# Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone

## by David Silver

### 16 - Going Native

Tree Hugger shook her head violently. "This can't be happening! I'm totally tripping right now. I'll never smoke again, I promise!"

Fast set a hoof on her gently. "You're alright, Tree."

"Alright?" She sat up on her haunches, her legs quivering as she kept glancing at them and away. "I'm not alright! Being a bird for a little while was trippy, but it was just for a little while, and for a reason. This? This is beyond gnarly." She held up one of her hooves, thrusting it at Maud. "Look at me!"

Maud did look at her, and her eyes drifted to Fast Shadow and her own sculpted legs and hooves. "You look different. Was it the soup?" She raised one of her own hooves to look at it, but it seemed normal enough.

Paul and Flint, who had been enjoying their dinner when the fuss began, approached. Flint looked at the distraught Tree. "You look like you've gone and seen a ghost, Tree Hugger. What's wrong?"

She thrust her newly configured hoof at him and said nothing.

Paul peered at it. "Looks like a normal horse. So, uh, ya didn't plan that?"

Tree whipped her head around to look where the horses were grazing placidly. She compared their legs to her own. They were quite similar indeed, if one discounted the size differences between them. She was a horse... She wasn't a pony. She was just a little horse. She reached up and felt over her face, but it seemed normal enough for the moment. Suddenly she was struck across the face.

Fast Shadow was frowning at her. "Get it together. You're not hurt, just changed. I've lived my whole life like this, it isn't that bad. Your screams are going to draw the wrong kind of attention."

Maud put up a hoof between them, seemingly guarding Tree from being hit again. "We should sleep."

Flint nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, but we can't go screamin' our heads off and hopin' the army across the hill doesn't hear us or nothin'." He crouched down and took one of her shaking hooves in his hand. She started and looked up at him, quivering, but quiet. He gently rubbed along the bottom. "Easy there."

She trembled, but it was a new one. The underside of her hoof, her palm or frog, was sensitive, and it being rubbed gently made her mind wander. "M-maybe you're right. If the trees did this, there has to be a reason for it. They don't do things randomly..."

Fast gave a slow nod. "Feeling better? I'm sorry I hit you. Let's try to get some sleep. Maybe things will look better come the morning light."

Tree Hugger drew her hoof back, then flopped to the ground, still quivering lightly. The camp became quiet and dark. Only the light of the stars and moon shone down on them. Tree wasn't happy. Alone and chilly, she looked around. She tried Maud first, sliding up to her and trying to get in a little snuggle for warmth, but Maud wasn't available for that, and barely reacted. It was like cuddling a rock.

Tree moved for the other equine there, the one who's legs matched her own. She curled with Fast Shadow, who tensed at the touch, but didn't reject her. Tree hugged close and pressed into Fast's back, and the warrior pressed back. The worries of the moment began to melt in the shared space. Tree nipped an ear and held Fast tightly, and both surrendered to the need for slumber, with the coldness of the night banished for the time.

Maud woke first and took another bowl of soup before pouring the rest out and starting a new pot. She added the vegetables and roots that Fast had found the night before and cooked them up. The aroma quickly roused the others, pony and human alike.

Paul sat up. "I didn't know you cooked beside horse stuff."

Fast sat up out of Tree Hugger's legs. "Smells wonderful. Wonderful thing about soup, just add things to water." She rolled up and Tree Hugger kicked up beside her. "Feeling better, Druid Hugger? You look better."

Tree quickly raised a leg into view, but it was a horse leg, not a pony leg. "Oh. I guess so. I'm a little harshed out, but I'm trying to be chill about it."

Maud nodded at Tree. "Be brave."

A nervous little giggle escaped her. "Be brave, yeah... I'll try, sister of stone. Let me have some of that righteous soup you're making and I'll head over to that city."

The serving spoon made the rounds, with little noises of appreciation rising towards the chef and Fast's keen eye for good food. Paul frowned towards the hill that separated them from the army. "Be fast, Tree Hugger. They're probably going to start snooping around here soon, from what Flint said."

"They'll be doing what we did, scavenging for food. An army only travels with so much. Sieges are rough on both sides, unless they have really good supply lines," explained Flint as he sat up. "Let's not be in their way."

Tree Hugger stood up. "Alright, I get the idea. I'll..." She trailed off with a frown. "What if it happens again?"

