds should you ingest it. If you come into physical contact with it, you’ll have eight hours to drink one of the antidotes I’ve prepared for you; you have five of them.” The Elder started. “Second, the Naga is almost entirely immortal, similar to the Princesses. Very few things can kill one, Tartarus Blood being one of the only things able to. This also means that the Blood could be theoretically used to kill either Princess. I trust you to guard it well and be careful as to who recovers your arrows. A mere touch will kill the Alicorns.”

Dragon Arrow nodded, understanding just how much trust was being put into him and just how dangerous this all was. The Naga wasn’t even the largest threat, just the most obvious. If somepony were to make off with the Blood, it could end the world if either Princess died. The Elder continued before he could say anything. “Third, the Naga is intelligent but not magical. It will offer to cast spells to give you your hearts desire, to bring you love, fame, and fortune. It is incapable of doing any of what it offers. Do not hesitate to strike its heart. Fourth and finally, you will be working alongside both Princesses and the Elements of Harmony.”

Arrow’s head snapped back to the Elder, mouth opened to voice his outrage. A simple burst of power from the Pegasus was all it took to stop the Hunter. “I know, I know. You prefer to work alone. This is, unfortunately, something we can not help. It is also incredibly foolish for both Princesses and the Elements to be there, so I hope you can talk some sense into them before you enter the Everfree Forest.”

Dragon nodded, not saying anything. “Within your pack is a map that will lead you to the encampment outside of the Everfree. Good luck, and please, for the love of the Spirits, return in a single piece and not an urn.”

The pair stood and Elder started the Hunter farewell. “May your travels be swift.”

“And may your prey be strong.” He replied. Rune nodded once and left the building. Arrow walked over to his packs, grabbed them, then brought them outside and started to sort through it. The first thing he checked was Tartarus Blood. He picked one of the three pouches and opened it, internally smiling to find it to be the Blood. Then he frowned. He said there was enough for three doses, which generally means half a vial… why is there five?

Pulling out the five glass vials after unwrapping them, he first examined the liquids inside. All five were half full of a gently pulsing red liquid, black flecks floating around inside the poison. The vials were, surprisingly, cold to the touch. All five liquids were identical, the same pulse, the same flecks, and the same cold. Flipping them around, he checked the markings. All five were marked with a green ‘x,’ meaning it worked on contact. Then he saw the black markings. Each one was marked differently; a triangle, a square, a circle, a pentagon, and a rectangle. Dragon Arrow smiled.

The village Apothecary always marked the vials with specific shapes and colors, each one meaning a different thing. Green meant how it worked, and an ‘x’ signified on contact. Triangle showed what it was, and a black one meant poison. The other four were decoys. There were five vials, one of which was Tartarus Blood. The other four were colored water enchanted with a basic illusion spell. Only a Imperial pony from the Leaping Wolf village could tell which was which.

Rewrapping and placing the five vials back inside a pouch, he replaced one of his empty ones with it. Opening the next pouch, he saw it was filled with a lot of runestones, giving him quite the supply. Putting them all with the others, he turned back to the last pouch. Opening it, he pulled out five more wrapped vials and unwrapped them. All of them were filled with a plain white liquid. The marking on them all was a green oval and a orange triangle. It was an antidote that worked by being ingested. Wrapping them back up and placing them in a separate pouch, he moved on to the camping back. He had pretty much everything he would need for an extended trip. He had food, water, leather for a lean-to, a whestone to sharpen his blades, small tools, and arrows. Rolled up in a side pouch was a map. The entire thing was waterproof.

Checking the map, he saw that there was a dotted line showing his path into Equestria, toward the west. It would take him three days to cross over into Equestrian territory, flying over woodlands the entire time. Once he crossed the border, it was another two days through Whitetail Woods until he passed over Ponyville and arrived at the camp just outside the Everfree Forest. Nodding to himself, he quickly packed everything up and flapped his wings, taking to the air as he angled himself west and toward the setting sun.

It would be a boring five days, nothing but flying and sleeping through it all. Once he got to the camp, things would get more interesting. He would meet two ponies who Equestria revered as goddesses, see the effectiveness of the Royal Guard, and get a chance to hunt an immortal monster.

He grinned. I’m bringing back some meat. Never had Naga before. Wonder how hard it’ll be to get past the exoskeleton?

Author's Note

This is just an idea that hit me one night and I liked it. I bounced a few ideas around and it stuck, so it's going to be a full story. I get to take quite a few creative liberties, since its not a crossover and its alternate universe, which will be fun.

As always, don't hesitate to leave a comment of your opinion. It's a delight to read them!

Chapter II

The bone cracked, shattered, and broke in two between Dragon’s sharp teeth. He gripped one half and quickly began to suck out the bone marrow, the powerful sour taste striking his senses. Few Imperials liked the taste of marrow because of how sour it was but Arrow loved it; it was his favorite part of a meal.

Tossing the empty bone into the firepit, Dragon checked his map once again to ensure that he was on the right path. As he expected, he was. He was even making good time, very good time. He had figured it would take him four days to get to where he was. He did it in half that. Dragon Arrow was camped maybe eight or ten hours from Ponyville. He suspected he would arrive at the Guard camp the next day, after which the hunt for the Naga would truly begin. The Tartarus Blood would soon prove useful.

Humming to himself in mild thought, he removed the Tartarus Blood vial-the real one- and placed it into a separate pouch inside his pack. If somepony found the pouch and realized some were fake, nothing would stop them from simply taking them all and trying them all. If they were all fake, there was no real risk. Tearing into a cooked leg of the deer he had grabbed some hours before, he looked up at the night sky. Far above him, the full moon shone down brightly. It had been as such for the last few days, likely to help the Guards that were undoubtedly on watch duty near the Everfree. Stars twinkled mischeviously and flashed in and out of existence, constellations forming only to vanish moments later. Some remained the same; the stars and constellations ponies used to nagivate by night, but the vast majority was in a constant state of motion. As he watched, a pair of shooting stars chased each other across the sky, changing direction twice before finally fading out. The night sky had really come to life ever since Princess Luna had returned some two years ago.

Looking at the moon, Dragon felt a feeling of worry slowly settle over him. Each time he studied the moon, he had felt the same thing. A part of him believed that he could feel whatever it was that Princess Luna felt when the moon was raised, but he considered that nothing more than fanciful thinking. It wouldn’t surprise him if she was worried, what with her ponies being in danger from the Naga, but there was no way he could feel what the Night Maiden was feeling. Right?

His ears perking suddenly, he heard the sounds of wings flapping in the distance. The sound was slowly growing louder. Looking up and into the distance, he saw three Pegasi flying in his direction. They seemed to be homing in on his fire, but he wasn’t quite sure what they wanted. Subconsciously, he flexed his wings and heard the metal of his wing blades shift slightly. As they neared, he relaxed some. Two wore bright golden armor while the third were darker purple, the signature armor of the two branches of the Royal Guard. They began to descend, heading straight for him as he now expected. Moments later, the three landed and the Thestral approached him. “Hunter Dragon Arrow?”

“That’s me.” Dragon said, taking another bite from his deer. He didn’t fail to notice the uneasy glances they gave him and the half of the deer that was still cooking over the fire. “I wasn’t expecting a welcoming party. Figured I’d get in, get the job done, and head home.”

“Princess Luna was bit.” The Thestral replied. That caught his attention and he sat up straighter. The Guard must have seen the look on his face and answered the unasked question. “Twelve hours ago, the creature ambushed Princess Luna in the Forest and bit her. Ten hours ago her afflicted leg began to rot and she fell ill. None of Princess Celestia’s healing spells have managed to stop the spread of the poison nor the necrosis, so six hours ago she sent out several parties to find you, hoping you would know how to help her.”

With a regretful glance, Dragon tossed the remains of the leg into the fire and kicked it out, quickly slinging his bags on. He was thankful he had yet to set up his lean-to. If he had, he may have needed to leave it behind to make it to the Princess in time. “Are any of you quick fliers?”

To his disappointment, they all shook their heads, though he noticed one was writing a message. “No sir, we’re all long distance fliers. We needed to be; Princess Celestia expected you would still be three days out.”

“Had a good tailwind.” The Imperial explained as the one writing the message sent it by tapping it to a crystal. “Let’s move if we want to get the antidote to her in time.”

They all took to the air and the Thestral lead the way, beelining straight for the camp even if it would take them several hours to get there. After a few minutes of flight, the Thestral spoke up. “Sir, do you know what we are dealing with?”

“Somewhat. My village’s Elder knew what it was from the description. A bone Naga. They aren’t native to Equestria nor the Empire, so I don’t know how he knew about it. I was provided antidote to counteract its venom and a poison that would be especially effective against it.” The Hunter answered. “My turn. Why did she split the party between the Solar and Lunar Guard like this?”

“One Thestral was placed into every search party in case we passed over you at night. It was just lucky for us that you had a fire going.” The Thestral explained, making Arrow nod. “How many doses of the antidote do you have?”

“Five. It’ll be four once we get there. How many Guards are hunting the Naga along with the Princesses?”

“One hundred and fifty Solar and fifty Lunar. We’ve yet to find its lair, only being able to track its trails maybe a mile into the Forest before we loose the trail.” The Guard answered.

The four ponies fell silent as they flew, three of them tired but powering through their exhaustion out of worry for their charges.

***

Princess Celestia figured she was maybe twelve hours away from suffering from a complete breakdown. She had received word that a new monster was harassing her ponies, so she sent three Guards to check it out. Only one returned. She sent four squads of experienced Guards and to track down the beast and contact was lost from them all. Finally, she and her sister went down with two hundred Guards and built a camp, requested help from the Rhetoram Empire due to their familiarity with hunting, and bunkered down while waiting for the Hunter. Now her sister lay in her room with a slowly rotting leg, striken will illness and necrosis from the monster’s poison. Her magic did nothing, no antidotes were working, and they still didn’t know what the monster was.

In short, Celestia was not happy. Furious wasn’t quite the right word. Desperate would be better.

Around twelve hours ago, she had sent several search parties to find the Hunter that had been sent to help with this threat in a desperate bid that he would have an antidote to help her sister. Six hours after that she had received a magically delivered message stating that he had been found and that he actually did have an antidote. The Solar Alicorn wanted to cry with relief from that alone. Then she continued reading and found that he was six hours away and that they would be here around sunrise. Twenty minutes ago she had rose the sun and lowered the moon. She had even been forced to raise the moon the night before and she was sure that anypony looking could feel the worry that had tainted her magic. Now she was pacing back and forth outside the medical tent, her wings twitching at her side as she waited for the Hunter to arrive, worry and fear clear in her movements.

Because of that, when a Pegasus scout landed right next to her, she wanted to grip him in her aura and shake him while yelling at him to tell her what he found. But that would scare him and hurt him. Instead, she smiled, though it was clearly strained, and spoke calmly. “Do you have something to report?”

The young stallion, a colt really, rapidly nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty! The Hunter has just been spotted twenty minutes out! He’ll be here any moment.”

“Thank you for telling me this good news. Will you go up and meet him and point him here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The colt said with quick salute.

“Good. Dismissed.” With that, the Pegasus took to the air and flew up, circling the camp while he waited for the Hunter to get close enough. Celestia turned, relief clearly visible to any Guard who happened to look at her, and walked into the medical tent. She passed several sleeping Guards who were mildly injured from the predators of the Forest, not worrying for them. They would be relocated to Canterlot General Hospital within the next six hours where they’ll be treated more effeciently for their injuries. No, her worry was for her sister.

Coming to a stop in front of one of the curtained-off beds, she quickly pushed the white curtain aside and gazed upon her tired, hurting, yet still conscious sister. Luna lay on the double-bed, one of her legs hidden below a veritable mountain of wrappings. Her dark blue coat was matted, her feathers askew, and her ethereal mane limp as she slowly turned to look at her, a horrible rasping sound emitting with each breath. When she spoke, her voice was weak and dry, likely painful for her to even speak, yet no matter how much she drank, she sweat it all out. “T-Tia?”

“Shhh.” Celestia shushed gently, levitating over a small cup and water and holding it to her sister’s lips. She drank it slowly, Celestia lifting it until it was empty. She set the cup back down and took a seat next to Luna’s head. Luna’s head turned slowly and the injured Alicorn’s teal eyes met her magenta ones, taking Celestia’s breath away. Luna was afraid. She’d never say it, she was too prideful, but she was terrified of what was happening to her. The doctors hadn’t lied to her; she knew her leg was rotting.

“T-Tia, am I g-going to lose my l-leg?” Luna slowly asked, even talking being hard for her. Unshed tears began to make her eyes shine. “A-am I going to die?”

Celestia’s wing rose before quickly falling again. She couldn’t even put her wing over her sister to comfort her; she was too hot already. Instead, she settled for placing her head right next to Luna’s even as tears formed in her own eyes. “No, you aren’t. The Hunter will be here very soon and he said he had the antidote.”

Luna whimpered once, a sound that tore at Celestia’s heart and soul, before she calmed down and her eyes drifted closed. If it wasn’t for the slow movement of her hindlegs and her raspy breathing, Celestia would have thought she had passed. The two were silent for a few minutes before Celestia heard somepony land outside the tent, then trot in. Moments later, she heard a deep, rough voice call out. “Princess Celestia?”

“Over here, Hunter.” Celestia replied for nopony other than an Imperial could have a voice so feral.

The pony followed the sound of her voice and quickly found them, the curtains still open from when she had pushed them aside earlier. The Imperial Pegasus was about what she expected. First of all was his height; he would come up to just below her jaw and could easily be taller than Luna. His coat was a dark green, with his mane and tail a solid black. His fur was wild and rough, clearly not something he considered important. His dark green eyes, while identical to a pony’s, held a predatory look that belied his omnivorous nature. Most of his body was covered in a black-dyed leather armor, leather that she knew was real, with easily two dozen pouches strapped to it all over. Hooks, chains, and string were wrapped up around it, places where he could attach even more pouches and objects.

Looking at his wings, she saw they were larger than any Equestrian pony’s, likely rivaling her wingspan. While looking at his wings, she caught the glint of the solid steel of wingblades. Glancing down, she saw his hooves were bare of hoofblades, though she doubted he didn’t have any. Attached to his right side was a recurve bow with a small spike on the bottom, though she wasn’t sure what that was for. Without saying anything, he walked over to the bed and looked at Luna. “The beast that bit you? A large snake, white bones covering the outside, likely taunted you?”

After a moment of gathering what strength remained, Luna managed to nod shakily. He grunted as he deftly untied one of his pouches. “Elder Spell was right, it was a bone Naga. Nasty things from what I’ve been told. I got five doses of the antidote, so you’re going to be fine. About ten minutes after you drink it, Princess Celestia is going to have to cast her healing spell. It’s an antidote after all, not a restoration elixir.”

That made Luna smile, the sight alone making Celestia smile as well. He pulled out a small cloth wrapping and unwrapped it, revealing a simple glass vial filled with a soft white liquid. On the side of the vial, she could see a green oval and an orange triangle. He uncorked it and held the end up to Luna’s muzzle, which crinkled at the smell. “Yeah, it smells horrible. The taste will be just as bad. But you need to drink it. It won’t work otherwise.”

Nodding weakly, she wrapped her lips around the vial and he lifted it up while she drank it. It didn’t take long before it was empty, at which point he pulled it back and rewrapped it while Luna stuck out her tongue, the taste nearly making her gag. He returned it to a pouch- a different one, she noticed- and turned to her. “Princess Celestia, I recommend waiting about ten minutes before casting your healing spell again. At that point, the antidote will have neutralized the Naga venom and your spells will work again.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“Set up my lean-to at the edge of the Forest and get to work. I’ve been sent here to do a job and I plan to do just that.” He replied, turning to leave.

“Will you at least share your name?” Celestia asked.

He hesitated for a moment, then answered. “Hunter Dragon Arrow of the Leaping Wolf village. If another pony gets bit by the Naga, don’t hesitate to get me. I have another four doses of the antidote but I plan to save one for high-priority ponies like yourself, Your Majesty.”

With a final nod, he left. Celestia couldn’t help but find to-the-point attitude a rather refreshing change from the norm. She also couldn’t help but wonder how he earned his name. She, of course, knew it had something to do with a dragon and an arrow. Perhaps he and a few others slew a teenager with their bows?

***

Stepping back from his temporary camp, Arrow quickly examined it. He had managed to find a rather large tree that served as the back wall, with large sticks serving as the side walls, both covered in leafy branches. The front was, naturally, open to the air and, more importantly, the firepit he had made. The leather roof would keep rain off of him rather well and the walls would help protect against the wind. Inside was no bedroll; most Hunters chose to forego them. The pit was simple, a small hole lined with rocks he had taken from the bed of a nearby river. Dragon huffed.

He would have had more time if he wasn’t forced to spend half an hour arguing with two lookouts, then waited while their commander came. The Imperial was forced to wait even longer while he sent a message to Celestia, then waited for the reply. Finally, after nearly two hours of arguing and waiting, he was finally cleared to set up his camp in the Forest edge.

Shrugging internally, he quickly detached his bow and spiked it into the ground inside the lean-to, then placed his arrows next to it. If he needed to, he could wake up and fire an arrow out of the shelter in under four seconds, even if his accuracy wouldn’t be as good as it is normally. Placing his hoof blades side by side next to the bow, he would be able to put this on quickly while firing his bow. He would only have to pause to tie the straps that kept them on. He already wore his wingblades and was so used to sleeping with them that he wasn’t worried about cutting himself on accident.

Dragon looked outside of his small camp and grinned. That would come later, much later. It wasn’t even noon yet, and with that much daylight, he could try to pick up the Naga’s trail. Removing all his pouches except the ones containing the Tartarus Blood, Naga antidote, and runestones, he started walking deeper into the Forest. For this quick scouting, he wouldn’t need his bow or hoofblades. He wasn’t planning to encounter or challenge the Naga, but he kept the poison on him anyway.

Just in case. After what happened to Princess Luna, Dragon wasn’t taking the chance.

Chapter III

“This has got to be the Naga…” Dragon thought to himself, examining the large snake trail going through the bushes. From the dried mud and rotten leaves, the naga had to have passed several days ago. It was too long ago for him to track the beast, but at least he knew exactly what to look for now. Surprisingly, it hadn’t taken him long to locate the old trail, maybe four hours. Considering the size of the woods, he considered that rather lucky. It wouldn’t take him as long to get home, though, since he wasn’t going to move slowly and wouldn’t need to search for anything.

Standing up straight, he turned and started to walk back towards his camp. Wondering the time, he quickly glanced toward the sky only to frown. Just like in the Shaded Forest, the canopy was too thick to see through in most spots. In fact, the Everfree reminded him a lot of home except...better. The Forest was wild, untainted by the Equestrian Weatherponies. It felt, well, alive. Maybe it was. Dragon knew that those rosebushes weren’t there when he passed by half an hour ago.

Maybe...once I go home, I’ll ask the Chief if he’ll allow me to move here, even if just for a little while. I’d love to learn more about this forest. I doubt he’ll let me, though. I’m one of the villages only predator Hunters.

His ears perked and twitched as he picked up the sound of slithering from his right. He quickly dismissed it as a cockatrice when he heard the cluck soon after. Continuing on, he knew better than to look in that direction. While cockatrices weren’t a common sight in the Shaded Forest, the Hunter had found- and eaten- a number of them. The meat was stringy and bland but it was something he could put in his stomach while tracking down bigger game for the village.

While he walked, he kept his head in motion, checking for any side trails, pathways, or Forest denizens. A couple times, he spotted the tracks of a manticore, which he was happy about. If he did end up staying in the Everfree, the hybrids would provide plenty of meat for him; Spirits know that he can’t buy any in town with the Equestrian ponies being herbivores. Twice he passed by a rotten log that gave off a similiar aura to his runestones, but he assumed they were part of the infamous Timberwolves that he had heard were native to the Everfree only. Only more evidence to the Everfree being alive in a way other forests weren’t.

When he was only a few minutes walk from his home, he turned off the path and walked to where he had set one of his closer animal traps. Quickly seeing it, he saw that the snare trap was still empty, something he expected. He doubted that he would have caught something in just a few hours. He still could have gotten lucky, though. Turning around, he went back to the small trail and continued toward his camp. In the distance ahead of him, he slowly became aware of several voices discussing something. From the sounds of it, they were discussing how to track the Naga, though they were still calling it the ‘monster.’ The speakers seemed to be several mares, one of them sounding unnaturally excited.

Approaching the small clearing that made up his campsite near the edge of the Forest, he saw that it was rather crowded. Princess Celestia and, to his surprise, Princess Luna were sitting on the ground near his lean-to, several Guards having taken up positions around the edge of the clearing. Six mares were situated around his firepit, which now had a fire going in it, and two more Guards were sitting with them, one of which he thought was the Thestral that had lead him to the Guard camp. Part of him was rather annoyed with the company. The rest of him knew that the mares were probably the Elements of Harmony and as such were going to be working with him.

Quickly circling the camp to the Princesses’ side, he walked in after giving a nod to the Guard that had stepped aside once she recognized him. The Hunter walked into his camp and up to the two Alicorns and crossed his hoof over his chest with a small nod. Princess Celestia, not knowing the correct response, only nodded her head in return and he spoke. “Princess Luna, its good to see that you have recovered enough to move, but I do not believe that it is safe for you to be in this Forest as you are know.”

The Night Maiden smiled lightly at his concern- likely not realizing or caring that it was purely professional- and spoke. “While I appreciate your worry, I am an Alicorn. Once you nullified the poison and my sister healed me of the necrosis, I recovered quickly. While I admit I am not at full health, I am more than well enough to come here with my sister, the Elements, and our Guards to discuss the situation with you, Sir Hunter.”

