A Legend Of The Equestrian Seas

It had been a solid month since Elias had landed on the island. Since then they had turned the cave into quite the comfy living space with the help of Gourmet and Free. Gathering coconuts was easier now that they had a pegasus with full use of her wings, and Gourmet knew a lot of edible plants and herbs that he mixed with the coconuts to make some rather nutritious dishes. While the first few weeks were rough, the group as a whole warmed up to Elias more than enough to allow him shelter in the cave. Something Midnight finally budged on as she stayed in her little corner of their makeshift home.

She watched as everypony went about their daily duties that Elias and Star had helped set up. She'd be helping as well if she hadn't sprained her hoof on a scouting trip with Free, and it didn't help that Elias and Star were constantly worrying about her. She laid there with her head on her front hooves as she watched Elias work in his own separate corner of the cave. He was using his knife to carve something from a piece of a tree branch and after a few hours of work it had started to take shape.

Midnight however couldn't figure out what said shape was until he held it up and checked it over for any mistakes or cracks. It was a makeshift crutch made to fit a ponies height. With a satisfied nod, he got up and made his way over to her before sitting down with his back against the wall. Midnight stared at him impassively as he placed the crutch on the ground for her.

"Made this for you. I know if it was me in your position, I'd want to be able to move around a bit." He explained. She nosed it a few times before pulling it close to herself and thanking him. It was a bit awkward as they both sat there, quietly observing each other. After getting to know Elias a bit better during their time here, he had reminded her a bit of herself and Stars father. He was kind, helpful and worried endlessly about all of them.

"I probably never brought it up, but I'm sorry for how I've been treating you." Midnight said, looking up to make eye contact with the man, "I've always found it hard to trust others, even when Star and I were little. I only ever trusted my family, and for a long time that was how I liked it."

She looked toward the cave entrance where Star and Free had just left to gather more wood. "Star and I have always had each other to lean on, and It's hard trusting and leaning on somepony entirely new." She finished explaining as she looked back to Elias. He was relaxing with his legs crossed in a position that looked rather painful to her. He smiled and scratched behind her ear, something she was enjoying more and more lately.

"I understand. I'm just glad that you're finally warming up to me." He laughed, got back up and held out his hand to help her stand. Once she was up and she had the crutch propped right, he led her to the entrance. "Lets go sit by the fire, you look like you could use some sun."

Midnight stuck her tongue out at him and exited the cave with his help. She wasn't use to using a crutch and was a bit wobbly on her hooves. Carefully, Elias helped her over to their firepit where Star and Free were feeding the fire. Gourmet was currently mixing something in a wooden bowl Elias had helped carve from the coconut shells. Star smiled at the two and came over to sit with her sister as Free went to help Gourmet with getting their breakfast situated.

Two days ago Elias had found some bird eggs that were unprotected and it was a good dozen or so of them. Today was the last day they'd be able to enjoy them and despite it being slightly upsetting it was still a treat that they all wholly enjoyed. Sadly it was the only thing of worth they had found so far on their scouting trips into the jungle. Gourmet had gone with them a few times to look for ore veins, but so far none had been found.

Free had already felled the tree she was looking at for use for their ship and over the past week she had gotten a small portion of it turned into planks and two by fours. They had used the bark for firewood and they would still need some form of nails to build with, but that would come with time. Or at least they had hoped. While the others continued engaging in conversation while they ate, Midnight watched the clouds roll in.

Thick billowing dark clouds were moving pretty fast and were making there way right to them. She turned and brought this to the groups attention and they all started gathering everything and bringing it inside while Elias helped Midnight back to her bedroll. Elias had made them for everypony so that they would be able to retain more body heat instead of it leaking from them into the cold stone floor.

Once everything was inside, Elias closed the door to the cave and made his way back over to Midnight where he sat in what had become his usual spot. He continued scratching behind her ear and looked toward the much thicker and much stronger door that he had made for them as well. It made Midnight feel safer and with a soft sigh she leaned into his hand and allowed herself to close her eyes and rest. As long as a Storm was passing through, they wouldn't be leaving the cave.

* * *

The fire crackled and popped while Elias tended to it. Everypony else had gone off to sleep, leaving Elias on fire guard duty for the night. He used a stick to push and adjust the coals before he placed a few new logs on it, after all a fire was a hungry friend. Once that was done, he sat back and watched the flames lick the air in their flowing and warm dance. For a long time growing up, he had done exactly this. It didn't matter to him if it was in a jungle or a cave, or even a valley deep in the desert. Nothing could beat the comfort and mental safety provided by the humble fire.

