The day was muggy and warm and the group of three sat rather cozily around a crystal clear pool of water. This was the watering hole that the two mares had mentioned and as promised it was fresh and clean. Elias took a few swigs of the water after filling an empty bottle and he had to admit that it tasted a whole hell of a lot better than the bottled water, which Midnight had complained had tasted like plastic.

He looked around and took more notice of the grove of trees that the pool sat nestled within. The trees that grew around it were slightly larger than the rest of the jungle around them, and were an off color brown that also didn't match the rest of the lush plant-life. The grass around them was more lush and alive than any grass that Elias had ever laid eyes on. It's blades were thick yet almost soft to the touch as he ran his hand across the top. It almost seemed like the plant life here was feeding on the Nature Magic that filled the pool, and curious to answer this he turned and asked Star who had settled for watching the light of the sun reflect on the pools surface. It's golden light filtering through the canopy above to form what looked like stars in the water.

"Actually your pretty spot on." She replied, "The plants, earth and water here all are saturated in Nature Magic and from what I've been able to tell, They've been sucking up all that magic the entire time they've existed here. Which in the life span of a tree could be anywhere from a hundred to three hundred years depending on the type."

Elias smiled and continued looking around before another question came to mind. "So, since these specific trees are essentially magic trees, is it possible to make anything from the wood and the said Nature Magic could still inhabit it?" he asked. Star raised an eyebrow in thought and looked around at the trees. Quietly she got up and walked over to a tree behind them as it was nearest and looked up at some of the branches. Her wing was still broken so she obviously wouldn't be flying up to reach one. But with Elias and his height, he would easily be able to reach it and break off a piece that they could then study.

Satisfied with her plan, she voiced this to their bipedal friend and he grinned and stood before making his way to her tree. He looked up and she pointed out the low hanging branch that she had her eye on. Elias stared at it for a good minute and then looked at the trunk for just as long before he stepped back and made a run for it. He placed his foot against the trunk and pushed as his momentum carried him forward and launched himself up a little so that he could grab onto the branch.
He tested it's weight and pulled himself up before dropping his weight down.

With a satisfying crack, it broke and Elias fell, Branch clutched in his grip. Once he was down he handed it over to Star and they both sat back down by the waters edge. They continued to relax as Star looked over the tree branch for a bit as Midnight munched on some of the trail mix they had brought. Strangely enough they both noticed as the color of the wood began to dull and match the rest of the trees in the jungle. Elias gave a short "Hmmm" in response as Star checked it for anything else.

Star looked back at the tree that they had broken it from and curiously the stump on the trunk was starting to regrow at an alarming rate. She gasped and turned to Elias, explaining what kind of Nature Magic they were dealing with. In short it was Fertility Nature Magic. She had explained that the magic of the pool had probably caused the jungle on the island and over time as the trees spread, they started losing the Nature Magic due to distance.

The trees immediately near the pool were directly feeding their roots into the pool however, which meant that the trees in this little grotto were protected by it. Elias gave a low whistle and looked around again at what could be very very old trees.
This got him thinking more on magic. The fact that it existed in this world practically had his brain tied up in jumbles with all the ideas he'd been having about what he could do if he could do magic himself.

"So if it's Fertility Nature Magic, will it affect you two at all since you're all magical and whatnot?" He asked. Both Mares gawked at him as their faces turned red.

"N-No! It doesn't work like that!" Midnight said, trying get the heat in her face to die down. Star laughed as Elias raised an eyebrow at their antics. He had obviously missed something, and it definitely had to do with his question. He'd puzzle it over later, for now though, he decided to just enjoy the pleasant atmosphere for a while.

* * *

While the other two had decided to head back to the cave, Elias took the time to explore a bit more. He was mainly looking for any wildlife he'd be able to trap, after all he'd need a stable source of protein and he wasn't able to fish at the moment. The day was still rather warm, and little bugs swarmed through the leaves as he made his way on a meandering path. He made sure to break branches as he went so that he could identify the path he had taken and find his way back.

After an hour or so of walking, he came upon a large clearing that led to a cliff overlooking the sea. At the edge of the cliff was a singular large tree that seemed to tower higher than any of the others. It didn't look magical like the grove trees, but it was definitely different. Curious, he took a closer look and placed his hand on the bark. It was slightly cool to the touch despite the warm air, and it began to vibrate on contact.