“Just Hunter, if you must use titles, Dragon Arrow otherwise.” Dragon replied, his ears twitching as he heard the mares behind him come closer and listen in. “If you believe you are well enough, then I’ll defer to your knowledge; after all, you understand Alicorn physiology far better than I ever will.”

Princess Luna nodded politely before Princess Celestia spoke. “If you don’t mind me asking, where were you? We arrived some time earlier only to find your bow and hoofblades here and you missing. I will not deny that my mind first jumped to an unsettling conclusion.”

“I was simply scouting nearby my home, only an hour or so in each direction, to learn more about the surroundings. I was granted much knowledge to the local flora and fauna, even if some I do not recognize, and it will help be better prepare for the true Hunt. I have also found tracks of the Naga, though they were several days old and only served to show me what I must look for later.” Dragon explained.

“That was risky.” She said with slight worry. “You could have been bitten and we likely wouldn’t have known for days. If the ‘Naga’ venom is this effective against an Alicorn, I’m hard pressed to imagine you would make it back to camp. I would like for a trio of Guards to accompany you on further searches, and for us all to join in the actual hunt for the creature.”

Instantly, Dragon shook his head and was treated to a sharp gasp from one of the mares behind him. “While I’m thankful for your concern, I hunt alone. Only the most dire of threats will cause a Hunter to work with another, and even then only with other Hunters. As for your assumption that I would not survive a bit, please remember that I have more doses of the antidote, which I would be able to quickly drink before the venom took full effect.”

“You can’t tell your Princess no!” Dragon heard somepony call out from behind him. Turning around, his sight was greeted by an irate purple Unicorn wearing a golden tiara with an inset gem. “Her word is law!”

“I believe the law is the law, miss.” Dragon retorted. “And while I mean no disrespect to Princesses Celestia or Luna, they are not my Princesses. I am here by the will of Emperor Shade after he was asked to help with the tracking and slaying of this beast. While I do respect your Princesses and will defer to their authority in most situations, when it comes to hunting, an Imperial will know far more about it than an Equestrian, particularly an Imperial Hunter.”

The Unicorn, her face flushed red from anger, opened her mouth to retort only to be interrupted by Princess Celestia. “He’s right, Twilight. He serves Emperor Shade, not me or my sister. I am thankful that he is here and that he is willing to listen to me on most decisions, but he is right. He’s an Imperial, and that alone makes him better suited for leading this hunt than I am. The fact that he is a Hunter means that not only is he able to lead it, but that he will take part of it.”

“Princess, I do believe that it would be better if I were to hunt this beast alone with you and your Guards forming a line several meters back from the treeline to prevent the Naga from escaping and assaulting the nearby town. This beast has already proven itself wily and willing to kill and I do not wish to put any civilians in harm’s way, including the Elements of Harmony.” Dragon said after a moment of silence fell, the Unicorn in disbelief that Celestia was willing to let whatever insult she perceived go.

“And how do you suggest we slay this beast if it does attack the town? I struck this ‘Naga’ with one of my most powerful spells and it shrugged it off entirely.” Princess Luna said suddenly. The gathered ponies, including her sister, stared in shock when she said that.

“That’s because the beast is immortal, Princess, just as you yourself are.” Dragon said, picking up one of his discarded pouches and pulling out an empty, unlabeled vial as well as a wrapped one from a vial on his chest. “Do you trust these ponies here?”

“We woudn’t have brought them if we didn’t.” Luna replied.

Dragon nodded and unwrapped the vial. Both Alicorns gasped and jerked back at the sight of the pulsing Tartarus Blood. It seemed to be glowing, reacting to the presence of those it was designed to kill. Dragon noted that reaction, deciding it may be useful in finding the Naga. Celestia exclaimed at the sight of the vial. “That’s Tartarus Blood! One of the few poisons capable of slaying an immortal!”

Immediately, the Guards tensed and stared at him, daring him to make a move. Twilight’s horn alighted with magic as she and the other Elements tensed. Dragon ignored them all and poured a small bit of the Blood into an empty vial, then corked them both. He rewrapped his vial and returned it to its pouch and pulled out a small strip of cloth, wrapping the new vial as well. He hoofed the new vial with a single dose over to the Princess, who took it carefully and with a conficted look on her face. “It’s also one of the few things capable of killing the bone Naga. That’s why I have some, three doses to be exact. If you don’t use it, I’d like it back for my Elder.”

“It’s illegal to make that!” Twilight yelled out at him. Without glancing at her, he retorted.

“In Equestria. In the Rhetoram Empire, it’s just another poison some Elders can make.”

“Well then why do you have exactly three doses? So you can kill the Naga, then both the Princesses?” Twilight asked suspiciously, taking a step forward until she was directly in front of him, quickly realizing that he was taller than he as she looked up toward him.

“So that, if I miss with my arrow, I have another chance. Because if I brought only one dose, shot my bow, and missed the shot, I would have to return to my village, ask my Elder for more Tartarus Blood, wait for him to gather the proper ingredients, make the potion, and fly my way back here. All in all, about a month before I’ll be back. How many ponies do you think will die in that month, miss?” Dragon replied with a bored gaze leveled on her.

“If you don’t mind, Princess, I would like to get some rest before tonight, when the Hunt will begin in earnest.” Dragon said, dismissing Twilight and turning back to the Princess. She had a strange mix of a smile and frown on her muzzle, but she nodded.

“Come along, let’s give Dragon his time to rest. I will consider your advice, but I hope you won’t be upset if I don’t follow it.” Celestia said politely.

“I won’t because I know that you intend to protect that town no matter how you go about it.” Dragon replied, nodding to the two Princesses as they all left. Once they were out of sight and sound, he went into his lean-to. Immediately, he noticed that his bow had been tampered with and his arrows moved around. From the looks of him, somepony had tried on his hoofblades as well. From the grass stains, he assumed they had used them, too. Knowing the Princesses wouldn’t touch his weapons and the Guards were to disciplined to do it, he figured it was one of the mares. He wasn’t sure which one though as only Twilight had spoken.

Standing his bow back up by driving it into the ground again, he layed out the arrows next to it again. Quickly cleaning his hoofblades, he set them side by side again and lied down on the ground in the back of the lean-to, his eyes facing out and staring into the woods. After a time, he closed his eyes. He wasn’t going to sleep, but he was definitely going to rest for a time. Then he frowned. “Damn mares.”

***

“He was so rude!” Twilight ranted to her friends, ignoring the looks that she was receiving from them, and the glances they were shooting behind her. “I mean, he did nothing but insult me and the Princesses! I don’t know what the Princess was thinking, asking for him!”

“Perhaps I could tell you.” She heard a very familiar voice say from right behind her. Spinning around, she saw both Princesses behind her, neither of them looking happy. “But I would like to hear your complaints personally.”

Seeing the blanked-out look on Twilight’s face, Celestia turned to the rest of the Elements. “I think I can handle this. You five may head home if you would like to.”

They all nodded and started to leave, but Pinkie hesitated for a moment before looking to her. “Princess, I don’t know if Mr. Arrow upset you like Twilight thinks he did, but he’s not a bad pony. I think he just doesn’t know how to talk to others easily and he’s more worried about making sure nopony gets hurt.”

Celestia nodded with a smile. “Once we solve this problem, I wouldn’t mind attending a party.”

Pinkie broke into a wide grin. “I’ll be sure to have a ‘the nasty monster is gone’ party ready! Do you think you can get Mr. Arrow to attend?”

“I’ll be sure to try.” Celestia said, smiling.

The Element of Laughter nodded rapidly before leaving, happy humming coming from her direction as she left the barren tent. Celestia turned back to Twilight just in time to see her snap out of her daze, quickly blurting out an apology. “P-Princess, I’m so sorry!”

“Twilight, do you want to know why we asked for a Hunter from the Rhetoram Empire?” Celestia asked seriously.

After a moment, Twilight shakily nodded and Princess Celestia continued. “We asked for a Hunter because we knew that whoever they sent would be able to track this beast down. We also knew that they might know what it was because they hunt beasts like this constantly. We wanted to keep the number of ponies that this thing killed as small as possible and to remove the threat.”

“But he insulted you!”

“No, he didn’t.” Princess Luna said, finally speaking. “He was completely correct. We aren’t his Princess and while he’s here, he has the equivalent of an ambassador’s diplomatic immunity. He was nothing but polite to foreign rulers that he owes no allegience to.”

“And the Tartarus Blood?” Twilight asked, her voice dropping lower as more and more things came together.

“If the Naga is immortal, the Blood may be the only thing capable of killing it. It’s purely coincidence that it can also hurt my sister and I.”

Celestia nodded with finality. “Next chance you get, I want you to apologize to him.”

“Okay…” Twilight said sadly.

Celestia, seeing this, leaned down and wrapped her neck around her student’s and calming her down. “I’m not really mad at you, Twilight, but you need to learn to respect other pony’s cultures. Especially if he plans to stay in the Everfree.”

“What?” Twilight asked, looking up.

Princess Luna smiled. “I’ve met a Hunter before, in Canterlot. She was unhappy, concerned, and restless. They don’t like urban areas, but that’s just how they were trained. I saw, in Dragon’s eyes, that he loved the Everfree. It won’t surprise me if he asks us if he can move to the Everfree. If he does, it’s up to you and your friends to make him feel welcome in Ponyville, and as such, in Equestria.”

“But, he eats...meat.” Twilight replied.

“Equestrian ponies often eat fish for the extra protein.” Celestia reminded. “And the Imperials never eat anything that’s intelligent. He’s aware of Equestria’s thoughts of meat-eaters and will keep his hunting in the Everfree, if indeed he does want to stay once this mess is over with. Can I count on you?”

While Twilight still looked sick over the thought of eating meat, she nodded. “Yes, you can. I’ll be sure to apologize to him, Princess.”

“Thank you.” Celestia said, giving her student a soft nuzzle. Twilight happily returned it, then gave a light hug to Princess Luna, which was happily returned.

The two Princesses straightened and moved to leave, then Celestia paused. “Oh, and Twilight?”

“Yes, Princess?” Twilight asked curiously.

“I ask that you ask Rainbow not to mess with his weapons again. She didn’t know if any of those arrows were poison tipped and it was risky to fiddle with them.” Celestia said with a smile.

Twilight’s cheeks burned as she blushed lightly, but then she nodded. “I’ll be sure to tell her.”

“Have a good night, Twilight.”

“You too, Princess.”

Chapter IV

Dragon opened his eyes and sat up, then looked around. From the darkness of the clearing, he assumed it was close to an hour before the sun set and the Hunt began. Knowing that tonight could spell the end of his life if he isn’t prepared, he knew that he needed to be ready for any of the denizens of the Forest, not just the Naga. To do that, he would need to prepare several of his runestones.

Opening his pouch, he pulled all the runestones out one by one, examing each one for any chips in the carefully shaped rock. Seeing none, he separated them by type. The process of making runestones was tedious when it came to detail, but it was well worth it. The stone itself was a special kind that the Imperials refered to as shatter rock, though the Equestrians referred to it as a type of basalt. The rock had to be cut into a perfectly circular shape five centimeters- two inches in Equestria- in diameter. Other shapes and sizes, including a rough chunk of stone, would work but the old rune mages had long since discovered that a perfect circle was the most effective at channeling and dispersing the stored magic.

The second step, which Dragon always enjoyed, was painting the appropriate rune the appropriate color. The paint, while it could be from any source, worked best when made directly from plants rather than the enchanted pigments Equestria used, though those still worked. That did open up the difficulty of fading runes, which forced Dragon to discard one of his Shock runes. The cyan had began to fade on it, which was risky when it came to charging a rune. After shaping the stone and painting the rune, the final step- and the last- was charging it with latent energy. Rune mages did it by holding the runestone close to the most magically-attuned parts of them. For Pegasi, Earthen, and Unicorns, it was their wings, hooves, and horns respectively. Then, they focused and diverted their own natural magic out of them and into the runestone.

Grabbing one of his Fear runes, he examined the scarlet lines. Seeing that it wasn’t faded, he held it in his wing and began the rather quick process of charging it. If the rock was damaged or the rune faded or disrupted, this step was dangerous. The runestone could literally explode in his grip, sending rock shards everywhere. If the rock was just uncut, then the process was significantly slower with no chance of it detonating. Around a minute later, the rune began to glow slightly and he stopped, placing it into a separate pouch he had been provided by the Elder. This special pouch, made and enchanted specifically to hold runestones, would massively reduce the force of whatever was inside while also preventing anything from falling out. Once charged, runestones became much more brittle than usual. The rune itself was also permanently attached to the rock, unable to be damaged or removed in any way. When the user was ready for the magic to be released, the shatter rock, now even more brittle, had to be damaged in some way. Even the slightest chip would release the magic.

As the magic forced its way out from within the stone, the shatter rock begins to incinerate. The rune activates, weaving the ambient magic into a specific spell that affects the world around it. Once the spell effect died down, the only thing that would be left of the runestone would be a half-molten chunk of rock that was entirely unusuable for another runestone. Fortunately, shatter rock wasn’t native to one specific location. It could be found in massive veins all over the world, which Dragon was thankful for. If he planned to stay in the Everfree, the ability to make runestones was a necessity, both for defense, offense, and utility.

Picking up a special rune, he looked it over. Painted on one side was the golden rune for Light, while the other side was the blue rune for Time, which was all together referred to as a Candle rune. Painting a stone with two runes was surprisingly no harder than with one rune. In fact, the only difference was that both runes had to be charged at the same time, otherwise one would override the other and result in the runestone not working the way it was intended to. This specific runestone was essentially a torch without heat; the Light rune causes the stone to glow just as brightly as a fire while the Time rune kept it going much longer than the usual half-second that most runes activated in. Charging it as well, he placed it into his pouch.

By the time he heard hoofsteps approaching him, he had successfully charged three Fear, two Candle, two Shock, one Burn, one Cold, and one Flame rune. All together, he had ten activate runes capable of being used effectively. He was pretty happy for that, though it bothered him that he had found four more ineffective runes. That was generally expected with how long he had kept them without using them, unfortunately. Looking out of his lean-to, he was surprised to see Princess Celestia waiting patiently. Even more surprising was what she was wearing. It seemed to be a type of plate mail, though not one he was familiar with. Golden plates interlocked over her entire body, even her joints and wings, while still being plenty flexible enough for her to move. Intricate red and white inlays were inscribed all over her sleek armor, giving it an elegant yet deadly look. The lines seemed to join together, forming the symbol of her cutie mark on her chest. The only parts of her body exposed to air was her muzzle, her eyes, and the tip of her horn for her to cast spells. Dragon wasn’t quite sure if she could still fly in that armor.

Slung on her back was a large halberd, both the axe head and spear point gleaming with an unnatural sharpness that made him slightly uneasy. The handle was some type of white wood, though he doubted it was actually wood. Strapped to her sides was a dozen simple knives, no handle to speak of which revealed them as throwing knives. All together, the armed and armored Princess made him think not of a mare who ruled a country, but of Yavala, the Spirit of War. That didn’t stop him coming out of his lean-to, which was not big enough for both of them, and he grabbed his bow, arrows, and donned his hoof blades as he talked. “What brings you by, Princess? From your armor, I assume you will be joining me?”

Princess Celestia nodded. “I am. My sister has formed a line between here and Ponyville with her and the Guards, with most of the stretch illuminated by spells and fires. I decided to join you to bring this beast to an end.”

“And not because you want revenge against what happened to your sister?” Dragon asked.

She smirked. “That too.”

Dragon nodded and removed the Tartarus Blood. Taking out a second vial, he filled it with a dose of the Tartarus Blood, which he gave to her. He started to dip several arrows in it, seeing that the poison dried on the arrowhead quickly. “Whatever the case, do not fight this Naga alone. If you find it, lead it to me. If I find it, I’ll lead it to you and we’ll handle it together. While we are both confident in our abilities to take it out alone, we have a greater chance of survival. Do not misunderstand; if you have a clear shot with the poison, take it.”

Celestia nodded and accepted the vial of Blood and the vial of antidote he gave her. “If you get bitten, drink the antidote immediately. Do not wait until you are safe. If Princess Luna hadn’t been an Alicorn, she wouldn’t have made it back to the camp. Thirty seconds is all it takes to kill a mortal and we don’t know how much the Naga can inject into you.”

“Naga venom isn’t as effective against an Alicorn, Mr. Arrow.” Celestia replied.

“First, if you’re hunting with me, Dragon is fine. Second, let’s assume that what happened to your sister is one dose of Naga venom. If the Naga can inject six doses into you in one bite, it could happen six times faster.” Dragon said. “With enough doses, eighteen hours can turn into thirty seconds. If it can inject more, this Naga downright cruel.”

“How so?”

“If it can inject more venom in one bite, why didn’t it inject enough to kill your sister in just a few minutes? Because it didn’t know she was an Alicorn? No, Nagas are smart so it knew that the bite wouldn’t kill her quickly. It also likely knew that Equestria didn’t have any antidote to its venom. It wanted Luna to make it back to the camp so she could die in front of you. Unfortunately for it, all that did was piss us off.” Dragon explained.

The Hunter could see the fire burning in her eyes as she listened to his explanation. There’s not much worse than knowing something wanted her family to die in her hooves. If his family had been killed instead of passing from sickness, he knew that he would murder whoever killed them, consequences be damned. He could only imagine how powerful that feeling was for the Princess who just got her sister back after a thousand years.

“Exactly how much Tartarus Blood will it take to kill the Naga? It’s a single dose, right?” Celestia asked, her voice cold even with a fire metaphorically burning in her eyes.

“I’m not quite sure.” Dragon replied. “I was told I had three doses, but Imperials measure a dose by not how much you need to use but by how much the brewer makes it one day. Since it’s three doses, I’d assume my Elder took three days to make it. Just in case, only tip your blades in it.”

He paused for a moment, then continued. “I doubt I need to say this but do not get any on or in you. I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if you died from an accidental nick.”

Examining the vial she had been given, Celestia replied. “You have no need to worry, Dragon. This amount isn’t enough to kill me. Put me in a hospital for a month with horrific pains and significantly reduced mental capability before I recover, though.”

“Some good news, at least.” Dragon grunted. Looking up through the thinned canopy of the clearing, he saw that the sky was dark, likely meaning that the sun was set. “You know the time?”

“A little after nine.” Celestia replied.

“Let’s go. Remember, if you find it and its awake, regroup. Otherwise, take the shot. Conserve your Blood, in both accounts, and make sure you make it home to your sister.” It hit him that, even though Princess Celestia had thousands of years of experience on him, she was allowing him to boss her around like she was a Hunter Apprentice. Then he dismissed the thought; she likely didn’t mind the reminders and the concern he was showing, even if he did it in a blunt way. “Meet back here at dawn if you don’t find it. If I’m not back by dawn, I found it and got bit. Follow my tracks and learn what you can from my corpse before tracking it down.”

“That’s morbid.” Princess Celestia said, a mildly disturbed look on her muzzle.

“But no less true.” Dragon replied, then nodded. “Good luck, Princess. May your travels be swift.”

“Good luck, Dragon. May your prey be strong.” Celestia replied with a smile, then started off into the Forest. Dragon watched her go, a shocked look on his face. He nodded, newfound respect in her. If she knows the the traditonal farewell, maybe she does know how to hunt.

Turning, he walked off into the Forest. Celestia had gone southeast; he went southwest. He didn’t know about her, but he would zigzag through the Forest as he searched for any trails. It’s not the most effective tracking method, not by a mile, but it was the best way in such a large Forest with no recent trails by the Naga. Maybe they would find it tonight, maybe they wouldn’t. They would certainly try, though.

***

Dragon wasn’t ashamed that he lied to Celestia; in fact, he considered it for the best. When he had told her to find him if the Naga was awake, he had told her he would search her out, too. That was a lie. Dragon had no way to find Celestia in this massive Forest before the Naga lost interest or realized that something was planned. However, if the Princess tried to find him if the Naga was chasing her, there was a much higher chance that she would make it through the night unharmed. The Hunter knew she wouldn’t be happy and that she would confront him about it in the morning.

If they both made it out of the Forest tonight. The morbid thought struck him instantly, though it didn’t surprise him. There was massive risk in this Hunt, but no reward came without it. If he helped slay this creature, or even did it alone, he hoped that he would earn his place in the Everfree. He wasn’t sure he would, but he could at least try.

Moving through the Forest silently, his hooves deftly skittered past or around anything that could make noise; rocks, leaves, insect shells, sticks, or anything else that would crunch, snap, or thud when his hard hooves stepped on them. He was glad it was spring now. During fall, it became much harder to avoid stepping on leaves. That also counted for after a large storm. All in all, a pony moving silently wasn’t an easy task or a common sight. Hooves were not made for stealth.

A twitch of a smile flashed on his muzzle as he remembered his old mentor literally beating the lessons into him. Don’t be fooled; blunted arrows still hurt. Either way, it taught him to be silent quickly enough. Then his forced the thoughts away, not allowing himself to be distracted. Even a split second could change the course of a Hunt forever.

Dragon paused. A pack of far off wolves howled for a moment, their voices drowning out the minor noises of the Forest inhabitants, particularly the nocturnal ones. But behind that, he could swear he heard something moving in a few dozen meters away, obscured by the thick foliage. That alone wouldn’t bother him except that he could clearly hear it coming to him.

He dove to the side in time to dodge a wild swipe from a manticore. He landed on his side, allowing his momentum to carry him into a roll that ended with him on his hooves. Dragon then frowned, realizing just how much noise was being made not by him, but by the hybrid. Reaching into his enchanted pouch, he felt around it. His hoof came into contact with several runes, each one causing him to experience a different feeling. When he felt a jolt of foreign fear, he pulled it out and slammed it into a tree, then tossed it at the manticore. The rune immolated, reddish energy flowing into the manticore in spades as it reared back, tumbling away from him with pure fear on its face. Turning tail, it charged back the way it came, all the while roaring in fear.

