The Golden Trail

The moon hung high in the sky, the curved crescent adding a dim light to the gentle evening air. The first chill of early autumn washed lightly through the night, rustling the leaves of Sweet Apple Acres. Gold wandered among the trees, her new accessory adding to her phantom-like presence. Like its creator stated, Gold's new cloak kept her safe from the light chill in the air, but the fact that, that was likely due to whatever enchantments she had woven into the fabric still made a shiver run down her spine. None the less, if wearing the new article and meeting with Rarity on the weekends made up for her actions against her, then that was what she was going to do. If there were any of her old traits she was willing to keep and accept, it was being a mare of her word. Even if holding that virtue made her feel like she was walking around with a pit-viper on her back.

She still couldn't believe what had happened. Earlier that very same day, she was sure that she was going to be forced to relive her confinement. Instead, she was being given what she saw as a slap on the hoof in comparison. At worst, she was being given community service and a possibly dangerous uniform that she had already agreed to owning in advance. Of course, she doubted Rarity could do anything that Moonstone hadn't already topped a hundred times over or that her new family wouldn't have come to her rescue, but that didn't mean that she was eager to fall back into that situation again. Not if it could be outright avoided, at least.

"When will the world start making sense again?" she groaned, flopping down next to a tree.

"Rough day?"

Gold yelped, jumped to her hooves, and turned towards the voice's source. When she saw Hazel peeking out from behind a tree, she let out a sigh that took her tension away. The she-wolf chuckled, stepping out of her cover to close the distance between them. Gold fell to her haunches while her guard laid down beside her, the wolf still sporting a crooked smile.

"A bit jumpy, eh?" Hazel asked, snickering.

"It has been a...trying day is all," Gold snorted.

"I figured as much," she shrugged. "At least you didn't have a stroke this time."

"I was not that far away from one," Gold admitted.

"Why? Did you blow up on another Unicorn," Hazel frowned.

Gold shook her head.

"I went to town today."

Hazel cringed at that.

"Yikes. That must've been pretty rough for you."

"I managed," she sighed. "But that is not why I am so restless."

"Alright. Then what's got your tail in a knot?"

"Rarity," she stiffly stated, staring at the ground.

Hazel tensed, all of her joviality gone in an instant.

"The Unicorn you yelled at?"

Gold nodded, still staring at the ground.

"I visited her today to make amends. I even went so far as to give her permission to..."

She sucked in a shuddering breath, physically incapable of saying what she had agreed to.

"Alright," Hazel nodded, fangs set and ready for use. "What did she do?"

"Nothing," she sighed, her lowered gaze turning sharp. "And that is what has me so...so.... frazzled!"

"Huh?" Hazel blinked, all ferocity falling out of her.

Huffing bitterly, Gold stood up and started to pace, scowling at the ground as she did.

"It makes absolutely no sense! Had I spoken to any of my former peers in such a manner, I would have suffered a lashing at the very least! Instead, she gifts me with a fabulous cloak and wishes to speak with me over tea! It is madness! True and complete madness!"

"Wow, your former life was really bucked up," Hazel gawked. "I mean, I don't know all that much about how ponies do things, but even I know that isn't how the locals work."

"Pardon?" Gold asked, halting her pacing to give the wolf a raised brow.

"Except for a few twits, most of the ponies here are pretty forgiving. Unless you do something really messed up, anyway."

"I suppose," Gold allowed. "It is still....strange."

"I guess," she shrugged. "Not as much as you wearing an enchanted cloak."

"D-Do not remind me," she shuddered. "While we are on the topic, do you sense any dangerous enchantments on it?"

Hazel narrowed her eyes, rising to her feet and approached her charge. She slowly orbited the mare, eying the cloak critically and giving it a few sniffs . After four more turns, she sat down in front of Gold and shook her head.

"Not as far as I can tell," she frowned.

"Thank goodness," Gold sighed.

