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// 42 - Go West, Fair Ponies// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Tree kept sneaking glances at Maud as they walked back towards town. "Sister, you know we can talk, like, whenever, right? You won't bother me laying it on me."

Maud raised a brow. "What do you want to talk about?" She kept one hoof on the horse's reins, guiding it slowly along with them and giving it time to regain its breath.

Tree rolled a hoof lightly. "Oh, you know, anything at all, sister. How are you holding up?"

Maud's raised brow fell. "I'm fine."

Tree shook her head slowly. "I mean it... Maud, it's alright to talk with me, about anything."

Maud snorted softly, and looked like she wanted to say something, then went quiet again.

Tree inched a little closer. "I know it can feel totally lame sometimes, like you're stupid for even thinking some things, but let that go, Maud. Please, share with me. I can't promise to be you, but I can be me, man, and I want to be here, for you."

Maud stopped, bringing her horse to a halt. She turned on Tree. Her face was neutral, but her attention and her focus were becoming overwhelming for Tree, who tried to stand there with a little smile despite it. Maud let out a slow breath. "I appreciate what you're trying to do." She turned forwards and began walking again. "Look, I just want my sisters, and my parents. That isn't stupid."

Tree hurried to catch up with the resumed movement. "Of course it isn't! Anypony'd agree that's worth doing." She tapped her chin twice before nodding. "Don't take this the wrong way, sister, but I don't call you that idly." She smiled in her tranquil way. "I'd totally dig having you as a sister. You're so strong and dependable. You care so much for your family. You put the earth in earth pony."

Maud walked stoically along for several quiet minutes before the silence was broken. "You're a good earth pony."

Tree perked her ears at her walking companion. "Hmm?"

"You. You're a good earth pony." She kept her eyes straight ahead, and her walking was even.

Tree put a hoof to her chest. "What? Me? I don't grow anything, like you. I don't have a big loving family, like you." She suddenly giggled. "Maybe I'm a little jealous."

Maud looked across at Tree. "If there's anything you want to tell me."

Tree flushed vibrantly as her words were turned against her. "W-well, man... Sheesh. I can't say no to that after I just put you on the line, sister." She smiled gently. "I'm the only part of our little group that can't fight. I'm the only one that freezes up when things get scary too quickly and I start flipping out. I... I don't like being the weakest."

There was silence for a time, the two walking side-by-side. Tree couldn't stand it and stomped the ground once as she walked. "Well?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to reply, to what I said?"

Maud looked confused a moment before she nodded. "I'm not used to these. You're not the weakest. You do what you do very well. You can do miracles." She reached over and tapped at one of Tree's hooves as she walked. "Every touch. You call it 'the song of the trees'. I might be dead a few times without it."

Tree shook her head. "You would have found another way, sister. Another way home, to your real sisters." She glanced aside at Maud. "Am I silly for thinking you're a great sister?"

Maud cracked a little smile. "Pinkie always said I was a great sister..." Her smile faded. "I miss her."

Tree nodded. "I met her before. She was at the gala." She tilted her head. "You were there too, come to think." She gave a sudden little giggle. "She rode you like a boat."

Maud nodded a little in return, but said nothing. If there was humor in the situation, she didn't express it. "We should ride." She smoothly hopped up onto the horse. She offered a hoof down to Tree Hugger.

Tree knew it for what it was. It was acceptance. She took the hoof and was soon riding behind Maud. She hugged the solid earth pony gently with her altered legs. "We'll get you back to your family." Being so close to Maud didn't feel so bad.

Elsewhere, Fast and Paul came across the prone form of a man, hogtied and left to rot in the sun. Paul shared a glance with Fast before he hopped down from his steed and gave the man a nudge with a foot.

With a start, the man awoke, but there wasn't much movement he could take. "What? Oh. Back to gloat?"

Paul shook his head. "Ain't nothin' like that. 'Sides, how can we come 'back' where we ain't been before? What's yer deal?"

"I don't have to tell you anything..." The man frowned at Paul, but second thoughts came quickly. "But I might, if you let me free of these ropes."

Fast approached, still mounted on her new horse. "That depends on the tale. Speak clearly and truthfully if you want a chance at freedom."

