Friends Of The Exiled

With the first light that crept up slowly the next morning, dawn had broken with a calm arrival dimly illuminating the rocky and weather beaten road.  Puddles dotted the landscape as leftovers from the previous night with the air held still and cold.  The long storm was finally over.

In the center of this area was a cart still stuck in the mud with a broken wheel and in it lay a small filly uncomfortable by the hard wood she was stretched upon and the smell of an old tarp she lay under.  With a groan of discontent, she stretched briefly before feeling the large heavy mass that gently pushed at her back as if alive.  Thinking quickly, the little one realized that somehow in the dark, she was taken by the night watchman when she was so weary.  While this pony was still asleep, she knew she had to get free and do it quickly if she would have a chance to get away.

Half terrified and half panicked, she bolted up as quickly as she could fumbling over herself as the rainjacket she wore became tangled in her hooves.  Cinder, now alerted by the quick jolt groggily awoke confused as to what was happening.

“Hey, what th-“ he managed to mumble as a rear hoof from the filly came back full force in his face and landed him square in the nose.  Barely awake, he cried out in pain as his head bounced backward and impacted the rear sideboard of the cart.  “OW!”  The young filly still trying to scramble out of the cart flopped onto the wet ground in a gasping frightened state.  “You’re not going to get me!”  She yelled as she fought to get up from the mud beneath the cart.  “I’ll fight you tooth and hoof before you get the chance!  I’m not going back!”

Cinder clenched his teeth groaning while he rubbed his nose against his upper arm as the pain pulsed. “I’m not in the mood to get any pony right now!” he shouted with a groggy and angered tone.  The young one having heard this and quickly tiring in the thick mud as she was caught in the slicker paused for a few seconds to catch her breath and think as she looked back and saw the cart.  As the seconds passed, memories from the previous night came into view.  The storm, the darkness, the cold and then the warmth all came back to her.  With a sigh of relief, she lay down on her side in the mud weary and tried to think of what to make of the situation as she looked back at the cart and the movement of the tarp that hung over it.

“That HURT you little heathen!” The voice called out from the back of the wagon as a hoof came into view.  Stepping out to the ground as his head poked out, Cinder flung his head back and the canvas flipped over just as he placed another hoof down out from the back of the cart.  Clearly angry, he stared at the small filly on the ground still bruised and scraped from the wounds gained by the night before with the small addition of a half moon impression on the tip of his nose.  As tired as the small pony was looking at the large stallion, the sight was too much to bear.  A smile grew over her face and she began to giggle.

“What is so funny?” Cinder grumbled as he blinked still trying to gain his bearings.  Letting out a stout grunt, he leaned over and pulled at the tarp on the wagon to cover the miscellaneous belongings still left inside.  Between a heavy breath or two, the small filly replied in relief.  “Not only are you not the pony I thought you were, but you look like you had a far worse night then I did!”  She couldn’t stifle the snicker that escaped from a clenched jaw.

Cinder remained silent as he broke his gaze and grabbed at a rope with his teeth.  He pulled the corners of the tarp over the ends of the cart and tied it around to secure it.  As he had done so, the large stallion removed the raincoat he had on from the night before revealing his coat and the scar of a cutie mark which the filly saw and quickly thought about with curiosity.  Placing the coat in the cart, Cinder mumbled to himself as he slowly walked around the cart inspecting it.  Regaining her composure, the little one dug her way through the mud and pulled herself to her feet.  Dragging the coat, she slowly walked back to the cart to get a closer look at her acquaintance.

She watched in curiosity as the large pony untied one of the large wheels secured to the side of the cart and it fell loose to the ground with a thud.  Turning around, Cinder wandered over to the side of the road and looked around as if searching for something.  From her position, the filly continued to watch him with her gaze as he picked a large thick tree branch with his teeth that had likely fallen from the storm and kicked at a large rock rolling it back toward the cart.  Moving it closer, he gave a swift hit causing it to roll near the broken wheel.  He then sidestepped it and placed the end of the large broken branch under the axle and lay the center of the branch on top of the rock.

Cinder eyed the branch carefully and made small adjustments moving the rock little by little and then the branch little by little.  As he stopped for a moment to look at the branch, he quickly turned and stepped back to the side of the road.  The nearby filly curious of this scene slowly walked over to the tree branch, rose a hoof, and gave it a brief poke just as Cinder shouted back from the roadside with another large rock at his feet. “Don’t touch that!  You’ll throw the balance off!”

She recoiled from the branch startled as Cinder picked up the rock and grunted working his way over back to the tree branch.  Finding a nook in the end, he placed the heavy rock on the end and gently let the weight drop down lifting the other end of the cart a little.  While Cinder turned to return to the side of the road, the little one looked over the contraption and understood what he was doing.