Maud brought her forehooves together silently. "Then you'll be more like Fast Shadow. If we get home, Then we can fix things. If you don't go, we never will. Is that what you want?"

Tree tried to feel out the emotions of the words, but they weren't there. Was she disgusted, encouraging, or angry? Tree didn't know. She lowered her head a little. "I'll be back." Turning away from them and stretching her forelegs wide, she invited that green power, even if it seemed to be changing her. More immediately, it changed her into a bird, the same she had become the day before. With a powerful flap of her new wings, she launched herself into the sky, and began her journey towards the city.

A familiar bird flew up to greet her as she sailed over the army. "Hi!" he cawed at her, but she could understand its meaning. "You're back and you didn't get killed by the ugly big things. That's good. Do you need to know where somewhere else is, today?"

She shook her head at the bird she assumed was lovestruck. "Nah, man. It's all good. I just need to get into the city." She directed towards the city with a beak.

He glanced where she directed. "That place used to be a good place to get food, but you can't get in anymore."

"That's where you're wrong, feathered dude. I'm totally getting in."

He flew around her in a circle. "You know a way in? Show me! I showed you something. You show me something. Then we're even, yes?"

She smiled internally at his excitement. "Far out, sure. I'll reveal the path for you, but you have to keep it a secret. Only me and my friends are allowed in." She flew in a little closer. "Good thing you're totally my friend."

He cackled. Birds of their sort were very capable of laughing. "Yes! I knew being a friend with you was the right choice. I can smell interesting things on you, pretty bird."

Was she pretty? She had been cute the day before. What made a bird either of those things still eluded her, but she accepted the compliment as given, and dived to the border of the city. She landed lightly on a cobbled street and hopped forward into the forbidden area. She felt a powerful presence brush through her being, and it let her past without challenge, but the voice returned when the other bird tried to follow her. ~Who is this?~

~Oh, he's totally my friend, dude. He's cool.~

~Very well.~

The voice seemed uninterested, or distracted. Either way, it had let them both in, so Tree spread her wings and flew up into the city itself. "See, we're in!"

The other bird flew after her with a triumphant caw. "We are! I wonder if the nice tall one has put out bread for us. This way."

Tree followed after him as her eyes swept over the city, trying to find places she could find the supplies she was charged with obtaining. "Hey, dude. There's something really heavy I have to lay on you. Do you trust me?"

He circled in place rather than go further. "What what? It can't be that bad. You're not already paired are you? All the good hens are!"

Tree wished for a moment her friend was there. She was so good with animals. "Nah, man. That isn't the problem. I'm not, like, a bird all the time."

"What?"

Tree descended to a street. "I'm going to become a pony, but I'm still your friend. I'll feed you, like I promised yesterday. Let's keep it cool, right?"

The bird landed on a fence nearby, tilting his head at her. "I don't think you can do that... But if so, fine! I don't talk pony though."

She nodded at him. "That's, like, totally cool man. Good friends don't need to talk." She released the magic, and became a pony before his startled eyes.

He took off in a hurry, leaving her behind. She sighed. "I thought that might happen..." She had a mission to get to, despite any scared birds, and she trotted along the street, looking for some shops to visit. She saw one that promised stables and feed and smiled a little as she wandered towards it. Just as she was about to pass inside, talons landed on her rump. She jumped a little and looked back to see her friend perched there. "Righteous..." They couldn't share words, but they didn't need to. Tree Hugger felt they were still friends, and trotted in with him.

A human stood behind the counter and looked over towards Tree Hugger with a raised brow. "Are you a pony?"

Tree perked her ears. "That I am."

"A druid?"

Tree tilted her head. "Is it that obvious?"

He chuckled a bit. "Well, ya got a damn bird parked on your butt like it belongs there. It was druid or wizard, at my guess, and I don't see any books, so that cuts it down to druid nicely. I don't rent out stables to ponies, even if they fit in them."

She waved a hoof. "Nah, that's cool, man. I'm here to pick up a week's worth of feed for five horses."

"What about your friend?" He gestured lightly at the bird. "We have some bird feed. A lot lighter than the huge load you plan on buying. Do you have a cart or something, miss?"

Tree looked a little baffled. "How heavy is the horse feed?"

He pushed up on the counter and reached back to grab a bag off the wall. "Here. One fit for a horse for one day's worth."

Tree Hugger advanced and reached up for it. It had a lot more weight than she had thought. Not beyond her means, but a week, for five horses... "Bummer..."