Moving forward, he passed the runestone and saw that nothing was left except a quickly cooling pile of lava, exactly as he expected. Dragon grunted. Two Fear.

Grunting again at his disrupted Hunt, he continued on. As before, he moved around everything he came across. He knew that stealth alone wouldn’t stop predators that could see him or smell him but he wanted to continue his Hunt as quickly as he could; he didn’t like being interrupted in any way. It was one of his biggest bothers and it carried over to his hunting and he knew it was something he couldn’t control or influence. He just had to deal with it.

Moving ahead in his pattern while keeping his head on a swivel, he came across a rather interesting sight. Heading off to his left and right was an old Naga trail, one that was around a day old. The branches around him was torn up, the grass crushed, and there were hoof prints in the trail like something had followed it. There was a large irregular area, hoof prints and slither trails all around it. Walking around the area, he saw a small patch of fur covered in something silvery. Kneeling down, he saw that the fur was blue, with the silver liquid smelling of copper. He realized it was blood; Luna’s blood.

Dragon stood quickly and brought his bow to bare, knocking a Blood-tipped arrow. He looked around, his gaze ever shifting. He would look one way, turn away, then whip back around. He had long since learned that both ponies and prey moved once you looked away. If he turned back around fast enough, he could catch them while they were still moving. In truth, Arrow didn’t expect to find anything here. The site of this battle was well over a day old and already covered ground. No animal would return to a place they were almost caught in.

Then again, this wasn’t an animal. Dragon reminded himself, acutely aware that the Naga would be more than capable of trying to talk its way out of death.

Dragon’s ears perked up high. In the distance, he could have sworn he heard a feminine voice scream out in pain. A familiar voice.

Darting into the distance, he ran towards the source. He didn’t abandon stealth fully, he still did his best to avoid anything that would make undue noise, but it was no longer his primary concern. No, his concern was making sure Celestia made it home to her sister. A grim look came over his face. Even if I don’t make it home, I’ll make sure she does. The world needs her a lot more than it needs me.

Chapter V

Dragon broke into a large clearing, the oppressive canopy of the Everfree Forest giving way to a slightly thinner canopy that allowed shreads of moonlight to pierce the forest and nuture the undergrowth of the forest. Larges patches of bushes and grass were dead, though he knew not from what. His eyes darted across the clearing, his sight flashing amongst trees, bushes, vines, and grass to spot anything out of the ordinary. The Hunter’s mind took note of several things that were not natural to the Everfree.

The most obvious of them all was a small section of the ground that had collapsed into an underground system, though he couldn’t seen into it. Countless hoofprints, dead bushes, and flattened grass surrounded one edge of the hole that was most likely the Naga’s home. In one patch of dead grass near the edge of the hole, there was a familiar shattered vial that made his heart thud in his chest. Celestia had been forced to use the antivenom, which means that she was somewhere without another dose.

The Imperial’s ears perked again when he heard another sound, a metallic ringing like a blade striking metal or rock, coming from the pit across the clearing. A moment later, a deep hiss sounded out followed by the sound of something breaking. Realizing that the mare and the beast were fighting in the cave, he leapt into motion. Quickly running across the clearing, he came to the edge of the hole and looked down. Fortunately, it was more of a natural collapse rather than a sinkhole, so there was a slope to the side he was on that led to the bottom. Running down it, his hooves soon felt the shift from soft dirt to unyielding rock, hoofsteps sounding out as he ran and echoing through the cave system. Only one path led from the entrance, heading forward and deeper into the underground.

As the pony ran, he left the light of the moon behind him as the darkness seemed to grow absolute, then turn physical. It almost felt like the shadows were constricting him, slowing him down and making it harder to breath. His mind flashed to tales of the ‘Underdark,’ a horrific place full of monsters and demons that were too slippery for Tartarus and too evil for the surface. Stories from Elder Rune ran through his mind; ponies with their minds removed by monsters, massive worms capable of swallowing an Alicorn without trouble, and horrific beetles able to rust the sturdiest of metals in moments.

Pushing aside his instinctual fear of the Underworld, he reached into his pouch as he ran and pulled out a Candle rune. Stopping only to bash the rune against the tunnel wall, he felt more than saw the rune crack as a bright light began to emanate from the shatter rock, filling the tunnel with a steady light similar to the day, if not quite as bright. The shadows were banished as the tunnel was revealed and he froze, his earlier fear returning in spades.

The tunnel he was running through was easily six meters across and tall, perfectly round and smooth, with a slight coating of a glistening slime on the walls, roof, and floor that he couldn’t feel through his mostly nerveless hooves. There was no crushed rock, no cracks in the walls. The floor and ceiling were competely barren, no rock spires of either brand filling the tunnel. Looking ahead, he saw that the tunnel continued as far as he could see, which wasn’t very far, and seemed to have a very gentle turn to it. He knew what this was.

***

A young pony only twelve years waited patiently. His dark green fur blended well into the darkened forest he was sitting in, his mane and tail almost invisible due to the shadow he chose to sit in. His posture was horrific. He was tense, though his back was straight. His wings, extending a hoof or two past his flanks while also ending a few inches below the bottom of his barrel, were twitching at his sides in impatience. His eyes, dark and calm, flickered across the woods before returning to his mentor.

Sitting on a log a few hooves in front of him was another, much older pony. His coat was obscured by a cloak wrapped firmly around his body, though his mane was a soft red. His grey eyes stared into the younger’s own, watching as the younger Pegasus battled his impatience with knowledge. In one hoof was a small cup of tea, one that the older pony sipped from at times.

Easily an hour passed in silence before young Swift Strike won the battle, settling down as he waited for his mentor, Elder Rune, to begin speaking first. He busied himself by thinking of the mistakes of the past, the present, and what the future could hold. His mind shifted in a flurry of thought and emotion as ideas formed, then were dismissed before they were fully developed. His eyes darted across the forest, looking for anything to attract his attention.

Another hour passed in wait as the forest grew darker around the pair. Swift had calmed slightly, his wings no longer twitching. He had resigned himself to waiting for there was nothing else he could do. His mind was still a blur, though it moved at a more reasonable pace. The Hunter Apprentice thought of what his future training would entail. He was one of the only ponies in the Leaping Wolf village capable of using runes. The oldest other rune mage was currently sitting in front of him, a thought that made him twitch slightly as he waited.

A third hour passed in silence, Elder Rune having finished his tea before pouring another cup from a pot he had brought with him. Swift was no longer concerned about the time. He was going to be here until Elder Rune’s lesson finished and the thought interested him. With the fall of night, the forest seemed to come alive as buzzing, panting, and howling was heard all around him. His muscles relaxed readily as he focused on the life of the forest, his mind falling into a peaceful blankness. He was calm, happy, and content with his situation. The forest really was the home of a Hunter, even if he was still in training.

“You have learned the value of patience rather well, Swift Strike.” Elder Rune said, his gruff voice in contrast to his soft tone. “Though you took one hour longer than most.”

Swift knew not, but that was a lie. The Apprentice had relaxed three hours faster than others did, but Elder Rune kept such a fact a secret. Causing a pony to believe that they were below average made them work harder to not only match others, but surpass them. On the contrary, if a pony knew they were above average, they would stagnate, confident in their abilities.

“Thank you, Elder Rune.” Swift replied softly, taking a moment to find his voice. Between the three hours of sitting and the six hours of walking, he had not spoken in some time. Another moment of silence spread, the younger Imperial wanting to ask what the lesson would be but knew he should wait.

He was rewarded a moment later by a soft smile from the Elder. “Good. Today’s lesson is about the Underdark.”

Swift’s mouth opened to speak only to close a moment later. The Elder laughed in amusement before he spoke. “Go ahead, ask your question.”

“Why would I need to learn about a place like the Underdark? It’s not like I’ll ever go that deep.” Swift said, asking the question that was on his mind. In his mind, he was right. The Underdark was far below ground, miles below the surface, where nopony ever went. He would never go there.

“Ah, the short-sightedness of the youth has always been entertaining to me.” Elder Rune reminisced fondly. Swift bristled at that only to force himself to calm down. The Elder was trying to get a rise out of him and that knowledge did wonders for calming him. Moments later, the Elder spoke.

“The Underdark is, generally, very deep below ground. The most dangerous places are at least two dozen kilometers below the surface of the world. However, there are places where the Underdark breaches the surface world. In those places, the monsters and demons that rule the Underworld may exist mere meters beneath our hooves.” Elder Rune said, inspiring a shiver from the younger pony as he looked down, imagining demons and monsters right below the surface, waiting for the right moment to break through the surface and grab him. His attention snapped back up to the experienced Imperial when he continued speaking.

“Today, I will explain some of the more common beasts of the Underdark because…” Elder Rune trailed off.

“Knowing the nature of your prey is the first step in hunting your prey.” Swift recited, earning another smile from the Elder pony.

“The first beast I will explain in one you are unlikely to meet but very likely to see the effects of. Deep beneath the surface, there are massive worms, Gargantua, that are kilometers long and meters wide. Their hides are a solid purple, with no mouth or limbs to speak of. With a head that opens in four like the petals of a flower, they can devour rock, gems, and ponies with ease. They travel across the Underdark, eating the rock and converting it into more flesh as they grow longer. They leave behind massive tunnels that the other, more intelligent denizens use as roads across the underworld.” The Elder explained.

“Isn’t that dangerous, Elder Rune? What if the Gargantua turned around?” Swift asked.

“Because of the nature of their bodies, they are unable to travel through open spaces, young Strike. They need the rock to propel themselves, so a tunnel from a Gargantua is, ironically enough, the safest place to avoid any of them.” The Elder replied. “Because of this nature, there are places across the world where a Gargantua will come up to the surface and become stuck, unable to continue forward or turn around. The worm dies from starvation and begins to rot, scavengers and looters alike slowly taking apart the entire body for materials. The only evidence that the worm ever existed is a perfectly circle tunnel that leads into the Underdark.”

***

The tunnel was the old trail of a Gargantua, with the hole on the surface being where the monster broke through the crust and became trapped, unable to return to the Underdark. There, it likely died and was devoured by the inhabitants of the Everfree leaving only an incredibly long tunnel from the surface to the Underworld. It was a horrifying thought. The only thing that kept him moving forward was the knowledge that Celestia was somewhere further in the tunnel, fighting the bone Naga. The rings of metal and cracking of rock continued from deeper into the tunnel. He followed them to the best of his ability, eventually beginning to see the glint of light from up ahead of him, further down the gently sloping trail. As he neared, he dropped and crushed his rune, immediately ending the light before he continued own, quiter than before.

He could see that one side of the tunnel was shattered and broken as the worm passed beside a large cave. The light came from within, though he couldn’t see around the corner. The din of combat was louder than ever, the sharp ears of the Hunter able to easily hear the sounds of Celestia panting from exhaustion, a fact that worried him greatly. If an Alicorn was tired, how hurt was she or how long had she been fighting?

The answer became very clear when he rounded the corner and his eyes were greeted by a horrendous sight. Celestia, her horn alight in magic that provided the light, stood with her back to him. Her condition was terrible. Her armor was dented and broken in places, with pieces of it simply missing. He soon spotted small plates scattered around the floor of the cave, giving him a hint as to the intensity of the combat. Golden blood stained her coat and dripped onto the floor, with splotches of it dotting the cave. Her right wing, the one he could see, was blackened and drooping toward the floor. Dragon thought it was burnt at first, then saw that it was starting to rot. Her mane and tail were limp, stained with golden and black blood. A number of her knives were missing while her halberd was likewise stained, though the axe head and spear point were flickering with light flames. The ground next to her was coated in black and red liquid with a shattered vial around it. The Naga had clearly broken the vial before Celestia could use it.

Across from her, the bone Naga rested, its tail coiled up beneath it as it was ready to spring forward should Celestia make a move. Its hide was made of dark grey scales though there was a bright white exoskeleton around it, shaped like an endoskeleton. In darkness, he could easily see how it would look like nothing more than a skeleton attacking. Several knives were dotted throughout its side, though they seemed like minor annoyances. Slashes and burns dotted all across it as black blood dripped from the monster, making him mildly nauseous. Black blood, to Imperials, was a sign of evil. Chunks of scales were torn off, with a few chunks of the exoskeleton scattered around the cavern, which it seemed to ignore. Truly, only Tartarus Blood could affect a monster as evil as a Naga.

Quietly, he readied his bow and knocked a poisoned arrow, but waited to shoot. With the Naga’s coil, Dragon figured that it could easily dodge an arrow and he wanted it to take only one shot, preferably without the Naga ever noticing he was there. With his dark hide, black mane, black armor, gray bow, and dark arrows, he hoped he was blending into the shadows of the cave and was invisible to the Naga.

Sparing a quick glance to Celestia, he frowned when he saw her burning some of her more severe wounds with her blade to stop the blood loss. It hurt him to see her so injured. She wasn’t his Princess but she was the Spirit of the Day and it would impact the entire world should she be lost. Nothing in life would ever be the same should she bee injured. He had to prevent such an event from happening.

Before he could think further, another knife was drawn and thrown in the blink of an eye. Celestia scored a powerful hit, nailing the Naga directly in the eye. It screeched in pain, then darted foward to deliver another bite to Celestia. The missing eye did it no favors as she dodged to the left, silver venom splashing the ground where she had been standing. Dragon took note of that; it seemed the Naga couldn’t stop the venom once it started to bring it out. Maybe it would run out soon, though he doubted that.

Two deft flicks of the halberd left two burning scars across the Naga’s side before she purposely slammed her speartip into the rock, releasing another loud screech of metal on rock. The Naga didn’t seem to care about the din so he wondered why she did it. Then he realized. Celestia was purposely making as much noise as she could to hopefully attract his attention. She knew that she couldn’t beat the Naga alone. Her only hope was to stay alive until he arrived with the poison, then try not to perish from the Naga venom before she got an antidote. Then she had to try to stay alive until they got back to camp, where she could be treated for her injuries.

Another two knives were sent into the Naga’s face, both striking the spread muscles that were meant to make it seem larger. It hissed in pain again before four more knives were yanked out of the beast only to hit again in different places. Celestia seemed to favor her knives over her halberd, although if she was tiring and slowing, it would make sense. She couldn’t afford to get bitten again and have more venom injected into her.

Dragon shifted the bow constantly as the two immortals danced around each other. Twice, the Naga’s tail whipped through the air and sliced Celestia’s side but she did little more than grunt in pain. The Naga failed three more bites, only one eye damaging its coordination massively. Celestia continued to strike stone and bait the Naga into eating rock to make noise, not realizing that he was only meters away from her and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. He doubted that his arrow would pierce its hide.

Moments later, he had to force himself to not let loose an arrow prematurely. The Naga’s tail sweeped out Celestia’s hooves, making her fall and her levitation fail, her halberd skidding into the Gargantua tunnel and down a few meters. The Naga reacted quickly, coiling around the Alicorn time and time again until Celestia was trapped, incredible pressure stopping her from being able to cast any magic. The Alicorn knew that she was unable to escape; one flex and every bone in her body was crushed, one bite and enough venom would be in her to kill her in seconds. Dragon could see it in her eyes. She was convinced this was the end for her. To her credit, she didn’t begin to cry or scream or plead for mercy. No, all she did was glare at the Naga head hovering above her and spit once, golden blood and pony saliva staining the beast’s other eye.

The Naga screeched in agitation, its mouth opening wide. Dragon took the chance. He reared up, unable to use the spike to steady his bow. Celestia saw him then, her eyes widening before they began to shine with happiness. He paid her no mind, his right hoof drawing the string back, the arrow fletching coming to rest on his muzzle. A slight twitch of his hoof released the latch on the string, his arrow flying forward and true, directly into the Naga’s open mouth. He watched as it struck the monster’s throat, which began to rapidly turn black as the agitation turned to horrible pain.

The monster collapsed, its coils loosening as Celestia leaped out and quickly limped her way over to him. Dragon still didn’t say anything, watching the massive snake writhe on the ground as the scales and bone began to turn to ash, the Tartarus Blood spreading through its system with unnatural haste. Moments later, it stilled. Even then, he watched as its body turned entirely to ash, leaving absolutely nothing behind besides Celestia’s knives. To his surprise, even the pieces that had been torn off turned to ash. Then he realized even his arrow was incinerated, which annoyed him slightly.

Starting when Celestia touched his side, he turned his attention to her finally. Though she was coated in gold and black blood, both cauterized and fresh wounds darting her body with a rotting wing hanging from her side, she still favored him with a bright smile. Her eyes shone with joy and relief as she stared at him, her gaze conveying just how thankful she was that he had showed up. When she spoke, her voice was weary, though content. “As thankful as I am that I’m alive, that won’t remain so for much longer without an antidote.”

Nodding quickly, Dragon reached into a pouch and pulled out a vial of antidote. She took it in her magic and unwrapped it, quickly drinking it. Like her sister, she gagged at the taste but didn’t react otherwise. She returned the vial and cloth to him, both of which he stuffed into a spare pouch. Moments later, she sighed as the burning pain in her veins reduced, then ended. Her wing was still damanged to the seventh level of Tartarus, but she was alive.

“Thank you, Mr. Arrow.” Celestia said softly, her magic gathering her knives from around the room.

“We’ve Hunted together. Call me Dragon.” He said simply. Celestia nodded.

“Then call me Celestia.” She said, her knives returning to sheathes on her side. Four of them were missing, so he lended her a couple of his pouches. A spell later and she attached four makeshift sheathes that became home to the remaining knives. While she was altering the cloth, he retrieved her halberd for her and hoofed it to her when she finished, which she took with a grateful smile.

Celestia took a step toward the exit only to almost collapse as her front left leg almost gave out on her, making him notice the very large gash across it. Even though it had been burned shut, it was clearly deep. He quickly walked around her and offered his side to her, which she happily took. One wing came over him while she leaned on him, taking the much needed support. Together, they began to walk toward the exit and up the tunnel, which they both knew was going to be a long walk. Dragon didn’t bother questioning why she didn’t teleport. If she couldn’t heal herself, she likely didn’t have enough magic to teleport anywhere, much less out of the Forest.

Feeling her soft fur matted in several places and missing in others, he spared her a quick glance. She noticed it, her magenta eyes flickering to meet his as she smiled softly. “Something on your mind, Dragon?”

“Just that, if it weren’t for your injuries, this would have been a clean, easy Hunt.” Dragon commented idly. “If we had managed to strike it once with the Blood, it would have been over instantly. I saw the broken vial, so I assume it broke it before you could use it.”

Celestia noticed his phrasing. ‘If we had managed.’ He was ensuring it didn't sound like he was blaming her, something she found endearing. Celestia, putting aside her thoughts, nodded. “You’re right. I tried to coat my halberd in some before pouring the rest on the Naga, but it must have been awake and faking sleep. Chances are, it heard me walking down this Gargantua tunnel and knew I was coming.”

While she was leaning on him with her weight off of one of her legs, she was actually the same height at him. That made it easy for him to look at her in confusion when she stopped walking. Celestia turned her head and looked at him seriously, though her eyes were still shining in the darkness. Suddenly, Dragon became acutely aware of how close their faces were before he put the random thought aside as she began speaking. “I don’t know how to thank you, Dragon. If you hadn’t shown up, I would definitely be dead right now, likely in the Naga’s stomach, too.”

“Just saying ‘thank you’ could work, though I do believe you already did that.” Dragon said with an honest smile.

“Thank you.” Celestia said with a happy smile of her own. The pair continued walking again even as Celestia spoke. “Though I believe you should be rewarded for both ending a threat to Equestria and saving the life of a Princess.”

“I don’t believe I deserve a reward, Celestia.” Dragon began truthfully. “I was there for longer than it seemed, waiting for the right moment to strike. Perhaps if I had risked shooting it earlier, my arrow could have pierced its hide and you wouldn’t have been at such a risk.”

“You did the right thing.” Celestia said firmly. “My blades only worked because they are enchanted. Your arrows, unless they are the same, would have simply shattered on its hide and not hurt the beast. I will reward you.”

Dragon sighed. “My arrows aren’t enchanted, just steel. Fine, what’s my reward?”

“Three reasonable favors.” Celestia said with only a moment’s thought. “One for killing the Naga, one for saving me, and one for saving Luna. They’ll be yours to use at any time.”

“Can I use one now?” Dragon asked quietly, knowing what he would ask.

“Of course.” Celestia replied, curious of his intent.

“Will you allow me to stay within the Everfree, provided my Chief agrees?” Dragon asked.

“I’ll do you one better, Dragon. I’ll personally message your Chief and ask him, then tell you what he says. If he agrees, you are more than welcome to remain within the Everfree, Dragon.” The Solar Alicorn replied, making him smile.

“Thank you, Celestia.” He said honestly, happy with his reward even if he believed he didn’t deserve one.

“You’re very welcome, Dragon. Just one warning.” Celestia said with a mischevious smile.

“Don’t be surprised if my sister and I visit you often.” She said. “The last Hunter my sister and I knew, we were very close friends to. We found her mannerisms very enjoyable. Do you have any complaints with that?”

“As a pony who has Hunted with me, you are always welcome around my home for any reason.” Dragon said seriously, making Celestia stumbled at the honestly in his voice. She knew well of a Hunter’s love for privacy and secrecy, so his offer was astounding. It made her realize how important it was that he allowed her to hunt with him. “Your sister has the same courtesies extended to her, due to dealing with the Naga previously and surviving its bite. Both of you are powerful mares, easily able to become a Hunter or Warrior in my homeland.”

Celestia was silent for a moment, not quite sure what to say. After a few minutes of walking in silence, they reached the surface again and she finally spoke. “Thank you, Dragon.”

“You’re welcome, Celestia.”

