Nudyuartok

The Lost Brigade

By sierra_seven_

Chapter Two: Nudyuartok

* * *

"...so I told them, 'That's not a crème brûlée! I've seen better stuck to some of the servants!'" The Canterlot ponies chuckled, casting admiring glances as their leader. Sapphire was noticeably less impressed. They'd been laughing and joking around since they'd left the city, and she'd debated gagging their leader and tossing him on a cart several times during the last hour. 'He doesn't need the use of his mouth to be useful,' Sapphire thought coldly, trying to distract herself. That... 'stallion' was in charge of the communications detachment. If he weren't so essential, she'd throw his yellow-maned highness into the next crevasse.

"Oh, that reminds me of the time when Saffron Burst and myself visited the Royal Academy for Fine Arts. For those of you that don't know, Saffron is the head chef at the palace and an incredibly close friend of mine. Anyway, I'd just finished advising th-"

"Captain!" yelled a mare, trying to be heard above the freezing wind. "Captain Shard! We need you over here for a moment!" As Sapphire pushed her way through the tightly-knit ranks towards the mare, she began to assume the worst.

'Crevasse? Beasts? Iceflies?' As she moved through the densely-packed shoulders, the wind picked up again. Howling, biting, freezing wind scoured her face, blowing her dull mane around in the corners of her vision. Now that they'd left the City, they were all looking a lot less vibrant. Without the power of the Crystal Heart to infuse them with magic, their manes and eyes had lost their distinctive Crystal sparkle. She reached the rank where the voice had originated. 'One of the scholar's ranks? What could be so important tha-' A hoof landed on her shoulder, causing her to whirl around. "Peridot!"

"I thought you needed a save there. Them Canterlot ponies can be awfully full of themselves, can't they? In any respect, it's useful having a few assistants around to call upon." A robe-clad mare beside him smiled shyly, hiding behind her low-cut fringe. "This is Gleaming Garnet, one of my researchers. I don't think there's another pony on this planet that knows as much about ancient Lokainuit culture, aside from your's truly."

The mention of her subject brought the researcher to life. "I'm so excited to be on this expedition! The Lokainuit, during their peak civic period, built a network of massive underground cities under our very hooves! Glacial activity has long since destroyed them, but occasionally we hear of entire rooms and corridors appearing on the surface, pushed up by the glacial flow!"

"Are you hoping to find any on this expedition? I mean, is it likely that we'll find some? Are they dangerous?" Sapphire asked. This was a lot more interesting than a lecture on communications by the Canterlot unicorns.

"Yes, no and yes. Well, maybe. I'd absolutely love to find some ruins on this expedition, especially if they contain relics from their civilisation. We can only learn so much from the tablets and inscriptions that have been recovered over the years, and we haven't been allowed out of the City for many years. Even just finding the remnants of a scroll would be cause for celebration! This depends entirely on whether we cross over any old ruins, and whether there's been adequate glacial activity since the last scouting missions. As for the danger, the ruins are likely to be very unstable. When they move to the surface, they're inhabited by whatever creatures find them. I've heard stories about cramped rooms containing nests of baby boreworms or even iceflies!"

"Just remember, you're not to go off exploring without my permission first. If we lose you, we won't be able to come looking for you."

"Yes, Peridot made that very clear before we left the academy. It's an honour in itself just to be on this expedition, Captain!"

"I'm glad you feel that way. Once we have the fortress secured and defended again, I'll see if I can set aside some time for exploration. I'm not promising anything though, remember that."

"Many thanks, Captain!" Garnet and Peridot smiled at each other, before earnestly discussing some of the things they hoped to find on the expedition.

"I'll take that as my cue to leave, then," Sapphire muttered under her breath, pushing her way out of the scholars' ranks. She trotted out of the formation, taking a moment to breathe in the cool, clean air. While in the ranks she'd been subjected to the smell of stale pony sweat, along with the smothering perfume the Canterlot ponies had laced themselves with. This was the first time she'd been able to appreciate the freshness of the outside world. In the distance lay the Azure Hills mountain range, a magnificent reminder of the majesty of nature. The mountains were covered with glaciers, and the summer sun reflected off the plate-ice to give the mountains a brilliant blue shine. She didn't let down her guard, though. As beautiful as the Wastes were, they were incredibly dangerous to even the most battle-hardened warrior.