"I'd still let mom take a look at it though," the wolf continued. "She's a lot better at sniffing out spells than I am."

"Good idea," Gold gulped. "Sh-Shall we go visit her?"

"Right now?" the wolf asked, reeling back.

Gold shakily nodded, to which Hazel fervently shook her head in the negative.

"Really bad idea! Mom may be cool with you, but that will go right out the window if you try to bug her at night!"

"Oh, I see," Gold blinked. "Thank you for informing me of that."

"No problem," the wolf sighed. "Immortal or not, I don't think you want to get mauled by a pissed off nature spirit."

"No, I would not," Gold snorted. "Shall I join you on your patrols tonight?"

Hazel snickered as she stood back up.

"Geez, your head must be really bucked up if you want to hang out with me."

"I do have a few more things I wish to vent," Gold allowed, standing as well. "Would you be willing to lend an ear?"

"Sure," she snorted, turning away from the mare. "It's better than being stuck listening to Birch's stupid jokes all night."

A soft smile graced Gold's muzzle as she trotted to the wolf's side.

Unnoticed to Gold, an extremely faint scent crossed Hazel's nose. That, along with an equally thin trail of magic. She let out a faint pulse of spectral magic, too thin for Gold to notice, but strong enough to pick up any magic sources around them. Aside from the flickering wisps of a teleport, she didn't pick up any evidence of the spy's presence. Forcing the worry and anger inside of her from showing, she discretely sent out a small spring of her magic into the ground with her paw. It spread out through the whole orchard through the roots of the trees, leaping from plant to plant like a swarm of small green squirrels. It only stopped when it reached her pack mates' paws, each of them flinching and becoming fully alert from the contact.

That night, Hazel never left Gold's side or the front of the farmhouse, while the rest of the pack skulked among the trees, ready to shed blood should the need arise.

***

Starlight yawned, the early morning sun creeping past her closed curtains as she stared at her bedroom ceiling from her bed. She hadn't slept a wink the night before, her mind running at a million miles an hour. While she was willing to accept that past trauma was a factor, there were a few things about Gold that just wouldn't stop eating at the back of her mind. Mentions of a "Mistress", how she interacted with Timberwolves, and the way she carried herself just added to her list of things that just didn't sit well with her.

Letting out a frustrated groan, she gracelessly rolled out of bed and made her way towards her dresser. She scowled at her haggard reflection before she ran a brush through her mane with her magic. Understandably groggy, she struggled to think of what she could do with herself for the rest of the day. With Twilight and Spike dealing with some kind of emergency up in Canterlot, she was left with a lot more free time than she was used to.

With that in mind, she slowly mulled over how she was going to learn more about Gold.

Obviously, the direct approach was out of the question. Between the wolves and the mare's rhabdophobia, it was unlikely that she was going to get any answers that way without a few bites or scrapes. Asking Applejack or Fluttershy what they knew about her was also a dead end, if the brief talk she had with the former was any indication. That, and the thought of grilling Fluttershy for information really didn't sit well with her. The same went for Applebloom or Big Mac, though she highly doubted she could get much out of the stallion even at the best of times.

I could try that chatter spell again, she mused, finally managing to get her mane back in order.

Cringing, she shook her head at the thought.

Nah. The last time I did that, Applejack banned me from the farm for a month and Granny Smith threatened to tan my hide with a zap apple branch.

Shaking off that unpleasant image, she made her way towards a large wooden chest in a far corner of her room. She flipped open its lid with a hoof and smiled sheepishly at the neatly folded black catsuit, enchanted binoculars, voice recorder, and notepad within.

"Never thought I would have to bring these old things out again," she snorted, floating the catsuit out of the chest with her magic. "Might need to upgrade the enchantments for this."