Chapter VI

Dragon and Celestia stumbled out of the Everfree Forest, one significantly more injured than the other. Several hundred meters in front of them, every Guard in the camp was arrayed in a long line before the village. As soon as they were free from the darkened borders of the woods, a veritable swarm of Guards came running, a significant chunk of the line shattering as ponies ran to a Princess they feared wouldn’t return. Easily in the lead by several dozen meters, Princess Luna and the Elements of Harmony were on their way as well. With a wave of her wing, Princess Luna told the Guards to return to the line, which they did, albeit reluctantly.

When they Elements and Luna got close enough to see Celestia’s condition, Dragon saw the Unicorn he heard be called Twilight grow angry and he suspected it was at him. Then it calmed a moment later as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. A few moments later, the two groups stopped in front of each other. Luna’s eyes roved over her sister’s, taking in each injury as she saw them. Eventually, her teal eyes stopped at the decayed wing, pain crossing the Night Maiden’s face. “You were bitten?”

Celestia nodded. “I was. I would be dead right now if it wasn’t for Dragon. I thought the Naga was sleeping but I was tricked.”

“How?” Twilight asked in a small voice.

“Are you going to be okay, Princess?” A pink Earthen asked, concern clear on her face.

Celestia nodded to the pink one. “I will be fine, Pinkie. I’m not poisoned anymore and the Naga is dead. I’m just a little hurt but I’ll heal with time and magic.”

Then she turned her attention back to Twilight. “I found its den a few hundred hooves beneath the surface in a tunnel. When I was walking on the stone floor, it must have heard me and faked sleeping. I arrived and pulled out the Tartarus Blood but it struck, destorying the vial and biting me. I was forced to fight it without any poison as the Blood dried and stuck to the ground.”

Her gaze shifted to Dragon, who she was still leaning against as he held her up. “Dragon was watching, waiting for just the right time to shoot one of his arrows. He wanted to end the beast in a single strike and not risk our health any more. Unfortunately, it caught me and wrapped around me, ready to bite me and end me.”

The six Elements were listening closely, though they were clearly bothered by how close Celestia had been to death. Luna was watching in interest, a fact Dragon took note of. However, before Celestia could speak, he continued the story. “Your Princess showed no fear and didn’t scream when it held her, ready to poison her. Instead, she spit in its face, which impressed me and definitely earned some respect while also giving me the chance I needed. When it screeched in anger, I shot it in the back of its throat, killing it.”

“Dragon quickly gave me a dose of the antidote and supported me when one of my legs gave out from a rather large slash.” Celestia said, showing them her front left leg. “With me leaning on him, we walked out of the cave and out of the Everfree. Now we’re here.”

“Then you deserve a reward, Mr. Arrow.” Princess Luna said.

“Dragon.” He quickly said and left it at that.

When Luna gave her sister a questioning look, Celestia nudged him and he continued. “You’ve fought the beast and lived, even if you didn’t kill it. You don’t need to refer to me by titles or honorifics. Just Dragon is fine. Like I told Celestia, you’re also welcome in my home should you ever desire to drop by.”

“Aren’t you Hunters supposed to be secretive and reclusive outside of your villages?” A cyan Pegasus asked. At first, he was surprised she knew that tidbit about his group.

“Yes.” He said simply.

“That’s what makes it so important that we’re always welcome.” Celestia explained for him. He was starting to respect her even more. It seemed she knew quite a bit about Hunter customs, likely from the mare she said she knew before.

Princess Luna coughed once and brought their attention away from their tangent. “If I can call you Dragon, call me Luna. In any case, you deserve a reward.”

“Celestia’s already given me a reward.” The Hunter said. “Three favors, one of which I’ve already called in. I’ve asked if I can remain in the Everfree unless my Chief says no.”

“Wait, why in the world would ya want to stay in the Everfree?” An orange Earthen asked, likely a farm mare by her accent and mark.

“It reminds me of home, the Shaded Woods. It’s a lot like the Everfree, just not as ancient or alive.” He explained. “It’s about as dangerous to me as Ponyville is to you. It’s just the environment I’m comfortable in.”

Coughing again, Luna seemed a little irritated at the conversation trailing off topic. In his defense, he wouldn’t be changing topics if they weren’t being interrupted by the Elements. Celestia seemed to be listening in amusement as if her wounds weren’t even bothering her any more. A quick glance revealed that several of them were already healed, leaving behind small patches of missing fur that would likely regrow. Hmph. Native Alicorn magic, I would guess.

“You may have gotten rewarded by Celestia, but you preformed both of us a favor. She gave you her reward and now I’ll give you mine. What do you want? Wealth?”

“I’ve no need. Most Hunters don’t use much in the way of wealth. We get what we need from the forests and lakes, not cities or towns.” The Hunter said.

“A title?”

“Not interested. That would mean I would have to meet with ponies on a regular basis.” Dragon replied.

“Antisocial…” The cyan Pegasus from before said softly, though he still heard her.

“No, I just don’t like being forced to talk to ponies. Give me the option and I’ll do it. Try to make me and I’ll ignore you.” Dragon said, making her flush slightly at being overheard.

“A home?” Luna asked, still adamant about rewarding him.

“Imperials make their own out of wood, hide, and bone. A few manticores and I’ll be able to build my own.”

Luna huffed in frustration as he turned down her third offer. She was tempted to just give him something and not care if he didn’t want it, but that defeated the purpose of a good reward. It had to be something he wanted, otherwise it was just a responsibility. Then she remembered a very old reward from before her banishment. Nobles would often give it to commoners who performed a great deed, though she was hesitant to do as they did. Royalty had never given the particular reward she was thinking of.

Allowing her teal gaze to drift over him, she took note of everything she saw. He was just as tall as her which was both strange and exciting. Equestrian ponies weren’t very tall but it seemed Imperials were, which she found new. Before her banishment, Imperials had been just as tall as Equestrians. She supposed it was because they needed to be larger to be better fighters and hunters. He was also strong, solid muscles visible beneath his dark green coat. They weren’t disgustingly massive but they were there. If she remembered correctly, he would be smaller than a Warrior but also faster.

His wings were massive as well, possibly larger than Celestia’s. Imperials Pegasi didn’t have quite as much magic as Equestria did simply because their land didn’t have as many leylines. When he began to absorb the natural magic of Equestria, she suspected he would become one of the fastest fliers in the land, possibly rivaling the Element of Loyalty. His wingspan could easily be twenty hooves, something that was hard to tell while they were folded. His teeth were also very sharp, something that she couldn’t help but find thrilling. Unlike her sister, she had also enjoyed having predators as her suitors, the sheer adrenaline from the threat driving her crazy at times.

All in all, she could do worse. “...My body?”

Celestia started coughing in surprise while fanning her flushed face with her good wing. Elements gasped in pure shock and she heard two voices start shouting their dissent, though Luna quickly silenced them with her wing. Luna soon noticed that Dragon hadn’t reacted with much surprise, just a small widening of his eyes and a raised eyebrow. She was impressed by his restraint. She could do much worse with her choice.

Celestia quickly recovered from her coughing fit, instantly noticing the blushes on six muzzles, though Luna’s and Dragon’s were bare. From her burning cheeks, she was sure her own were flushed as well, which she knew would be painfully obvious due to her white coat. “Sister, the nobility doesn’t offer that as a legitimate reward anymore!”

“I don’t accept anyway.” Dragon said simply. That made Celestia turn her head in shock as Luna did the same. The Elements, the poor mares, were too shocked from the offer to react. Pinkie and Rainbow seemed to be recovering quickly while Rarity and Fluttershy had outright fainted. Sometimes her ponies were too soft-hearted for their own good, though she would never say that out loud.

“And why not?” Luna asked, her voice edged with steel.

Dragon was familiar with steel; it was his metal of choice, after all. The Hunter knew she could vaporize him in a moment but he wasn’t afraid. If Luna had wanted to kill him, he would already be dead. “Offering a place in your bed as a reward is an insult to yourself. It means your intimacy is worth less than trivial objects. It shows you believe yourself of lesser value. Don’t offer something so valuable as your body. Save it.”

“Save it for what?” Luna asked, her bladed tone gone, replaced with surprise and a little respect. She hadn’t expected him to so readily defend her as a pony over something that was commonplace in her time. A thousand years ago, any stallion would have jumped at the chance to bed her, even if they preferred the company of other stallions. He denied her, then gave an apt reason while complimenting her.

Dragon just stared. “For a stallion, or a mare if you swing that way. I’m sure you aren’t inexperienced but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t save yourself for somepony special, not just a stallion who killed an animal.”

Celestia stared in shock, amazed than anypony would turn down no-strings-attached sex with an Alicorn. She knew that her own nephew would have jumped at the chance to bed Luna, incest be damned. This Hunter had been offered something some writers spent lives fantasizing about only to turn it down out of sheer respect for Luna. The Solar Alicorn began to reevaluate what she thought she knew about Hunters and their codes of conduct. She knew each one followed their own code and that it could drastically differ between Hunters. Celestia figured she had just learned a part of Dragon’s honor code.

After a moment, Luna nodded. “I suppose I can respect that decision, even if I am a little disappointed. You look like you would be fun in bed.”

“Luna!” Celestia shouted. Rarity, who had just awakened, proceeded to fall backwards in time to be caught by Twilight. Dragon, out of the corner of his eye, could see the Elements quickly backing away and leaving with the white Unicorn and yellow Pegasus being carried.

Dragon shrugged dismissively. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had a partner. Never been too concerned with it, honestly.”

“If you ever change your mind, I’m sure I could teach you a thing or two.” Luna said factually.

“If you visit me often, my opinion might change over time.” Dragon retorted honestly. “Like I said, you and Celestia are welcome wherever I settle down at any time.”

“I still owe you a reward.” Luna said suddenly. Dragon flinched, his hope of it being forgotten dashed immediately. The night mare smiled at the flinch, glad she caught his plan even if he had been very subtle about it, trying to direct the conversation elsewhere.

“Fine, just give me a favor or something.” Dragon said, resigned to his fate of being paid twice. Luna just smiled.

“Five.”

“Two.”

Celestia watched, bewildered. Dragon was trying to lower the number of favors he would get from Luna. She thought about what little she knew of him so far to try to find out why he didn’t want a reward from her, but then she realized it. He had already gotten rewarded from her. He didn’t believe he should be paid twice for something he did once. She added ‘fair payment’ to what the code of honor he held himself to.

“Four.”

“Three.”

“Deal!” Luna said, a wide smile on her muzzle. “Three favors it is! Of course, I doubt I need to say that they must be reasonable and legal.”

“Naturally.” Dragon said, a tiny smile on the edge of his muzzle.

“Then that’s it. Six favors total, one of which you’ve already used. Speaking of that favor, let’s head to my tent and I’ll send a message to your Chief.” Celestia said, starting to walk forward after pulling her wing off of Dragon. Her leg was mostly healed by now so she could walk under her own power, even if she had a slight limp to her gait. As the three were walking toward the mostly abandoned camp, she noticed that Dragon stuck close to her side, likely in case she stumbled or fell.

The alabaster Alicorn internally sighed as she thought of what had just happened. She was going to have to talk to Luna about propositioning stallions. Though, she couldn’t really blame her sister. It had been a long time for them both and Celestia hadn’t been the one stuck on the moon without any form of toys. A thousand years would be a massive hit to libido and endurance.

***

Celestia, the Solar Diarch, Mother of a Thousand Years of Peace, and Goddess of the Dawn, struggled to keep a smile off of her muzzle. She really did. It helped that she had a letter hovering in front of her muzzle but she knew well that she had several tells that Luna would pick up on if she wasn’t careful. The letter was actually from Roaring Thunder, Dragon’s Chief, and it gave Dragon Arrow permission to stay within the boundaries of Equestria as long as he desired. There was an addendum on the bottom for Dragon himself and Celestia avoided reading it but she did see that the letter was signed by Roaring Thunder and somepony named Spell Rune.

The white Alicorn rolled the scroll up and gently set it on a small desk before her, her face unreadable as she gazed at her sister and the Hunter. Celestia couldn’t help but notice the glances Luna was giving Dragon and she chalked it up to his denial of her fourth offer still being on her mind. Looking closer at her sister, she easily could tell that something was on Luna’s mind and resolved to ask her about it at a later date, preferably in the privacy of one of their chambers.

Turning her look to Dragon, she examined him for a long moment. At first, she thought he was perfectly calm. His posture was straight, his face calm and a patient air around him. Then she started to notice his little tells. His posture wasn’t just straight but locked, his back tensed as he waited. His face was calm but one side of his muzzle was curved down just barely but still enough for her to notice. His left wing was bent a few centimeters to the side starting from the feathers from the bottom, showing that the muscle there was tensed as well. They were simple things, but they added up and the sum was enough for her to notice that he was impatient and anxious.

With a slight push of her hoof, she rolled the scroll across the table and to the Hunter. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed it and and tried to unroll it. He pinned the bottom to the table with his hoof and moved to pin the top, too, only to stop when a white hoof came into his sight and pinned the top. Dragon looked up and flashed Celestia a thankful smile, one which she returned with a warm one. Then he turned his attention back to the scroll and began reading.

Princess Celestia,

It’s good to hear from you again after these years. I’m content to know that you now have your sister at your side again and I’m even happier to know that she is no longer Nightmare Moon, the Spirit of Darkness that we feared for so long. Pleasantries aside, you’ve eased this worried heart by telling me that the bone Naga is dead and that Hunter Arrow is unharmed. His mentor, Elder Rune, is happy as well. As for your request, it is one that I can easily allow. When I sent Dragon to the Everfree to help in the Hunt, I knew that it was possible he would desire to remain within the Forest. I will have Dragon’s things sent to him sometime within the next two weeks, and Elder Rune will include a collection of information for him to remember detailing rune magic, alchemy, flora and fauna of the world, and a variety of other topics. These next two parts are for Dragon himself, so I would appreciate if you didn’t read them, Princess.

Hunter Arrow, you performed your task reasonably well. The Naga lays dead with no extra deaths and injuries only to Celestia herself, wounds that came about through no fault of your own. You made the right choice in waiting for a clear shot, else you may have been killed alongside the Spirit of Dawn. I’ve decided to allow you to move to the Everfree. Don’t concern yourself with having to return to gather your things; I will have them sent to you within the next half-month. Included within will be a supply of potions and poisons from our Apothecary as well as a collections of journals from your mentor detailing various topics that you might find useful. This next part is from Elder Rune.

I’m proud of you, Dragon. You’ve come far from the young stallion too afraid to challenge a manticore. You’ve slain a monster that would give the majority of seasoned Hunters paused and came out with no injuries and no deaths. You’ve saved the lives of two members of foreign royalty, earning their favor as you did so. You’ve proven yourself a respectful stallion by attempting to avoid being overpaid for your efforts, though you may have learned a lesson from that; An Alicorn gets what she wants. Next time both Princesses want to reward you for the same action, just accept it. You’ll save yourself a headache. Moving on, I’m sending you quite a few books filled with information you may come to respect; poisons, potions, oils, salves, ores, runes, even spells. Good luck, Dragon, and know that you’ve made everyone at the Leaping Wolf village proud. Word of you achievement will spread in the coming months.

With Respect, Chief Roaring Thunder,
With Pride, Elder Spell Rune,
With Honor, Village of the Leaping Wolf

Dragon lifted his hoof and allowed the scroll to roll itself up as Princess Celestia returned her hoof to the floor. His gaze drifted up and met Celestia’s eyes, then turned and met Luna’s. Both of the Alicorn mares were smiling at him. He felt a smile spread across his muzzle even as his eyes grew slightly misty before he spoke.

“Thank you, both of you.” Dragon said honestly.

“You’re very welcome, Dragon.” Celestia replied in kind. “I’ll be glad to see you grow in Equestria and possibly, if the time comes, make friends with my little ponies.”

“I respect you.” Luna said after Celestia fell silent. “You saved us both and quite a large number of ponies as well. The Naga, if not for you intervention, would have brought havoc, death, and chaos all across Equestria in time.”

The two Alicorns stood and he did so as well, following the Spirits of Dawn and Dusk out of the tent where they turned their attention to him once again as Celestia spoke. “Feel free to set your home anywhere within the Everfree, as you desire. We’ll be sure to visit when we came, Dragon, and we hope this to be the start of a life-long friendship.”

My life, I suppose. Dragon thought to himself as Luna began speaking.

“In the future, I may hire your services to collect ingredients from the Everfree. A Hunter such as you may be one of the few beings in Equestria capable of traversing the Everfree with little danger compared to Equestrians. You’ll be paid fairly for time, effort, and any injuries, of course.” Luna said simply, though she favored him with a quick smile after she finished.

Dragon nodded, not speaking as he didn’t quite know what to say to convey how grateful he was at the moment. Thankfully, they seemed to understand because neither seemed upset with his silence. Instead, Celestia stretched lightly and he noticed most of her wounds having healed, including a large portion of her wing no longer being rotten. “In any case, my sister and I need to begin returning the Guard to Canterlot after dismantling this camp and assuaging the fears of the Ponyville residents. I’m sure they’ll be happy to know that they are safe, thanks to you.”

“Farewell for now, Dragon.” Luna said.

“Goodbye, Dragon.” Celestia added in turn.

“May your travels be swift.” Dragon started to the two of them.

“And may your prey be strong.” They replied in unison, their voices melding for a harmonic moment before they began walking toward the line in the distance. Dragon nodded once with a smile, then turned and began heading into the Everfree, toward his temporary home. He would have to move deeper within the Forest and cut a trail to either another trail or to the edge, whichever was closer. It would be quite a bit of work but be completely worth it.

“Oh, Dragon?” He heard from behind him. He stopped and turned around, seeing Celestia smiling at him. “Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter, wishes to throw you a party for defeating the Naga. It would mean a lot to me if you were to attend.”

“Then I’ll be sure to.” Dragon replied, making her smile grow brighter. With another nod, the two turned around and continued walking.

Chapter VII

Dragon walked deeper into the Forest, his camping pack full with his supplies. His wingblades pressed his feathers against each other, a familiar irritation he had long grown used to. His hoofblades jostled around in his pack, the metal scraping against each other. As much as he would enjoy having another set of weapons equipped, it was just unpractical to walk with them. By the time he would find his ideal location, they would be stained with grass, dirt, mud, and possibly quite a few other materials and would require a rigorous cleaning.

The Hunter sighed, adjusting his bow and quiver slung at his side with a shrug of his shoulder. He kept it on a strap, allowing him to easily shrug it over his shoulder, plant it, and fire an arrow off quite quickly. He had never really timed himself but he knew planting the bow was the longest part. After that, he could get an accurate arrow off every second or two. With another sigh, he swiped his right wing forward and yet another tangle of thorny vines fell to the ground. Carefully picking them up, he tossed them onto a small sled that he carried behind him and continued on. The Imperial had been traveling for near on seven hours now, though it wasn’t in a straight line. He was moving back and forth through the Forest, looking for a spot suitable enough for him to settle for an extended time. As it was, he had found a large swamp filled with beasts he knew where called cragodiles and he suspected a hydra or two may have lived in it. Naturally, he had hurried around that area and moved on.

Another swipe leveled a small sapling in his way as he shouldered his way through the rest of the thicket. He needed to find some type of clearing to settle in for the night before resuming his search tomorrow. The sky was growing steadily darker as the sun sank across the sky, casting long shadows across the interior of the Everfree Forest. Dragon gave himself another hour. If he didn’t find a place to settle by then he was going to climb a tree and wait out the night. He wanted some form of shelter and to not be weighed down by pouches, a sled of brambles, and a large pack before challenging the nighttime denizens of the Everfree. He had already scared a manticore away with a Fear rune while hunting the Naga but he knew that the Everfree had far worst beasts to offer, not to mention what the Underdark had to offer.

A shiver wracked his body. He had come across three more surface tunnels into the Underdark, though he had left them far behind quite some time ago. The Hunter remembered honestly running from the second one, hearing a scuttling sound exit the tunnel and chase him from behind. He had been too scared to look back and just ran, though now the fear angered him. He hated that he was scared of something as simple as the Underdark. He hated that he was terrified of the creatures living deep underneath the surface. What could he expect? The Underdark could be worse than even Tartarus. At least he would be able to see in Tartarus.

The Hunter stopped suddenly. From his right, deeper into the Forest, he could hear the sound of running water. That was a good sign. Swiftly flowing water was usually clean of contaminants. Stagnant water was a source of disease, insects, and parasites. Turning, he started following the sound. From the sounds of it, it was a full sized river and was a good distance away. It was loud, even from a distance, so he assumed it was rapids. He would have to go further upstream to be able to find a good place to fish, so he hoped he could find a good clearing to stay. A large beach would be effective but somewhat harder to defend should he need to. Dragon was hoping for a large clearing. He could use the brambles he had collected to line the edge of the clearing, giving nasty lacerations to whatever tried to charge in and attack him. Normally, he wouldn’t consider thorns an effective way to drive off hungry predators but those of the Everfree variety were massive, easily three inches long at points. That seemed more like a spike than a thorn so he figured they would keep away some predators.

Ahead of him, he could see the foliage thinning and the sound of the rapids were growing louder. With the undergrowth becoming less dense, he was able to speed up and double-time it to the river. A few minutes later, he arrived. The darkened Forest gave way to a rather wide shore. It wasn’t a sandy shore, as most rivers weren’t, made mostly of dirt with a few large rocks near the water. The river was rather wide but it grew thinner to his left causing the current to speed up and form rapids, the white foam near the obstacles in stark contrast against the otherwise clear water. To his right was calmer waters as the river widened and curved gently away from him. Putting aside the roar of the rapids, he turned toward his right, he started walking. Using the clear shore to his advantage, he made good headway and stopped after nearly a kilometer when he came across what he felt would be a good place to live.