His dad showed him a lot of the first things that he had learned about survival and the rest he learned from shows and experience. But what his dad taught him would always remain there like a note from his old man, as if to say 'I love you son, I want you to be safe'. He smiled at that thought and turned as he heard a shuffle to his right. He watched as Midnight rolled over and sat up, blinking at him and the fire.

Quietly she grabbed her crutch and made her way slowly but surely over to the fire. Elias carefully helped her sit down next to him where she could warm up and get comfortable. They stayed like this for a good bit before she spoke up, her right ear listening to the pattering of the rain outside.

"Elias, do you think we'll make it out of here?" she asked. It was something that had been on her mind a lot lately and it was the reason she currently couldn't sleep.

"We will. All of us are going to work together to get off this island. I may not be from this world, but I can't wait to get out there and explore it." Elias replied, his eye's getting a hardened but learned look to them as he gazed off toward a far off horizon only he could see. Midnight rolled her eye's at that and gave him a playful shove with her back left hoof.

It went quiet again as they both enjoyed the sound of the fire, while Elias started to once again scratch her ear. As she laid there enjoying the feeling, she thought on it and wondered why it was that he was constantly scratching behind her ear but nopony else's. Obviously he had done it to her sister before but lately he had only been doing that for her, and in all honesty it made her feel a little more special. She wanted to know though, so she asked Elias why he did it and his reply caught her slightly off guard.

He explained that he didn't really understand it himself other than that for some reason he felt a bit closer to her than he did to anypony else in their group. He explained that she had also reminded him a lot of a woman from his world that he had traveled with for a few years and that he enjoyed rubbing her shoulders. He considered scratching behind her ear to be the equivalent and it was something that left her trying her hardest not to laugh.

She spent the rest of the night talking with Elias as she told him stories from Her and Star's childhood and hearing some rather interesting stories from Elias in return and after a while it was his turn to go to sleep while Gourmet took fire guard. As Elias laid down to rest, Midnight did something a bit more daring that either of them would have expected from her. Quietly she snuggled up to his side and with her head on his chest, she wished him a good sleep before drifting off herself.

Elias watched with a slight stunned expression before chuckling softly and scratching lightly behind her ear again. If it's what made her comfortable he had no qualms against it, and with that done, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The third night as the storm started to taper off, Elias sat again watching the fire. Only Midnight was well and truly asleep, so he knew she wouldn't be joining him tonight. Her sister on the other hand had no issues with staying up with him and was currently checking her wing to ensure it had healed properly. Sitting daily in the grotto had done wonders for it and it seemed to be working like new.

She turned to see him watching and stuck her tongue out at him before grabbing the fire poking stick to stir up the fire a bit. Once the flames were good and big and the warmth once again filled the entirety of the cave, she turned to him with a grateful look. She spent who knows how long, telling Elias some of the same stories Midnight had told him. Granted they were from another point of view, but a change no matter how slight can always make a difference.

Hearing some of these events from Star's point of view made Elias realize just how truly shy her sister had once been and just how far she had come with simply being able to fall asleep on him in comfort. Something Star pointed out that she found absolutely adorable. She had found the two of them earlier that morning, Elias with his arm wrapped around her like he was cuddling a stuffed animal.

While it was in fact cute, she did want to thank him properly for being there for them and helping them survive on the island. With that in mind she leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing him to stiffen and blush only briefly before he got himself back under control.

"You know you should warn someone before you do that. It's common courtesy." He said, scratching his chin. His facial hair had grown a bit since being here and he was now sporting what he could call a respectable beard.

"Maybe where you come from, but here surprises are always better. Plus what fun is there in it if I can't mess with you once in a while." Star replied with a wink before she got up and made her way to the entrance to look out through the door.

"The storm is almost gone, do you think anything will wash ashore?" she asked.

Elias sat and thought about it before joining her at the entrance to look toward the beach. Back home, storms often caused all kinds of things to drift ashore, sometimes even pieces of ships that had been sunk. If it worked the same here, it could be a huge boon and could easily provide them with some of the things they very sorely needed.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see." He replied, closing the door and leading her back to the fire where they once again got comfortable. Tomorrow was another day, but would it be any different than all the rest so far? Elias hoped so, and with that hope came the hope of leaving the island.

After all, it was a big wide new world out there for him to explore, and he wanted to see every bit of it.