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// 62 - Setting Off// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

It wasn't the prettiest boat that any of them had ever seen, but it was a step up over a few logs slapped against one another, by at least a half-step. Tabitha waved her hands at it. "Ta da!"

Fast approached first, reaching up and clopping down on it in different places, testing its firmness. "Better than I would have managed."

Paul shrugged softly. "Ain't never seen a boat, I'll confess, but let's see how it actually does in water, right?"

"Right." Fast moved to one side of it. "Grab the other end. Maud, hold the rope and make sure it doesn't float away after all that."

Tabitha threw up her hands. "I would be so miffed at that."

With Fast and Paul working in tandem, they easily hefted the raft far enough to set it in the largely placid waters of the lake. The bound logs seemed water proof, mostly. Tabitha hopped up and saw to the missing spots swiftly, reinforcing and rechecking things. "You think not seeing a boat's hard? Shipwrighting's considered its own thing separate from carpenting, not that carpenting doesn't count or anything." She plopped down in the center. "Think you could kill up a few animals?"

Fast raised a brow high. "What for?"

"Wouldn't mind having a sail, if we could."

She snorted softly. "We are still on a schedule. Catching, skinning, and preparing a hide isn't a one day task last I checked."

Tree Hugger tapped her chin. "I think I know a song for this, but the idea of killing an animal just to go faster... Let's avoid that and keep our karmas clean."

Paul moved out of sight a moment, returning with several long and rough oars. "Great, you can have first shift rowing the raft, keepin' that karma as clean as possible."

Tree frowned, but stood by her values. She accepted two of the oars and hopped on the boat. "When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning." Fast nodded. "Let's get this back on land, let the sealant set, and get some sleep. First light, we head off."

They hauled the craft back onto land a safe distance, then got some rest. Under the watch of the gibbous moon, nothing came to hunt them, and they awoke to the sun of a new day. They ate quickly of their rations and boarded the ship. Fast pointed ahead. "I hope you're all ready for some work, but, luck allowing, we'll be in the empire soon."

Paul took an oar, moving to the opposite side of Tree despite his words the day before. "This going to take us right into pony land?"

Fast snorted at the title. "Not exactly. We'll still have a hike ahead, but no more forbidden forests, and I count that as a plus."

Maud moved to the side of the raft closest to the shore and gave a strong shove, making the vessel begin to drift out into the lake before she settled down as if watching over the others silently.

Under Fast's guidance, they didn't move very far from the shore, but didn't come too close either, which suited them just fine. This became especially true when they saw denizens of that forest occasionally poking monstrous heads free of the darkness to stare at them for a few long moments before drawing back in the forest.

Tree was the least worried, clopping her forehooves while Fast and Paul tended the oars. "The Society would really dig a visit. If I could get them here."

Maud raised a brow lightly. "How would you stop them from getting eaten?"

Tree shrugged softly. "If Fluttershy and I were there, we could protect the others, no problem."

Paul glanced towards Tree. "Good friend of yours? Hardly the first time you mentioned her. Figure she's a bosom buddy or a business partner at this point."

Tree nodded quickly. "She's a good friend. We don't meet up that often, but we both understand the miracles of nature and love seeing it. We met through the Society, you dig?"

Fast started to ask what society Tree was speaking of when her oar struck something and became stuck. The speed they had managed to gain saw to the oar being swiftly yanked from the grip of her snout and hooves, floating in the water upright on whatever had seized it.

Maud grabbed the spare oar and quickly took Fast's position, working with Paul to undo the spin that had begun with the violent loss of an oar.

Paul grimaced. "Guess it's good we had three instead of just two, but that's it for spares. Let's at least get past this forest before we're back on foot."

Fast pointed across the way, but all that could be seen was water and more water. "I believe it turns into a river if we go far enough. Crossing will be possible there. Hold fast to those oars. It's not impossible to move with one, but a hell of a lot slower by far." She turned to her two spellcasters. "Either of you have a trick to get us moving faster?"

Tree tapped her chin. "I could sing the song of an animal and help push the raft?"

Tabitha shrugged. "I have nothing that could help, sorry. I'm still new to this."

Fast nodded at both of them. "It's alright, go ahead and try that, Tree. Any boost is a good one."

Tree moved to the edge and let out a trembling note as her form fell to the raft, becoming a slippery and wet creature with grasping tentacles. She waved at everyone before dropping into the water, but several of her new tentacles remained on the raft, holding it firmly as she began to swim along under the raft, pulling it forward as best she could.

Tabitha blinked in surprise. "I expected something more furry and less slimy."

Fast waved it off. "This is working. Things are moving more smoothly. I should have asked her how long she can keep this up. Too late now." She nodded at the rowers. "If you need a break, I'm available for relief."

Bright peered over the edge of the raft, eyes following the line of Tree's tentacles. "Not good."

Tabitha sat up suddenly. "Bright, did you say something besides possibly?"

"Possibly."

Below the surface, Tree swam with all the grace due to her form, or at least as much of it as she could control. She was no squid by nature, but her understanding of nature's song helped her keep her limbs in motion, and she moved well enough for their task. That wasn't what worried her. The dark shape that was approaching her did. Emerging from the gloom, a small bull shark the size of a man or pony, made its presence known in a rapid swimming charge at Tree.

She released the raft and ducked to the side, avoiding being snapped up directly but still receiving a thin line of pain where its jagged teeth found purchase in her rubbery flesh. She brought in her swirling pseudopods as bark spread over them, striking the fish like small clubs. She asked the shark to leave, but it was hungry, she was one of its many possible prey, and the offer was not accepted.

Maud tilted her head before passing the oar to Fast silently. She looked ready to jump in the water, but Fast thrust a hoof in front of her. "Do you even know how to swim? What's gotten into you?"

"She's missing." Maud pointed to the lack of tentacles. "I'll manage."

"Absolutely not!" Fast clopped the top of the raft. "Then there's two of you in danger."

Paul waved forward. "You two take the oars. I do know how to swim. I'll help her out."

Tabitha smiled brightly at him even as he moved for the edge. "That's brave of you, jumping into dark waters, sight unseen, for a friend."

"I hope she'd do the same." He dove in, lost to sight rapidly in the murky waters.

Tree was holding her own, swirling around its next lunge, but it managed to outswim her flailing clubbing attempt, leaving her thrashing at empty water. "Come on, we don't have to be like this..." Of course, her words emerged as little more than the odd noises of squid, lost to anyone but any other squid nearby, which she didn't see. She heard swimming and looked up to see Paul approaching quickly. She would have smiled if her form allowed that.

The shark got confused, then enraged. It charged at the new predator trying to take its meal, but Paul impaled it, jabbing his rapier right through its center. It thrashed and flailed, but was held fast by Paul's weapon as he swam back to the raft with what could become lunch later.

Tree shook her head a little at the sight. Humans were a little scary. Despite that, she easily caught up with the raft and got back to tugging it along with the help of the rowers, reminding herself to give a big 'thank you' to Paul as soon as she got out of the water and into her hooves.