friendship is magic part 2

[allcomplete]

The forest is dark (Clarity and Guiding Star light their horns to see by, but it's almost worse than nothing, making the distant shadowed spaces darker by comparison; they soon give up). The plants that make it up are closely spaced, not all of them have friendly textures, and it is full of scary noises, only some of them the harmless snapped twigs and disturbed leaves of their own passage.

Before they've fully adjusted to the darkness, and are aware via anything but the feel of earth under their hooves that the path has sloped downward a little, it has given way under them, some of the flora and some distressingly large rocks along with it. Clarity can't even teleport. It's too dark to see where she might be going.

Comments

[follow_polaris]

"Thank you, Joy," trills Guiding.

[joyfulnoise]

"You're welcome," says Joy, (what else) cheerfully. "Let's go!" He sets out along the decent-approximation-of-a-path.

[clearthestorm]

The pegasus sisters follow.

[allcomplete]

So do the unicorns.

[clearthestorm]

The path widens as they go, but the trees close in, denser and lower; short of Joy climbing one, the fliers will have a hard time getting off the ground if they try.

After a while, Streak announces, "Agitated water ahead. A waterfall or a very unruly river." If the others listen closely, they might be able to hear the faint sounds that led her to this conclusion.

[allcomplete]

"...Okay, I can swim a little, but maybe not in fast running water."

[follow_polaris]

"I can swim a lot, but same problem."

[joyfulnoise]

"I sink," says Joy.

[ipso_amore]

"I'm a strong swimmer, but I'd have to see the river to tell if I could cross it," says Cordy.

[joyfulnoise]

The path turns slightly. Joy, with the best night vision in the group, squints into the distance.

"...Iii don't think you can cross it," he says.

[follow_polaris]

"Clarity, how much would we have to light up the place for you to do your teleporting?"

[allcomplete]

"More than horn light. I could maybe see well enough if Joy started a fire, but I'd be really worried about controlling it, even with a river right there."

[joyfulnoise]

"I don't think you're gonna be seeing the other side of this river no matter how much light you throw on it," says Joy.

[clearthestorm]

"The river is emitting sounds of distress," notes Streak. "The river or some creature in it."

[allcomplete]

"...Rivers per se rarely emit sounds of distress, although we did just meet very menacing trees, so who knows. If there's creatures in the river maybe Cordy can talk them into giving us a ride."

[ipso_amore]

"No promises," says Cordy.

[joyfulnoise]

"I think I see creatures," says Joy. "I definitely hear it. Them? It?"

[clearthestorm]

They're close enough now for Streak to make out details. "It. A singular creature. Very large and snakelike. And I see what you meant about seeing the other side, Joy. The creature's thrashing is causing large waves and considerable spray."

[allcomplete]

"That'd make fording tricky even if it were shallow and otherwise calm and we were all experienced aqua-ponies."

[on_what_wings]

"No kidding," says Blaze.

A little farther along, and they're close enough for everyone to make out details - and hear the river creature's despondent wailing.

[allcomplete]

"Some kind of water serpent. I think those usually speak ordinary language, though, so we can all talk to him. If he wants to talk."

"BAWWWWWWW," sobs the serpent, thrashing miserably.

[on_what_wings]

"Aww!" says Blaze sympathetically.

[allcomplete]

"What a world!" bawls the serpent. "Oh what a world!"

"Excuse me? Sir?" says Clarity. "Why are you crying?"

The serpent regains enough control of himself to reply. "Well, I don't know," he sniffles, "I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and snapped my left fang clean in half, and now I'm positively unpresentable!" He opens his mouth to draw breath for more wailing, displaying a broken fang that does not match the one on the right.

[on_what_wings]

"Aww," repeats Blaze. "What a mean cloud!" She comes up closer to the river and peers at the serpent's mouth. "...hmm, I wonder," she murmurs to herself. And a little louder: "Hey, mister serpent? How would you feel about a replacement fang? In, say, red?"

[allcomplete]

"Red?" muses the serpent. "Red. I think that would look very fetching if complemented with these mustache accessories I've had no opportunity to wear in aaaages. But I'm sure it's impossible -" And then he's crying again.

Clarity looks confusedly at Blaze.