A Feather's Flight (Private)

[ForgottenExistance]

(Here you are 20monkies !)

Chapter One

Flight From Home

Sellsword [/sel,sôrd/]: A person or persons who literally sells the use of their sword to others.

---

Rain thrashed on fields of red, as if the souls of the fields were crying in sorrow.

Fields of red, rinsed away by the torrents of the cold rain.

A single figure stood in the center of the field, a wide stance, head lowered.

Illuminated only by the breaks of blinding lightning, the figure barely moved.

Battle scarred armor, burnt and scratched, ready to fall off of its master at any moment.

A liquid found its way out of the master's eyes, not red, not cold.

Some believe an individual is born with a soul, some say the soul needs to be found.

A crack of deafening thunder followed by a blinding flash of lightning, illuminating the figure.

Trembling fur, stained red over quivering muscles as the warm liquid crawled out of shut eyes.

Some souls don't want to be found.

---

Scarlet's eyes fluttered open and was greeted by the sudden glare of early morning sunshine peeking over the mountains in the distance. Being awoken by a nightmare wasn't something that was entirely uncommon for the mare, she always had some sort of twisted and nightmarish version of her sordid past flutter through her mind whenever she slept, save for the occasional days where she was simply too tired to have a conscious dream. Those were few and far between, however, so she had very rapidly became numb to the feeling of inconsolable terror that would result from waking up after one of those dreams. Now, she only felt the fleeting sensation of ice in her veins, and the dull throb of a headache that came with the territory of being awoken with such unpleasant suddenness.

Taking a moment to stretch the stiffness out of her muscles, several of her joints cracked and popped at the abrupt movement, causing Scarlet to sigh with relief as her body loosened a bit. However, she wasn't one to lie about, and quickly rolled to her feet, causing a layer of sand to fall off of her armor and fur like a titan waking from a hundred year slumber underground. With the movement, her armor clanked together noisily, metal scraping and banging against metal as she stood. She had gotten used to sleeping in her armor, it was more comfortable to her then sleeping in any bed.

Armor was a second skin to her, it made her feel safe and secure, and whenever she had tried to sleep without her armor before, she hadn't been able to because she felt so vulnerable. The only time she ever slept without her armor was whenever she was certain she was safe, and really, there was no way for safety to be guaranteed. To be honest, Scarlet was surprised that nopony had noticed her sleeping on the ground behind one of the few wooden buildings in the town. She wasn't exactly camouflaged.

She wasn't complaining in the slightest though, she was actually pretty glad that she didn't have to waste time explaining to ponies why she was sleeping behind one of the buildings. Then she'd have to explain that she didn't enjoy sleeping at inns, and that she just generally didn't enjoy having to be around other ponies. She would have preferred sleeping out further from civilization where she felt more comfortable, but it was the desert. Sleeping in the middle of the desert wasn't exactly ideal for staying alive.

But that was beside the point, she thought to herself as she enveloped her multitude of various weapons in her bright red aura. Thinking wasted time, and she had somewhere she needed to be. Strapping the weapons to her body and fastening them tightly, she moved to her saddlebags and did the same with them, quickly preparing herself for whatever job she had ahead. Working as a sellsword didn't leave much room for luxuries, so traveling with only the bare necessities was absolutely required whenever she was on her journeys. Not that she even owned a house to store her stuff in if she ever had stuff to store. Kind of a double negative, but that was really just life.

Doing one quick check over herself to make sure that she had everything, she donned her helmet and set out around the corner and onto the main street of Appleoosa. She had to meet somepony who apparently had a job that required professional hooves; a simple escort job from what her contact had told her. She wasn't sure what the specifics were, but it sounded important, and it paid well. And more then that, it was something to do rather then just wandering around looking for where she could help ponies.

With an actual objective in mind, she was focused and determined to head straight to the Bison Tavern where this pony was supposed to be waiting for her. Whether or not she was doing the job alone, she had no idea, but it was a public job, so it was more then likely that she'd have to play social for a few days. That was, if anypony was actually willing to come all the way out to the flank-end of nowhere to get a good paying odd-job. Mercenary work wasn't for the ponies where weren't willing to travel, so that dramatically narrowed down the amount of ponies she might have to share the road with.

The meeting was supposed to be in the early morning, so she wouldn't have to wait long whenever she got into the tavern. And it wasn't like she was going to be hard to distinguish as one of the mercenaries interested in the escort job. Heck, if anypony mistook her for anything other then a mercenary then she was doing something seriously wrong. After all, it wasn't every day that a unicorn just waltzed down the street in full combat armor.