The expedition moved slowly alongside her, the sleds keeping progression at a steady pace. If they kept this up, they'd arrive before nightfall. They needed to arrive before nightfall. Once it got dark, they'd be at a disadvantage. The convoy was slow-moving, cumbersome and lacking in current intelligence. The Department for Cartography and Surveying had issued them with maps, but they didn't reflect the terrain that lay before them. New peaks and valleys had appeared, making navigation difficult. 'Oh well, it's not my job to navigate. I guess I'd better head back and rejoin the formation...'

* * *

Over an hour later, Sapphire had decided to rejoin the scholars. Their shuffling, brown-clad ranks were much more inviting than the colourful armours of the Canterlot unicorns making up her rearguard. All manner of history and technology had been discussed, and Sapphire was eager to learn more about the strength of the Empire's defences. "So, Peridot, how does the shield actually work? I find it hard to believe that love and good deeds will maintain a magical construct of that size."

"Well, the shield is a very peculiar thing indeed. As yer daddy once explained to me, the origins of the support crystals are largely unknown. It's taken me scholars many years to learn what we have about it, and it's very troublin' news."

"Troubling? How so?" Sapphire began to worry about her home, now a smattering of lights against the rapidly darkening sky behind them.

"The Crystal Fair. Listen to me, Saph. There's a very deep magic running through the very fabric of the universe, and it's not entirely understood. It's not love an' friendship that powers the shield, but somethin' deeper. The 'Crystal Heart' is a very rare and powerful relic from a bygone era, with the ability to channel and focus this magic into somethin' tangible: the shield. The Heart requires a massive amount of this energy to recharge, which is why we hold the fair every year. Now, the moment the Heart doesn't get the power it requires, the shield shuts down."

Sapphire's blood began to grow cold. "But if Sombra continues the trade blockade and lays siege to the city..."

"Yes. Thankfully though, Sombra is focused away from the Empire at the moment, so we hear. It'd be highly unlik-"

Sapphire trotted into the pony in front, who had now come to a complete halt. "What the buck do you think you're doing? Get a move on!"

"Captain, the entire column's stopped. I can't move!" The pony in front began to protest, narked at having the blame placed onto herself. Sapphire grunted, trying to push her way out of the compact formation.

"Coming through! Get out of my way! I need to get to th-" Sapphire paused, listening closely. Over the confused murmurs of the soldiers, she could hear screaming. Lots of screaming. "Close ranks!" she yelled, fearing an attack. The sound of several-hundred shields being raised blocked out the anguished yelling, causing the captain to dart through the ponies towards the front of the formation.

"Captain! Captain Shard! Over here!" yelled one of her subordinates, a lieutenant tasked with commanding the vanguard. As she galloped past the various sleds and soldiers, she could make out a clearing in the forest of confused, shivering ponies. And then she saw the devastation.

One sled was pointing straight into the air, like some oversized ship's mast. A gaping chasm had swallowed the team tasked with pulling the sled, although their screams still echoed off the freezing ice. "Lieutenant, what the fuck happened! Situation report, two minutes! Get the quick response groups organised and down into the crevasse to rescue the sled team!" On the other side of the chasm, Sapphire's vanguard were organising themselves into smaller groups, ready to defend themselves in case of an attack. This was the perfect opportunity for an ambush.

Sapphire left the panicking pony, rushing over to the crevasse and squinting down into the chasm. "Oh fuck..."

Bodies littered the narrow ledges that protruded from the chasm walls. Ponies had become impaled after falling dozens of feet onto sharp spears of ice, their blood staining the crevasse walls a deep, sickening red. Some were still alive, screaming in pain and terror. A smashing sound made her leap backwards, scrambling away from the slippery edge. Massive slabs of marble and stone were dropping from the suspended sled, smashing down into the chasm, crushing any ponies unlucky enough to still be alive. The frozen ice made movement difficult, and Sapphire found herself sliding backwards towards the chasm. Her slick metal armour provided little grip, and she was building up a lot of momentum.

"Help!" Sapphire yelled, trying to dig her hooves into the ice. Several soldiers noticed her, and sprinted over carrying lengths of rope to be used for hauling up the dead and dying. One soldier tossed a length of rope down to her, and she bit into it with all of her strength. It tasted like one of the heavier ponies on the expedition had been flossing his backside with it, but it was her lifeline. They dragged her up, away from the icy maw of the crevasse.

