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// 18 - While You Were Away// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Paul slid down from the tree he was in and almost fell over on the landing. His hands were shaking and his eyes wide. "There's riders comin'!" He pointed away from the city, in the direction they had come from.

Fast Shadow sucked air through her teeth in a hiss. "They could be reinforcements for the city, or someone looking for us. Everyone, off the road, now."

Moving was not as instant as could be desired, with their horses secured on tethers to not roam too far away. No more than half the horses were ready to move by the time the approaching thunder of the oncoming force was heard.

Flint guided his horse towards the cover of the trees hastily. "Riding this fast? They'll wear out their mounts at this rate."

"Halt there!" A rider, ahead of the force, had arrived, rearing his horse to a stop. "Identify yourselves!" The man drew a bow with fluid grace and had it directed at Flint, an arrow already knocked.

Deciding to not make a target of himself, Flint slowed to a stop. "Just travelers, m'lord. Waiting out the conflict up ahead."

"Most travelers aren't in the company of such exotic looking mounts." His eyes wandered over Maud and Fast Shadow. "Wait a tic, are those ponies?"

Maud nodded at him. "Yes."

Fast Shadow put a hoof to her face as the man scowled. "I thought the description was a wild fabrication. You're under arrest, for the assassination of his Lordship. Put your hands up or I'll just do the job m'self."

Maud tilted her head at him. "I don't have hands."

He let an arrow loose, landing beside her left forehoof with a thud. "I don't care what you call them. Get them up." As he reached for another arrow, Maud became a streak.

She bolted forward and jumped onto the rider, crashing her hooves down the man's shoulder with the force of a flung boulder. They both crashed down from the horse, but Maud remained standing, while the rider was sent sprawling to her feet. "We don't want to fight, but we will do it and win if we have to."

Flint took the chance to vanish into the forest. Fast looked quickly before moving to join him. "Move."

The archer scowled up at Maud. "You're not getting away."

She kicked his bow away, then ran. As she slipped into the cover of the trees, she heard the subtle whistle of an arrow and spun around with a hoof extended, connecting with the lethal projectile and breaking it to pieces. Paul suddenly rushed past her, his horse trailing behind him. It was an awkward reminder. She hadn't brought her horse.

Thoughts of returning for the animal were quickly squashed as arrows began to rain around her. Other riders had caught up. The entire area had become too dangerous to risk it. She fell to all fours facing away from them and began running through the trees, dodging around the thick trunks that would double as cover.

Her flight was interrupted by the sounds of an uncooperative horse, and Paul's quiet but urgent pleadings. He appeared to be trying to coax the horse forward and failing to get the mount through a patch of brambles. She veered towards him in a sharp turn and pointed up to the horse's back. "Get on." He nodded before quickly climbing up clumsily into the saddle. She landed just in front of him with a strong jump and nudged the horse with her hind legs. "Go."

Her confidence, or perhaps her simple stability gave her horse reason enough to move forward, navigating the underbrush and thorns to reach the clear path beyond.

Fast waved to them from around a tree. "Over here. We're far enough."

Maud guided her new horse towards Fast, to find her and Flint had both come to a stop together.

Flint nodded to her and Paul as they came into view. "Glad you made it, and not an arrow in anyone. Not so bad, even if we lost 2 horses for it."

Fast let out a slow sigh. "Quick thinking back there, Maud. That worked out better than I imagined it would."

Sliding off his horse to the ground, Paul looked increasingly worried. "How's Tree gonna find us, what with us run off an' all?"

Maud looked up towards the dense canopy above. "She'll figure it out." Her eyes returned to her companions. "What now?"

Flint threw up his hands. "A grand question. I was just gettin' used to that camp, but we knew it was temporary."

Fast looked over the trees surrounding them before selecting one to approach. She reared up to two legs, then began to scale. She wasn't as fast a human might be, but she seemed sure and steady as she hooked forehooves around the thicker branches and hauled herself upwards and pushed off the same with her powerful hind legs when the opportunity was given.

Paul watched her ascend a moment. "I didn't know horses could do that."

Flint shrugged. "Good thing she ain't a horse then, ain't it? Paul, you gotta start gettin' some learnin' in ya before you get one of us killed."

The other human's expression fell. "It ain't that I'm against learnin' or nothin'. What am I supposed to do? You gonna show me how ta be a ranger overnight?"

"Are ya willin' to learn?"

Paul went quiet, and slid against a tree to the ground. In a small voice, he said, "I don't wanna die, or get no one killed."

A hoof settled on his shoulder and he looked up into the impassive face of Maud. "Do what you can. Don't do what you can't. That's all anypony can do."

