Spring followed the sounds of metal being smashed with hammers towards the metal working being done. She had expected a roaring fire and somecreature working busily pounding some sheet of heated metal. What she found was a single griffon trying to bend some old and dented sword back into place with some low cursing under her breath with every movement.

"What in the hell are you looking at?" The griffon's eyes snapped to Spring, her head turning slowly after. She was a rather large, powerful-looking griffon, with an extensive network of scars across her body. "You're not on the guard, I know them. You need a tool or something?"

Spring took a step back. "Oh, no. I'm here to help. I can make a flame." She held her hoof out and lit it on fire, her tail lashing slowly.

The griffoness let out a soft aborted chuckle, a single syllable. "Can you now? Most people I know who can do things like that offer to help on the guard, or go wandering off into the ashes, trying to hit it rich." She set her bent sword aside. "How hot can you get, and how long can you keep it?"

She closed her eyes, focusing. "I think I can do this." Her flames flared brighter, shifting from yellow to orange, then orange to red, and finally to white hot flames. She held that only a few seconds before her flame went down and she stumbled back, panting.

The griffoness shook her head. "Blast it all, that looked hot, but if you can't keep it hot, then it's not much use, is it? How hot can you get and keep it there for a few hours at least?"

Spring thought on that a moment. "I can probably do a nice red hot flame." She demonstrated, her hoof flaring up. "I can keep that for a long while." She glanced to the griffoness. "Will this help?"

Rather than speaking, the griffoness grabbed that bent sword and swung it around over that fire. "Keep it steady. Steady." She watched as the heat made the sword slowly glow with heat. "Not as hot as I'd like it, but hotter than I was getting without you. The name's Sally. If you're serious, we'll be working together." She pulled the metal free and slammed it down with a hammer, flattening it out and straightening the blade.

Spring's tail lashed behind her, watching the metal working. "I'm Spring, Spring Shower." She kept her flame going, bringing in her other hoof to hold it steady and make it easier. "Glad I could help."

"You sound greener than most plants I ever saw." She swung the sword around for a new round of heat. "Where the hell are you from? I'd recognize something like you." With a few fresh strikes, the sword looked almost new again. "The hell are you, actually?"

"I'm a kirin. My people live in Equestria."

"Equestria?" The griffoness peered at Spring, her brows drawing down. "That's a myth." She waved off the idea like it was pure fantasy. "Nothing but rainbows and hugs every day? A tale to share with a sad looking chick, not much more than that. No such place." The griffoness continued to work the blade, straightening the tip. "A kirin. Never heard of them. I'm Sally, griffon, if you didn't already figure that out."

"Nice to meet you." Spring inclined her head. "I've heard of griffons, but you're the first I worked with before. I know Equestria is real though, I come from it."

Sally abandoned her sword, grabbing Spring by the head suddenly and ruffling her mane. "So, come to deliver us from this little nightmare then?"

Spring squirmed back, shaking her head to straighten her hair. "I don't think I can. But I can try to help out. I'm trying to get back to Equestria, but I can't."

Sally clucked her tongue against her beak, a low whistle following. "Lost from paradise, here? What terrible luck you have, Spring. Still, you come from somewhere that blessed, must mean something." She threw the sword off the table it had been on into a bin. "That's good enough, and you're too good. Go talk to the mayor. I bet she has a more pressing job for you than sitting here with me."

Spring shook her head. "I'm supposed to work with you. I can't just wander off."

Sally gestured at the door. "If I'm not using you, you're not working for me. Besides, this is survival. We work where we can, as hard as we can. We all do that, we live to see tomorrow. Ain't not one of us have formal duties. This is a town of desperate folks doing whatever it takes to keep going. If you've got a talent, use it."

***

Spring wandered the streets, not sure where the mayor would be. "I wonder if I should even look?" She wandered towards a human sitting beside a building. "You don't look busy. Excuse me, sir? Where can I find the mayor?" He didn't look at her. "Um, sir?" She reached out to tap him, and her hoof passed right through him. "Whoa! You're a ghost!"

He turned his face at her with a dull chuckle, his voice dry as dust. "We'll win this war," he rasped out, fading away.

Spring shivered, looking around. The flow didn't seem to change, as if only she had spotted that phantom. With a swallow, she went for a griffon walking instead, striding alongside them. "Excuse me? Sir?"

He turned to her. "Yeah, whatcha want?" His eyes looked tired, and his voice was flat, like he was ready to pass out right then and there, but he wasn't.

"I'm looking for the mayor. I was told she'd have a job for me." Spring pointed at herself and tried her best smile.

"Huh." The griffon was quiet a moment, but he did point at least. "Good luck." That said, he turned and resumed his walk, not another word for her.

