The Golden Trail

If there was one word Gold could use to describe The Apple Family, it would be "adaptive". While it surprised her how quickly they welcomed her into their lives, it was nothing compared to how they adapted to having four grown Timber Wolves roaming their orchards. Granted, it was not a particularly clean process, but in one weeks time the farmers managed to accept the creature's presences. Perhaps it was the fact that pests tended to stay away so long as the wooden wolves were around or it was the shockingly passive nature they were exhibiting. Regardless of the "whys" Gold held a very simple opinion on the matter.

She was not entirely happy with this arrangement.

Unfortunately, the Timber Wolves refused to accept that fact of life. Each night, one of them would stay by her tent while its siblings patrolled the orchards. During the day, one of them would stay by her side at almost all times while its siblings continued their vigilance. It very quickly started to grate on her nerves, especially when her new abilities allowed the wolves to talk to her. Not in the same way that the trees did through vague feelings, but through actual words that only she could hear.

It was thanks to this that she was able to put names to the four of them as well as find out that the small pack was an even split of stud and bitch. Arbor, the older of the two males was a stoic and mostly quiet wolf that typically answered questions with succinct or one word answers. Birch, the younger, male was more playful and had a relatively sharp tongue compared to his older companion. The two often held a sort of brotherly bond in spite of apparently coming from separate litters, with Birch constantly trying to get under Arbor's skin with his taunts and playful ribbings. Willow was the older female and the second oldest wolf in the pack. She held a more motherly presence and served as the peacekeeper between the two males when Birch would start to hit one too many buttons. She also had a habit of fussing over Gold and Applebloom at every available opportunity, a fact that always put them on edge. The fourth, and youngest member of the pack was the one that always made Gold inwardly beg for Willow to be her migraine for the day. Hazel was everything Gold hated about teenagers wrapped up in a single neat little package. She was arrogant, rude, and seemed to live for the sole purpose of making Gold wish that flinging herself off of Canter Horn had actually killed her the day she escaped Moonstone Dagger's manor.

It was for that exact reason she was in a foul mood as she wandered through the orchards, said irritating wolf leering at her from her left.

"Must you follow me everywhere?" Gold huffed.

"Yes," Hazel snorted, her voice echoing in the mare's head with a hint of smug satisfaction. "It's part of the deal, remember?"

She certainly did, much to her own chagrin. Especially since Hazel refused to let her forget at every opportunity. Thinking back on it, she legitimately wondered who truly benefited from this whole arrangement.

***

Gold stared back at the largest Timber Wolf, the beast's green eyes boring into her straight to her soul. The mare refused to show the fear welling up inside her, her immortality meaning nothing to her baser instincts. Everything in her told her to run, but she forced that down. She needed to buy Applebloom as much time as possible, even if that meant being brought back to the torture she escaped not too long ago.

The wolf continued to judge her for minutes that felt like hours, before it opened its mouth and an ancient female voice said, "Who are you, child of those who shackle the wilds?"

Gold blinked, confusion almost overriding her fear as she let out a stiff, "Pardon?"

The wolf's eyes narrowed.

"Are you as deaf as the rest of your kind? What. Is. Your. Name?"

Gold shook her shock away, then presented herself in a more refined manner as she said, "My apologies. To be blunt, I was not aware that Timber Wolves possessed the ability to communicate."

"Accepted," the wolf said with an air of irritation. "Few Dryads exist in this day and age and those that do spend much of their life in the bowels of your concrete prisons."

"Ignorance is no excuse for impropriety," Gold frowned, then shamefully added, "A lesson I am finding more truth in every day. I am Gold Vine."

"I am Gaia Everfree, Keeper of the Forest and Queen of the Wilds," the wolf, Gaia, intoned, a strong hint of pride filling her rich tone.