“Say, I get it!  You need to get the wheel up, right?”  Leaning down and lifting another rock by the roadside, Cinder grunted with a muffled reply with rock in mouth.  “Yargh.”  Raising his head over the branch, he placed the next rock on top of the other lowering both and lifting the cart higher.  As he took a restful breath, he looked back behind him and scanned the side of the road until his eyes came across the small pony in front of him.  With a quick thought, he came up with an idea.

“C’mere.” He spoke wearily as he lifted a hoof, waved it to himself, then pointed to the end of the tree branch.  “Have a seat.”

Briefly looking at the branch, she shot a quick look at him. “Why?” The little one replied as she squinted her eyes at him with distrust.

Looking back at her with a tired face, he sighed a reply.  “Just…sit there.”  Taking a moment to pause, the filly looks down and gave a weary reply.  “I don’t know, but you haven’t tied me up or turned me in yet so…I suppose so.”  Walking slowly over to the branch, Cinder stepped in close and picked her up by the nape of the raincoat.  Gently, he then placed her on both perched rocks.  With a strained creak of the and the shift in weight, the cart rose twice the height in the air as the filly held on to the other end.  “Stay.” Cinder ordered as he pointed at her with a mildly stern tone before he wandered back over to the end of the cart and dove under the tarp rummaging around.  With a heave and a grunt, Cinder emerged with a hammer and spanner in mouth and returned to the side of the cart.  Spitting them out to one side, he lifted the fallen wheel and inspected it.

“So…are you going to fix it or change it?”  The voice called from the rock perch on the branch.  The stallion looked over the wheel and after long pause gave a reply.  “Change.”  With that, he bent over on the ground, lifted the spanner and placed on the hub nut securing the broken wheel.  With a quick jerk, it came loose and spun off onto the ground.  “Think it’ll take long?”  The little one said.  After a grunt while yanking the splintered wheel from it’s hub, Cinder mumbled back.  “Shouldn’t”.  Placing his nose around the end of the broken wheel, he gave it a nudge and it fell from the hub to the ground.

Cinder turned and leaned down to pick up the spare wheel lying nearby.  Grabbing a spoke with his teeth, he lifted it, placed it on the hub and using his head, gave it a push toward the cart.  Reaching next to him, he clenched his teeth on the hub nut, placed it back on the hub, stepped back, lifted his hoof and swatted it causing it to spin on the lands.  As he picked up the spanner with his mouth, he placed the end on the nut only to hear the voice behind him again.  “Where are you going, anyway?”  With a sigh, Cinder turned around, looked directly at her, and tipped his head toward one end of the road as he replied.  “East.”  Turning back to the cart, he bit the spanner and turned it on the hub securing the wheel.  Spitting out the spanner to the ground, Cinder lifted the broken wheel from the ground and gingerly placed on the side of the cart where the good wheel was stored.  “Done yet?”  The young one shouted out in angst.  Noticing her boredom of being stuck on a tree branch, he nodded.  With a cry of glee, she left off the branch. “Finally!”  As a result, the shift in weight caused the cart to come down on the ground with a soft thud in the still murky mud.

Picking up the tools nearby, the large stallion returned them to the rear of the cart and tucked his head under the cart again rummaging around.  Curiously, the small filly approached the cart and after looking over the repair job, nodded in approval.  “Not a bad job!  Now it should be able to us both to the next town!  I can even ride in back!”  Her voice rang of happiness as the idea came out into the open.

Cinder smirked and scoffed.  “Nope” he said as he walked by her to the front of the cart.  As her expression turned from glee to shock, Cinder leaned down at the front of the cart to pick up the mud covered collar, tossed it up, and in one quick movement, jammed his nose through the center and slid it on.   Turning back to the filly, he lifted his eyebrows, cocked his head and spoke out nearly mellow dramatically.  “Bye.”  Leaning forward, he yanked at the cart.

The filly had turned from shock to disgust instantly.  “What!?  How dare you!  How dare you just use me and try to take off!  What is it with you anyway!?”  She quickly trotted over in front of the struggling stallion still fighting with the loaded cart with both wheels still caught in the water soaked rut.  “Furthermore, you have no manners!  Do you know that!?”  The filly continued as Cinder continued to pull several times growing more and more angry as the filly continued to shout.  “What is it with these short answers anyway!?  Do you have something against me?”

Teeth bared, the stallion dug his hooves hard into the earth pulling the laden cart with all his might.  Rocking back and forth, twisting, creaking and finally standing still, the cart barely moved enough to make way out of the ditch.  At the top of her lungs, the filly gave out one more scream.  “Are you even LISTENING TO ME!?”