As she continued to examine the garment, her reflection was caught in her vanity's mirror. Her's and that of dark green Unicorn mare with a flowing yellow mane and tail peeking over her shoulder at the bit of clothing. Starlight was completely oblivious to her presence, far more interested in how foolish it was of her to fix her mane when she still needed to take a shower. She threw the suit onto her bed before she searched her room for a clean towel. The mare continued to watch her go about her business, Starlight still unaware of her very existence. At least, until she literally walked through her. When she passed completely through her invader, A sudden chill shot through her that almost made her lose her magic grip on her towel, then quickly made her way towards her room's bathroom.

As she did, the mare continued to watch her, a mischievous smile slowly forming on her muzzle.

***

Gold let out a low groan, a small beam of light from her bedroom window shining in her face. Grumbling to herself, she made the same mental note as the day before to adjust her curtains as she sat up with a yawn. Smacking her lips, she groggily looked around her room while she waited for her brain to wake up. A scowl formed on her muzzle when her eyes fell on her new cloak.

The unassuming garment hung on a peg next to the door, Its golden trim catching the room's dim light. In spite of its beauty, staring at it filled Gold with the same kind of revulsion one would aim at a rotting carcass. A faint tremble ran through her, memories of the feel of the cloak's embrace pricking at the back of her mind like a bad itch.

Sighing, she got out of her bed and made her way over to where the cloak hung. With a trembling hoof, she slowly reached out for it. As it inched closer, her breathing started to hitch, her heart pounding harder in her chest with each loss in distance. When her hoof eventually made contact with the fabric, she quickly grabbed it and threw it on herself. With fumbling hooves, she eventually got the cloak's clasp to latch into place at her neck, then forced herself to stand straight.

Ragged gasps fell out of her muzzle, her heart felt like it was just a step away from popping again, and a haunting chill ran through her body. Before her vision could start to swim, she closed her eyes and tried to find her center. On the edges of her mind, she could feel herself slipping back into Moonstone's dungeon. She pushed those phantoms to the back of her mind, the presences of the many apple trees that surrounded her keeping her anchored. Slowly, she steadied her breathing, each exhale taking away a little more of her anxieties with every breath.

When she opened her eyes, her near panic had been reduced to mild discomfort.

Relaxing her posture, she reached for a clean towel that was hung next to her cloak with her mouth, opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway beyond.

Desperate for a distraction, she mulled over what she had planned for the day. Obviously, a visit to Gaia Everfree was high on that list, but other things needed to be done first. Applebloom wanted help with a few of her brews that were giving her trouble. Applejack needed some help loading a few barrels of cider into one of the barns in the southern sector of the orchard. Rainbow Dash had badgered her into a game of chess for reasons Gold couldn't even begin to comprehend. Skully needed her to help her figure out where Winona buried her left femur. Granny wanted to teach her a few family recipes. Then there were her violin lessons with Big Mac followed not long after by her therapy session with Fluttershy. All of it was almost too much for her to handle, but it still managed to put a small smile onto her muzzle.

Her new life was crazy, almost chaos incarnate, but so much brighter than the life she lived before. Where cold paranoia had stood was now full of a warmth that was both alien and greatly welcomed to the mare. She felt loved, happy, and more than anything, free.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she nearly walked into the bathroom door.

She stared at the door with a tired smile, shook her head at her own foolishness, and let herself into the room beyond. She had much to do today and didn't have time to waste on daydreams. None the less, she couldn't completely hold back a small giggle as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

***

Starlight was laid out fully on a high cliff overlooking Sweet Apple Acres, a golden pair of binoculars held up to her face with her hooves. She was wearing a form-fitting jet black cat suit, various small runes woven into the fabric keeping her hidden from all, but the most powerful of detection spells as she spied.

For the last couple of hours, she watched Gold go about her day, the enchantments built into her binoculars allowing her to see through walls and zoom in on the mare well past what was normal for the tool. So far, Gold hadn't done anything to out of the ordinary for a pony living on a farm. She was a bit surprised to see Rainbow visit her, though. Even more so when it appeared to be to play a game of chess, of all things.