One soldier dragged her to her hooves, countering the immense weight of her armour. "Thanks," Sapphire shouted, relieved. The wind was picking up again, making the sled sway precariously above their heads. More lumps of stone, marble and sacks of cement went tumbling into the abyss, sending a spike of icy sickness into her gut.

Several sickening crunches could be heard as some of the screams stopped abruptly. The scene was nightmarish; some soldiers running around trying to help while the engineers and civilians stood by, mouthes agape. "Get some saws over here, get the sled back on the ground!" Sapphire shouted, trying to get control of the situation. "Lieutenant, where's my sit rep?"

"Captain!" The young lieutenant ran over, "we believe the weight of the sled opened up the chasm, which in turn, well..." The soldier gestured with one hoof at the carnage. "The sled was carrying building supplies, along with a small amount of water. We can recover most of the supplies, but we've lost most of the expedition's supply of sparkling..." The young soldier looked at his checklist in amazement. "When did we requisition champagne for the expe-"

"I'll feed those damned Canterlot ponies to a bear, I swear." Sapphire stormed away from the soldier towards the ongoing rescue effort. Within moments, the supports holding the sled upright were cut, sending the sled slamming back into the ice.

"Captain, the sled is secure!" shouted a soldier, rushing over to help lift the survivors from the chasm. Ropes were lowered, anchors were slammed into the ice and ponies were fitted with abseiling harnesses. "Get some medics in those harnesses!" one of her subordinates shouted, organising the relief effort. One of the sleds further down the line was uncovered while ponies hauled out supplies to help with the rescue.

"Captain! We need you over here for a minute!" Sapphire was gradually growing more stressed and irate. She charged over to the ponies calling her, who were stood atop an icy bluff. "Captain Shard, our maps are entirely out of date. We can't plot a route around these crevasses, because the landscape has entirely changed. We can see the fortress from here, but it's going to be hell crossing this plain.

Sapphire took a moment to analyse the terrain ahead of them. Deceptively smooth, she could envisage most of the expedition being lost into unseen chasms and crevasses. "Well, we can't go over that without massive casualties. Are there any other routes that avoid the plains?"

"The maps show a narrow route around the plains, but warns that they are perfect icefly breeding grounds. There are reports of swarms devouring entire squadrons. It's either risking the crevasses or the iceflies, ma'am."

"Well, at least we can see the iceflies. Direct us around the plains, and we'll deal with the problems head-on."

"Alright then, we'll have a new route drawn up within the hour."

Sapphire trotted away, back down the small hill. Below her, ponies were being hauled up from the crevasse to be taken to a makeshift medical camp. The snow between the two locations was becoming gradually more stained with blood, marking a stark contrast in colour.

"Shit," Sapphire muttered, trying to make out the devastation. A team of carpenters were trying to repair the sled that had been mangled in the accident. One skid was buckled, the tarp that covered it was ripped and they'd lost a good amount of materiel from it, in addition to the building supplies that had been lost. Ponies were still being hauled up from the crevasse, some obviously dead. There was no way some of them could survive the wounds they had sustained.

"Lieutenant! Send out the order to get the tents set up. There's no way we'll be able to move out before nightfall, and we'll need time to make sure the new route is safe. What's the time, about half five? We won't be able to achieve much if we move, and we'll be putting lives in danger."

"Yes ma'am. 32nd Engineers, get sleds three and four unpacked!" The lieutenant charged off to organise the deployment of their shelter for the night. Already, the sun was beginning to near the horizon. Sapphire decided she would give the crevasse one last look before setting off for the night. Trotting over, she passed the makeshift cranes that had been erected to replace the anchors. The ponies that had abseiled down were now removing their harnesses while a few others tried to cover the bloodstains on the snow.

Sapphire looked over the ledge cautiously, laying flat on her belly as she edged forwards. She regretted wanting another look. Blood dripped from the various ledges and small ice-caves running down the crevasse walls. Everywhere, she could see the struggles that the ponies had been through. A set of armour that had been cut off, a sword jammed into the ice to act as a hoof-hold, a single...

'Is that a... foreleg?' Sapphire jerked backwards. She'd seen a lot of things during her service, but the mottled brown foreleg in the crevasse was disturbing. Somewhere behind her, a soldier was being operated on to prevent further blood loss. That was, of course, assuming he hadn't bled out on that small ledge. Judging from the frothy sanguine foam dripping down, the latter was more likely.