A dozen meters from the river, the Forest began again, the dark oak seeming even darker with the dying light. However, just in front of where he was standing, the Forest receded about twenty meters, forming a small oval-esque shape. The recession had a very minimal canopy which would let the clearing be lit up by sunlight during the day. There was plenty of room for him to make a fire at night without risking whatever he used as a home. He knew that he would expand the clearing over the coming months to give himself even more room, but it would serve his purposes well for the foreseeable future. The clearing had three sides of Forest where he could put the brambles- he was glad that collecting them wouldn’t end up being a waste- and he could resurrect a small wall on the side facing the river.

“Enough thinking of the future.” Dragon said to himself, a habit he had formed over the years. For a time, he had considered it strange until he learned most Hunters spoke to themselves to try to ward off the worst an extended isolation brought. “Let’s get to work.”

He walked into the center of the clearing and untied the leather sled from his back legs. A moment later he shrugged the pack off of his shoulder, then planted his bow next to it. He dropped the arrows next to him, a quick count showing that he didn’t lose any during his travels. Ponies couldn’t really sling a quiver over their back like a Diamond Dog could because the arrows would jostle out constantly. Instead, ponies had to hang them on their sides so they wouldn’t lose any. It made moving quickly and doing work difficult when a large quiver full of arrows would swing around and smack against his side constantly. Because of that, he decided to leave the arrows next to his bow and rely on his wingblades in the event he was attacked and couldn’t get to his bow in time.

Grasping the makeshift cloth strings of his sled, he dragged it over to the left corner of the back side of the clearing, opposite of the river, and started placing the brambles in the brush and lower limbs of trees. Dragon estimated that he had been dragging at least thirty pounds of the thorny vines and hoped that would be enough to get at least the back side done. The Hunter didn’t just place the vines on the edge of the clearing or drop them in the bushes; no, he walked a half-meter into the Forest and laced them throughout the bushes and low hanging branches. He wrapped them around each other and other objects, slowly weaving a wave of brambles between him and the rest of the Forest. Whenever he ran out of length on a specific vine, he returned to his sled and grabbed another. Working quickly, he managed to get a continous line of brambles from the left corner to the right in about an hour, the sun visibly on the horizon as he realized the river was to the west, not the north like he first thought. Stepping back, he examined it. From edge to edge, the line was nearly sixty meters, or a hundred and eighty hooves, at about barrel height for the average pony, leg height for him. Unfortunately, he had ran out of brambles about two meters in the second line that would be at his head height, chest height for some larger predators. The Hunter guessed it would take several days of working on the psuedo-wall before he got it to his satisfaction.

Before he walked back into the clearing, he located four large logs and dragged them back into the clearing, one at a time, while avoiding his own trap. Fortunately, he had thought ahead and placed a purposeful gap in the center of the line to allow him entrance directly into the Forest; otherwise, he would have to go around every time he wanted to go into the Everfree. Dragging the logs toward the center of the clearing, he examined them with the little light he had left. They hadn’t been on the ground long enough to rot, fortunately, and they seemed more like particularly sturdy branches rather than actual logs. They were around his height, two and a half meters, and were relatively straight. Nodding to himself, he slowly lifted the first one up and then reared up, placing his hooves on two of the side branches and let his weight sink the branch into the ground around half meter. Doing the same with the other three, he formed a rough square around four meters wide. It wasn’t much room but it was enough for him to curl up and sleep and have room to stand up when he woke up.

Returning to his leather sled, he dragged it over to the four pillars and took to the air, lifting the leather and resting it on top, letting the edges of the leather drape down the side of the makeshift hut. Landing, he walked over to his pouch and withdrew several lengths of strong string before ducking under the leather and tying it to the pillars, forming a roof and half of the walls. The bottom half of the hut, around a meter, was exposed to air and he didn’t like that. The Hunter didn’t have any more leather as it was and the sun was far too low for him to enough time to scour the nearby Forest for enough leafy branches to create a makeshift wall so he just had to deal with what he didn’t have and be happy for what he did. Moving quickly, he brought his pack, bow, and arrows inside. Before he went to sleep, he retrieved some dried, salted jerky the Hunters were fond of and let his sharp teeth make short work of them, the chewy and tasty meat making him once again happy that he was born an Imperial, not an Equestria. With the sun officially set, he curled up on the ground and trusted his wings and coat to keep him warm thoughout the night.

***

The next three days passed without much incident. Dragon had no visitors, most likely because nopony knew where he chose to live, and he didn’t get attacked by any of the predators of the Everfree, surprisingly enough. He woke up at sunrise every morning and ate breakfast after bathing in the river. The Hunter spent most of his day working more on his new home, the rest of the day spent relaxing and planning more of his home. At night, he would eat dinner and go to sleep.

The first day was simple and easy. The Hunter took the leather off of his house and used it as a sled again, wandering through the woods to collect more brambles. The day before, he had limited himself to only collecting what was in his way rather than what he saw so he wouldn’t weigh himself down so much. Now that he had settled for a location, he could collect all the brambles he saw. Every time he felt his small sled growing heavy and starting to catch on the ground, he turned around and returned to his home before weaving the brambles into the line at head height, bringing it all the way across the back side an hour or so before noon. By four, he had managed to get the sides done as well, connecting them to the original lines and making two continuous ropes of thorny vines around three sides of his home. That night, he ate more of his jerky and went to sleep after reattaching his sled.

The second day was a bit harder but it was something he knew he needed to get done. He woke up and skipped breakfast, hoping to get his task done before night fell. Once again, he untied the leather roof and moved it away, toward the south edge of the clearing near a tree that was easily six meters around. Returning to his shelter, he knocked down each of the pillars with a single kick. The four pillars had grown loose in the ground as he knew they would, the constant removing of the leather roof shaking the pillars slightly. He was surprised they didn’t fall beforehoof considering they were nothing more than four large branches, not actual logs.

The first thing he did was go into the Forest and look for two fallen logs that weren’t rotten. Obviously, the task took quite a bit of searching. Most fallen logs in the Everfree were old and rotten, burnt from lightning by the uncontrolled weather, or crushed from large beasts stepping on them. After some time, he found one that was taller than him and dragged it back to his camp. A few minutes later, he found another, smaller, one and did the same. He dragged them over to the large tree and set them away and slightly offset, forming a triangle. Dragon took to the air and lifted one log up and slowly rotated it until it was a few dozen centimeters into the ground. Once it was standing on its own, the Hunter flew a meter above it and let himself fall. His back hooves thudded solidly on the slightly-flat edge of the log, shoving it into the dirt for a half meter. Repeating the process twice more, he managed to get a solid meter into the ground with his weight, leaving a good two and a half meters above ground. Moving to the second log, he did the same and the same amount of log above ground, but the second was shorter so he was only able to get a little under a meter into the dirt.

Grabbing the leather, he looked it over quickly and his eyes picked out spots of wearing where it had been dragged across the ground. He resolved to stop using it as a sled until he had a second sheet of leather and lifted it, draping two corners over the two logs. The other two corners he tied firmly onto the branches of the tree, using an arrow to pierce new holes in the corner as he needed them. Moving to the logs, he tied them to the logs before setting down on the ground again. It was a good start for a shelter, using the tree as a support so he only needed two sturdy logs rather than four. He nodded to himself once and looked at the sky, seeing it was about three in the afternoon. The Hunter spent the rest of his day going through the woods, grabbing solid sticks and bringing them back to his home. He used vines to bundle them together, allowing him to carry them easier, and collected quite a large pile of long sticks, making sure each one was about two meters long.

When night began to fall, he returned to his camp with yet another bundle and got to work. His first step was snapping off the smaller branches from the main section, removing all the leafy material that he didn’t need at the time. Once he was done with that, he moved onto the next step. Using the vines, he roped sticks together into a sort of wall, taking great pain to keep the wall as straight as he could. Once it was two meters tall, he raised it up and set it against his home, using more vine to tie it to the logs and tree. The whole process had taken an hour and the sun was fully set, so he pulled out a Candle rune from his pouch and cracked it, dropping it in front of his new shelter. With the bright light giving him plenty to see by, he repeated the process to form a second wall, erecting it on the opposite side and tying it into place with vines. Finally, he formed the third and final wall. He broke sticks apart to form the gap that would be the doorway, though he had to change the way he wrapped the vines so it would still be supported. Once more, he raised the wall and placed it on the front, the side that faced into the clearing, and stepped back.

With the bigger shelter, the leather didn’t come down to cover part of the wall. Instead, it stopped a few centimeters below the top. The walls themselves were only two meters tall, leaving a half meter gap of open air near the top that would allow smoke to filter out safely. The walls were formed with sticks that were tied close together, making an almost solid wall of wood. Only a few spots held gaps that would allow him to see out, making it effective against wind and rain. He would have to make a door in the future, plus devise some way to block the holes near the top during storms so that he could sit inside his home and not worry about rain blowing in from the top.

With a satisfied nod, the Hunter moved around and took his equipment into his new shelter and settled down for the night, eating more jerky to quell his ravenous hunger. Curling up again, he relaxed and allowed himself to fall asleep, the Candle rune soon burning itself out overnight.

The third day was spent hunting. Dragon tracked a herd of deer for a portion of the day before finally catching up with them around noon. One arrow later and he carried a young buck back to his camp, quickly skinning, gutting, and cleaning it as he was long used to doing. He spent the rest of the day drying the meat out so it would last longer, though it didn’t have any salt to add to make the jerky Hunters were familiar with. Instead, he just wrapped the dried meat in the cloth that held portions of his rations before bedding down for the night. That night, he resolved to head into Ponyville the next day so he could buy some tools. He still had his golden teeth which he could convert into bits at the bank.

Chapter VIII

Dragon exited the edge of the Everfree Forest and gazed upon the village of Ponyville in the distance. It was so different from his home in the Empire that he wanted to turn around and return to his camp. In the Leaping Wolf village, every house was identical. Sure, the families could decorate it differently so sometimes he’d see something hanging on one wall that wasn’t on the next, but they were the same in structure. Ponyville was the complete opposite. It was an amalgamation of styles and time periods, with one house having a thatched roof and the next having shingles. Houses near trees had gutters while those farther away didn’t. Some were one story and others were three. Each house was painted a different shade with no care about blending well with its neighbors. Windows were differently shaped and some houses were made of wood while others were made of brick. All together, it was a level of chaos Dragon thought even Discord could appreciate.

Sighing, the Pegasus adjusted his armor to sit more comfortably and started walking forward. He had left his hoofblades behind since he hated the damn things but his wingblades were safely wrapped and attached to his barrel by strings while his bow was slung over his back and his arrows were on the right side of his body, held in place by a ring that would allow it to rotate depending on how it was standing. He knew that walking through town armed would gather him no love from the locals but he had to walk through the Everfree to and from his home so they could deal with it. He wasn’t going to risk dying because Equestrians were skittish.

As he walked toward town, he could see a group of Equestrians seemingly having a picnic far to his left. A quick cursory glance made him think they were the Elements of Harmony but Dragon felt no urge to alter his path and greet them. He sighed again. The Hunter hoped Equestrians weren’t as nosy as he had heard they were. Imperials liked their privacy and it was doubly true for a Hunter. Dragon was here to buy supplies, not socialize. Fortunately for him, the mares didn’t go out of their way to greet him either so he just kept walking, soon making way into town.

Up close, the town was even more painful to his eyes. The colors were awfully bright and the clash between houses was even more defined once he was actually in the town. The color of the ponies often clashed just as strangely, which was fitting in its own way because it matched the houses. Speaking of ponies, quite a few of them stopped to gawk at the armed and armored pony while others just kept walking. Personally, he much preferred the second over the first. He didn’t want special treatment, positive or negative, just because he was different than the Equestrians.

He guessed it wasn’t meant to be. Ahead of him, he could see three Royal Guards beelining straight for him. Each one had a white coat with the top of a blue mane sticking through their helmets, the golden armor flashing in the sunlight. He couldn’t mistake that they were heading straight for him over anypony else. The few ponies who were near the edge of town had given him a wide berth and the Guards were walking for him. At first, he wondered if Celestia had left him a message but once the lead Guard neared with a sharp frown on his muzzle, he knew it was something else. Taking quick note, he saw that there were two Earthen and a Unicorn which made him realize he could likely escape by air if he needed to. Dragon wasn’t quite in the mood to spill equine blood, so he considered escape his primary option.

The Pegasus stopped and waited for the three Guards, already aware of the few ponies gathering around to watch while keeping their distance in case something sparked a fight. He ignored the curious glances and muttered whispers, some of which he could hear, and he ignored the small crowd of ponies following the Guards. All Dragon could do was wait. A minute or so later, the three Guards stopped a few meters in front of him and the Unicorn spoke. “You there! Why have you come here armed and armored?”

Dragon already hated the stallion. His voice was condescending and grated on his nerves. From the greeting alone, he recognized the stallion as the wealthy son of some big name who had gotten his position via his connections. He didn’t have an opinion on the two Earthen but suspected them to be a little more humble, even if the thought was a stereotype. “I’m currently camping in the Everfree Forest which is not safe. I wear armor and carry weapons so that I can ensure my safety.”

A small part of Dragon was surprised that the Guards didn’t recognize him since it had only been four days since the Naga’s death. Another part of him was pleased he wasn’t recognized, allowing him to keep his privacy and that he didn’t get extra attention beyond what he would get for being an Imperial. Still, he figured the Guards would know about him at least. The Unicorn’s next smug statement proved his thought wrong. “It is illegal for a civilian to carry guard-grade weaponry. Hoof them over.”

Dragon just smiled lightly. “It’s good that I’m not a civilian, then. I-”

His grin dropped when the Unicorn interrupted him quickly. “You’re a Guard?”

“If you hadn’t interrupted me, I would have already answered your question. I’m not a Guard.” Quickly glaring and baring his teeth when the Guard moved to speak, he continued calmly after the Unicorn flinched back. “I’m an Imperial Hunter from the Rhetoram Empire.”

The Unicorn clearly didn’t believe him. “Be that as it may, you’re carrying guard-grade wea-”

This time, Dragon interrupted him. “Actually, they’re Hunter-grade weaponry. The Empire doesn’t have Guards.”

The lead Guard gritted his teeth, anger flashing in his eyes. “If you’re a Hunter, then why are you here?”

“I was recently contracted to help slay the Forest beast that had been terrorizing the town. Princess Celestia and I slayed the Naga after tracking it down overnight and she offered me a reward. I chose to ask if I can remain inside the Everfree and she agreed.” Dragon replied.

“You still can’t carr-”

“If Her Majesty didn’t like the fact that I owned weapons and armor that a civilian wouldn’t have access to, she would have taken them away from me. It’s not like I would have been able to stop her.” The Hunter said calmly.

“Give me your weapons.” The Unicorn said, abandoning all pretense. Dragon looked at him closely, wondering what could inspire the Guard to do something so foolish and illegal in public. After a moment, he caught the flicker of greed in his eyes and Dragon snorted, making the Unicorn frown more. He just wanted to collect the Hunter’s weapons, either to sell or to use.

“No.” Dragon replied, dropping his calm tone to one that was as sharp as dragonscale. The Unicorn paled and the two Earthen flinched, though he paid no mind to them. “As a foreign Hunter who commited no crimes, you have no possible reason to confiscate my weapons and armor. I have a strong inkling that if I were to report you to the Guard’s Barracks, you wouldn’t remain here past the week.”

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Dragon mentally grinned. The Unicorn grunted and turned around without saying a word, quickly leaving. One of the Earthen, a stallion, quickly followed his superior. To his surprise, the other Earthen hesitated and spoke quickly, her voice soft and apologetic. “I’m sorry for him. For the record, you’re in the right. Crush and I will defend you if we need to.”

“Thank you. Have a good day.” Dragon said.

“You too!” She said before quickly trotting away, catching up to her patrol in moments. As Dragon kept walking, he was surprised to see several bystanders giving him a nod before returning to their business. That alone made him think that the Unicorn was even less popular than he expected.

Before the Hunter could get too far, he heard a voice shout out from behind him. “Hunter, wait!”

Stopping and turning back, he saw a Pegasus mare running to catch up to him. Her coat was a soft white that reminded him of Celestia’s while her mane was a neon pink. His forest green eyes met her light green eyes and she stopped, breathing heavy from her short run. The mare was clearly out of shape. On second glance, he assumed she wasn’t used to running because she wasn’t even close to the large side. Once she recovered her breath, he spoke. “May I help you?”

“You’re new in town, right?” She asked, standing up straight once she was breathing normally.

“I am. I’m living inside the Everfree but I intend to come here often for supplies I can’t gather from the Forest.” Dragon replied, sparking a shocked look from the mare.

“I heard you tell Sharp Tongue that but I didn’t think you were serious! Why would you live in that cursed place?” She asked in honest confusion.

A glance at the sky showed that it was nearing ten in the morning. He frowned lightly and turned back to the white Pegasus. “I have business to do today. Do you have time to walk and talk?”

She nodded quickly and they both started walking, Dragon heading toward the town hall he could see rather easily. It wasn’t the biggest building in town, nor the most noticeable, but it was clearly official. As he walked, he spoke. “I live inside the Everfree because Hunters like myself enjoy living in woods more than we enjoy living in a town or city.”

“Isn’t it dangerous in there?” She asked, a worried frown on her muzzle.

“Verily.” Dragon nodded with a small smile. “But I’m armed, armored, and skilled. I can handle myself for the most part. There’s every chance I’ll meet something I can’t beat or get unlucky against something I can beat, but I don’t worry about that.”

“If you know you could d-die in there, why don’t you move to Ponyville?” She asked, her voice stuttering once, which he dismissed as the skittishness of Equestrians.

“Because I can’t stand living in a town or city. I didn’t even really live in my home village, just very close to it. My home was actually outside the walls of my home, so living in the wild is something I’m used to.” Dragon explained. “I’m a Hunter. Because of my training, I had a mindset instilled into me and it made me enjoy solitude more than your average pony.”

She nodded, understanding the idea even if she couldn’t connect with it. Then her eyes went wide and she blushed lightly. “Oh my, I haven’t even told you my name.”

“To be fair, I haven’t told you mine either.” Dragon replied with a smirk. “I’m Dragon Arrow.”

“Snow Drift.” The Pegasus replied, holding her hoof out. He gripped it and shook her hoof, then started to walk again. “So where are you going?”

“I need to go trade my currency in for bits. Does Ponyville have a bank or should I go to the town hall?” Dragon asked.

“There’s a bank. I’ll lead you unless you know where it’s at?” She said, leaving it open as a question.

“This is my first time in town so I don’t know where anything’s at.” The Hunter said.

“Follow me then, it’s this way!” Snow said cheerfully, turning left at the next intersection. As they headed deeper into the town proper, there were more and more ponies walking about. However, unlike before, fewer ponies stopped and stared, or stared at all. The Hunter attributed it to Snow’s presence.

“So what do you do for a living, Ms. Drift?” Dragon asked politely.

The cheerful Pegasus giggled as she lead him. “Please, just call me Snow, everypony does. I’m a baker at Blossom Bloom’s, a bakery on Mane Street, where all the stores and businesses are located. What do you do? I know you said ‘Imperial Hunter’ but I don’t know what that is.”

“If I can call you Snow, call me Dragon. Do you know what a hunter in general is?” He asked in return.

“No, I don’t.” Snow answered with a shake of her head.

He pursed his lips, not quite sure how to answer her question. “A hunter is somepony who, well, hunts another creature.”

“What does ‘hunt’ mean?” Snow asked, then flashed him an apolgetic smile for interrupting.

“Damn Equestrians and their innocence.” Dragon mumbled to himself, then continued loud enough for her to hear. “‘To hunt’ means to track down an animal and kill it, usually for food. A hunter is somepony who hunts.”

“And an Imperial Hunter?” The Pegasus asked nervously.

“An Imperial pony needs meat in our diets because we’re omnivores. As an Imperial Hunter, I’m trained in tracking, hunting, medicine, rudimentery apothecary and forging, and general survival skills.” He explained honestly.

“So you…” Snow swallowed hard. “Eat meat?”

“I do.” Dragons said slowly. “But not ponies. Only animals.”

“So you won’t eat me?”

“I won’t.” Dragon confirmed with a sharp nod of his head. “I keep my hunting within the Everfree only.”

Snow seemed to relax and he realized why when she pointed at a building to his right and spoke. “There’s the bank. I have to get back to work now!”

“Have a good day.” Dragon replied politely, knowing he scared her off.

Snow didn’t say anything in reply as she quickly trotted away, her movements quick and jittery. Pushing the incident to the back of his mind, he quickly walked into the bank and walked up to the teller pony, safely protected behind a shimmering barrier of magic, and greeted him. “Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too, sir. What can I help you with?” He asked cheerfully.

“I’d like to convert my Imperial teeth into Equestrian bits.” Dragon replied.

“The standard rating is one tooth to one point five bits. Is that acceptable?” The teller asked.

Dragon nodded. The exchange rate hadn’t changed in well over a century. It was based on how much gold was in the two currencies and teeth were heavier than bits. The teller smiled at his answer. “Go ahead and push the bits through the barrier, sir.”

He untied his pouch from his armor and spilled the golden teeth onto the counter. Each one was made of solid gold and, as the name suggested, were shaped like sharpened teeth. With his on-hoof money on the counter, he pushed it through the barrier and watched as it phased through, though his hoof was stopped by the magic. The teller quickly counted each one, then spoke. “Sixty teeth transfers to ninety bits. Two twenty-pieces, two ten-pieces, four five-pieces, and ten one-pieces?”

“That sounds good.” Dragon said with a nod. The teller nodded and levitated the teeth up and into one of the containers that were undoubtedly below the counter. A moment later, the bits levitated onto the counter and pushed them through with his hoof as the field canceled magic as well. Dragon collected them and returned them to his coin pouch and nodded to the teller once again. “Have a good day, sir.”