Gold's eyes widened and she fell into a full bow before the High Royal. Of all of the ancient High Royals, Gaia Everfree was the most ferocious and among the oldest. As Discord was as entropic and unpredictable as his aspect implied, Gaia Everfree was known for being a creature of pure ferocity and instinct. There were legends of her destroying entire nations that dared to encroach to far into the wilds without her permission. Only the root-choked remains of those great nations stood as evidence of their existence in the first place.

"Stand Dryad," Gaia growled. "Don't dishonor your show of strength with the cowardice of prey."

"As you wish," Gold nodded, standing tall again before the ancient wolf.

"Seems like a fitting place for her," snorted the wolf at Gaia's right.

"Be silent Hazel," Gaia hissed, leveling a reprimanding glare at the wolf in question, before aiming a more neutral expression at Gold. "Ignore my daughter's tongue. She is plagued by the folly of youth."

"Gladly," Gold nodded, aiming a brief frown at Hazel. "I would much rather not deal with such foolishness if it can be avoided."

A small chuckle came from the greater spirit while her daughter glowered at the pony.

"Yet you are willing to die to protect the child of another," another wolf at Gaia's left stated, her voice soft and knowing.

"That is different," Gold smiled. "Applebloom is the child of the family I work for. Be it tending to the trees or being a shield, I do my best to succeed in my role."

Gaia raised a leafy brow at that.

"So she was of the Apple Clan. I thought she smelled familiar."

"Is that a problem?" Gold asked, a nervous edge entering her voice.

"Not quite," Gaia snorted. "Just an accord between them and I that I am unable to fulfill."

A wicked smile spread across her wooden muzzle as she added, "Until now, at least."

"What do you mean?" Gold asked, dread starting to fill her.

"In times long since passed, The Apples would birth a Dryad each generation to work as a mediary between the family and myself. Only a Dryad has the magic necessary to communicate with my kind and ponies in much the same way some ponies can communicate with animals. I would offer protection and safe entry through the forest so long as they tended to nature in whatever way they saw fit. Three generations ago, the last Dryad of the family left them for her own desires and now I am unable to keep my end of the accord. Seeing as you have chosen to serve The Apples so fully, I would like for you to do the same for me."

Gold blinked dumbly at her for a moment, then hastily stammered, "That is quite the honor m'lady, but I fear that I am not adequate for such a role."

"It will not be anything to difficult," Gaia chuckled. "All I ask is that you pass on messages to the head of the family. It has been quite some time since I have been able to speak with Granny Smith and I do so miss her stories."

"That is it?" she blinked.

"Yes," Gaia nodded. "In return, I will provide you with plenty of protection and even teach you the old ways of Floramancy."

"Y-You will?" Gold gaped. "That would be most generous of you m'lady, but why? I mean no offense, but I fail to see why you would offer me such boons for such a small task."

Gaia chuckled and with a warm voice said, "Because, child, even by the standers of a Dryad, you impress me. Many of your kind treat the gift as a right towards arrogance and duty as a chore. You wear duty with pride and without hesitation. An even greater accomplishment given the curse that covers you."

Gold's eyes widened at that.

"Yes," Gaia smiled. "I am aware of your plight. My younger brother's magic is hard to miss for those who know where to look. I have also heard from the orchard just what kind of pains you have endured and wish to offer what aid I can. What do you say child; will you take on this duty?"

A thick silence filled the air as Gold thought the matter over very carefully. Doubts weighed heavy on her mind over weather or not she was worthy of such a role, given her last dealings with a High Royal Spirit. Should she fail, it was possible that a fate worse than her current one could await her in the future. On the other hoof, she couldn't deny how enticing the spirit's offer sounded. If everything worked out, she could better protect the farm and help The Apples more efficiently than she was already. After carefully weighing the pros and cons of the contract presented to her she looked up at Gaia and answered with a small nod.

"Very well," Gaia smiled. "Let me introduce you to your protection."

***

I strongly suspect that I have been had! she thought bitterly as she glared at Hazel out the corner of her eye.