'Ok, that's enough for one day,' she decided, backing away from the sheer drop. The cold was beginning to seep through her fur-lined barding and she was starting to shiver. 'A nice, warm drink in my tent, then sleep. Tomorrow is going to be even worse,' she decided, after a moment's thought.

* * *

As the sun dropped below the horizon, Sapphire hurried her pace. She was trotting through 'tent city', the sprawling encampment they had set up in a few hours. Guards patrolled through the narrow 'streets' while sentries were posted around the perimeter. They were safe, or as safe as they could be. Somewhere around here was her tent...

'Ah, there!' The tent had a small signpost in front of it, clearly stating her name and rank. This little tent was her home away from home, she guessed. Well, at least it was bigger than some of the tents that the lower-ranking soldiers had received. She poked her head into the tent, sighing with relief. It was sparsely furnished, but cosy. Her bedroll was lying on the floor and a small chest had been placed in the corner. A set of cooked rations rested on the floor. 'Mmm, dumplings. One of the ration packs that actually tastes half decent,' Sapphire thought, smiling wryly.

She started to unclasp her armour, dumping the icy kit onto the floor. She felt a lot happier without the bulky barding on her, though it had become a second skin over the past few years. Most of her coat was slick with sweat, making Sapphire wrinkle her nose with disdain. Rushing around the camp, even in the freezing weather, still worked up a sweat. The body couldn't help that.

Her mane was worse off. Matted, dry and limp, it had lost all of it's Crystal appearance. Now it was as dull and boring as the mane of any regular Equestrian pony. She sat down, pulling a brush out of her saddlebags. Technically she should have stored her brush in her wash-kit, but she knew wash-kits wouldn't be available until morning. They were still attached to one of the sleds that had frozen shut. Oh well.

After that, she grabbed a spoon and started on the dumpling stew, thankful for the heat radiating from the dish. Even though the tent was supposedly insulated, a dank chill still permeated the air. While she was concentrating on the temperature, gravy began to leak out of the slanted bowl onto the insulation on her armour. "Shitshitshitshit!" she shouted, trying to stem the leak with one foreleg. The gravy flow subsided, prompting a sigh of relief from the gravy-coated mare. Unfortunately, her armour wasn't so lucky.

Part of the fur-insulated armour was stained with the brown sauce, causing her to sigh wearily. That day hadn't been the best of days, and the stress and exhaustion were beginning to take their toll on her. Usually she wouldn't be so concerned about the state of her armour in such conditions, but it was still a real irritation. 'Well, at least I can bed down in a bit and grab some sleep, unless that blasted insomnia continues...' She looked over eagerly at her sleeping bag. The sooner she was in the fluffy sack, the happier she would be. Even if it she couldn't sleep, it was still a warm refuge in this bleak wasteland. Hell, the entire tent was. She had a whole tent to herself and it felt good.

Sapphire rubbed a hoof across her mouth, brushing away the leftover gravy that had stuck to her lips. Those dumplings were good. It seemed odd though. The Empire was under siege and it's major trading routes were blockaded. Where did they get the high-quality meals most of her expedition had just eaten? She remembered the sealed orders she had been given just before they'd departed. 'I'm sure they're just a re-assignment after we get the fort running again,' Sapphire reassured herself.

As she untied her sleeping roll and prepared to bed down for the night, she heard the scuffling of hooves outside her tent. Sapphire reached across the tent quietly, pulling her sword closer towards her. As the tent flap drew open, Sapphire released a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

A petite mare stood at attention, shaking considerably. "Captain? W-we lost some tents when the s-sled went down, and I was ordered to find alternate accommodation with another female m-member of the expedition. If you don't want me here, that's fine, I'll find somewhere el-"

"Which brigade are you from, soldier? Who gave you the orders to find accommodation elsewhere?"

The soldier outside eeped in fear, trying to remain composed. "I'm from th-the Royal Equestrian Di-division for Communications. I think it was... Director Lemon Rind that ordered me to find somewhere."

"The feminine, arrogant bastard that leads the comms detachment?"

The mare giggled, obviously recognising the description. "Yeah, him! He's only in charge because the actual director caught the flu before we left, and they couldn't find a replacement in time."