“You too!” Came the cheerful reply as he exited the bank. With proper Equestrian currency in his pouch, he resolved to make his way to a blacksmith. Surprisingly enough, he couldn’t hear the sound of ringing metal from anywhere. After a moment, he shrugged and decided to look for a camping store. He walked up Mane Street, keeping his head in motion as he looked for a camping store. He ignored the ponies giving him a wide berth. He ignored the fearful glances his weapons were gathering. He ignored the scared whispering. It didn’t matter to him. Equestrians were skittish, subject to their prey instincts. Imperials were hardened, subject to their predatorial desires. That’s just how it went.

Before long, he found a camping store. It was a simple wooden building, a single story, with general things like tents, camping packs, and sleeping bags on display in the large square windows. The store was called ‘Woodens’ Wooded Survival Store,’ which he found amusing. Dragon walked inside, seeing several aisles in the building, each with shelves of equipment. To his right, he could see a variety of tools hanging from the wall. He looked around for anything to carry his things with and saw a small stack of baskets with soft cloth handles. Walking over, he picked one up with his mouth, grateful for the cloth handle, and went for the tools. When he neared the tools, he looked around. He spotted a blade sharpener that was newer and more effecient than a whetstone, so he grabbed it with a wing and added it to the basket. It was a long rod of metal, enchanted to sharpen blades that passed over it.

Moving to the hatchets, he picked up one that he liked the design of and examined it. The axe had a sleek feel and look to it and didn’t seem all that heavy in his hoof so he decided to buy it too because he needed a hatchet to help him manipulate the wood he would undoubtedly use in the coming days. Once he stored it in the basket, he moved on. Finding a firestarter, he examined it. The device was a rectangle, about a third of a meter long and half that wide. The tip came to a wide, rounded point that made it look like an unfinished blade. It seemed to be made out of iron and was clearly magic in nature, but he had never seen one before so he wasn’t quite sure how to use it. Looking around, he saw a pony at the counter in the front of the store and walked over, setting the basket down next to the counter. The elderly dull orange mare smiled at him kindly and spoke. “Are you ready to check out, mister?”

“No ma’am.” Dragon said with a shake of his head after placing the basket down. He set the firestarter on the counter with a few deft wing motions. “Can you show me how to use this? I’m used to flint and steel or friction, not Equestrian gadgets.”

“Of course I can.” She said, picking it up with her hooves. “If you know how to start a fire another way, why don’t you do that?”

“Because this is faster.” Dragon said simply. “I’m happy I know how to do it other ways but this will save me some time whenver I want to start a fire.”

She nodded in understanding, then pointed at a small switch on the bottom of the device. “Flick this switch into the ‘up’ position and tap the top onto whatever you want to light. If it’s flammable by fire, it’ll ignite the moment you tap it. This particular firestarter, Flame-Spark, lasts around a thousand uses before the enchantment runs dry.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Do you mind if I leave it here while I continue looking for supplies?”

“Not at all, young stallion. If you need anything else, don’t be afraid to ask.” She replied, making him give a nod in return.

The Imperial spent the next several moments looking through the store’s ware but nothing struck him as something he particularly needed. He passed rows of tents, machetes, saddlebags, and rolled strips of faux-leather, but nothing he really needed. He already had a shelter, his wingblades functioned as a machete, his pack and pouches were better than the bags, and he could make real leather. The Hunter didn’t need anything else from the store. Internally shrugging, he made his way back to the counter. “I believe this will be it.”

She removed the hatchet and whetstone from the basket and quickly jotted down what they were. “That’ll be sixteen bits.”

Dragon nodded, happy with the price. He had expected closer to thirty but he was not going to complain. He pulled out a twenty-piece and placed it on the counter, which she replaced with four bits. Dragon took back his equipment and nodded toward the mare, who was writing down the payment. “Thank you, ma’am. Have a good day.”

“You too!” She said cheerfully as he left. When Dragon stepped back out into the sunlight, he looked around.

“Doubt any Equestrian will be selling salt so I’ll likely have to import or find my own. They won’t have any equipment for preparing meat, hide, or bone so I won’t find anything like that.” Dragon whispered to himself, then sighed. “I’ll just have to make it myself. Hopefully those books the Elder is sending will help.”

Turning course, he faced the direction of the Everfree and began walking, intent on making it back to his home before nightfall.

Author's Note

As usual, don't hesitate to point out any errors you see. On the other side of the spectrum, don't hesitate to leave a comment sharing how you feel about the chapter or the story in general.

Chapter IX

Dragon exited the borders of the town as he walked his way toward the Everfree Forest. He had left much later than he expected simply due to coming across a pink Earthen mare, one he recognized as being an Element of Harmony. More specifically, she was the Spirit of Laughter. The pink mare, named Pinkie Pieof all things, had managed to physically drag him around, a fact that still astounded him hours later. Pinkie had led him to a bakery, a library, a clothing store, a blacksmith, back to the market, a second wilderness store, an animal clinic, a farm, to the market again, to a second blacksmith, and then to the town hall, all without letting him actually go into any of the shops he was interested in. She had proceeded to shove a cupcake in his mouth then dash off at a clearly unnatural speed, muttering something about a party.

With a growing migraine from her rapid-fire speech, a disgusting taste in his mouth from when he had spit out the cupcake, and a lack of understanding of Equestrian laws of motion, he had quickly departed Ponyville and toward the Everfree as quickly as he could. The Hunter had been absolutely horrified to realize what had felt like an hour had turned out to be almost nine, making him curse at the wasted day. He sighed in relief and irritation once he was halfway between the Forest and the village.

“Does something trouble you, Dragon?” A familiar melodious voice sounded out from several meters behind him. Having heard the mare land a few moments ago and begin following him, he didn’t react with surprise or fear. Instead, he simply stopped and looked back as Princess Luna walked up alongside him.

“I met the Earthen mare named Pinkie Pie today.” The Hunter answered simply.

The Night Maiden winced. “I know of her. That mare is not right.”

“She is not.” Dragon agreed with a nod as he started walking again. “What brings you by, Luna?”

“I was flying over Ponyville and saw you, so I decided to land and speak with you. I also wanted to see where you lived so my sister and I may visit you.” Luna explained.

Dragon just nodded and the pair continued to walk in silence for a time, the edge of the Everfree drawing closer and closer. After a time, Dragon spoke. “Are you recovering well?”

“Verily.” Luna said. “I’ve been fully healed for the last day or so, thank you for asking.”

“What about your sister?”

“She is healed as well. Her injuries were mostly superficial, with the poison doing less damage to her than it had to me, due to her shortened exposure. As such, she was able to heal faster than I did.”

The Hunter glanced to Luna with a soft, small smile. “I’m glad to hear that you are both healthy again. The thought of losing the Spirits of Dawn and Dusk is a rather disconcerting one.”

“Oh? You are only concerned about us because we are Spirits in your culture?” Dragon could almost hear the smile on her muzzle.

“Perhaps in the past.” Dragon admitted. “But you are both Honored and, dare I say it, my friends. I truly am glad that you are both safe.”

Darkness descended as they walked under the canopy of the Everfree, another lull in the conversation appearing. The Hunter could almost feel the content air Luna was emitting, happy with his answer to her joking question. He followed the same trail he had used to get from his home to the edge of the Forest, grateful he didn’t have to cut down vines and brambles or dodge branches. At the pace they were moving, he and Luna would be back in his camp within an hour.

As the pair walked, Dragon found his attention drifting to Luna, looking at her out of the corner of his left eye. Her height matched his almost perfectly, something he was used to with most Imperial mares as they were only a little shorter than him. He could tell that she was smiling, with him able to see the dim light of the Everfree flashing off of her teeth. To his surprise, a couple of the teeth he could see were sharper than he expected on an Equestrian; it almost looked like she could eat meat. His gaze drifting up soon after, he was shocked to find her looking at him, amusement flashing in her eyes. “Reconsidering my previous offer of a reward, Dragon? You could use a favor for that, you know.”

Dragon forced himself to not snap his eyes forward again once she spoke, instead turning to face her fully and making eye contact. “Perhaps I am reconsidering. I’ll need some rope and a magic inhibitor first, though.”

Success! Dragon thought to himself as a dark blush quickly spread across Luna’s face, her eyes widening in shock as she looked at him. Dragon was forced to stop when the surprise stopped Luna, making him turn around and face her directly again. “Something the matter, Luna?”

The Alicorn coughed once and forced the blush down, quickly walking past him. Dragon spun around and caught up a moment after, repeating his question. Luna replied, explaining. “I just wasn’t expecting you to make such a joke. The Hunter I knew was strict about how she acted and always ignored my jokes.”

Dragon hummed. “I’ve always been more inclined to reply in kind. I wait to see what kind of humor my friend or hunting partner has and adapt to it. Knowing that you are fine with dirty humor, I’m more willing to joke like that since I know it won’t offend you.”

Luna nodded her understanding. After a moment, she spoke. “Were you serious about reconsidering my offer? It’s still open, truthfully.”

“Like I answered before, perhaps once we know each other better. You should save yourself for a stallion you really care about.” Dragon replied.

“I’m no virgin, Dragon.” Luna huffed with a frown.

“I didn’t say you were.” Dragon retorted. “Whether its your first or your thousandth time, it should be done with only those you care greatly about.”

“Fair.” Luna said with a soft nod, her frown slowly abating.

“Why the interest?” Dragon asked.

Luna favored him with a quick glance joined by a small smirk on her muzzle. “You offer me the chance to experience something I have not. I have never lain with an omnivorous Imperial nor a stallion as large as I am. In ages past, my sister and I had countless suitors but none were as tall as I am and the only predators were griffons.”

“So it’s just because I’m exotic?” Dragon asked with a grin, baiting her.

“Of course, I don’t know you well enough to add any personality traits to that list.” Luna said with her own playful smirk, bypassing the trap. “Right now, you only have your body going for you.”

That sparked a short bark of laughter from him. “I wasn’t expecting that answer, truthfully. I suppose that’s what I get for challenging a Spirit to a battle of the wits.”

“Good.” Luna said, still smirking. “I have to keep your mind sharp somehow. Otherwise, you’ll grow old and dull in this Forest.”

“We can’t have that, now can we?” Dragon joked in reply.

“It would be rather wasteful for a Hunter to grow old, fat, and lazy, wouldn’t it?” Luna asked.

“Very much so. I’d rather fall to a beast than grow old and lose my strength.”

“Truly?” Luna asked, though she couldn’t really say she was surprised. Many strong warriors feared growing old and weak in their age. To an extent, Luna feared becoming weak as well. The idea of being forced to rely on another for protection was not an appealing one.

“Yes.” Dragon answered honestly. “Most Hunters- at least those without a family, would agree. Dying in combat is better than becoming old and feeble.”

“And those with a family?”

“Their opinions change rather quickly. They’d rather pass away surrounded by family and friends.” Dragon said, his tone hinting at his understanding of the desire. “I can’t really blame them. Most Hunters don’t seek a family because they don’t know what it’s like to have one.”

“And you?” The dark blue Alicorn asked. “Do you seek a family, I mean?”

“I don’t know.” Dragon replied simply. “I’m one of the Hunters who don’t know what it’s like having a partner because I haven’t had one. Sure, I’ve had crushes when I was younger, but no real love.”

Before Luna could say anything, Dragon jerked his head forward. “We’re here.”

The Princess looked around, hoping to see what a Hunter home would look like. She was immediately disappointed. There was nothing nearby. The woods were still dense, far too dense to see through easily. The canopy blocked out light and there seemed to be no evidence of equine activity. “Pray tell, where is ‘here?’”

“Look closer, Luna. What do you see? Something out of place.” Dragon said, a small smile on his muzzle.

The Alicorn looked around her ancient home and frowned. Nothing seemed out of place from where they were standing. Sighing, she resigned herself to the Hunter’s test. Turning east, the way they had come from, she started examining the Forest more closely. The trees were the same, the usual dark oak trunks reaching up into the sky, where the canopy exploded out in every direction to block out most of the sunlight that fell to the ground from the sky. Down below, the roots of the trees breached the ground and formed places that were just perfect for tripping ponies, places where the hooves would get stuck and sprain a fetlock or worse.

Turning north, she repeated the process. Nothing stuck out in the slightest. The self-same trees, roots, branches, and bushes filled the Forest. Then she noticed something odd. There were no brambles. Luna hummed in thought.

She was familiar with the Everfree, both before her banishment and after her return while she was still the Nightmare. The Everfree had always had massive thorns comparable to small spikes rather than actual thorns. They were all over the Forest, filling gaps in bushes and tangling around roots. Yet there were none that she could see. When she turned west, she paused.

Was that… Yes, it was. Two lines of brambes, woven around each other and over branches and bushes ran from her left to her right, at leg height and head height. There was no way that was a single vine. No, it really couldn’t be. A hoof to her right, she could see where two vines had been carefully tied around each other. Her head barely moved as she slowly looked up and down the vine, stopping when she saw a break in it.

The Alicorn walked over to the break and stepped through the gap, not immediately seeing anything different. There was no sudden fading of an illusion spell nor quick reveal of a building. It was just more forest. Then she looked down. Below her was a small trail of hoofprints where a pony, likely Dragon, had walked up and down the path. Starting to walk again, she followed the trail, aware of the Hunter following him.

It didn’t take long. Maybe only fifty hooves, but in the Everfree, the underbrush made it impossible to see that far. One moment she was walking and the next she had pushed her way through a tangle of branches, suddenly coming into a large clearing. To her left was a rough building made of roped together sticks with a leather tarp for a roof, the Hunter’s home. A few hooves from that was a piled collection of sticks and logs, likely a fire for the night. Several dozen hooves ahead of her the Forest gave way to a large, mostly quiet river that she had surprising trouble hearing, though her ears soon picked up what sounded like rapids from far to her left. To her right was nothing, just empty space where the Hunter likely planned to put something in the future.

“Good job, Luna. You noticed the little trap I set for some predators, though it isn’t as dangerous as I would like. You also noticed the trail and followed it to my home.” Dragon said from behind her and she could detect a sense of contentment from his voice.

“With the river, this place will be rather easy to find, even if I can’t teleport directly to it for some reason.” Luna said, a measure of pride tinting her voice. She was happy she passed his little test, even though it had most likely held no purpose in the slightest.

“Good for you and Celestia, then.” Dragon said with a smile. Looking up, he noticed it was still rather dark. The canopy here was far thinner than the Forest proper, with the side near the river completely missing a canopy, so it was most likely growing closer and closer to night. Walking over to the quick firepit he had built that morning, he pulled out his new firestarter and flicked the switch up, then tapped it to the wood. To his muted surprise and content delight, the wood instantly caught flame and began to slowly spread through the kindling to the other, larger chunks of wood.

“A Flame-Spark?” Luna mused quietly. “I remember when my sister showed me one not long after I returned. We had been discussing new applications to magical enchanting and I hadn’t believed her until she proved it to me. Before my banishment, non-Unicorns had to use flint or friction to start a fire.”

“I know both ways.” Dragon said with a nod. “But I bought this today to save time, and as a little insurance.”

“Insurance?”

“I won’t always have access to flint and might not have time for a friction-fire. If I’m in a pinch, this can start a fire instantly.” Dragon explained. “In any case, how long can you stay?”

“Not very.” Luna said apologetically. “Perhaps an hour or so before I have to depart and hold Night Court.”

“Perhaps I can see you raise the moon?” Dragon asked hopefully.

“Yes, I can stay that long.” Luna said with a happy smile, glad that he was interested. “It won’t be long now before it’s time, anyway.”

“Thank you.” The Hunter said. “I’ve heard tale of what it’s like to see you raise the moon but they were old stories, passed down from a millennium ago.”

“The Imperials remembered me?” Luna asked in shock, completely taken aback. Her own country had forgotten her over the long years, the idea of ‘Luna’ slowly replaced by the idea of ‘Nightmare Moon.’ To know that another country, one who owed no allegience to Equestria, remember her for who she was, it was astounding.

Dragon nodded. “Of course. You are the Spirit of Dusk. We couldn’t forget one of the beings we believe control the world, could we?”

“What about Nightmare Moon?”

“The Spirit of Darkness.” The Imperial replied simply.

“You consider the Nightmare a separate pony?” Luna asked in shock, physically recoiling.

“Yes.” Dragon said.

“You are wrong. I was Nightmare Moon, not somepony else. I wasn’t possessed, or replaced, or corrupted through mind control. I made the choice to revolt and betray Equestria, not another.” Luna said, though her voice wavered and threatened to break.

“Answer me this, Luna. Can you bring yourself to murder me in cold blood, right now?” Dragon asked slowly, turning to stare at her. The question shocked Luna to her core, the thought of killing him for no reason whatsoever forming a cold pit in her gut as disgust fought to make her lose her composure and make her sick.

“W-why would I?” Luna asked, fighting her revulsion.

“Because I called you ‘Luna,’ not ‘Princess.’”

“No, I couldn’t! Not for such a, a idiotic reason as that!” Luna exclaimed resolutely. “Maybe if you tried to assassinate me, but not for that. I asked you to call me ‘Luna.’ I can’t kill you”

“And yet Nightmare Moon would have.” Dragon said calmly, attempting to sum up an idea that was almost impossible to fully put into words. “Nightmare Moon would have killed me, and you won’t- can’t. Do you think that such a drastic change in personality, in conscience, in personality, belief, and soul, is not enough to constitute a change in being? You are so drastically different from who she is that you simply can’t be the same being. Perhaps you have the same past as her, but not the same future, the same personality, the same beliefs, you don’t even have the same body as her. You aren’t her.”

Luna stood in the dying sunlight, the warmth and light of the fire flickering across her coat as she stared at him, her face blank and unreadable. This stallion was so different than she had expected. When she had returned from her millennium-long imprisonment, everypony had considered her and Nightmare Moon to be one and the same. The Elements did it, Equestria did it, Celestia did it, and she did it. Nobles and commoners alike feared that she would revert back to her evil self all because they believed Luna and Nightmare were the same being, just with different desires and different levels of willingness to achieve her desires.

Yet now she learned that there was an entire nation of ponies who believed otherwise. An entire country, an Empire, of hundreds of thousands of ponies that believe Nightmare Moon is an entirely different being than Princess Luna. Ponies who never came to fear her over the thousand years simply because they were convinced that the Spirit of Dusk and Spirit of Darkness were not the same being. And here before her was one such pony, a stallion not at all hesitant to share his belief of her, his belief that she never fell into darkness and became evil but that another being took her over and used her for evil.

In a single meeting, this stallion had thrown her thousand year belief on Nightmare Moon out of the window with his simple, philisophical statement. Ignoring the oxymoron that was her own thought, she felt her eyes grow teary as she stared at him before she quickly jerked to the side. Suddenly, the heat of the fire was stiffling. The cold breeze felt icy cold, and the gentle crackle of the burning logs was deafening. She had to get out of there.

“I-I’m s-sorry, I h-have to go!” Luna stuttered out, quickly rising to her hooves.

She didn’t want to notice how Dragon was staring at her with a firm expression, his belief absolute. She didn’t want to notice the saddened understanding flickering in his eyes. She didn’t want to hear his parting words; “Good night, Luna. Know that you are always welcome here, and in the Empire, no matter what the world says.”

With a quick yet bright flash of light, the Night Maiden was gone, leaving the Hunter to stare into the fire in silence, contemplating how Luna had reacted to what he said and what his culture believed.

Author's Note

Yet another chapter of what's quickly becoming my favorite story I've written, mostly due to it being original- or as original as a fanfic can get- since there's no crossover element in this one. Don't hesitate to leave a comment with your thoughts because I enjoy reading them.

Chapter XI

“I didn’t think there’d be anypony living in the Everfree other than me.” Dragon simply replied, replacing his hoof on the ground.

The zebra nodded in reply. “I thought I would be entirely alone back when I first made this Forest my home. Come inside and tell me your tale and teach me of the land from which you hail.”

Idly, the Hunter wondered why the zebra was rhyming as he entered the hut only to dismiss the thought; it was more than likely a trait of her culture, something that he would respect and not insult her by asking. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Looking around the hut, he saw that it was surprisingly spacious, though Dragon had partly expected it. It seemed as if the entire tree was hollow and since the tree itself was rather large, it made sense. The building was clearly one room, as he expected from a hollowed tree, but there were different ‘rooms’ in the hut, each separated by a thin cloth curtain that was only barely see-through. The sections of the hut seemed to be a bedroom, a kitchen, a living area, and a storage area with the door leading into the living area. He couldn’t make out many details in either of the areas because the curtains were drawn, but he could make out the shapes of various vials on shelves in the storage area. When he stepped in and closed the door behind him, the mare spoke. “Have a seat while I gather us something to eat. It is the least I could do for he who saved my life. Without you, my soul would no longer be able to feel strife.”

Dragon nodded his thanks shrugged his pack off, gently setting it down by the door. Then he walked over and sat down on one of the long couches and watched as she drew back one of the curtains, revealing a surprisingly modern kitchen. There seemed to be an oven, a fridge, cabinents, and even a toaster. There was an overhead vent to the oven, showing that it also functioned as a stove even though he couldn’t see it from his angle. When she started to make something, Dragon spoke. “My apologies for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Dragon Arrow and I’m a Hunter from the Rhetoram Empire. Care to share your name?”

“I am Zecora the Zebrican shaman. I have come to this Forest due to an omen. If you are from the Imperial strand, why have you come to Equestrian land?” Zecora replied, beginning to impress the Hunter with her ability to come up with rhymes so quickly.

“The Princesses asked for help from the Empire because of a beast that lived here, a bone Naga. Princess Celestia and I hunted it down and managed to slay it, after which I asked to be able to live within the Everfree.” Dragon quickly explained, generally shortening the tale.

“A bone Naga is what you have slain? I dread the very speech of such a name!” Zecora explained with a quick shudder as she turned around and rejoined him, setting a plate on a simple oak table in front of him. She sat down on a smaller chair across from it and took one of the sandwiches that rested on the plate, then gestured for him to take one as well.