In a flash, Cinder snapped.  “NO!  NO, I’M NOT!”  He yelled at her.  The young one before him recoiled from the outburst instantly shocked.  Breathing deep, Cinder glared at her with fire in his eyes unloading the fury wound tight within him.  “I have had more trouble in just one night between the locals here, you , and this old cart!  Out all of the issues I’ve had to face over the last three months, you are NOT going to one of them!  Period!  Go wherever you need to go, but you are NOT going to be a problem for me!  GOT THAT!?”  Nearly nose to nose with her, he slowly regained his composure and sat down, drew a deep breath, and rested as he recovered from the strain.

Still stricken with fear, the young filly aghast from the outburst flopped to the ground as her face slowly twisted to agony with a sniffle.  With a choke and a low wail, she dropped her head to her hooves and began to cry.  Cinder, still tired as he was let out an exasperated groan of frustration as the little one wept beneath the still mud caked raincoat.  He placed a hoof to his head as he grumbled to himself with mild despair.  Taking the time to gather his thoughts, the stallion reluctantly came up with an idea.  “Hey. “  He said low at first.  Taking another deep breath, he spoke again louder.  “Hey!  How about a deal? Okay?”

The filly raised her head from the ground with a nose covered in mud.  The sobbing subsided to a sniffle as she responded.  “Okay.  What kind of deal?”  Cinder tilted his head to one side.  “If you really want to travel with me, we need to get this cart out of the mud.  Most of this stuff to too heavy to unload here,  so that isn’t an option.  Help me pull it out and you can come along, alright?”  Quickly thinking, he added on a reservation as he raised his eyebrows and briefly pointed down the road.  “This is only to the next town.  I can’t have you around forever.  That’s it.  Nothing more, nothing less.”

Brightening up a bit, the filly nodded with a final sniffle.  “Okay.”  Reaching over his shoulder, Cinder bit at a rope from the collar, held up a hoof, and leaned over dropping the rope draping it over the knuckle.  The small filly standing up slowly meandered over and grabbed it with her teeth turning around and facing forward side by side with Cinder.  Digging his hooves down and leaning forward, the stallion reared up.  “On my mark, pull!  Three, two, one…Now!”  With a yank, Cinder dug his hooves into the soft ground leaving tracks as he tilted forward.  The filly grabbing dirt one hoof at a time pedaled in the road, only to slide each hoof the mud.  Looking over, cinder quickly shouted out. “Keep those hooves on the ground!  You need all of the traction you can get!”

The filly balked as she fought the slippery ground.  “I’m trying!”  Finally pulling the rope taught, she leaned down with all four hooves in the mud and pulled forward in the same motion as Cinder.  The creaking of wood could be heard as the cart shifted forward.  “That’s it!” Cinder yelled with jubilance.  “More!”  The young filly now straining hard jerked forward as her raincoat flapped about and with a single motion, the coat flipped forward over head as a pair of wings shot out and started a furious buzz.  Grunting hard, her front hooves lifted upward as she began to get airborne.

Barely catching a glimpse of her front legs lifting from the ground, Cinder shouted angrily as he turned. “I said keep-“  Looking over, he saw the whole picture of the small one nearly in the air by flight.  The small wings beat furiously as she strained forward.  His mindset quickly changed gears as he realized the new alteration.  “More thrust!  Harder!”  Cinder tugged forward as the resistance of the cart decreased.  The cart shifted hard as the wheels rose from the soft ground onto the solid path with both ponies pulling forward.  The filly toppled over as the rope went slack causing her to land on her back and Cinder pulled up on the cart.  The wheels were clearly out of the rut.

As he took a break to relax, Cinder turned his head over his shoulder to look down at the filly staring up to the sky.  He glanced at her wings before speaking.  “A Pegasi.  Fancy that.”  Leaning down, he grabbed her by the raincoat, picked her up, and set her down on all hooves.  Picking up the loose rope, he flung it back on the collar around his neck.  After having drawn a breath, Cinder grunted as he tugged forward pulling the cart and slowly continued his journey on the weather beaten path.  With the passing of a few seconds, he looked around to see that the filly was nowhere in sight.  Halting the cart, Cinder leaned to one side and back around the cart.  As he watched, the little pony behind him had removed her raincoat and picked it up from the ground.  “C’mon, I haven’t got all day.”  He said as he lifted a hoof and motioned toward himself.  ”I keep my word, but I don’t expect delays.  Let’s get going.”

“Coming!”  The filly ran up to and alongside the cart tossing the coat over the top of the tarp.  Catching up to his flank, the pair ventured onward side by side traveling down the long and winding road ahead.