Once again this didn't phase Elias, If anything it perplexed him further. He circled the tree a few times, trying to figure out what it's deal was. However he only ended up stumped. It would be chalked up to what would become an increasing number of strange occurrences in an equally strange world.

He did later manage to catch a few squirrels using some trail mix for bait. Snares were perfect for catching little creatures like squirrels, birds and rabbits. As the sun started its travel from high noon towards evening, Elias gorged himself on what little meat he could and disposed of the leftover bits in a hole he had dug. He quietly cleaned up his little site and followed his marked path back to the pool, and from the pool back to the cave.

What he didn't expect to find however was the two Mares waiting for him. Midnight was arguing with her sister when he stepped through the trees and they both stopped to look at him. Star smiled and waved him over while Midnight gave her the stink eye.

"Im glad you're back, wouldn't want anything to happen to you." She said before explaining that she had been arguing with her sister about having him sleep in the cave instead. "I figured I'd offer you the chance to get inside somewhere that's at least a roof over your head."

Elias smiled and scratched behind her ears, causing her to stiffen and blush. He stood back up and replied with one short sentence, "I take it Midnight still doesn't trust me?"

Star looked down and nodded. It wasn't her sisters fault, she had always been a little mistrusting of others. It only became more reinforced after recent events and being trapped on an island with a strange creature from another world could easily make somepony a little skittish.

"I'll sleep out here for now, thanks though. I feel that if we're going to be helping each other survive, it would work out better if we're all on good terms." He explained, rolling out his bedding as he did so before continuing. "I don't want to make Midnight uncomfortable, and if having me out here makes her feel a bit safer then I don't mind it."

Midnight looked at him in slight shock. She hadn't expected him to respond in such an unorthodox or nice way. Star too looked a little shocked by the display of kindness from the man, smiling she gave him a hug and thanked him for thinking of her sisters feelings. They said their good nights and laid down to rest. As the sky grew darker, Elias laid back and watched the stars wink into existence one by one.

Since he had come here, he had noticed the nights were more spectacular than any he had seen on earth. It wasn't long until he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Elias opened his eyes the next morning, he found himself staring at the upside down face of Star as she looked down at him. He groaned and sat up as she explained what she had planned for the day. Since they had access to coconuts and fresh water, there resources were relatively good. She wanted to go down and comb the beach and look for anything that could be useful. Elias agreed that it was a good idea and cleaned up his bedding before getting ready to follow the mare.

Carefully they made their way and upon exiting the trees a while later, they found golden sands once more. The soft crashing of the waves and the sounds of seagulls gave the area a rather vacation like feel. With a smile, Elias slipped his boots off and placed his socks over them before rolling up his pantlegs and stepping into the water. It was cool but not overly so, and he found it pretty comfortable.

Star watched him as he waded into the water up to his knees. He was a bit taller than she was and could stand where she would have been kicking her hooves to stay afloat. She stood a bit further back and began walking the length of the beach as the water rushed past her. Elias however was looking for something a little different. He searched the shallow waters for something very specific and when it darted in front of him he almost yelped in shock.

There were fish that were coming in from the ocean and then swimming back out again. With a inner yell he grinned and headed towards where Star was currently studying something and when he came up to her side he found her staring at a barrel half buried in the sand. On it's side it said in large bold letters: POTATOES

Elias yelled out, startling the mare and causing her to yelp in turn. He apologized and began furiously and happily digging the barrel out. It was still sealed and had a rather large amount of weight to it. Carefully he took his hatchet and began prying the lid off. When he finally got it open and looked inside, they didn't find potatoes. In fact what they found was quite a shock, as inside the barrel was a splotchy stallion with a red bandana around his neck. He had a brown mane and tail and as fresh air rushed in he began to stir.

Elias and Star looked at each other and back at the stallion who was now looking at them in slight curiosity and glee.

"Um, 'ello, I'm Pipsqueak. Any chance you two could help me?"

Author's Note

Sorry for the lateness of the chapter y'all. Had to start a job search as my current employer as decided to no longer employ me. Fun times. Other than that things are good so I hope you all enjoy the chapter, although they are kind of short, they're fun to write.

P.S., I think I use the word however too much. If anyone can help me with alternatives or synonyms that would work to break up the repetitiveness, it would be most appreciated.

Hope you all are having a good day :)

-StormHoof