Dragon did so and lifted the top, seeing that it was a simple daisy sandwich. While flowers may not have been a staple of an Imperial diet, they were able to eat them just as easily as an Equestrian. He still would have preferred meat. He replied before he took a bite to avoid speaking with his mouth full. “Princess Celestia was the one who had found it. She attempted to poison it with something that I had been supplied only to be surprised and the attack failed. She had to fend it off, unable to permanently harm it, until I arrived with more of the poison before it was killed.”

“So you struck the final blow? That must make you happy to know.” Zecora said.

The Hunter took the time to finish chewing and swallow the bite in his mouth before speaking. “I suppose it does, but I know I likely would not have won without the Princess. The Naga was nesting in such a way that I would not have been able to sneak up on it which would have been my greatest chance at slaying it. I hold no delusions- the Princesses have played just as an important role as I have. It’s why I’ve named them both as Honored.”

“What is the Honored of which you speak? It sounds to me as if they must not be meek.”

“You’re right.” Dragon said, beginning to adjust to her rhyming. “The Honored are beings, ponies or otherwise, who have greatly assisted a Trained in their task. It can be given by a Hunter, a Warrior, a Scout, or others. Generally speaking, the title of the one who gave it is added when dealing with other Imperials or Honored. If either Princess were to go to my homeland, they were be Honored Hunters. If I had been a Warrior, Honored Warriors.”

“You have bestowed upon them a high praise. Having such ponies as friends always pays.”

Dragon shrugged. “I suppose it could, though I’m not worried about it. I don’t plan to abuse their trust, as little as it is right now.”

Seeing Zecora blink in confusion, he answered the unasked question. “The Princesses don’t really know me all that well. They know I’m a Hunter, I think they know that I have my own special code of honor, they know I like the Everfree, and they know I helped them save a lot of ponies, but they don’t know me other than that. Sure, they trust me, but they don’t trust me, if you get my point.”

She smiled. “I believe I do.”

When she fell silent and didn’t say anything for a moment as she continued to eat her sandwich, he hummed near-silently. I guess she doesn’t rhyme everything, just what’s long enough to do so.

After another moment, he spoke up. “Enough about me. How did you attract the attention of a small hunting pack?”

“Deep within the Everfree certain grey plants do dwell. When stepped on by an uncaring hoof, they ring like a bell. The wolves were hunting small game nearby, but when the plant rang I knew I must fly.” Zecora explained. “When I entered my hut, I grabbed a special brew for the remaining mutt. But when you knocked upon my door, I knew the wolves were here no more.”

“I figured you had things under relative control. You can’t really live in the Everfree if you don’t know how to ward off predators.” Dragon said. “I still wanted to help, though. Even the greatest can get unlucky once and that’s all it takes.”

“Any help offered is always welcome.” Zecora said with a small smile. “Friendly faces within the Everfree are seldom.”

The Hunter nodded in agreement. “Very much so. Do you know of anypony else who lives within these woods?”

Zecora shook her head. “There is a pony who dwells very close to the Forest edge. When it comes to protection, she has not so much as a hedge.”

“She must be either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish.” Dragon commented with a raised eyebrow.

“Neither. If she sees her own shadow, she may jump in fright. When a beast comes from the Everfree, she does all but fight.”

“Then why does she live so close to the Everfree?”

“She treats the injuries of the smaller animals. To her, living away from the Forest is unimaginable.” Zecora explained. “She risks her well-being for her animal companions. For some creatures, she is the last bastion.”

“What’s her name?” Dragon asks curiously. “I’m honestly interested in meeting the pony scared of her shadow yet able to live near the Everfree.”

“Fluttershy.” Zecora answered simply. “Is it true that Imperials have their own form of magic, one whose fate has been most tragic? For such a time as to be forgotten, the source of the magic must have been misbegotten.”

Dragon smiled, surprised she had heard of runestones, before he started explaining. “Most Imperials don’t remember the old art of runestones. I certainly had never heard of it until my Elder had told me about it and began to teach me. However, the magic was discovered in some evil way and it doesn’t use evil sources. All you need to practice rune magic is stone, paint, energy, and good memory. I think it was discovered a long time ago by a group of Elders who were looking to harness weather quicker and more easily than just sending Pegasi up there.”

“How does one create a runestone? Surely it’s not as simple as finding a bone!” Zecora said with a gesture toward the bone that was beginning to stick out of his pack again, likely due to the chase through the woods.

“No, but that’s a part of it for the specific rune I’m trying to make. If I were to make a runestone from scratch, the first thing I would need would be shatter rock, which Equestrians call brittle basalt. Any chunk would work, but if it has a chip in it, it might explode at the last step. The perfect shape for the usual runestones is a circle five centimeters- two inches- wide and about a centimeter thick. Those can hold one or two runestones, and you can use other shapes if you need more.”

“Such as a thin triangle for three, or a pyramid for four. This is fascinating to me, can you please tell me more?” Zecora asked with a clearly interested smile on her face. Dragon nodded, happy to be able to share his information even if she might not be able to actually learn it. However, before he could speak, her eyes widened and she spoke again. “Oh! Do the Elders keep the knowledge of runestones rare? I do not want you to get in trouble, it’s just not fair!”

Dragon shook his head. “Runestones aren’t a secret or something we try to hide. The only reason it’s not well-known anymore is because most don’t care for them or just can’t use them. As somepony who makes them, it’s well within my right to share this information with whoever I deem fit. Thank you for your concern, though.”

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he continued. “The next step of making a runestone is painting the proper rune in the proper color on the surface of the stone. If you use the wrong color or the wrong rune, anything could happen at the final step, ranging from nothing to the stone exploding. For the paint, the enchanted pigments of Equestria work but they aren’t very efficient. Remember that this magic was created to try to direct nature, so it makes sense that natural pigments are much more effective.”

“The last step, the most dangerous one, is charging the rune. A pony does this by holding the runestone close to the appendage that directs most of their magic. For me, it’s my wings. For you, it would be your hooves, just like an Earthen. After that, energy must be directed into the runestone. If it’s done properly, the runestone will charge without hassle. If it’s chipped or the rune is incorrect, it might still work. It also might explode and send rock shards into you. After the runestone charges, the shatter rock becomes even more brittle, so much so that just dropping it on dirt could break it. When a charged runestone is chipped, the stored magic is released and the rune or runes painted on the rock weave it into a spell while the stone melts. Unless you use a rune that extends the process, it only takes about a half-second for a rune spell to be cast.”

“This is a source of fascination. Perhaps you are willing to give a demonstration?” Zecora asked. Although Dragon was happy to see the same twinkle in her eye that Elder Rune had seen in his, he really didn’t want to waste a rune he could possible need later. As it was, he didn’t really have an effective way to resupply himself with his runes.

Dragon sighed. “I’m not quite sure I should, Zecora. I have six blank runestones on me but I don’t have any means to paint runes on them. The idea of using a rune when I have no means of replenishing my supply does not bode well with me.”

Zecora nodded her understanding. “I have many dyes and pigments here in my home. Perhaps you could use them to lay paint upon your stone? Tell me of the color of the shatter rock. Perhaps I could help you find a large pock.”

-et. Dragon thought to himself with mild amusement. “That would work. If we have a supply of both, I would be happy to teach you how to use runestones, provided that you have the ability at all.”

Seeing her questioning look, he elaborated. “Very few beings in this day have the ability to transfer their magic outside their body and to an object. The ones who have it the easiest are Unicorns adept in enchanting because the process is very similar. The other races, while they do use their magic, can’t really access it like Unicorns and therefore some just simply can’t charge runestones. Shatter rock is light grey and, obviously, brittle. So much so that picks aren’t really needed in order to harvest it. From what we can tell, Shatter rock is formed when lava or magma cools into normal basalt, which is black. After that, a process that we don’t quite understand yet happens to turn it brittle and light grey.”

Zecora’s eyes widened slightly. “Light grey basalt formed from lava? Some distance to the west, there is an inactive volcano. Near the base, the basalt forms a plaza, but beware, for vents emit an inferno.”

Dragon grinned. “Well, that solves the issue of not being able to resupply. I’ll show you a couple types of runestones and give you two of my blank ones for you to use, which is when I’ll teach you how to make them.”

The zebra mare nodded with a grin of her own. “I will trade you many dyes as payment for your time. Should I not be learn, I’ll trade them for runestones of mine.”

The Hunter nodded. “Follow me outside and I’ll show you two fire-based ones.”

The two stood and walked out through the door, both surprised to see the body of the wolf gone, a small trail of blood showing that it had been dragged away. Damn, I was hoping to be able to take that home.

Dragon led the way into the center of the clearing in front of her house and pulled out a Burn rune and held it in his hoof out toward Zecora. “Grab it very carefully. It’s charged.”

She took it from him cautiously, her eyes examing the light red lines that formed a strange shape. A single red dot was in the center of the runestone, with eight light red lines radiating outward without touching the dot. The lines wavered, forming an elongated ‘S’ shape. “That is a Burn rune. When activated, it releases a burst of heat in all directions up to about two meters, or six hooves. The temperature is a little below that of boiling water- more than enough to burn whatever’s nearby but not enough to ignite a fire. Go ahead and throw it out away from us.”

Zecora nodded and carefully tossed it. It sailed through the air and landed about four meters away from them, a small flash of light signifying the crack that had formed. The only visual proof that the rune had worked was a slight heat shimmer in the air. “That light meant that the rock was chipped and the magic was released. The heat has already been dispersed so the air temperature over there is several degrees higher than it is where we’re standing. If you look closely, you’ll see heat shimmers in the air and that the runestone is melted. Those are both proof that the Burn rune worked.”

Dragon took several steps forward and gestured for Zecora to follow. She did so with a curious look on her muzzle. As they walked closer to the runestone, the air grew hotter until it felt like a particularly dry day, but not hot enough to hurt. “Most of the heat is instantly absorbed by the sky, the ground, and the plants. Wait a few moments after tossing a Burn rune and it’ll be safe to go over, even if it may still be hot there.”

“This is nothing like the Zebrican sands. The air is so hot it seems to form solid bands.” Zecora said.

“Right. When it comes to fire runes, this one is meant to ward off predators or disable opponents. If somepony is coming at you with an axe, they’re not going to keep running after their face has been burned to the second-degree. The same goes for most predators, who have an instinctual fear of fire and heat. Suffice to say, things that are well-adapted to heat will easily ignore a Burn rune.” Dragon explained.

Zecora nodded her understanding as he pulled out the next rune, a Flame rune. He hoofed the rune to Zecora, who examined it as well. There were three light orange lines that waved side to side, forming the iconic symbol of fire. The only difference was that there was a hollow half-circle above the fire symbol. “This is the Flame rune. Go ahead and throw it into the open.”

She put aside her concern of burning down the Forest and tossed it. The runestone hit the ground once, bounced, and cracked on the second hit. The burst of small light was invisible through the sudden eruption of fire that surrounded the runestone, about thirty centimeters in each direction. “The Flame rune erupts into fire about a hoof in all directions. There’s two important things you need to know about it. While the Flame rune does create fire, it is impossible for it to set things on fire. It only generates an intense amount of heat, much higher than that of a Burn rune. The second thing is that heat does not linger behind after the rune is finished. Once the flames die down, there’s no lingering heat in the area. Because of that, Burn is better for warding off predators while Flame is better for hurting them.”

The flames died down and faded out, revealing that the ground beneath the flames wasn’t on fire like she expected. The grass had been turned to ash but it wasn’t on fire, adding evidence to what Dragon had told her. “Is there such a thing as a Fire rune? I feel as though it would be a boon.”

“You remember the hollowed half-circle on the Flame rune?” Dragon asked. When Zecora nodded, he continued. “That’s the rune symbol for intangibility. When it comes to something physical, such as fire or ice, that symbol means that the effect will fade away entirely. If I hadn’t painted that symbol on, it would have been a Fire rune and the clearing would be on fire right now.”

“Now, what do you say about going in and making two runes for you?” Dragon asked, grinning at her excited nod. She quickly made her way back to the door, pausing slightly before walking through the area where the fire had been. Like Dragon told her, the air wasn’t even warm there. Dragon followed behind at a much more relaxed pace, sparing the already-cooled molten rock a quick glance.

Author's Note

This chapter mostly provides a better look at Rune magic and develops Dragon's interactions with Zecora. As always, leave a comment if you want to share your thoughts!

Chapter XII

The pair entered back into Zecora’s hut and returned to their previous seats, the empty tray still in between the two. It was easy to tell that the Zebra was excited, as she was fidgeting in her seat in a way that was distinctly unlike a shaman. Before he said anything, he reached up and pulled the slipknot that held his blank runestone pouch and detached it from his armor. He opened it and pulled out two of the six stones that were in the pouch. Seeing what he was doing, Zecora leaned forward, ready to begin her lesson on creating runestones.

“First and foremost, what kind of effect are you looking for?” Dragon asked as he looked back up to her.

“A rune to scare away predators that may try to eat me.” She said. “Many of the Everfree monsters are simply beastly.”

“A Fear rune.” Dragon said. “There’s two main ways that can be made. The first is a simple Fear rune, which will fill the nearest living creature with sheer terror once it’s active. That will cause most animals to run away and not return, even after the effect fades. The second way is a Fear Time rune, also called a Deter rune. While active- around three hours- the rune will emit an aura of terror that will prevent most animals from entering the affected area. Unlike the normal Fear rune, you will be able to feel the effects of a Deter rune even if you aren’t the closest one to it.”

“How powerful is the fear if I were to hold it near?”

“A Deter rune?” Dragon asked. When Zecora nodded, he continued. “Well, if you’re expecting it, easily manageable. It’s closer to walking through an abandoned home at night on a new moon. A little creepy but nothing more. If you aren’t expecting it, it’ll be like cold terror itself is gripping your heart.”

“A Deter rune seems most useful if I were to be entirely truthful.”

“You’ll need scarlet and blue dye. Scarlet is the color of fear and blue is the color of time.” Dragon told her. She nodded and stood, quickly walking through the curtain to her storage area and grabbing two small jars that Dragon could only see the shape of. She returned and set the two cylinders down, setting two small brushes between them.

Pulling out one of his own Fear runes, he set it down on the simple wood table between them. “Fear, being entirely abstract and emotional rather than physical, has an abstract symbol. See how the three lines curve around the fourth, as if circling it. That is the symbol our ancient Elders have discovered correlates to Fear. Draw this on one side of a blank runestone. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but the closer it is the more powerful the effect.”

Dragon watched as Zecora reached for the Fear rune, likely intending to bring it closer so she could see it better. As soon as her hoof made contact with the charged rune, her eyes widened as a jolt of pure fear shot through her. Her fur stood on end and she leaped backward, flipping over the back of her chair and taking it down with her. Dragon walked around the table and helped her back up and stood the chair up for her, then helped the shuddering mare back into her seat.

“What was that unholy fear I felt? It felt like death itself was truly dealt!” Zecora exclaimed, slowly calming her shivering.

“Certain runes, when touched, will give a feeling of what they do.” Dragon explained. “Fire runes are warm, shock runes are tingly, and a fear runes causes fear. Because you weren’t expecting it, you felt it full strength. Touch it again.”

Though Zecora was clearly nervous about doing so, she tentatively reached out and tapped the rune, sighing in relief when she felt only mildly nervous rather than horrifically terrified. “Go ahead and get started on painting the fear rune. Keep your hoof steady and make sure you’re using scarlet, or something close to it.”

Zecora nodded and set to work. The Fear rune was a rather simply one to paint, even if the symbol was rather abstract. In the center there was a single hollow circle that was left open by a small gap. A little distance away from that was three more lines, circling around the inner circle and leaving three gaps. The best that the Elders could describe it was three predators circling their prey. It only took the shaman a few short moments to paint the lines before she finished, set her brush down, and looked up at him.

Dragon nodded. “Flip the rune over and paint the Time rune. This is done with cyan dye. Now, I don’t have any Time runes to show you, so I’m going to have to tell it to you. Actually, do you have a sheet of paper or parchment?”

Zecora nodded and quickly retrieved a piece of parchment from a nightstand near her bed and brought it over. She hoofed it to him and slid the cyan dye across the table and he nodded his thanks. Manipulating the brush with his hooves, he quickly painted the Time rune on the parchment and slid it to her. Looking it over, her brow furrowed in mild confusion. “I would expect the rune of Time to be harder.”

Dragon shook his head. “Most runes are very simple to paint and, for some reason, they often correlate with things we have created. Take the Time rune for example. The twelve large notches and twelve small notches are suspiciously similar to the hour and half-hour marks on the clocks we make to tell time.”

“Do your Elders believe why this is so? It is something I would like to know.” Zecora asked curiously.

“There’s quite a number of theories.” Dragon said. “The most prevalent one is that our knowledge affects the meaning of the runes. By that logic, if somepony who didn’t know what a clock was tried to draw, charge, and use this rune, it wouldn’t work because they have no connection between a clock and time. Another theory is that the symbol for time was always this and that we, subconsciously, knew that and made our clocks around it.”

“Both are made by those who believe in fate.” Zecora said. “What about those who think as such with hate?”

“You mean what about other theories?” Dragon asked. After a moment, Zecora nodded. “Of course, there’s a theory that it’s just coincidence and nothing more. I personally don’t believe that. I think there’s an explanation for it, even if we don’t know what it is yet.”

Nodding, Zecora grabbed the brush and began painting the small dashes onto the empty side of the runestone. Seeing that she had begun, Dragon started speaking. “Make sure to be careful. The most common mistake is accidentally messing up the pattern of short and long lines. Go slowly.”

Zecora nodded again. Once more, it only took her a few short moments to paint all the lines. When she did and had set the brush down, the Hunter continued. “The next step is charging the runestone. Hold it in your forehooves- both of them. Focus on your latent energy and begin to direct it into the runestone. It’s the exact same process a shaman uses to imbue their potions with magic.”

Zecora nodded and grabbed the uncharged Deter rune. She cradled it in her forehooves and focused intently on it. Zecora held it for several long moments, taking around ten minutes to charge it. There was no outward sign of magic being transferred into the rune and the rune itself was neither glowing, pulsing, or showing any sign of being charged. That didn’t bother Dragon, though, as he knew only the one charging it could sense the energy. After a while, she set the rune down and looked up.

“It is fully charged with fear magic. If it does not work, it will be most tragic.”

Dragon tapped the rune and nodded, satisfied at the nervousness he felt while in contact with it. “Good job. You successfully charged a rune, though I expect most shamans have the ability. Between shamans and enchanters, they make up about eighty percent of all ponies who can use rune magic.”

“Out of all the world, that is not even a percent.” Zecora said, not bothering to rhyme a single line.

“Which is why it’s rather rare.” Dragon said in reply. “Less than a percent of the world can use rune magic and I found you, one Zebra who can.”

“It seems too good to be true. Perhaps there is a clue?”

Dragon shrugged. “Maybe fate? I don’t know why I happened to find one who can learn rune magic but I did. I’m not going to complain. In any case, be careful with the Deter rune. As I said, it’s even more brittle than before. Just dropping it can cause it to crack or outright shatter. With the Deter rune painted and charged, what’s the second rune you want?”

“Something to heal the wounds of the flesh, I think would be most best.”

“Cutting it close with that rhyme.” Dragon commented with a smile, receiving one in return. “A Heal rune is a bit complex. Too complex for the runestones we have now. They’re three part runes; Flesh, Mend, and Time. We could do a Flesh and Mend rune but it’s dangerous to heal the body instantly. Most of the times, it causes the victim to go into shock as the body is healed but the mind says its not.”

Zecora nodded in understanding. “Something to refill weakened energy?”

“An Energy and Merge rune.” Dragon said simply. “Simply called a Stamina rune. A simple Energy rune would end up being an explosion, so we use the Merge rune to signify that the energy of the rune must be added to the energy of the nearest creature. Be sure to hold it when it cracks or else the energy might go to your enemy.”

Zecora nodded, prompting him to continue. “You’ll need teal and light gray.”

While she moved to gather the two dyes, he continued. “The teal will be used to paint the Energy rune. It is, by far, one of the most difficulty to paint because it’s an entirely abstract collection of flowing lines, representing the waves of energy. There’s are sixteen lines in total, all flowing haphazardly.”

Taking the brush and teal paint jar when she offered it to him, he drew the sixteen lines on the parchment, to the side of the Time rune. Being careful, he may sure to draw it to scale and to place all the lines in the proper position. Once he was done, he slid it to Zecora who began to carefully copy it onto the second blank runestone. “Because this is a Energy rune, the second rune is incredibly important. With this, you can do a lot. If you were to put the symbol for Fire on the other side, it would release pure thermal energy. If you were to put the symbol for Magic, it would release pure thaumic energy. The same goes for all other forms of energy.”

The shaman was clearly listening closely while being sure to paint the lines properly. She was glancing back and forth between the sheet of parchment and her rune, ensuring she was getting the lengths and thicknesses correct. After a moment, she pushed the rune to him and set the brush down. Looking over it quickly, he nodded. It seemed right. “The next one is Merge, which is a simple one. Two lines, intertwining around each other for a moment before coming together and making one line. You’ll need light grey dye for this.”

Quickly drawing the rune onto the parchment, he pushed it over to Zecora. “That’s the Merge rune.”

As Dragon had told her, the rune started as two lines that wrapped around each other thrice, then pulled outward. A mere fraction of an inch later, they moved together and combined into one line that continued to the top edge of the rune. All in all, it showed two lines merging together, which made sense to her. It was also much easier to draw. She set the brush and picked the rune up, looking at him curiously. Dragon smiled. “Charge it.”