---

The sight of a mare stepping out of an alley was typically not that big of an occurrence. However, that particular morning, the mare in question was not your typical mare. The unicorn was white, head to hoof, with what appeared to be dark red hair and dark red tail. However, this was made difficult to tell due to the dull grey plate armor that covered her entire body, leaving only part of her neck uncovered and the slots at her eyes. The armor was thick and bulky, without the regular configuration of a guard, and had no polish or sheen to it. It was matte, with signs of repair and wear at some parts.

The armor wasn't meant for show, it was battle armor, meant to protect the wearer from any and all harm, whether it be an army or a dragon. With the armor, this mare was nothing shy of a titan. Furthermore, the mare in question had almost an entire armory strapped to her back, with weapons of all shapes and sizes tightly wrapped around her barrel with the handles and hilts facing forward. There were blades of all styles, knives, daggers, axes and spears, she even had a bow and a quiver that were compounded so she could carry it easily. The image of this mare being an armored titan was only increased by her athletic build, the saddlebags she wore, and the bedroll that was strapped on top of them.

The mare walked with determination down the street, not seeming to be bothered by the weight of the armor or the sun that would surely turn the armor practically into an oven after a few hours in the sure to be blistering sun. Ignoring all the curious looks she got from the early risers of the town, she walked at a casual but determined pace towards the town's tavern, keeping her eyes and head straight without even giving the villagers or her surroundings a complementary glance. She was a mare on a mission, and not a pony, breathing creature or the entirety of Tartarus would be willing to get in the way of the living tribute to warfare.

[20monkies]

Beyond the Everfree Forest in the South was the small town of Appleloosa, where both Buffalo and Pony lived side by side. There had been much conflict with the town itself in the past because of the territory, but ever since all was settled and done with there was harmony between the two species.

Raven Feather and Black had heard of whisperings of a job that paid quite well in the town itself. The Bison Tavern was where they were to gather for those interested candidates. Other than this information Raven had to go on by, she figured that she might as well check it out. She didn't have anything important to do lately, and her odd jobs and errands were running scarcer and scarcer as the days went by. It seemed not many a pony needed somepony like herself, especially when there were skilled ponies in their particular fields.

Aside from that as well, Raven Feather had the tendency to continuously be on the move. She had a hard time staying in one place for too long. Just as her cutie mark and name referred to, she was just like a feather constantly on the move. And just like a raven, she was able to withstand the harshest conditions and fight her way through survival if needed be. Her heart was a strong one, and she was very protective in nature as well.

The sun was just rising over the mountains when Raven had arrived in the town of Appleloosa, the dusty roads kicking up with sand beneath her red tinted hooves. The mare was cloaked in a black hood and cape, intricate detailed embroidery of feathers in red and silver thread stitched along the hemline. Her long black tail peaked out from beneath the cloak, trailing behind her and picking up the dust with her movements. Her saddlebag, which she carried with her everywhere she went, were her life. They were hidden beneath the dark fabric, wings tucked neatly behind them. Her icy blue eyes were crystal-like against the pale silver of her face, contrasted starkly against the blackness of her hair and clothing.

A small bundle of black fur was curled upon her back, purring quietly. Raven's best friend and lifelong partner, companion and pet that had seen her through thick and through thin. From the worst of situations and the best of days. She was always there by her side, never a hindrance, and always an asset on her travels. There was plenty of situations where her cat had been of help where she needed it the most.

The feline slowly uncurled, and stretched out onto Raven Feather's back as she looked up at the clock tower that was the tallest structure in the town itself. It was quite early in the day, 7:00 on the dot. There weren't many out and about at this time of day, but the scarce few were hurrying with their chores, faces hidden beneath their hats and bonnets. With her mind in focus and in search of the Bison Tavern, Raven Feather didn't pay too much attention to those that were around her. She wanted to get there quickly and swiftly and see to the job offered.

"Meow." Raven's ear perked as she felt the flickering of Black's tail patting against her shoulders. Putting a brake on her hooves, she turned her head over to look lovingly at her pet.

"Good morning to you too, Black. I believe we have made it here, safe and sound. Not much need of worry at the moment, but do keep your eye's peeled for the Bison Tavern. It is not a large town… it must be just around the corner here." She spotted a small sign of a bison hanging off the wooden building and Raven braced herself.