"Hmm, that doesn't surprise me. Right soldier, what's your name?"

The mare hesitated for a second, trying to get her words straight. "I'm Rhubarb, attached to the communications brigade!"

The young soldier looked proud standing in her oversized combat armour. She had her equipment slung over her back, along with some of her kit floating alongside her.

"Well, you've hauled your kit over here already. I guess it'd be harsh to send you back to Director Dickhead with no accommodation. Well, dump your kit down and get ready for sleep. I've got a briefing early in the morning, so we'll be up early. If you want to make a good impression with our brigade, you'll be punctual in the mornings. There's nothing we hate more than an Equestrian pony that doesn't pull their weight. Keep your horn down and you'll do fine."

Rhubarb was grinning from ear to ear as she eagerly dumped her belongings on the far side of the tent. "You won't even notice I'm here, captain."

Sapphire smiled wryly. Something about this mare reminded Sapphire of her younger self, before she had dedicated all of her time to her career. "Alright. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I got sent over strai-"

A cough echoed from outside. "Captain Shard?"

Sapphire rose to her hooves, already casting an eye over to her armour. Was there an attack? Had another crevasse opened up?

"Commander's briefing in ten minutes. The situation's developed. We'll give you time to get kitted up again. Make sure you're ready to go, the briefing could take a few hours."

"Oh for fuck's sake..." Sapphire muttered under her breath. Rhubarb shot her a concerned look, before looking over to her own armour. "What is my tent, a bloody communal lounge?"

"Captain, if you don't want me to bunk here, that's fine!"

"Don't worry Rhubarb, I'm just a bit stressed. Get some sleep. This doesn't have anything to do with you."

Sapphire crossed the tent and began to strap her armour back on, easing the freezing metal back onto her skin. Once she was fully barded again, Sapphire strapped her sword to her side. 'Better to be safe than sorry...' She trotted out of the tent, trying to find her way towards the command shelter. It was one of the only solid structures they had constructed, aside from a small mess and a minuscule shower block. Around the camp, guards were trotting around with lanterns. It appeared safe, to say the least. Those were her own guards, the best.

Regardless, she felt uneasy. She knew things were out there scouting their camp. The air was absolutely freezing. All of these things should mean something to her, but she came up blank. 'Oh well, at least we survived the first day. That's usually a good thing.'

Sapphire spotted the glowing red lanterns outside the command tent. It was a drab, low-profile building, sheltered below an icy bluff that helped to keep the winds to a minimum. "Captain? Welcome to Command. The briefing is just about to start. You're expected to make a short speech as well, so I hear. Nothing major, just a little reassurance for some of the swankier folk," one of her guards said jokingly.

Sapphire recognised the pony as one of her former cadets, a corporal. Well, at least she still got on well with her own soldiers. They wouldn't dare make a comment like that if some of the other captains were around. "Thank you, corporal. Keep your eyes open. There's something out there tonight, and I have no idea what."

Sapphire trotted into the building, noting the other high-ranking officers assembled. Lieutenant Culet from the engineers, Director Lemon Rind from the communications detachment, a few of her own lieutenants and a handful of support staff. It was a cramped room, crowded with maps, charts and lists of equipment. Ponies were talking amongst themselves, discussing matters of various importance.

"Thank you for joining us at such short notice, captain," said Sergeant Blast Glass, one of her own staff. A scout, if she remembered correctly. "Are we all ready to proceed?" Ponies around the room gave their consent, looking with interest at the major and his lightly-armoured scouts. "As part of the camp perimeter protocols, I dispatched three teams to watch over the surrounding terrain. Within three hours, I received reports back."

The major produced a document from one of his figure-hugging saddlebags, pinning it to a wall-mounted board. It was a crude sketch, depicting...

"Sombra's army. As you can see, he'll be arriving at the Empire's gates sometime tomorrow. Much earlier than we were lead to believe by General Shard and his advisors."

"Are you implying something there, major?"

"Not in the slightest, captain. However, we will need to shut down the camp's lighting if we want to go undetected. They'll be a few hours before they have a chance at spotting us. Captain, I strongly suggest you double the perimeter patrol contingent and order a blackout throughout the camp."