*********************************

‘It’s quiet.  It’s just too quiet’ The young stallion prince thought to himself head in hoof as he sat in his throne.  Dressed in his best flamboyant morning attire, he sat alone in the large hall decorated with tapestry and carpeting made by the finest craftsponies in all of Equestra.  Waiting for his morning entourage to arrive, he waited, as usual before they would conduct the proceedings scheduled for the day.  It never takes long, but that silence was the only time he could clearly think to himself with interference before the long day ahead.  Still groggy from having to wake up earlier then scheduled, the prince drifted off slowly closing his eyes as the sleep slowly settled in.  Tilting his head forward, he took a deep breath as the world slowly spun.  His mind slowed away from the hurried pace required of him.  He relaxed as peace settled in.

Before he had the chance to fully fall into sleep, the distant tap barely heard in the distance arose his defense and with a snort, he snapped awake.  With a quick shake of his head and Adjusting himself, he sat upright in the the throne ready.  As the echoes grew, the sound of hoof steps could be heard in the distance first as a quick jog followed by a full gallop.  They came nearer as a figure illuminated by torchlight sped quickly toward the throne.  The prince raised his head and focused on the figure as it came into view.  The sound of panting quickly caught up to the hoofbeats as the figure came nearer.  As the light sparkled off of the armor, the sight grew clear that this pony was none other than the lieutenant in service just below the captain of the palace guard.

“My liege!”  The guard yelled as he ran toward the prince.  “I have an urgent message to report from the eastern lands!”  Quickly approaching the throne, the guard kneeled down before the prince panting heavily and lowering his head to the young stallion.  The Prince slid out of the throne to his hooves and tapped the ground twice before raising a hoof into the air.  “Arise.  I wish to hear this report.”

“Prince Thorne, your majesty” The guard spouted between heavy breaths. “A messenger has arrived at the tower to report that a stallion with a scar through his cutie mark shaped of an anvil was seen at a lodge during the rains last night within the forests to the east.”  Catching his breath with a gasp, the guard continued.  “He was thrown out after being told that lodging was unavailable.  After a scuffle, the innkeeper recognized the mark of shame as issued by your lordship.  He reported it as quickly as possible.”

The prince returned to his throne, sat offset in the throne with a slight slump as he squinted with contempt in the dim light.  Placing an arm on the armrest and perching his head on a hoof, he already knew the only pony that could be in the area that had such a description.  The name escaped his lips sowly without a second thought.  “Cinder.”

“Yes, your highness.”  The guard continued.  “We have a small number of ground troops nearby that can intervene and stop him before nightfall when he reaches the next town.  With your command-“  The young prince raised a hoof to stop the guard mid sentence before bringing it to his chin and tapped it as he spoke.  “Yes, yes.  I suspected he would continue in that direction.  This only confirms it.”  The prince paused and spoke again lowering the hoof as he looked directly at the guard.  “However, I have bigger plans.  For now, that pony is not to be bothered, talked to or even looked at if you or any of your guards see him.  Do I make myself clear?”  The prince raised an eyebrow in question.

Mildly confused, the guard blinked twice before he could muster an answer.  “But, my liege, he is a wanted pony!  What he has done cannot be-“  Hearing this, the prince quickly shot up from his throne clearly angry as he took a step nearer to the guard.  Pointing a hoof at him, he raised his tone.  “You WILL do what I say if you wish to keep your stripes Captain!”

Shocked, the guard replied cautiously. “Y-yes your highness.” The guard wearily continued shaken by the outburst.  “T-the other guards will be notified to stand down until further orders for action.”  The prince turned as he spun around and sat back down in his throne still angry by the action of the guard.  Speaking out, he shot a devilish look toward the guard.  “…and ONLY by me.” He added as he raised a hoof and casually dismissed the guard. “Now carry on.”  With a nod and a bow, the guard backed two steps before turning and ran in the opposite direction back down the hall.

“So, you decide to run, do you Cinder?”  The prince said as he brought both hooves together and tapped them lightly against one another in front of his muzzle.  “Everypony knows that crimes against the throne are dealt with the most severe of punishment.  Only when he thinks he is free shall I make a move to tear him down for what he has done.”  Nodding in agreement, he drew a long breath and stretched.

Taking a moment to pause from his thoughts, the young prince leaned to one side and reached a hoof over the armrest before finding the item of desire.  Wrapping a hoof around it, he brought the long sheath with the jewel and gold adorned handle to his lap.  Using both hooves to grasp both ends, he pulled them apart to reveal the blade from within.  Looking at the gleam of metal, he mumbled to himself as he inspected the craftsmanship.  “A tool to finish the job must be made of the finest quality indeed.”  Swinging it outward, the prince raised the long blade upward eye level as she squinted and smiled with glee.

“This is the blade that will end your life Cinder Stormhoof.“  The prince said to himself aloud.