Pushing that little tidbit of info to the back of her mind for future teasing, she watched them play. Before she could get invested in the show, a dark green Unicorn mare with a long yellow mane and tail walked into her line of sight. Letting out a frustrated snort, she tinkered with her binocular's settings to try to see through her. Her brows slowly rose when, no matter what she did, she couldn't see through the mare's body. It was then that she noticed something that put a chill down her spine; the mare was looking right at her. Not looking in her general direction, but locking eyes with her as if they were standing mere feet apart instead of the hoofful of miles that separated them. She knew that was impossible, especially with all of the enchantments grafted into her outfit. In spite of both that and the distance, the mare slowly waved at her, an impish smile spread wide across her muzzle.

Dumbstruck, Starlight awkwardly waved back.

The mare let her hoof fall back to the ground, still smiling and staring right at her. Starlight blinked, then jumped back with a yelp when the mare suddenly appeared right in front of her. Clutching her chest and panting, she watched the mystery mare giggle at her suffering behind a hoof.

"Sorry for the scare, dear" the mare smiled, lowering her hoof. "It has been so long since I found a worthy target."

"What the hay are to talking about?" Starlight demanded. "Who are you?"

How did she find me?

"Oh! My apologies. I am Manchineel Vine," she smiled, offering her hoof.

"Starlight Glimmer," Starlight nodded, briefly shaking the mare's hoof.

"Pretty name," Manchineel said, her smile turning thoughtful. "A shame it belongs to a pony that is going to make a few terrible mistakes."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Starlight asked, eyes narrowing.

"Exactly as it sounds," Manchineel cryptically stated, her smile falling away. "You are free to seek out Gold's secrets any way you like, but know that if you do so as an enemy, you will suffer greatly."

"Is that a threat?" Starlight asked, a light blue aura surrounding her horn.

"No," Manchineel frowned, casually looking at the bottom of her hoof. "It is a promise."

Starlight's eyes widened as two things became known to her; there was some kind of clear glimmering substance on the bottom of the mare's hoof and her whole left foreleg was completely numb. The numbness quickly spread to the rest of her body, forcing a sluggish yelp out of her as she flopped bonelessly onto the grass. Manchineel wiped her hoof on the grass then closed in on Starlight, her small smile returning with a vengeance as she stared down at her.

"The farm has more than just Timberwolves guarding it. Keep that in mind if you plan to do anything foolish."

Starlight tried to say something, but whatever poison Manchineel used on her prevented her from letting out more than a few slurred groans. Her eyes widened when the mare slowly phased through the ground, the grinning mare not once breaking eye contact throughout the whole process. Left with little else to do she struggled to make sense of everything that had just happened and the riddle Manchineel left her with as she stared blankly at the patch of grass the mare had passed through.

***

"Like this?" Applebloom asked, sprinkling a small hoofful of ground herbs into a bubbling pot.

Gold nodded, smiling softly as she watched the filly work.

The clubhouse was quiet, save for the bubbling of water and the clinking of glass. Seeing the zeal the filly put into her craft always warmed Gold's scarred heart. With her wide smile and inquisitive nature, it was hard to not get caught in the glow of her good mood. That didn't mean she was going to be any less strict with the young Apple. Brewing could be a fun and relaxing experience, but it still had its fare share of risks as well.

With a sharp eye, she watched the filly chop, crush, and drain various herbs in preparation for their current project. At the same time, her ear kept flicking to the mare sitting in the far corner behind her. While she had come to find Rainbow's presence tolerable, she still disliked having another pony following her around. It brought back some less than pleasant memories of her past missions, most of which ended with her pursuer rotting in a sewer tunnel, incinerated, or disposed of in any number of ways. Not helping were the bored grumbles and yawns that would come out of the Pegasus's muzzle every few minutes.

By the tenth groan, Gold's teeth started to grind.