"There it is." She pointed out, and the black cat hopped off of her back and bounded forward towards the entrance, disappearing beneath the opening of the swinging wooden doors.

Raven stared at it for a moment, in truth a little worried that it might have been a hoax to have come out all the way here. Who would have picked Appleloosa of all places for such an odd job? And who else would have shown up?

---

The inside of the Bison Tavern was fairly empty, save for a couple sitting at the bar being served some apple cider from the bartender, and a few ponies huddled in the darkest corner. Black had already made her way across the tables, hopping from one to the next before landing herself at the far side of the tavern. Raven stood at the entrance momentarily, taking in a deep breath before making her way towards the back.

There was one who was wearing a chocolate brown hat, with his black mane flowing down into his face. He had a black and red plaid printed kerchief covering his muzzle, and a chocolate brown shawl wrapped around his neck and body. His eyes were a bright green and they were calculating as Raven approached the table. Two other ponies were seated as well, unknown to Raven. One was a mare with a serious expression, green coloured braids on either side of her pale yellow face. The other was another stallion, more happy go-lucky looking than anyone who could handle a serious job.

She took a seat amongst them, gazing at the one that seemed to have his back to the wall. He was staring at them all, face hidden in shadows. Truth be told, Raven wasn't entirely sure now if they were all here with the same thing in mind.

"Y'all must be aware of the dangers for y'all to be here." His voice was muffled behind the kerchief, and Raven had to carefully focus her attention on what he was saying. The two ponies beside her glanced at one another and nodded their heads before looking back. Raven continued to watch the stallion, tucking her hood closer around her face.

"I'll give it a while before I divulge any more information." Perhaps the stallion was waiting for more to show up, before he decided on revealing anything further. Perhaps he wasn't happy with the selection of ponies that had shown up. Raven wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen from hereon out, still a little skeptical that this was all a ruse to rile up ponies for something that might not exist. But from what she now knew was that it wasn't going to be a safe job to take on if it were real.

[ForgottenExistance]

The walk was short, uneventful, and relatively bland. The scenery could be summed up in one relatively simple word; simple. There was sand on the ground, wooden buildings, and just about everyone had an accent that could make someone laugh if they didn't catch themselves. All in all, it was enough to let Scarlet simply tune out of reality as she walked, instead focusing on the task ahead. Not that she knew what the contractor looked like, but she assumed that when she got in there’d either be other rough-looking characters bunched together, or the contractor himself would recognize her as someone who was there to take a job. A quick thought revealed to herself that no, she did not look like a simple tourist. Unless the contractor was blind, which was entirely a possibility. The thought made Scarlet internally sigh, she’d just deal with it when she got in.

The tavern was just as simple as the town, from the looks of the outside of the building. As wooden and sandy as the rest of the town, with old styled swinging doors to boot. She may have gotten lost, if not for the incredibly obvious sign of a buffalo hanging above the door and swinging in the blessed wind. The town felt like all the ponies might disappear at any moment and turn into a ghost town, with the ambiance and the scenery to match. Without the ponies, she was sure that the town would get more tourists as a ghost town then as an actual town. Not that she actually wished that upon the ponies there, but she had to admit that it seemed like someplace worthy of tourism under the right conditions.

Shaking her head slightly, she stopped thinking about the needless distractions before she took a breath and pushed through the swinging doors and into the tavern proper, her armor-clad hooves stamping loudly on the wooden floorboards underneath. Not much for subtlety, most of the few heads present in the tavern swung her way as she came to a stop just inside the tavern, as if she were suddenly a magnet and all the other heads happened to be made of metal. Not that their stares lasted for too long, or that Scarlet would have even noticed if they did, her orbs set to scanning their surroundings immediately, searching for anyone that might be her contractor.

Discovering a group of odd-looking ponies in a far corner, she deduced that they were the likely suspects in her search for the contractor and her traveling group, and so turned and started noisily walking over to the table, each hoofstep clapping on the wooden panels with the weight of, well, a pony wearing a hundred pounds of plate armor. If the group hadn't noticed her approach before, there was little doubt in her mind that they would have heard her approach at that point.