He chuckled a little, which turned into a hysterical touch of laughter. "Yer right, of course. It's still... kinda stupid." He sat up. "Thanks. Uh, Maud, so what do you think I should be doin' then?"

Maud lifted her shoulders. "What did you already do?"

He tapped his pointer fingers together, eyes turning to the ground. "Well, ah was pretty good at manual labor, farmin', you know? Ah liked to go lookin' around, with mah friend." He looked up to Flint, who seemed to be trying to make a shelter of some sort. "I never found a faerie treasure before, but then we found you." He put a hand to his head. "Shoulda known. It's how the stories go. Ya get rich fast, or your life's turned into a nightmare."

She stared at him for a quiet moment that stretched on a bit longer than he would have liked. "What?"

"Am I a Nightmare?"

He shook his head quickly. "N-no! Yer..." He smiled a little. "Yer amazin'. Ya try to do the right thing, even when yer neck's on the choppin' block. Yer moves are so..." He made a bit of a faux punch into the air back and forth. "I can't even follow them, but you don't wanna hurt no one. Even after ya work someone over, ya never really hurt someone. Ya know?" He pushed up to his feet and started dusting himself off. "No, I'm the one botchin' it all up. I wish I was as great as you were, Maud."

She tilted her head. "You want hooves?"

The absurdity of the question struck him in the gut. He burst into laughter. "If it meant learning how ta be that amazin', maybe. But even I know it don't work that way, so I'll keep mah hands, right?"

She turned to display her tail. "Do you want a tail?"

"No, no! It's none of that. It ain't your, you know, body."

She shrugged softly. "What is it?"

Flint turned from his lean-to. "He wants somethin' more precious than that. Yer knowledge, and spirit. He's jealous, lass." He gave the primitive structure a little shake. "Not in a bad way, mind. Though I bet he wouldn't mind being as solid as y'are."

Maud looked to Flint and back to Paul. "Learn and practice."

Paul smiled ruefully. "Isn't that the truth of it all, ain't it?"

"It is."

Flint sank down beside his new home, meager as it was. "It is. She ain't lyin'. Ya think I was born knowin' how to hunt? Me father traded services with another hunter, to take me under 'is wing and show me the ropes. Cost them both a lot ah time, but ah like ta think I'm puttin' it to some use."

Fast came sliding down the trunk, descending faster than her first climb as she slid down to each solid branch. "I think they've moved on to the city. The old camp site's still too dangerous. Other reinforcements could be coming."

Maud turned towards the city hidden by the forest. "Do you think Tree Hugger is alright?"

Fast snorted as she gave a firm nod. "She doesn't look it, but she has a keen head on her shoulders. She said she'd have to rest. She has enough money to get a room. By the gods, she'll rest better than we will, tonight."

Maud tilted her head. "She's never been in a human city before. Neither have I."

Flint shrugged. "She ever been in any city?"

"Canterlot."

"Never heard of the place." Flint rose up and began kicking out a clear space. "Evening's settin' in. I'm gonna get a small fire goin' so we don't freeze to death at least. Maud, Fast, see if ya can't rustle up something worth eatin'? Uh, no rocks today, kindly."

"Your loss." Maud trotted out into the forest.

Fast clapped Paul on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll show you what to look for. No time like the present to learn how to survive, and how to help."

Paul started away from the bipedal pony. "What? Really? Won't I slow you down fierce?"

She fell to all four before she shrugged. "We'll make do. Put your thoughts to listening and helping. We'll get something for our bellies, and your mind." She turned away from the new camp and headed deeper into the forest. After a moment of hesitation, Paul hurried to catch up with her.

She went slower than she normally would, and began pointing out the signs she'd look for to find easily plucked leaves, berries and roots that could satisfy a hunger without killing the person foolish enough to eat the wrong thing. "If you see spots on the leaves, avoid them. If they're slick to the touch, avoid it. Look at all rotten? Avoid that too. Half of this skill is learning what not to try to stuff in your mouth. For now, gather, but don't taste. I'll check them all before we get to eating anything." She knocked a hoof against a tree. "Learn this one well. Its roots are actually rather delicious, if you can find the good ones. Doesn't generally kill you either, as a plus." She dug in the ground and pulled out a fat knot of them, adding to her collection. "Just remember, you, my friend, are a human. That's an advantage. You get to pick things up and look them over before they ever get close to your mouth. Use that advantage."

Paul nodded along with her instructions as he plucked at berries and fruits at eye level that looked tasty enough. Half of it would be thrown away when they got back to camp, but that meant half wouldn't be. He had helped, and it made him a little prouder for the effort.