Before she turned to say something she was going to regret, she took note of what kind of herbs were on the table and a small wicked grin formed on her muzzle. While her charge was busy grinding some red roots with a pistil and mortar, Gold plucked a dried blue leaf and a red flower petal, squeezed them between her hooves just enough to get a few drops of their juices on them, then looked over her shoulder at Rainbow. Had Rainbow not been in the middle of reading one of Applebloom's adventure novels, she would've seen a small flicker of Gold's smile before it vanished behind her usual cold frown.

"Rainbow, would you mind lending us a hoof for a second?" she asked.

"Huh?" Rainbow asked, suddenly alert. "Uh, sure."

Marking her page, she set the book down on a nearby desk and made her way over to the group. Applebloom raised a questioning brow at that, only to receive a small and brief smirk in response.

"Applebloom, would you be a dear and explain to Rainbow Dash what types of plants we are working with?" Gold asked.

"Sure!" she chirped. "That's a Crawler Thistle and that's a Laughing Jasmine."

As she said that, she first pointed a hoof at the red plant then the blue one.

"Correct," Gold nodded, then gently tapped Rainbow's shoulder with a hoof and said, "Are you familiar with these plants?"

"Uh....no?" Rainbow blinked. "Why? Are they dangerous or something?"

"An excellent question," Gold smirked, turing her head towards Applebloom. "Are they?"

"Not really," she shrugged. "Most ponies dry them out to flavor tea, but if their juices get mixed together, somethin' funny happens."

"Like what?" Rainbow asked, wearily eying the two plants.

"Ah don't know if it has a fancy name, but Zecora calls it Giggling Poison."

"They make a poison?!" Rainbow gawked, jumping back from the table with her wings flared.

"Just in name," Gold chuckled reassuringly, turning to fully face her guard. "It is no more lethal than Poison Joke or a small amount of wine. Also, it is only effective if it comes into contact with a pony's skin, wings, or horn."

"So...it isn't dangerous, then?" Rainbow pressed, a bit of her worry bleeding out of her.

"Of course not," Gold huffed. "Do you honestly think Zecora or I would allow Applebloom to work with anything hazardous?"

"I....guess not," Rainbow allowed, the last of her worry finally leaving her. "So, why did you want me to know all of this stuff, again?"

Gold's smile took on an oddly mischievous edge.

"To remind my student about the importance of washing her hooves while working and have a little fun."

Before Rainbow could voice her confusion, a strange tingling ran through her whole body. Just when panic was about to claim her, the sensation turned into a faint tickle. One that rabidly grew in strength to the point that the Pegasus had fallen to the ground, clutching her sides and was laughing uproariously.

Applebloom stared at Rainbow in shock for a moment, then slowly aimed a knowing smirk at her teacher. Still facing Rainbow, Gold's eyes turned towards the youngest Apple long enough to give her a small wink. The filly snorted and shook her head as she reached out a hoof for a small bowl of clean water with a rag sitting in it and set it between them. Gold just watched the Pegasus roll on the ground as she plucked the wet rag out of the bowl to clean her hooves.

***

Starlight stood next to an apple tree, the enchantments in her outfit still managing to keep her hidden from the Timberwolves patrolling the orchard's interior. She watched what was going on in the clubhouse with a small smirk, an audio spell added to her outfit allowing her to hear what was being said within. The small smile Gold shared with Applebloom was cute, like a pair of siblings sharing a secret only they could understand while Rainbow continued to laugh on the floor.

It was almost enough to brighten her opinion of the mare.

Almost.

As she watched Gold and Applebloom pour some ground herbs into a small cup of water, she mulled over what she had learned so far. Assuming Applejack was not misinformed, Gold had been the victim of some sort of abuse at the hooves of a Unicorn. From her poise and speech, it was obvious that Gold came from a noble family or a rich one at the very least. It was also very likely that she grew up around Unicorns or came from a family full of them, considering how knowledgable she was of that particular brand of magic. She was also an accomplished herbalist if what she was observing was anything to go by, but the exact level of that particular skill would need further observation to properly gauge. Then there was her connection to the Timberwolves. From what she had observed the night before, Gold seemed to be able to communicate with them in a way similar to Fluttershy.

