//------------------------------//
// 20 - A Plan Comes Together// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Harold stepped from the inn, shoulders rolling under the backpacks he bore. "Alright, Tree Hugger, which way?"

She licked over her lips as she looked around in a slow circle. "The magic dude only talked to me when I tried to pass through, you know, to reach the city."

"And you have leave to bring others with you?"

She nodded lightly. "Me and my friends."

"Then it's good that we are friends." He offered a hand. "It's time to ascend."

"Aren't you going to go all big and birdy?" She tilted her head, unsure. "How do we get up?"

"Taking the form of a beast is only one trick of many for our kind." He put a hand on her shoulder, and she felt a tingle of familiar green power pulse through her, far stronger than what she could conjure. "Simply climb, as you would any stairs."

Tree gave him a skeptical look tinged with wonder before she raised a hoof and brought it down, only to find it settled several inches above the ground. She raised her other forehoof to join it, then stepped up onto the invisible platform. "Far out... But now I'm not that far up?"

"Then do it again, until you are." He stepped up, with every footfall bringing him higher and higher. "Let's go out of range and hopefully sight of hostile archers, and you'll be reunited with your friends shortly.

Bright Feathers rode on Tree as she began climbing up what seemed like an invisible slope, or stairs. She quickly caught up with him and they went together higher and higher into the sky in a slow spiral. When they went high enough to almost be even with the tallest tower, she felt the powerful presence shoving its way into her mind.

~Retrieved whatever you needed? Good, begone with you. Who is that beside you?~

Tree paused in her climbing, frowning against the booming voice. ~Like, a friend, a fellow druid. We're leaving.~

~Fine fine. Don't come back. One time is enough of a favor.~

~Peace out, man~ And it was gone, leaving Tree's head the room it needed to recover. "We're clear to go."

Harold nodded as he resumed his climb. "The voice you likely heard came from there." He indicated the huge tower that dominated the others. "The ruler of this city gains the right to occupy the highest point. Wizards and arcane sorts claim it gives them power. In my opinion? All bragging rights. An eagle can claim dominance from the sky, but that claim will prove hollow in the jaws of a bear."

Tree tilted her head lightly. "Fluttershy would be really bummed out at that analogy."

"Who is that?"

Tree smiled gently. "Another druid, I guess. She's totally into animals of all kinds. She can speak to them. It's her special gift, just like I hear the song of trees."

"Would that I could meet her. I trust she doesn't know the nature's tongue either?" He paused and looked down. "Darkness is our ally tonight. We're high enough that we should be impossible to see."

"Nah man. I didn't even know that was a thing until you told me about it." She looked down, following his gaze to see the camp around the city was difficult to pick out anywhere the torches were far from. "Woah, what if she does know about it, but thought she shouldn't tell me about it?"

Harold chuckled softly as he began to stride across the air, heading out of the city. "Then you should greet her. If she responds, she knows. If not, she does not. If she follows the druidic ways in ignorance, then you will pass on what I have taught you. As the cycles of nature, the student becomes the teacher. It's only natural."

Tree Hugger gave a sleepy little giggle. "Natural is our path, isn't it, man?"

He stepped a little lower, putting her head in easy reach and moving to pet her lightly over an ear. "It is not an easy path, but it is a pleasure to know I walk it in good company."

She considered brushing him off, but his aura felt warm and relaxing, and whatever complaints she had felt too distant. She gave a little nod and walked with renewed tranquility. Walking the path was indeed easier with good company.

"I'm afraid our ways part here." Howard pointed ahead. "Just keep walking until you don't see the camps, then come down. Don't stay in the air longer than you have to. The spell's power will fade, and that would be a poor way to leave a new friend. I have business to tend to." The backpacks he held were shrugged off and given back to Tree Hugger. Though she couldn't dream of flying with them as a raven, bearing them as a pony was something she could do. He started descending as if it were a spiral staircase.

Tree tilted her head at him. "Aren't you a bit close to the camp?" He didn't reply, or seem concerned. She let him go, and trotted onwards, until the camp was lost to sight, and she felt safe to come down. A little idea came to her and she smiled as she settled on her haunches. Bright Feathers flapped up to her head when her back lowered. "Ready for a wild ride?" He just tilted his head at her quizzically.