On her track towards the grouping, Scarlet quickly analyzed everyone who was at the table. A pony going out of his way to cover his identity with a ridiculous kerchief and hat that made him look like he was out of a bad mystery film. Another, a mare, seemed to be either contemplating life or doing complex mathematics in her head. There was also a stallion who looked like he would get mauled in five seconds out in the Everfree, and a final mare that was wearing possibly the most ornate traveling cloak she had ever seen.
Out of all of them, she’d have to say the pony trying to cover his identity and who everyone else was sitting around was the contractor, and the other three were potential mercenaries to tag along. Scarlet didn’t really like the odds of any of them actually being able to hold their own if the job turned out to be extremely difficult by her own relatively high standards.

Stopping at the table, drawing the attention of most of the ponies at the table, Scarlet’s helmet enveloped in a bright red aura and lifted off of her head before settling on her back, perched on top of her pile of weapons. Narrowing her eyes slightly as her eyes scanned slowly from one pony to the next until they settled on the go-lucky stallion, she spoke lowly, with an edge as sharp as any blade and as cold as any steel, “This is serious business. Unless you are fully prepared to accept the possibility of never returning, you should leave now,” she said simply, refusing to blink as she kept her gaze fixated squarely on the eyes of the stallion sitting at the table. He was certainly no soldier, and bringing along untrained or inexperienced ponies onto a mission that may be dangerous was an unacceptable risk. If her contact was to be believed, then it was going to be a relatively risky job.

Though the stallion appeared to go a little wide-eyed, he gulped and quickly retorted, “Hey! I have every right to be here! It’s mercenary work; quick and easy pay without any backbreaking labour, who wouldn’t want that?” he responded, as though the incentive of quick pay was enough to forgo any possible dangers. Some ponies were simply ridiculous with their desire for money. It wasn’t enough that she would likely have to share the road with some of them, but the fact that there was even a slim chance she’d have to bring that clueless wonder along? Not a chance.

Raising a brow slightly, she frowned, “You think that this is some sort of game? Any job where the authorities cannot be brought in is obviously dangerous enough to get you killed. There is no job more backbreaking then mercenary work, and if you value your life, you will get up and walk away. You’re not cut out for mercenary work, and until you prove me otherwise, you’re going to burden the group, regardless of what the mission is. If you don’t leave right this minute, I won’t be held responsible for what might happen to you for coming unprepared. Just know that all of us may pay with our lives because you decided to endanger us all by staying and holding us back,” she responded briskly, not even hiding the cold venom in her voice.

Some ponies thought mercenary work was something easy, like just bringing a package somewhere or doing odd jobs here and there. But mercenary work meant you were doing a job that couldn’t be done by the authorities, or had the potential of being illegal, and the authorities couldn’t be involved. That meant that every time that someone took a mercenary job, they were doing something that the Guard couldn’t do by themselves.

Fixating her attention on the contractor, she gave him a single nod in show that she was ready and prepared to do whatever the job was that they were there for. She barely noticed that the stallion had gotten up in a clumsy attempt to look civil and relaxed, bumping the table as he stood and mumbling something akin to “having somewhere else to be” suddenly, and had started to walk to the front in a way that seemed like there was a swarm of parasprites after him. He hardly said goodbye, and Scarlet couldn't help but imagine that he was one of the many deluded fools who had no idea what real mercenary work entailed. Some ponies had an entirely misguided view of mercenary work, they didn’t understand that it wasn’t just an easy way to make bits without having to work under a boss. Lives usually wound up on the line in that sort of work, and as easy as some of the jobs may be, there was no guaranteeing safety. And safety was only moderately available when there was no fools like the stallion to hold them down or get them hurt.

[20monkies]

The silence was overwhelming inside of the Bison Tavern. The morning light snuck in through the gaps in the wooden boards of the walls, little rays beaming out to illuminate the tables with patches of light. Black was entertaining herself by catching the spotlights, bouncing off of each table without a care in the world. Few words were spoken between the four ponies that sat in the shadows behind the light, cloaked further by their own appearances. Their contractor seemed to have closed his eyes and gone to sleep, while the blue stallion picked at the wooden table with his hoof. The green braided mare had her arms crossed over her chest, staring at the contractor with a deep glare. Raven Feather, on the other hand, watched and observed the three as Black finally returned to her owner, curling around her hooves, twirling about and purring contently.

Almost immediately, the little black cat stopped in her tracks and turned to face the tavern doors before any other pony's attention swerved that way. Raven knew something was coming from the behavior of her cat. She was always in tune to her actions, knowing that there was something wrong, or to expect the unexpected. There was some anticipation that a flurry of ponies would be barging in at the last minute. But it wasn't what she was expecting at all when the doors seemed to crash open, and the light that flooded into the tavern itself spread out to reach every dark corner of the structure, shadows cowering and disappearing.