Maybe that's part of her special talent? No, that doesn't make any sense. Timberwolves are exclusive to the Everfree Forest so she wouldn't have had any chance to get her mark with them. Maybe she can tame magical creatures?

A stifled giggle pulled her attention away from the clubhouse and her musings.

Looking around for its source she was, met with solitude. In spite of that, she felt a hoof tap her shoulder. Swallowing down a yelp, she spun around. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head at what she saw.

Standing before her was one of the many trees that dominated the orchard, but this particular tree housed a feature that made Starlight wonder if she had eaten something she shouldn't have this morning. Sticking out of its trunk and sporting a cheeky smile was Manchineel's head. Starlight's mind struggled to make sense of what she was seeing, her jaw hanging open as she tried to put her jumbled thoughts into words.

Still smiling, Manchineel's body phased further out of the tree, her forehoof reaching out towards the stunned mare.

"Boop," she playfully chirped, lightly tapping the stunned mare's nose.

Starlight's blood froze when she felt some sort of powder on her nose when the odd mare pulled her hoof back. In an instant, the spectral mare vanished and an intense itching started to cover her muzzle. She furiously started scratching, only for the powder and itch to spread to her forehooves. Biting back a scream and several curses, Starlight quickly teleported back to her bathroom at the castle. At the same time, Manchineel casually floated by the clubhouse window. With a few splashes of potion, Rainbow had been cured of her affliction and was sulking in a corner. Meanwhile, Applebloom and Gold aimed a pair of cheeky smiles at the damp Pegasus. If anypony could see the mare at the window, they would've seen the pained longing in her smile as she watched her grand daughter bond just a little more.

***

The early afternoon sun felt good on Gold's back, bringing a small smile to her face as she played her violin. Though her's were closed, she could feel the eyes of her audience of three settle on her. Big Mac swayed lightly to the gentle rhythm Gold produced, while Hazel and Birch simply laid on their side and watched. While beautiful, Gold still felt the song was lacking. Her hooves just didn't hold up to the standards set by her horn, even if she was a lot more coordinated with them now. Notes came seconds too late or soon, improvisation started to become a habit, and the amount of pressure needed on the bow to get the proper notes was still a struggle. The end result was a distorted version of the song she was trying to produce. One that, oddly enough, was starting to grow on her.

With a breath, she let the last note fade on the wind, slowly drawing the bow away from the strings with a graceful flourish. She held that stance for a minute, then slowly lowered her foreleg and opened her eyes.

"Well...how was I?" Gold asked, a smile just as sheepish as her tone gracing her muzzle.

"Perfect," Big Mac smiled.

"What he said," Hazel chuckled.

"I'd take ya on a hunt right now if you were a wolf," Birch smirked, winking at her.

Gold blushed under the praise, gulping nervously as she gently set the instrument onto the grass at her side.

"Y-You flatter me, but I know there were some mistakes," she stammered, suddenly very interested in the ground.

A rumbling chuckle came out of Mac as he approached her.

Sitting down in front of her, he placed a hoof on her shoulder and said, "You see flaws. Fiddle and Ah call them quirks."

Gold met his gaze with confusion.

Smiling, Mac picked up the instrument and started to play. Her ears twitched, instantly recognizing it as the same song she had just preformed. The same, but still different in many ways. While her version had a more graceful lilt to it, Mac's rendition was more rustic. Where her's was more like soft silk in the breeze, his was akin to drinking a warm cup of whisky in the middle of winter. It warmed her, filling her mind with images of ponies laughing after a hard day's work at a loaded dinner table.

