Skyheart allowed herself a few more minutes to entertain the possibility of allying herself with the griffons of the Sunderer, but ultimately discarded the notion. Even if they accepted the abandoned pony captain into the fold for the Baleful Bay operation, she knew she’d end up with a knife in the back or worse on some night. There were many advantages to being a captain, and going back to the lower ranks on a foreign ship, no less, would leave her vulnerable. As such, Skyheart retreated, hating herself for continuing to have to play things smart and flee like a coward. “It’s all for survival. Be patient Skyheart. You’ll be on top again,” she repeated as she fled.

Night fell. Skyheart was a good distance away, far off, hiding among some rocks near the water on the beach. With the sun down she didn’t mind laying out in the open, and her copper fur did not stand out whatsoever during the night. She laid in the sand and watched from a distance as the Sunderer came to a halt, several boats rowing from it to to shore. She made out vague silhouettes of the many griffons milling about, even spotting Captain Gullthunder among the throng. It was easy to separate him from the others, given the fancy coat and hat he wore, much like Skyheart did when she was captain.

To her relief, they didn’t even try coming near her. It appeared that they were setting up camp for the night, opting to only send a few scouts out into the bay proper. Skyheart knew they’d accomplish in minutes what took the lone pegasus hours, with so many sent out.

So many out there, all alone…

Skyheart’s stomach grumbled. She licked her lips and pet at it with her good wing. “I think we just found my supper,” she grinned. The pegasus eased up out of the water and crept inland, keeping her pudgy form low for maximum precaution. With so many griffons also heading inward, all scouting different parts, she was bound to corner one alone. After several minutes, she proved herself correct: Perched atop a small hill among the trees and foliage, Skyheart watched as a slim young griffon carefully made his way along a mostly-clear path. While griffons were well-versed in combat with nothing but their deadly claws, most, including this one, had a blade build for tail-wielding tucked under a wing. With night having fallen, the griffon also carried a small torch with him, it lighting the way a few feet in every direction.

Fortunately for Skyheart, the light didn’t reach her. The copper pegasus licked her lips and lowered her front, raising her rear in the air and swaying it some. Not giving the pirate griffon a moment to react, she pounced silently from above, not even opening her wings to soften the fall. The griffon had the wind knocked out of him as the weighty pegasus slammed downward from above. Torch and blade fell to the ground silently as he let out a breathless, quiet squawk. Skyheart didn’t bother to banter with her prey, more hungry than anything: She stood and hefted the griffon up with her hooves under his forelegs, opening her jaws wide before the beak. The griffon stared breathlessly into the widening muzzled before him, drool lacing over his beak and face as he was mercilessly shoveled into the maw. His one and only cry for help was no more than a muffled “Mmfff!” by the time he got the chance, head already squelching down the fat pegasus’ throat with a slimy glk!

Skyheart ate the griffon pirate quickly and without remorse or difficulty. She’d eaten ponies twice the size of the skinny griffon meal she enjoyed now, his beak pushing into her stomach after several thorough gulp, ulk, ulps! He felt legs and wings glue themselves to his sides, claws flexing uselessly, all folding into the sweltering jaws of the copper pony devouring him. Skyheart murmured happily around her feathery furry meal, imagining Seras taking the same trip down her gullet one day. Another loud schl-glrk! rang out, the griffon whining as acids rose around him and feeling his stomach slip down the throat.

More swallows and slurps followed, the flickering tufted tail and twitching hind paws of the pirate disappearing behind copper pursed lips. The tuft was the last to go, slrrr-pop!, Skyheart smiling around her griffon meal’s final remains. Though she wanted to savor the lively meal, she had little choice but to finish her meal quickly so she could get moving again. Skyheart easily swallowed the griffon pirate whole, the pony flicking her head up and GLURKing, bulging griffon parts sliding down her throat and sloshing hard into her stomach. She fought down the belch to a somewhat quiet ooorrrup and clapped her lips together, enjoying the feeling of fullness once again. “Perfect,” she uttered down at her sagging stomach, muffled cries and grrrns escaping. The mare armed herself with the dropped blade and snuffed the torch out with a few stomps, her gurgling belly jiggling in the dimming firelight.

Her dinner devoured and evidence removed, Skyheart began her retreat out back towards the beach. The griffon pirate in her stomach succumbed quickly to her powerful digestive tract, nothing but slimy glrrrns digesting the avian away. While he gurgled, Skyheart pondered where exactly she should spend the night. She stumbled across a small cave that would serve will for that, and would shield her from the elements and potentially being stumbled upon. The fattened-up mare also rationalized that others may have the same idea, leading them to discovering her anyway. She could camp out somewhere she’d have a relatively good line of sight with, coating herself with the environment.

Skyheart yawned, which morphed into a small burp and a belly groan, and had to make a decision: Camp out in a cave, or sleep under the trees and starlight?