Sighing, she continued her march, only to pause when a faint noise caught her attention. Both pony and wolf's ears swiveled to try and catch its source, quickly latching onto its general direction. Curious, they followed it further into the orchard. With each step, the sound became more pronounced and structured, soon forming into a loose melody. A hint of nostalgia hit Gold when the way the music sounded fully registered to her. It was the gentle thrum of a violin.

When the music hit its apex, the duo finally found its source. Sitting at his haunches with his back against a tree was Big Macintosh, the large stallion handling a comparatively comically small violin in his hooves. His eyes were shut as he expertly slid the bow across the strings with grace one wouldn't expect from one so large, an slow and rustic tune filling the air as a result. The sight brought a small smile and blush to the mare's face as she watched, hidden mostly behind a nearby tree. Hazel shifted her attention back and forth between the two ponies and a mischievous smile spread across her muzzle.

"You know," she whispered. "If you want him, there is no creature here stoping you."

Gold frowned at the wolf and hissed, "That can never be."

"Why?" Hazel asked. "Does he have a mate?"

"Not that I am aware of," Gold answered evenly.

"Does he prefer males?" she pressed.

"No," she said flatly.

"Than what is the problem?" Hazel frowned.

"He is one of my employers for one," Gold sniped, then somberly added, "And I am not worthy of him."

"Not with that attitude," the wolf huffed. "You mortals make this more difficult than it really needs to be. If you want him as a mate, just walk in front of him and present yourself."

"I would never!" Gold quietly balked, her face turning a bright shade of red at the idea. "While I admit to having an interest, I will not make him see me as a harlot!"

"Ugh fine, we'll do this the stupid way then," the wolf groaned, rolling her eyes.

Before Gold could ask what she meant by that, she felt a wooden paw on her rear just a second before she was shoved out of cover towards Big Mac. She let out a startled yelp and fell face first into the ground a foot away from the stallion, said pony no longer playing his instrument as he stared down at her.

I WILL TURN THAT BITCH INTO KINDLING! she thought acidly as she staggered to her hooves.

"Are ya' alright?" Big Mac asked, setting his instrument aside.

"Yes," she smiled, stuffing her vitriol to the back of her throat. "A stray root caught my hoof."

He nodded, his deep green eyes quickly checking her for injury. The simple act brought a small pink blush to her cheeks, but had little effect beyond that. Ignoring the faint chuckling coming from behind her, she frantically looked around for anything to talk about. Just when the whole situation started to become even more awkward than it already was, she spotted the violin .

"I didn't know you could play," she meekly stammered, pointing at the instrument.

A small shy smile spread across the stallion's muzzle as he said, "It's just somethin' Ah do when I have the time. My cousin Fiddlesticks taught me how to play at one of our family reunions one time and Ah just kept at it."

"Impressive," she smiled, genuine surprise eclipsing her intrigue. "Do you play anything else?"

"Just the guitar," he shrugged. "But Ah do sing from time to time."

"Really?" she blinked. "Would you care to demonstrate?"

A small smile grew on his muzzle as he nodded and closed his eyes. After clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and sang a single set of cords. The stallion's deep bass voice sent an excited shiver down Gold's spine, her face just a step away from bursting into flames. Big Mac seemed to shine in the mare's eyes when he finished his demonstration, a dopey smile spreading across her muzzle at the sight.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Wh-wha? Huh?" she sputtered dumbly, shaking herself out of her stupor.

"Do you play somethin'?" he asked, seemingly oblivious to the effect he had on her.

"The violin," she chuckled, shyly looking away from him. "My grandmother taught me when I was younger before she passed. I was quite good at it, but I fear that my skills may have fallen out of tune."

"Out of practice?" he asked.

"In a way," she sighed, a mix of foul emotions swirling around inside of her.

"No time like the present," he smiled, picking up the instrument in question and offering it to her.

