Finding the Griffon's Goblet

They have arrived. After hours on the plane, the group of four ponies ventured out into the mountainous region. On their way to the first mountain they saw bunnies, birds and the occasional wolf. They often stopped to rest or munch on the wild grass that grew in the cold, mountainous climate.

"Ugh! When are we going to get there?" Feather Heart asked while flying lazily above them.

"Look the first mountain is right there!" Forte Melody pointed her hoof to a small mountain about a mile away.

"Cool" Feather said and she joined the other three ponies on the ground.

At the foot of the mountain, the four ponies stood gawking at its size, even though it was the smallest in the area. Acoustic and Feather Heart found a trail that led over the mountain. They started up the winding trail that zigzagged and curved. Every hoof had to be placed carefully so that it wouldn't slip , and even the two Pegasus were having trouble flying with the little oxygen the high, mountain are had.

"Hey look a cave!" Plus motioned her head towards a small crevice in the side of the trail.

"Maybe we could rest." Acoustic said while poking her head inside.

The ponies crammed into the dark hole. Forte Melody used her horn to summon a faint yellow glow and they all wandered through the cave. Something red and shining caught Acoustic's eyes and she pulled Forte over so her glowing horn could reveal its identity. Looking closer, she saw individual little crisscrossed patterns that looked familiar on its surface.

Forte screamed and ran from the cave. Bewildered, Acoustic looked back at the object she had been observing and realized she had been looking at a dragon. It was sleeping in the dark corner of the cave and its shining red scales glowed when Forte's light shinned on it. The crisscrossed patter on its surface was actually its scales.

"Run! Run! Dragon!" Acoustic reared up and yelled through the cave. The dragon's eyes flew open and glowed yellow. It snarled and flared its nostrils. Smoke climbed from its nose and a rumbling growl echoed in the cave. The three ponies left in the cave and ran screaming and shrieking from the dragon and ran out of the cave.

They met Forte outside and scrambled down the trail. The Dragon flew over them and landed in front of them and cornered the ponies between the side of the mountain. It herded them closer and closer into the wall and the ponies couldn't do a thing. It was a small dragon about the size of a large stallion but it looked strong enough to take on all of them.

"HELP!" They all screamed.

When all hope was lost the ponies heard a faint sound. It was the familiar sound of a pony's hooves hitting the ground. Suddenly, a green flash landed on top of the dragon and pinned it down. A second flash landed nearby the ponies and revealed itself a red Pegasus. The green flash was also a Pegasus and he wrestled the angry dragon.

"Come on!" The red Pegasus yelled to them and led them away from the dragon and Pegasus .

"What's going on!" Plus shrieked

"We have to get outta here!" He motioned his wings toward another cave farther up the trail.

"Wait! I don't wanna go back into a cave!" Plus froze outside the entrance and tensed up.

"We have too!" Feather Heart pushed her into the cave.

"Is everypony inside?" He asked . Feather Heart nodded once she got Plus into the cave.

"Now everypony, don't make a sound!" He whispered to them. Feather Heart covered her face into her wings and curled into a ball, almost trying to be invisible to an enemy Forte bit her lip so she wouldn't cry in fear. Plus placed her hooves over her eyes and collapsed to the ground. Even Acoustic wrapped her wings around her body to stop herself from shaking.

They huddled close together and waited. It got so quiet in the cave that sweat beaded the top of Forte's head because of the piercing silence. A loud sound cut through the quietness and sent the ponies into a mute panic. A shadow passed along the ground outside the cave and sent them over the edge.

"Hello? Are you guys okay?" The green Pegasus pony limped into the cave and sat down. Huge sighs of relief escaped the ponies mouths as they realized it was only the green Pegasus.

"What are you guys doing up here on such a dangerous mountain?" He asked.

"We're not telling you. We can get across this mountain alone and we can handle ourselves." Acoustic said while crossing her hooves.

"Fine. Don't tell us, but if you're looking to get across the mountain on this trail then you're going the wrong way. There's a better trail not far from this cave. We can show you."

"Ugh! Fine just don't think we can't handle ourselves out here." Acoustic sneered.

They headed out of the cave and towards the other trail. Forte fell alongside the red Pegasus pony.

"Don't mind Acoustic, she just doesn't want others to think we're soft. Oh, and thanks for helping us." She said nudging his flank. They walked side by side along the trail.

"Are you okay? You fought bravely against that dragon. How did you do it?" Feather Heart walked with the green Pegasus pony.

"Oh, you know, my hooves, it was just a young dragon anyways, all he needed was someone to show him who's boss." He laughed to himself and Feather joined along.

The six ponies walked down the mountain till there hooves were aching. Finally, they made it over the mountain and the next mountain, bigger than the last, loomed over their head.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"