Zecora nodded and began to charge the rune, quickly filling it up and setting it down on table. As before, there was no outward or visible sign of the energy within the rune, so he tapped it lightly. The Hunter smiled at the small jolt of energy that went through him, refreshing his mind and shoving away any vestige of sleep. “You did well, Zecora. You correctly charged both runes.”

“I would have thought it would be harder.” Zecora told him.

“Charging a rune is easy unless you don’t have the ability. The difficulty is memorizing the different rune shapes and colors, how they interact with each other, and properly making a rune combination.” Dragon explained. “Though you learned that well as well. I’m impressed.”

Glancing out the nearby window, he frowned at the dying light. “Though I suppose I should return to my home. It’s late and I’ll need to restart my fire.”

Zecora nodded with a small smile. She stood up and quickly moved to grab a strange saddlebag, one that hung on only one side of his body. Opening it, she quickly packed several colors of dye; white, dark grey, light grey, blue, red, scarlet, lime green, magenta, teal, and orange. Once the jars were inside the bag, she sealed it shut and walked to the door, where he had gone to and put his pack back on. She helped him put it on and followed him outside. “Thank you for teaching me your art, I will be sure to do my part. I can easily gather the dyes, but to find the stone you must use your eyes.”

“Thank you, Zecora. Have a good night.” Dragon said with a smile before turning around and beginning the trek back toward his home. The next few days were going to be busy.

***

The next couple of weeks was spent building his home. Dragon woke up early the next morning. The sun was shining down on the clearing and he could hear the river nearby, though it was quiet as always. He quickly ate breakfast before getting to work. Retrieving the jars of paint he had been given, he started to make two Bone Weld runes. Using the white and dark grey paints, he quickly drew up both runes and charged them before returning the newly made runes to his enchanted pouch. After that, he left into the Everfree and, after two hours, caught up to a manticore he had followed. A single arrow through the eye was all it took.

Dragging the carcass back to his camp was easier than finding the manticore, even if it took longer. After returning to his home, he began to take apart the predator. The bones would be welded together with the runes, forming a simple framework that he would place into the ground over the next few days. The hide would be dried and preserved to make leather which would become the floor and door of his home, as well as window coverings. The meat would feed him for quite a while, though he would have to be sure to not let it rot. He could use his current home as a drying shack once his new one was complete enough to live in. The blood was spread around the clearing, showing to other predators that a manticore had been slain in the area. The scent would also ward off scavengers as they realized something was strong enough to kill a manticore, though Dragon expected a few to investigate anyway. He also painted a Freeze rune, made from Cold and Time, and placed it and the meat in his shelter, keeping the raw meat at a low temperature to slow the rotting.

The second day was spent preparing the frames and walls of his home. He began by hanging up the hide to let it dry, already having scraped off any attached flesh to prevent it from rotting and becoming useless. Once he had it hanging from the trees, he got to work creating the framework for his home. Taking one Bone Weld rune, he began welding the manticore skeleton together to create the supports of his home. The gaps between the bones would be filled by notched wooden walls that would provide protection and insulation. By noon, he had used all the bones from the Manticore and made roughly half of what he needed. Thus, he tracked down another and began the process anew.

By the fourth day, he had completely made the framework after using both Bone Weld runes, making another, and using it as well. Thus he had a single blank runestone left. The Hunter spent the rest of the fourth day digging into the ground to bury large bone spikes he had welded to the bottom. The bones would be fully buried two meters underground where they would act as anchors for the walls, preventing them from just tipping over during a storm. He finished setting the frame of the house up by the sixth day.

The seventh day was spent in Ponyville, gathering supplies. He bought a saw, nails, a hammer, a sewing kit, and was lucky enough to find a seven kilogram, or fifteen pound, chunk of shatter rock inside Ponyville’s only geology store, though he didn’t really understand why they had one. Thankfully, Pinkie didn’t learn he was in town, or at least he managed to avoid her. Once home, he got to work making another blank runestone. Without the proper tools- which were still on their way from the Empire, he ended up wasting about a kilogram of rock but managed to make several dozen blank stones, two of which he painted as Freeze runes to keep the meat frozen.

For the next six days, he focused entirely on making the walls to his house. Dragon gathered wood from the Everfree and used his axe and recently acquired saw to shape the raw logs into useable planks. Dragon carefully carved notches into the bones of the framework, then nailed the planks together and cut them to the correct size to fit inside the various gaps between the bone frame. He made sure to leave small pieces of wood that correlated to the notches in the bone, so that he wouldn’t have to nail the walls to the bones, which could crack them. Instead, he was able to fit the wood protrusions into the bone indentions, making gravity and friction hold the walls in place rather than nails. After that, he shaped covers for the exposed bones and fitted them over the bones, nailing them to the planks walls in such a way that the exterior of the home looked like the walls were solid wood, rather than wood with a bone lattice inside. He repeated the process on the inside as well, ensuring the bones were completely protected and would not break.

The fourteenth day was spent sewing the now-preserved leather together to form the cover for the door and the two windows he had accounted for, then nailing them to the wooden walls of his home. The remaining manticore leather was spent on forming the roof, which he stretched taunt and nailed onto the roof. It was a simple process, if a little boring. Dragon started the fifteenth day by replacing the Freeze rune in the, currently, storage building, and spent the rest of it collecting leafy branches to cover his roof with, providing protection to the leather and further insulation.

By the sixteenth day, he was almost finished with his home. He had enough pelt left over that he was able to make a simple bed on the floor, though he wouldn’t need a blanket to keep warm. He dug a fire pit inside, lined it with stones he took from the riverbed, and made a gap in the leather roof to vent the smoke. He returned to Ponyville and bought rope, taking note of his funds running low, and used it to create lines by the fire where he could dry meat to preserve it. Then he built a spit where he could cook meat and hang a pot should he decide to make a stew.

On the seventeenth day, Dragon Arrow examined his home once again and knew he was done, that he had finished his home. It wasn’t incredibly large, but he had room he could use to expand whenever he felt he should. It was twenty five meters long, fifteen wide, and four tall. Inside was enough room for him, his equipment, and at least eight others. Of course, he knew he would continue to add shelves, furniture, and even more rooms as time went on. This was just the first room, but he was satisfied. It would be more than enough for the time being.

That night, he treated himself to a stew rather than the bland meat he had been eating for the last two weeks, proud of his accomplishment. Building a home, alone, in just over two weeks was a feat. Then again, he had diverted all of his time to it. Dragon had received no distractions; no visitors, no storms, no animals, just two weeks of work. After eating his fill, Dragon curled up on the pelts that served as his bed and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter X

The room was dark, heavy blackout curtains preventing even the barest shred of moonlight from piercing into the room and disturbing the inhabitants. Dark mahogany furniture dotted the room, a desk here, a dresser there, a bed in the center, etc. The walls were a calming dark blue, silver inlays near the roof and floor providing a small break in the otherwise self-same color. The roof itself was a masterful piece of magical engineering, stars and galaxies flickering across the tiled ceiling, each second showing a trillion years of development and destruction. One moment, a star was born in an empty corner of the cosmos; the next, a quasar erupted from the ravenous black hole the star had fallen into.

Other than the roof, the bed itself was the most notable feature of the room. It was massive, easily three meters across and entirely round, perfect for a young adult dragon to curl up on. The bed receded into the ground some hoof or two to form a bowl, one which was layered in pillows filled with the finest feathers and blankets of the softest silk. Eight elegant pillars rose from the edge of the circle to form a roof to the bed where a layer of shimmering cloth drifted down, further dampening sound and sight of the rest of the room, allowing the occupants a moment of absolute privacy, a time and place where the rest of the world simply did not exist.

“Sister, do you believe that Nightmare Moon was born of my jealousy and anger?” Luna asked quietly, disturbing the silence. On top of the pillows of feathers yet beneath the blankets of silk, two Alicorns- sisters- rested beside each other as they enjoyed each other’s mere presence, a commodity and luxury that had been absent for precisely a millennium.

The white Alicorn, Celestia was her name, remained in silence for a moment, thinking over her answer so as to avoid upsetting the young sister she loved so before she answered in a voice as equally quiet. “Yes, Luna, I believe that emotions can take a physical form.”

“So, in a way, I am Nightmare Moon?” Luna asked again, a curious yet unnameable tone to her voice.

Celestia’s brow furrowed. “In a very vague, comparing-apples-to-gods way, yes, I suppose you could say that. The Nightmare is more of another state of being rather than you yourself, Luna. Or at least, that’s what I believe.”

With Celestia’s final amendment, the pair fell silent again. The elder desired to question the younger as to what had brought up the question only to wait, knowing the Night Maiden would volunteer more information in due time.

Then she struck that thought with all the mental force she could muster, disciplining the black sheep like a greedy dragon would their generous daughter. That line of thinking had led to Luna being banished in the first place; nothing good would come of just waiting. However, before she could open her muzzle to speak to her godly sibling, her melancholy voice rang out in the darkness of the room. “The Imperials don’t think so.”

“What do you mean, Luna?” Celestia asked, not quite sure the point Luna was trying to make- if she even was trying to make a point.

“The Imperials believe that Nightmare Moon is literally another being. I’m the Spirit of Dusk and she’s the Spirit of Darkness.” Luna answered.

“I had heard tell that… I didn’t believe they really thought so differently. Aren’t they aware that your emotions turned you into her?” Celestia asked slowly, trailing off at the beginning.

“I asked.” Luna said softly. “Do you know what Dragon told me?”

“What?”

“‘Nightmare Moon would have killed me, and you won’t- can’t. Do you think that such a drastic change in personality, in conscience, in personality, belief, and soul, is not enough to constitute a change in being? You are so drastically different from who she is that you simply can’t be the same being. Perhaps you have the same past as her, but not the same future, the same personality, the same beliefs, you don’t even have the same body as her. You aren’t her.’” Luna quoted perfectly, her divine memory a boon as much a curse.”

The pair fell silent again, the soft sound of rustling blankets and steady breathing being the only sound in the room their powerful hearing could pick up. In the darkness and the silence, neither could see or hear the other. Luna could not see the pained, guilty expression that stained Celestia’s muzzle, nor could Celestia hear the gentle drips of Luna’s tears as they plopped onto the bed and soaked into the pillow beneath her.

“A whole nation who don’t see me as a murdering monster.” Luna breathed out, her voice perfectly steady. “Thousands of ponies who haven’t been raised to fear a pony they know nothing about.”

“And one such pony is your friend.” Celestia gently reminded.

“Yes…” Luna said, sounding as if deep in thought. “A friend.”

A white wing moved and settled over a dark blue back. The younger sister leaned over, falling into the warm, loving embrance of the elder, conveying a simple message that held so much importance. No matter what the world thought of Luna, her sister was there for her. Always.

Celestia’s lips pressed firmly together, a thin line on her muzzle above which two magenta orbs burned with intensity. She would never abandon her sister again. Never.

***

Crack!

“Oooh,” Dragon said with a shudder of delight. “That felt amazing.”

Twisting his neck the other way, he gave it a sudden jerk with his hooves- being careful not to jerk too hard- and felt his neck crack again, forcing him to shudder again. “Spirits, that’s amazing…”

Crouching down at a specific angle he had learned over the years, he heard and felt his fetlocks, all four, crack in unison. Leaning forward, he felt his knees crack particularly loudly, the sudden depressurization of his bones making him let out a low groan.

“That’s unexpected.” He heard a familiar lilting voice call out from behind him, the soft tone full of amusement. Dragon glanced over his shoulder to see Princess Celestia, clad in full regalia that sparkled in the sunlight, standing near the river and smiling at him.

“Cracking my bones is one of my only guilty pleasures.” Dragon replied, leaning backward and feeling his hocks crack loudly, a small grin surfacing when he saw Celestia flinch.

“You don’t look very guilty.” Celestia commented, seeing the smile and satisfied expression on his muzzle.

“Excuse me- cracking my bones is my most-indulged pleasure.” Dragon corrected. “To what do I owe this visit?”

Celestia walked forward and sat down next to the smoldering fire pit, the flames having long since burned themselves out overnight. All that remained of the previous warmth was a gentle trail of smoke in the air and a faint scent of oak and ash. “You said some very powerful words to Luna last night.”

“Words that convey the beliefs of an entire nation.” Dragon replied as he sat down a meter or so in front of Celestia. “I spoke no errant lie nor partial truth.”

“I didn’t accuse you of lying. Why does your culture believe that Nightmare Moon is a separate entity?” Celestia asked curiously.

“Luna and Nightmare Moon are nothing alike; that we knew from the beginning. Now that I’ve met Luna personally, I can attest that she is nothing like the old tales say Nightmare was. Simple anger and jealousy can not explain such a vast change in personality. If you come to desire something, do you decide to put the entire world at risk to get it?” Dragon asked, ending in a rhetorical question.

“No. Generally speaking, I go buy it.” Celestia replied, the barest hint of a smirk on her muzzle.

“Precisely. Even insanity can not truly result in such a change. The Elders of the Empire are experienced in dealing with insanity- all of its forms. Truthfully, the Court Elders are even well versed in treating it, ensuring that our emperors do not go mad while still on the throne. Throughout history, even Elder has agreed that the change from Luna to Nightmare Moon was too drastic to be anything less than outside influence. In a thousand years of history, there is no a single recorded instance of an Elder disagreeing.”

“Recorded.” Celestia pointed out. “Perhaps those who disagreed were omitted?”

Dragon barked out a laugh. “Highly unlikely, Celestia. Our history is full of traitors, wars, and tyrants just as much as it is of nature, honesty, and tradition. Imperials have no habit of leaving out details. When our Empire began to first keep official records, a three century effort was made to collect all existing information. We had an idea of what our land was like up to around three thousand years before the formation of the Forsaken Kingdoms, the countries that were eventually united into the Rhetoram Empire.”

“Seven thousand years…” Celestia muttered, surprised. “In any case, you don’t seem to have much proof of Nightmare being separate.”

“You sound as if you seek to convince me that Nightmare and Luna are the same.” Dragon said slowly, a questioning tone beginning to develop.

“On the contrary, I seek for you to convince me that they aren’t the same.” Celestia explained simply. “Proof? Evidence?”

The Hunter sighed, shrugging lightly. “Unless Nightmare Moon should return- pray to the Spirits she does not- and gain hold of Luna again, we have no way of discovering the truth. Nightmare never visited the Empire so we have no first-hoof recordings of her, unfortunately.”

Celestia sighed in turn as she stood. “As I feared.”

“Leaving so soon?” Dragon asked, mildly surprised.

The Solar Alicorn nodded. “I have duties to attend to- mostly Court- that I cut into to make this trip. I’m glad I did so, though. I’ve learned more now than I’ve ever learned before. I suppose it’s because I’m an Honored now, isn’t it?”

Dragon nodded. “If you weren’t, I would not have told you most of this. You would only have a vague idea of why we believe what we do. Have a good day, Celestia.”

“And you as well, Dragon. Thank you for entertaining this old mare and answering my questions.” She replied with a warm smile.

“If you’re what they call old, then I wouldn’t mind seeming more old mares.” Dragon replied in kind, making Celestia chuckle. Her horn was soon encased in a golden aura which flared, forcing the Hunter to blink quickly. When his eyes opened again, the Princess was gone and all traces of the magical light faded.

Dragon Arrow stood and yawned once more, his jaw cracking as teeth flashed in the light of the rising dawn. It was looking like it would be a long day. Dragon needed to hunt down a Manticore so he could get started on a more permanent home for him. By the end of it, he would need a dozen or so for all the bones he needed.

The Hunter grunted. He needed some more paint. And more shatter rock. If he wanted to fuse the bones together to form viable supports for his home, he needed a Bone and Weld rune. He didn’t have Unicorn magic and none of the Unicorns of Equestria would know the spell necessary, and likely didn’t have the stomachs to fuse bones together. In any case, the blank runestone was easy; he had six spares that were currently unpainted. The paints would be easy, too, for all he needed was white and very dark grey. He couldn’t make the particular paints recommended for rune painting, but bonedust and charcoal would work in a pinch.

“Looks like today will be more of a preparation day then a hunting day.” He mused to himself before gathering his bow, arrows, and wingblades. Equipping his preferred weapons, he quickly set off across the river, toward a small rocky hill he could see in the relatively near distance.

***

Four hours, by the sun’s positioning. It took Dragon four hours to reach a tall cliff that had looked a mere half hour away. The Everfree was strange; far more so than he ever expected. Time seemed to be distorted, or at least distance was. In any case, he had made it. The cliff was tall, easily thirty stories of sheer rock. Jagged crevices and gaping holes dotted the face sporadically, evidence that even time could quell the unnatural beast that was Everfree terrain. Around him, the Forest had halted for only about three meters before the cliff, where the dirt turned to rock and neither tree nor bush could take root into the ground.

Dark green eyes roving across the cliff face, his sight eventually settled on a dark grey seem of mineral in the side of the cliff. No way I’m that lucky.

His gaze followed the seem, locking onto a chunk of the rock that seemed to have been shattered by something hitting it with force. Dropping his gaze to the ground, he walked underneath the hole in the rock and looked down at his hooves, seeing several large chunks of dark grey rock surrounded by countless light grey ones. Lifting one chunk up with his wing, he quickly swiped it across the face of the cliff, smiling it satisfaction as it left an ash grey streak on the rock. Looking back, he took sight of the small bone barely sticking out of his pack before placing the chunk of coal into the back as well. Seems I am that lucky.

Bone and coal. The absolute basic, most primitive way of making white and black pigments that could ever exist. All he had to do will be fashioning a rod out of the coal and he would have a stick of black color for the Weld rune. If he could mix the bone dust and a few other choice plants together properly, he could even make a stick of white for the Bone rune. Too bad he couldn’t just burn the bone dust into the right shape with fire; the heat would crack the shatter rock and ruin the rune entirely. Now all he would have to do is get started on hunting manticores. With enough time, he could have a true home for himself. Meat for food, bone and hide for his home, blood for… crap, he wasn’t growing anything to use bloodmeal on. Blood for red? It’d work. He certainly wasn’t going to waste it, in any case.

Dragon paused in mid-step with a hoof raised, his ears perking as an unearthly howl beginning from far to his left. The wolf had begun alone only for two, no three, others to join in, the voices reaching an painful crescendo that seemed to resonate through the very Forest itself, utterly silencing all activity out of respect for the Hunt. Dragon understood that, at the very least. A Hunt was an action worthy of respect, predator against prey, the loser becoming a meal for the winner. Usually, Dragon dare not interrupt a Hunt. It was something to be revered, understood, and participate in, but not something to be interrupted.

“By the stars, it seems I am not lucky,” A distinctly female voice cursed from the distance, only barely heard by his attuned senses. “In times like this, I hate the Everfree!”

Dragon cursed under his breath, already springing into action as he charged after the voice, his ears barely picking up the sound of crashing underbrush and thudding paws on the ground. It seems as if he couldn’t just sit by on this Hunt; he had to save the prey. Damn Equestrians and not knowing how to stay out of trouble.

The Hunter could tell he was catching up to the wolf that was bringing up the rear, the thudding paws easily heard from somewhere to his front left. He could hear a slight, unstrained panting as the wolf took rapid yet steady breaths so it could keep running, a fact t-

Dragon leaped into the air, soaring over the burning wolf as it run in panic, the fire burning away its fur and leaving behind only charred skin and agony. The fire had been an unnatural purple, likely from some form of mixture or spell rather than actual fire. The sounds of snapping limbs quickly spiked before fading off as two wolves darted away, the sight, sound, and smell of their burning ally driving them to flee in panic. Only the wolf he was trailing remained in pursuit, a fact that the mare seemed aware of as well as she kept running.

The Imperial ducked under a low-lying branch and caught sight of the final wolf, a charcoal grey specimen that screamed power as muscles tensed and contracted beneath its fur as it ran. For a moment, the canine flickered in and out of his sight as it was sporadically obscured by foliage. A minute later, they bursted into a long clearing. Dragon caught sight of the tail end of a cloak disappearing into a literal treehouse, the wooden door slamming shut a moment later. Without hesitation, Dragon dug his hooves into the ground and slid to a stop. With a single motion, he shrugged his bow over his shoulder, drew an arrow, planted the bow in the ground, nocked the air, and drew back in the time it took the wolf to notice he was there.

By then, it was too late.

The steel arrowhead pierced the wolf’s eye, driving straight through the thinner skull and into the brain of the predator, ending it quickly and painlessly. Not a sound was uttered as the beast fell to the ground and lay still. Dragon listened, another arrow already nocked on his bowstring. There were no more wolves in the area, the other three having long since fled. Chances are, the hunting pack of four had been reduced to two, the burning wolf likely having died already.

With silence filling the Everfree as the Forest seemed to pay its respects to the fallen members, he slung his bow over his shoulder again and replaced his arrow in his quiver. He started walking toward the treehouse, sparing the slain wolf a glance only long enough to regain his arrow and wipe it off on the fur. He stopped at the plainly painted door recessed into the trunk, taking note of the large mask hanging above it. He knocked loudly. “Ma’am? The wolf is dead. Are you alright? Ma’am?”

He heard hoofsteps quickly approach the door before pulling it open. Dragon blinked in mild surprise as he paused mid speaking, coming face to face with a Zebra mare for the first time in his life. Her eyes quickly roamed over him, settling on his teeth before locking eyes with him. Then he blinked again when she spoke.

“Could this truly be a magical phony, the presence of a carnivorous pony?”

It seemed the zebra had yet to meet an Imperial as well. She also lived inside the Everfree. This was going to be interesting.

Author's Note

Couple things to say here. I'm trying a writing style I'm not entirely familiar with so, if you notice any difference between this chapter and the last, point it out and tell me if you like it or not.

So, Dragon Arrow meets Zecora, as everyone expected. I already love/hate writing her rhyming, but I kinda went overboard in my OCD-ness. Each line has the same amount of syllables as the equivalent rhyme.