Lyra & The /k/ommandos

Chapter 2: Entering

1:36AM - 28th of May - 2019

Lyra is a fast worker, she has been her entire life. Everything she does, no matter how small, she does as fast as she possibly can. She likes to prove things to herself and often finds satisfaction in doing things fast and right the first time. A major part of this behavior is because Bon-Bon always tells her to take things slow and steady so that she doesn’t mess anything up, or forget to do important things. But luckily for Lyra, Bon-Bon isn’t here right now, so she is free to do as she pleases, as well as how fast she wants to do them. Like for example, navigating through the Everfree Forest.

It was night and it was dark, absolutely pitch black. It was like the darkness you see at night in your bedroom, when you pull your covers over your head, and slam your eyes shut because you heard a bump in the night, but of course you tell yourself not to worry about it. It was an uncertain kind of darkness, one that is opened ended so to speak, one that goes on and on for what feels like forever. It weaves in and out through the trees and strangles light to the bare minimum of space it can illuminate. It was… nearly impossible to walk through, luckily Lyra was experienced at this kind of exploring. She would never cower away under the covers and just hide at home from the dark.

She had her duty, and she would carry on. Plus her horn is a damn good flashlight.

With her horn illuminating the path in front of her she pushed on. The path she trotted along was a very much established treading ground for not only her, but other explorers and residents of Ponyville. Mostly Zecora, in fact she's the one who made these paths in the first place. Lyra had actually thanked Zecora for her pathfinding a while ago when she first started this camping tradition as, without them she wouldn’t have a prayer of moving through the forest in a somewhat organized manner. Then again, saying the paths were organized was a stretch. It’s not, they aren't, and you’d look like a fool for saying such things.

Only Zecora could navigate these paths accurately. Only she knew where they truely went. Unfortunately Lyra didn't have her here as a navigator so she was on her own. But, being on her own was something that, despite her obvious disadvantage, she relished in.

She loved the loneliness, she was finally free to say as she pleased, and do as she pleased too. Not that she didn’t love Bon-Bon and Ponyville, which she did very much, she just needs a break once and a while to get away from it all. She needed to get away from the same thing over and over again day in and day out. A chance to live how she pleased without anypony judging her for it. And, she would be lying to herself if this human hunt came at the same time she needed such a break. It had gotten a bit tense at home with Bon-Bon, as things usually do, and she was almost at her wits end.

Of course she wasn’t going to just snap on her, but she needed to get away, just to let herself find some solace and peace of mind. Knowing full well, the moment she steps back into the house in three days time, she would be greeted with a worry wart of a roomate, angry at her for leaving so suddenly. But she would prepare herself for it while she was out here so that when it did happen, she can just calmly and collectively ease the two of them out of the conversation without much arguing.

She needed this, Bon-Bon needed this. They both needed this and Lyra could tell, even if Bon-Bon would disagree.

Regardless, as she bounded down the path further and further away from the forest entrance she soon found herself at her old campsite. It had been an hour hike up to this point, and she was very, very tired. Not only was it, tomorrow but she was now thoroughly worn out from the hike, plus she was still somewhat emotionally stressed from deceiving her friend. All of this together pushed her one more step forward, and forced her to make camp right there in her small clearing. Her camp was… off the beaten path away’s. It’s position would force the mare to cover much uncharted ground before appearing through the brush and into the clearing. Which despite the ticks and bugs that could be lurking in the high grass, she did without fear.

For some reason, a reason she couldn’t explain, this area of overgrown grass was untouched by trees and poisonous plant life. It was the perfect spot for a campout, so she would come back here every time. She had grown to actually calling this place a home away from home, a home that was, comforting for her enough that she felt safe to call this area her own. It seemed silly to call this barren patch of grass a second home to most, so she wouldn’t say it out loud like that in front of others, especially Bon-Bon. But, regardless she had a campsite to erect and she needed to do it soon, she was getting more tired by the second.

So after cutting the grass down to a more, manageable level with a very simple spell she learn for when it was her turn to cut the lawn back at home, she rose her tent into the air, spiked it down, and stuffed her gear inside after she sprayed down the entrances with bug repellent, which now left her time to prepare her campfire. She knew how far away was safe for a fire to be built around trees and her tent, to ensure either weren’t set on fire. But just to make sure, she pulled out a thick survivalists book from her tent, and used her magic to flip through to the pages she needed to refresh her memory. After a ring of rocks was built up, and some large sticks and tree logs were gathered, she called it a night, and crawled inside her tent, zipping up the entrance behind her, and set up her living quarters. Which didn’t take long at all.

She unpacked her supplies. Her sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and pillow were brought into the far right corner and set up. Her first aid satchel was unpacked and placed in the bottom left corner. The tent light was hung from a ring at the top of the tent, and turned on to the lowest setting. Her food and water were kept in her bag for safe keeping. And finally her survivalist book was placed next to her pillow for late night reading. Everything was set, and as Lyra laid atop her sleeping bag she looked around the dimly lit interior of her tent and smiled contently.

This was her home for the next three days, and she couldn’t feel happier.

She knew that if she took care of herself, drank plenty of water and rationed her food and applied bug spray often, she could walk out of these woods without a scratch on her. So with a sigh of contentment, she turned her head back into place, as her mane ruffled gently on the pillow, and closed her eyes after sinking down into the covers after tossing them over her body. She would soon fall fast asleep, and morning would come roaring up to her.