She shoved off the invisible surface and imagined sliding down a hill, and she began slipping and sledding on her haunches with a grin across her face and wind rushing through her dreads along the way. It wasn't the safest way, but it did carry her until she hit actual dirt and skidded to a halt. She slowly stood up with a stretch. "That was radical... You alright, Bright?" A soft caw told her he was still present and well.

The road that stretched ahead of her was familiar. She was fairly certain it was the one she had hiked along, but where had her friends gone? She hiked up and down it to be sure she found the right place, and though she could find signs of their old camp, her friends were not occupying it.

A shred of clothing caught her eye and she moved for it to find a grey tatter of cloth. Was it from Maud? With a scowl, Tree Hugger trotted off into the darkened forest, hoping her friend might be ahead, and not a hungry beast.

She would be so lucky. Several wolves stalked closer just out of sight. Despite her usually spaced out appearance, Tree Hugger's senses were sharp when it came to certain things, like the approach of those wolves. "Not cool, man. I'm not your dinner."

One of the canines stepped from the darkness with a low growl, but it faced her, studying her as she studied it.

"Not cool," she repeated as she stood up tall. She could feel the hungry presence of the wolf, challenging her for the right of survival. Who was she, to demand her right to survive was greater than theirs? She nuzzled into one of the packs that was destined for her human friends and pulled out some dried meat, tossing it before the wolf.

It was snapped up and devoured. It wouldn't feed their entire pack, but it was enough to sway the argument without words in her favor. The wolf stalked onwards, looking for other prey and abandoning her as a target.

Bright landed on her head and leaned over to look at her upside down. She smiled. "Do you think I'm tripping for arguing with a wolf?" He cawed at her, and her smile deepened. "Maybe. But I won. Let's keep our eyes open for my friends."

There it was! She saw flecks of blood and new shreds of clothing. Her friends had certainly come this way. "I hope they're alright..."

She pushed through the brambles that refused to bite at her, as if they weren't even there at all, neither hurt for her passing. New smells began to tease at her as she went from hint to hint, tracking her friends diligently. 

Light was starting to tease through the canopy by the time she circled the large tree and smiled with relief. They were all beside the smoldering remains of a fire. They were all safe.

Maud woke instantly and rolled up to her belly, looking at Tree Hugger a moment before nodding. "Welcome back."

Tree rushed her and hugged her fiercely about the neck. "I thought something might have happened to you, sister of stone."

Their words stirred the others. Flint was the next to rouse. "Tree Hugger? 'sthat you? And you have supplies! Bless your furry little body." He scrambled to his feet. "What'd you get?"

Tree gladly passed out each pack to a person or pony. They wouldn't have to sleep on the floor anymore, and had actual rations for a change. "I couldn't get the horse food. It was way heavy."

Fast frowned at the news. "You did good, Tree. You did exceptionally well. I'm loathe to get rid of the horses. The speed is valuable. We've squandered so much time as it is."

Tree looked around and did a quick counting. "Where's my horse, and Maud's?"

Maud shook her head. "We had to go."

Paul chuckled at that. "That's puttin' it mildly. We were bein' chased by a storm of arrows. Lucky we got outta there while we could."

Flint waved at the horses. "We have three left. Enough to carry us, if we don't mind doubling up."

Fast circled the camp, kicking dirt over the fire pit. "Let's pair good riders with inexperienced ones. Maud, you have a powerful empathy with them, it seems, you should pair up with someone who doesn't."

Maud pointed at Tree. "Let's go."

Tree was quite delighted to be picked. "Sister, you honor me. Let me feed the horses first, especially since we aren't feeding ourselves for a change." She hurried off and returned with a hoof full of berries. She fed two to each horse, gaining little nickers of appreciation.

Fast put a hoof over her face. "Right. It's easy to forget we have magic as an option. We keep the horses then. Let's get riding to the crypt and put this place as far behind us as we can before we get swept up into it."

Flint hiked a thumb at Paul. "Come on, you can ride with me. I've been stuck with you long enough, made me used to it, ah reckon."

They hopped on their horses, with only Fast getting a horse to herself. At her lead, they wove their way from the forest, heading directly in the direction of the crypt she wanted to explore, and distancing themselves from the siege and its worrying politics. "Thank the gods we don't have to worry about that anymore. They also shouldn't be looking for us so close to the town after spotting us this far afield. It should be relatively smooth sailing." Fast looked over her shoulder. "Assuming we don't meet a terrible end in the crypt, of course."

Paul gave a nervous little laugh. "O-of course..."