"Then get it done," Sapphire ordered coldly, not liking the implications the major was giving off. Her father, General Shard, would never lie to his own soldiers. It just wasn't in his nature. Sombra had obviously mobilised his forces a lot earlier, and move them under camouflage. The lanterns in the room flickered, and the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"What the fuck was that? Windchill? Someone get out there and check it out," Culet ordered, looking around nervously. They were all on edge. All of them, with the exception of Lemon Rind, understood the threat the wastes posed to them. Two stallions trotted over to the door, disappearing out into the freezing night.

"Anyway, are there any further matters that need to be discu-"

"Medic! Get some light out here, now! We've got... they're fucking dead... help!"

The assembled ponies leapt to their hooves, each shouting orders over the others. Messengers leapt out of the command room, dispatching those orders across the camp. Within minutes, every lantern would be extinguished, and every soldier would have their weapon to hoof. Sapphire pushed her way through the soldiers and officers, trying to reach the front of the tent. How had the ponies died? Was it a full-on attack? Did they need to mobilise their forces?

As she poked her head out into the freezing night air, she caught a glimpse of the guards that had previously greeted her. Her mouth dropped in shock. That couldn't be possible. The soldiers were laying there, completely frozen, encased in ice. "What the..."

"Captain! Orders?"

"Uh, raise the alarm, get the patrol complements tripled and order a camp blackout. I want patrols searching every inch of the camp. I want every edge of the perimeter watched. I want guard rosters re-arranged so everypony knows exactly when they need to be on patrol. Get those guards down to medical now. See if they can be revived." Sapphire paused, remembering something. "Oh, get those scouts back up to monitor Sombra's army. If they begin to change direction, alert me straight away."

"Where are you going now, captain?"

"To get some sodding sleep. If anything else happens, get me. But until then, I need to sleep. I've got a feeling tomorrow is going to be exhausting. Until then, lieutenants Culet and Agate will be in authority. They both understand their roles, so just let them know."

* * *

An hour later, Sapphire collapsed into her tent. Paperwork had needed signing, officers had needed permission directly from her, she had overseen the camp blackout, it had taken half an hour to receive the latest intelligence on Sombra's army...

"Captain, are you ok? I heard shouting and I wasn't sure if they needed me," Rhubarb asked cautiously, trying to gauge the captain's mood. Sapphire began to unclip her armour, yawning with exhaustion. The frozen sheets of metal hit the floor, releasing her brutally short mane and tail. Sapphire ran a hoof through her mane, trying to separate the knotted, frozen strands of hair. She saw Rhubarb lying on the floor, wrapped up in her sleeping sack. A pair of young, naive eyes were poking out of the top, along with a tuft of rhubarb-coloured mane.

This was wrong. She'd seen ponies crushed to death and murdered without a second thought today, which was a risk they all faced. But this young mare was little more than a filly, probably chosen for her magical competence as opposed to her suitability for the mission. But there was also a hint of steel in the young mare's eyes. Something that made her a soldier, as opposed to a farmer or scholar.

"Get some sleep. If Lemon Rind wants to start a fight over your disappearance, I have a few choice words for him. Don't worry, I'll take care of you for the time being."

'Wait, did I really just say that? What the hell does this Equestrian pony have to offer the expedition? She's a hindrance. Then again, I haven't actually seen her fight...' Sapphire set her reservations to one side. If the mare was here, she was capable.

Sapphire rolled out her own sleeping bag, wriggling down into the covers. The fur-lined, insulated bag was perfect for this weather. She looked over to the sleepy mare next to her. 'Heh. I guess this'll be going through the mess gossip-grinder by the morning. 'Captain Shard beds a young, innocent unicorn in her tent!' Ugh, nothing I haven't dealt with before. Still, there'll be plenty to keep them busy if I have anything to say about it!'

"Which I will," Sapphire muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something, captain?"

"No. Get to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be exhausting, and likely dangerous. The more sleep you get, the better." Rhubarb rolled over, yawning loudly. Sapphire watched the young mare curiously, remembering what it was like to have someone else making the orders. So long as you followed those orders, you would be safe. Sapphire began to drift off into sleep, dreaming of frozen horrors stalking the camp and ponies falling into unseen chasms below.

Author's Note

Hope this chapter is as interesting as the past two! Sorry I haven't been updating this recently, it's been very hard to find time for poniponi at the moment. Got another few chapters finished and lined up, so I'll make sure I get those out in good time.