When he finished playing, he set the instrument down in front of her with his usual warm smile.

Gold let out a small chuckle as she met his gaze.

"How is it that you have not found a lover yet?" she asked.

Now it was Mac's turn to blush, his face turning redder than his coat as he nervously looked away scratching the back of his neck. Gold tittered behind a hoof at that while the wolves snickered from where they laid. Gold's smile wilted slightly then a passing breeze ruffled her new cloak against her back.

***

The late afternoon's rays shined brightly on the orchard. Gold almost galloped towards the border between the farm's land and her mistress's domain, but what remained of her dignity kept her stride steady. Meanwhile, Starlight continued to watch her from the shadows. Said Unicorn was far from happy, her stealth suit covered with stains and slight cuts. The enchantments still kept her hidden, but that didn't make her recent experiences any less infuriating. Through out the whole day, Manchineel continued to torment her. While she watched Gold dig around the orchard, Starlight was suddenly hit with a dart that made her desperately need to use the bathroom. When Gold went to visit Fluttershy, "somepony" pushed Starlight into a foul-smelling puddle of sticky tree sap. The worst of it was when she watched Gold help Applejack with some task in the barn, only to end up covered with some kind of paralyzing powder and then peed on by one of the male Timberwolves. To say she was angry would've been an understatement of legendary proportions. Under normal circumstances, she would've said to hay with it and dropped it, but her nagging curiosity about the mare refused to leave her be.

Keeping an ear out for her phantom tormentor, she sullenly stalked Gold all the way towards the Everfree Forest. When Gold crossed the tree line, Starlight tried to follow, but froze just short of it when a cold chill shot down her spine. Manchineel slowly phased out of the ground a foot in front of her, a hard frown taking the place of her impish smile.

Starlight clenched her jaw, her horn glowing as she started sifting through a long list of stunning spells. Manchineel was unaffected by the display, her eyes boring into Starlight like those of a wolf staring down a deer.

"What now?" Starlight growled.

"I advise that you do not follow her," Manchineel coldly stated.

"Why?" she asked, the mare's change in attitude dimming her temper.

"Gold is meeting with the forest's Lady. Should you try to intrude, your blood will feed the grass."

"The forest's Lady?" Starlight asked, the mare's warning making her take a step back. "W-What are you talking about? Zecora's the only one that lives in there."

"Only because Everfree has marked her as her chosen," Manchineel continued, face and tone still unreadable. "Only those chosen by a High Royal or Spirit may enter the Lady's domain with any kind of safety. Meeting her at its heart without invitation is a death-sentence."

"I think I can handle myself, thanks," Starlight smirked.

"Indeed," she nodded, her eyes slowly tracing across Starlight's body. "You are quite powerful and I do sense the start of a High Royal's connection to you. You....might have a chance. Be that as it may, I must insist-"

"I'm going," Starlight declared, stepping towards the mare with a determined glare. "There's something going on with that mare and I am going to find out what. Even if I have to blast my way past you to do it."

Manchineel met the fire in Starlight's eyes with the arctic chill of her own, neither of them willing to give the other an inch. Seconds turned into minutes, a heavy silence settling between the two mares like a thick blanket. Eventually, Manchineel let out a small sigh, shaking her head in frustration at the other mare's stubbornness.

"You are dead set on this, aren't you?"

Starlight nodded, a victorious smirk gracing her muzzle.

"Very well," Manchineel sighed, turning her back to the mare and making her way towards the forest. "Come along then. The least I can do is make sure you don't end up lost in there."

"Thanks," Starlight smiled, moving up to the mare's side.

Manchineel snorted irritably at that.

As the forest's shadows surrounded them, the spectral mare leveled a small bemused smile at her companion.

Putting herself on the same level as a Spirit? Hah! What next; a mortal matching a HIgh Royal? Hopefully, Lady Gaia will not need to humble her the way Discord did Gold.