Gold gawked at the offering, nerves shooting through her like a thousand cold iron needles. When she was a Unicorn, she used her magic for almost everything. A common issue that most Unicorns, especially those of Noble standing, often fell into. This extended towards her playing as well and left her performing skills with her hooves clumsy at best and a disaster at worst. Her current situation had only compounded that problem, the new grip of her hooves bending spoon handles on occasion.

"No no no no, I couldn't," she nervously chuckled, taking a step back.

"There ain't nopony out here but us," he smiled. "Perfect time to get back into the swing of thin's."

"I suppose," she mused, giving their surroundings a fidgety once over. "I just don't want to risk breaking it."

Big Mac blinked at that, then chuckled a bit as he stared down at the instrument in question.

"Ah had the same worry when Fiddle was teachin' me. That's why she made this one special for me."

"How so?" she asked, staring down at the violin with a bit more scrutiny.

"She made it from the strongest wood she could find and had a Unicorn friend of hers put a spell on it. Somepony could drop a boulder onto it and it would come out of it without a scratch."

"Are you serious?" Gold asked, staring wide-eyed at the instrument.

"Eeyep," he nodded.

Feeling a little bolder, she carefully picked up the instrument and slid it into place. The feel of the chinrest against her cheek hit her with a familiar sense of joy from her foalhood, a feeling that almost brought tears to her eyes. The moment was spoiled by her admittedly poor attempts to hold the instrument properly, now having to rely entirely on her forelegs without the aid of a horn. When she finally managed to figure it out, she took the bow and experimentally slid it across the strings. She cringed when what could best be described as a banshee's wail filled the air. Huffing irritably, she adjusted the instrument's pegs, moved back into position, and tried again.

The sound that came out of the violin sounded fairly close to music, but only a step behind the sounds a dying animal would make as its being mauled. A fact that Hazel angrily called out towards her from behind cover three trees away from her.

"I'm rusty!" Gold yelled, an embarrassed blush coloring her cheeks as she glared in the wolf's general direction.

What sounded like a cross between a bark and a laugh was the only response she got along with the sounds of something wooden pounding into the ground.

With an irate snort, she adjusted the pegs, took a steadying breath, closed her eyes, and resumed playing. A simple, yet clearly defined melody filled the air. While still rough and slightly out of tune, it was a marked improvement from moments ago. Determined to complete the piece, she continued to play in spite of all the imperfections she could hear.

For a moment, it was as if she had drifted back to a simpler time. She wasn't sitting in the middle of an orchard, but in her family manor with her grandmother guiding her through this very same piece. She could almost feel the mare's presence, her warm encouraging smile and cultured voice with a slight southern twang holding the same power in her words. She felt a tear slide down her cheek at the memory, the last note carrying the same shaky affection as the smile on her muzzle.

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by two concerned faces. One that of the towering stallion that sat before her and the other belonging to the source of her irritation that now sat at the stallion's side. Suddenly aware of her state, she hastily set the violin down and wiped the tears from her face.

"Are you okay?" Big Mac asked.

"Y-Yes," she chuckled wetly. "J-Just give me a moment."

"Are ya sure?" Hazel asked, a rare hint of worry entering her voice.

"Yes," Gold repeated with a smile, her tone much more steady now. "The song I chose held some memories for me. I just forgot how important they were to me until now.

A moment of silence passed between them as Gold struggled to completely regain her center. In the mean time, Big Mac fought to build up the nerve to put his thoughts into words. When he finally did, he did so with the hope that he wasn't overstepping his bounds with the mare.

"If you want," Big Mac smiled, "We could make this a regular thin'."

"Are you sure?" she asked, a hint of hope entering her tone.

He nodded and said, "Not too many ponies around that Ah can practice with. Besides, Ah want to hear what you can do when you're at your best."

"Y-You flatter me," she stammered, blushing at the ground. "Though I fear it will be quite some time before I can fulfill that request."

"Ah can wait," he chuckled. "Should be fun to have somepony to play with while I'm doin' that."

"Yes," she giggled. "I suppose it will be."