She followed his direction, going down a street and into a rather large building, at least compared to many others. It had two stories! Inside was a griffon, larger than most. She was seated at a desk big enough for her, where she typed with noisy taps of the machine at work. She looked up the moment Spring entered. "Oh, what is this?"

She pushed the typewriter aside. "A new resident? Don't recognize you. Don't recognize you, and you don't recognize me, so you're brand new to the city. Well." She stood, her wings spreading wide. "Welcome to Buzzard's Bluff, I am Mayor Black." She gave a formal bow. "And you are?"

"Spring Shower." Spring stepped forward, her tail lashing. "I'm here because my boss said I have a talent, and I should talk to you about it. Said you could use me."

"Did they?" Black settled back in her seat, eyes on Spring. "What a curious creature you are. Share your story and I bet this will become clear."

"Well, I'm a kirin. We can control fire, in our own way." She held up her hoof, making it flare to life. "I'm new to your city. Me and my friend Kit came here just yesterday, but we're willing to work. Oh, I'm from Equestria, which is not a foal's tale!" She stomped her hoof angrily, a little wisp of smoke rising. "I came here by a spell that went wrong. I'm here for now."

Black's expression was impossible to read. Her feathers were ruffled, but she didn't look at all happy. "Equestria." The word was spoken slowly. "A little angel." She steepled her fingers. "An Equestrian angel visited another town, long off. They still whisper tales, like a myth at this point. If you're lying, this is your chance to admit it, and I won't hold it against you."

"I'm not lying." Spring shook her head with a frown. "Equestria is a real place, not some fairy tale."

Black smiled at last, but it was the sort of smile that had nothing to do with happiness. "If that is what you believe, I can see why they sent you to me. Is that friend of yours, Kit was it? Are they also from Equestria?"

Spring inclined her head faintly. "I think so? I didn't ask. That's a good question."

"Can they do anything unusual?" She gestured to Spring's still burning hoof. "Like you are doing?"

Spring thought a moment, her tail lashing behind her as her mind worked through the possibilities. "Oh! Yes. When they got angry, they used magic and beat up a whole group of griffons at the same time. That was scary, but also kind of amazing. Glad he's nice." She giggled gently, then shook her head to get herself back on track. "Sorry, yes. He's magic. Can't make fire, but he can do, um...other things."

Mayor Black nodded lightly. "Then your talents are being wasted helping around town. I appreciate industry, but in these times, we have to use all our talents. All of them. Doing things beneath you is wasting valuable resources. Get your friend and report back here. I'm sending you two into the ashes. I have a site that needs scavenging and I'm short on scouts to send, or I was until you came trotting in."

Spring swallowed hard. "Into the ashes? But, um. I'm new here." Her voice was weak, her tail lashing behind her, and her ears were drooping. "Why not send someone from the town?"

Black raised a brow. "You are from town. You came to me, not the other way around. Have you eaten here? Have you slept here yet? If so, you're as much a member of our community as anyone else, and we expect everyone to do all they can. Now, you have a gift and I need it used. Get your friend and report back to me. I'll give you a mission. It's easy. You just go, you find anything that isn't ash, you come back. Bring back goodies and we'll cheer for you. If you can't, we won't scold you, but the cheers will be a lot quieter."

Spring's ears folded back at that. "But I don't want to go in the ashes."

Black stood, walking around her desk and right over to Spring, where she looked her in the eye. "You had to go into the ashes to get here. I know they aren't fun, or safe. Work is work, it's not easy for anyone, but we do it, so we can all survive." She leaned in. "Equestrians are supposed to be helpful, aren't they?"

Spring nodded. "They are. We are. Okay. I don't know where he is. Is that a problem?"

Black pointed past Spring. "Time for your first mission, find him. I'm sure you can do that. Come back when you do, and not before. Go on." She turned and walked back to her desk. "Get to work. You're on the clock, now."

Spring squeaked, whirling around. "I won't be late!" She hurried out of view, as if afraid she would be somehow late for the unspecified time limit of finding her friend.

***

Kit had found himself in a building with a long table, and many griffons seated at it. At the end of the table was an older, rougher griffon with a scar across his face and a missing eye. The older griffon was laughing low. "It came towards us, mouth dripping with the sorrows of a life wasted in the ashes. We stared, and we knew. This was it. This was the end of the line. There was no getting past this horror." He looked at the others, but they didn't react.

He drew a sword that crackled with electricity from his side. "I wasn't ready to die! I charged it, but the thing matched my speed. We were going to clash. My sword was at the ready, its claws were ready to strike! It came at me, and I at it. Then, in an instant, it was gone, and the ground before me was a gaping hole."

Kit's eyes were wide as saucers, taking in the story of that ashen survivor. He had no idea he'd have a chance for his own ashen exploits.

Author's Note

I rather like this town. It's my first time really getting to 'bring it to life' as it were. Welcome to Buzzard's Bluff.

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