He looked away from Fast, to Paul. "Damn horses are all alike, so eager to see me get torn to shreds by whatever wild beast happens by with an appetite. You wouldn't consign a fellow man to that, would you?"

Paul looked uncertain. "Well, no, I don't want to do that, so why don't you tell us how this happened?" He saw a rapier laying on the ground and picked it up curiously, turning it this way and that. "This looks nice."

"That's mine, you put it down." He squirmed impotently. "Look, fine, your friends got here first, alright! They took it. Let me go already, or just murder me and get it over with instead of pretending something else is going to happen to a man tied up in the wilds."

Fast perked an ear. "They have the crown?"

"Yes, gods damn it all. They have it." He thrashed as best he could, managing to flop over in a heroic struggle. "Just let me go already!"

Fast reached down with her lance, hooking it under the man's ropes and flipping him him onto the back of her horse. "You won't die here, but you've made some new enemies in the city. They'll want to speak to you. One of your friends is seriously injured, we'll gather him up on the way."

"W-what? I'll take my chance with the wolves!"

Fast turned back towards the road. "Let's go pick up the straggler if his other friend didn't snatch him up and get back before dark."

Paul slid the rapier onto his belt before hopping onto his own horse. "Alright. I'll take the other one. No need fer you to have both of 'em. If he's hurt so bad, we should get him looked at before 'turning him in'. Only the right thing t'do."

Fast nodded. "Too right. We'll pass him to Redtail and leave it to his discretion."

As one they turned away from the fight scene and began their return to the city at a light trot of their horses.

Later, back at the city, the group found one another at the tavern they started at.

Fast smiled at the two Equestrians. "I'm glad to see you're both well and safe." Her head tilted a bit. "What had you in such a hurry that you'd leave a man to die slowly or terribly in the middle of nowhere? If you've made a judgement, a swift death would at least be a mercy."

Maud glanced away, saying nothing. Tree stepped forward. "Oh, sorry, that was totally my bad. Won't happen again." She smiled her placid little smile.

Her words brought Maud around. "No. Enough lying." She put a hoof in front of Tree. "I just want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Fast tilted her head. "I see... Let's not become monsters on our way to the goal, my companions. The end does not easily dispel the means, and I would not wish us remembered as vicious brutes and unfeeling brigands. We are the only representatives of our people in many miles." She smiled a little. "No hard feelings, just bare that in mind, alright?"

Paul suddenly snapped his fingers. "Right. I meant ta ask somethin'." He drew out his rapier and laid it out on the table. "The jerk ya walloped good had this. Is it just nice lookin' or what?"

Tree peered at it. "What?"

Fast smiled and rolled a hoof. "I think Paul wants you to check it for magic."

"Oh!" Tree waved her hooves over it and turned her sight towards its aura. "Radical... It does have a nice aura, like Fast Shadow's lance, I think."

Fast glanced to the lance at her side. "Ah, basic enchantment. Good thinking, Paul. That's money if nothing else. Do you plan to keep it?"

Paul took up the rapier and slid it back under his belt. "I should get a sheath fer the thin', but yeah. Can't hurt ta have a backup."

Fast clapped him on the shoulder with a metal-shod hoof. "Now you're starting to really sound like a seasoned adventurer. When you're being squeezed to death by someone as talented as Maud here, you won't be able to get your big sword there into position, but a rapier might let you fight back."

Maud tilted her head. "He stabbed me a few times with it until we had him tied up."

Tree shook her head quickly at the words. "How can you say that so casually?"

"You're there."

Tree went silent instead.

Fast moved up to Tree. "She's right, you know. A healer at a warrior's side makes all the difference. Maybe I haven't been saying it strongly enough, but I'm glad you're at my side." She waved a hoof. "All three of you. You've all been great, and it's been my pleasure and honor to walk at your side, and fight at your back."

Paul lifted his shoulders, rolling them slowly. "We should get the last of our supplies and get out while the gettin's good. I don't want no more surprises."

Maud trotted for the door. "Alright."

Fast turned to follow with a little snort. "Wouldn't hurt you to return the sentiment."

Tree followed quickly after Fast. "You're the best leader I ever had, man."

Fast swiveled an ear back at Tree. "I have a feeling I'm the only leader you've had."

"Guilty." She smiled gently. "Still the best."