A Wish for Friendship

The sun began to creep behind the distant mountains as streaks of orange and purple began to tint the skies. A winding snake of path stretched into the distance over the grassy hills, flanked on both sides by thin woodland. Puffs of dust skipped up from the pair's hoofsteps as they made their way along the dirt track.

"Hey Greymane, how 'bout we take a break for a little bit?" a panting mare's voice called out. Lazily turning his head to cast the tired Starlight a glance, he saw that the distance between them had began to increase by several lengths. Half lidded eyes fixed on the tired mare, her breathing heavy and head lowered in exhaustion.

"Already? We have barely even started. We cannot afford the time to take a break." Greymane grunted in a response before continuing his pace. Starlight head shot up, her face contorted into a mix of shock and frustration.

"What?! We've been trotting for four hours straight! I'm exhausted!" She called to the grey haired back of her companion's head as he continued on.

"I thought you knew what you were getting into when you chose to come." he responded without even turning his head. A response struggled to form from Starlight's quivering mouth, starting several words before frustration choked them off, an exasperated yell finally pierced the air between the two.

"We're going to run ourselves into the ground at this rate! The mission is not to kill ourselves from exhaustion you know. At this rate we won't even be able to move by tomorrow morning." an angry shout hurled from her, sitting down on her haunches she crossed her forelegs in defiance. "I'm sure we are not in such a hurry that we can't afford a ten minute rest." An exasperated sigh came from Greymane as he slowed to a stop.

"Okay. A short rest" he groaned trotting back to where Starlight sat.

"Thank you Greymane." Starlight mockingly thanked through an over exaggerated smile. The contents of Greymane's bags rattled as they slumped to the ground. Starlight's did the same before she levitated a canteen from one and took several eager gulps from it. A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she pulled out a small cloth and began dabbing her brow with it. The previously wall mounted rolled up map levitated from Greymane's satchel before he began to inspect it, occasionally looking around at the terrain. Watching her companion Starlight noticed that besides the slightly more rapid breaths and small amount of sweat on his brow, Greymane showed barely any signs of exhaustion.

"You can't tell me you're not tired after all that. I'm exhausted! How can you keep going so much more than me?" she asked while she caught her breath, the cloth moving to the back of her neck.

"I'm in shape" Greymane responded flatly as he continued surveying his map.

"What?!" Starlight snapped, a flushing pink erupting through her coat as she glared daggers at the stallion. A pair of violet eyes lazily glanced over the parchment at the red cheeked mare. "I'm out of shape am I?!"

"No." a lazy reply came from behind the map, simmering her anger slightly as she continued to scowl. "But I am in better shape." Another exasperated groan came from Starlight, rubbing her temples with her hooves. "Many of Master Star Swirl's books states that it is important to keep the body strong to achieve strength in mind. So he makes us do laps around the academy every morning."

"Shame he couldn't teach you strength in social skills." Starlight muttered, falling back onto the grass. The violet eyes appeared again in a stern glare from over the map rim as it was slowly lowered. "Okay I'm sorry but I'm tired. I get annoyed when I'm tired." The paper barrier rose back up to block off the pair from each other. Rays of the sun's light crested the lip of the mountainside, pulling the sky into a deeper shade of blue and purple as the faint twinkles of stars began to appear. A smile tugged at Starlight's muzzle, she watched the eaves of Equestria's co-ruler creation start to take over the sky before a thought snapped her back. "So where are we heading anyway?"

"Saddlestone."

"Saddlestone? Why are we going there?" Starlight asked, turning to face the brown scroll shielding Greymane's upper body from sight.

"There is somepony there who I think may be able to help us." Greymane answered pulling out his canteen.

"Oh? Is it the one you told Star Swirl about? The one you that wasn't your best idea? I thought you meant me." she said rolling onto her belly. The map shot down to show a glaring Greymane.

"I thought you said you had not eavesdropped in on a high ranking Canterlot official's private meetings." Starlight's eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she visibly stiffened under his glare.

"Err... Hehe well... Y-you must have told me or something." she fumbled uncomfortably. Greymane narrowed his eyes even further at her. A grumble escaped him as the map vanished back into the bag and he focused on the canteen.

"So um... Who is this pony anyway?" Starlight hesitantly asked, trying to push past her slip up.

"Just a stallion I know. I met him several years back and he may be able to help us. Last I heard he was in Saddlestone which should be just over those hills there."

"How's he gonna help us?" A deep rumble split the cold air, cutting off Greymane's reply. Starlight's muzzle scrunched up, eyes shrinking to pinpricks. The throaty rumble sounded again beside them. Starlight watched Greymane's eyes slowly swing to the source of the noise while his body stood frozen. Crunching of grass perked Starlight's ears up. Slowly twisting her head, her fear stricken eyes settled on the crouching timberwolf emerging from the tree line, eyes glowing in the rapidly darkening light. "W-what do we d-do?!" Starlight whispered loudly, shrinking down further against the grass.

"Hold on." Greymane flatly responded. The buckle of Greymane's bag clicked open in a bubble of magic, snatching Starlight's attention away from the approaching beast. Her golden eyes locked intently on the bag as her breath held in her chest. The material flap of the bag raising excruciatingly slowly, the light of Greymane's magic shone from inside lifting something out. Never once taking his eyes off the growling creature beside them, he lifted the object out of the confines of the saddlebag.

A book.

Starlight blinked. Her eyes followed the floating book sail over to Greymane. The fluttering of pages snapped her back as her turquoise companion scanned the pages, completely disregarding the timberwolf's threats.

"A book?! Oh you have got to be kidding me! That's your plan?!" Starlight cried in panic, jumping to her hooves and smacking the book out of his levitation. The snarling bark of the timberwolf silenced her as they both turned back to the growling creature. A thump struck Greymane's chest from his saddlebags being magically thrown into him.

"Run!" Starlight screamed, her own saddlebags floating in a golden aura beside her as she galloped past him. The thudding of hooves on grass mixed with the panting of breath while Greymane caught up to the fleeing mare. Various barks and snarls gave chase behind them as they made their way over the grassy hills.

Legs aching and breathing erratic, the burst of adrenaline was all that kept Starlight's hooves going while Greymane hazarded a brief glance behind them. The rattling wooden spectre was quickly bearing down on them. A thin aura of magic wrapped his horn ending in a twinkling light at the apex of his horn.

"When I tell you to, I want you to close your eyes as tight as you can." Greymane called to the exhausted mare over the panting of breath.

"Wha-" Starlight turned her head towards his voice and the rapidly brightening light from his horn.

"Now!" Greymane shouted, his body spinning around to face the charging timberwolf. Eyes clenched tight and head lowered, the twinkling spark of his horn exploded in a blinding snap of light.

"What in Celestia's name was that?!" The panicked shriek from Starlight called, drowning out the yelps of the timberwolf. "I can't see!"

"I told you to close your eyes!" A wooden rattling emanating from the timberwolf's violent shaking of its head. Turning back he saw his friend doing much the same. "We need to keep going."

"Keep going?! I can't see!" She shouted back frustration, forehooves rubbing her eyes despite the push from Greymane.

"It's only temporary, which is why we need to get out of here." He sternly replied giving her another forceful push. The noises of the blinded timberwolf faded into the distance, rapid pounding of hooves drowning them out. Expanses of grassland fell behind them, the blinded mare's path occasionally being adjusted by Greymane to avoid her gallop being cut short by a tree.

Light of a nearby town glowed in the night. Shimmering white light highlighted rows of stone buildings under Luna's moonlight, mixing with the orange glow of torches against the dark blue night.

"I... I c-can't go any... F-further." Starlight panted over the clopping of their hooves on the cobblestone path. She slowly wobbled her way up to where Greymane had stopped, his steady frame offering a welcome support to the struggling mare.

"Huh..." his flat voice broke over the laboured breathing beside him. The deadweight pressed into his side as he surveyed their surroundings.

"Wh... What is it?" Starlight managed to croak out through the rapid breaths.

"I believe we have made it to Saddlestone." A suffered groan brought an end to his statement before the weight slipped of his side with a load thump. Greymane's attention turned to the sprawled out form of the collapsed Starlight beneath him. A muffled sigh escaping his muzzle.

"I thought you knew what you were getting into when you chose to come..."