The bartender had stopped midair in his action of cleaning out a mug, staring open eyed. The shadow that loomed in the doorway was massive in comparison to what was normally seen here, and the couple who were happily chittering away stopped dead in their conversation to look up in both concern and horror. It was an unusual sight for them to see a fully amor clad pony in a small town as this.

The floors creaked and shook beneath each hoof step, which weighted quite heavily upon the building itself. Raven could feel the sheer massive power in every single step, calculated with precision, and with determination. She looked down at her cat, who seemed to be pressing herself against Raven's hind leg, back arched and fur on ends. Her ears had flattened back, a light hissing sound escaping from her. Raven had never seen her cat react in such a manner towards a pony before, so she was a little concerned, if not, downright worried about the consequences of such a pony amongst their group.

The new stranger had been surveying them quite intensely, and that feeling seemed to intensify once her face was more visible, revealed when the helmet was removed. And her voice… oh, how that voice was sharp as the sharpest blade ever known to all of ponykind. It silenced everything in its path, and Raven couldn't help but put her guard up further by tucking up her hood tightly around her own face.

She kept her quiet, watching as the happy-go-lucky stallion flushed brilliantly as insult was put to injury on his ego. This was a pony worth taking on the job, even as impressive as her armor and weapons were, and just her physical presence to boot. It was almost admirable, and a stark contrast to Raven's own presence which was more quiet in nature and being more stealth like in her movements.

Black didn't seem to want to let back from her anxiousness, and all Raven could to calm the feline was rub her gently with a hoof so she felt less threatened. The weapons were intimidating even to Raven herself, who had seen many products of silver and steel created before her very eyes, having created such finery with even her own two hooves. A wing pressed against her saddlebag to ensure her own safety, and her own belongings, were still there with her in case of an emergency.

The contractor continued to have his eyes closed, and only opened them once Scarlet had reached their table and finished speaking, having taken a seat amongst the group.

But it was the stranger's words that had made Raven's heart stop in it's tracks. Mercenary work. Something so obviously dangerous that it could kill any pony. Raven had been in multiple life-threatening situations before. In truth, she seemed to fall into a trap or two every time she wandered a little further before her curiosity could get the better of her. A little like her cat, but not as aloof. Always careful with her movements, watching her step and her words and what the resulting consequence would be.

Raven wanted to open her mouth and say something to the other, but it was wiser to stay silent for the time being lest she was insulted in the same manner as the stallion. She really wasn't in the mood to pick a fight with a unicorn who was armor clad with many weapons this early in the morning.

The contractor shifted in his place, uneasy but casual as he slammed a hoof to the table. He let out a loud guffah as his green eyes seemed to glow brightly beneath the shade of his hat.

"Well I'll be! I believe this' it for interested parties. I'm 'fraid this 'ere fine mare is right, in case y'all aren't mentally prepared for such a job. If you ain't got the guts to put yer life on the line for me, then I'm sorry as ever. Y'all should be leavin' just like that fine fellow. Too bad he couldn't be take part as being decoy or bait if needed be." His laughter ripped through the tavern, as the couple finally decided it was best to leave and disappear from the crazies that seemed to be gathering this early in the morning.

The bartender, on the other hand, just ducked away behind his bar and avoided all eye contact with anyone else that was remaining there.

As his laughter passed back into silence, the pale yellow mare twirled her braid and looked more nervously now at the contractor than she was before when he was asleep. She swallowed, tugging at one of her ribbons. "What do you mean, as bait? What exactly do you want us to do? Even if you say we have to pay with our lives, and she's saying this as well… why wouldn't you rather have the authorities take care of it instead of just any pony? Is this really an illegal operation? Because if so, I don't think I want any part of it."

The contractor laughed again, and Raven seemed twitch at the sound. He was way too rowdy for her own taste, but everything thus revealed so far was already capturing her interest. She was quite sure she could handle the job without a problem. The mare waited quietly, wanting her questions answered at least, before she decided to leave completely. The contractor pushed his hat up off his forehead, eyes going wider with each word he spoke.

"Leave then. I have no use of a pony like you if ye can't do the job without gettin' killed. After all, I have other options…" His eyes drifted over towards Scarlet, obviously impressed by her more than anything. Raven was quiet sure she would have been best at keeping something protected if it came down to it.

"I need something transported, in case yer wondering. But it won't be easy, cause more ponies coming aware of it will want to steal it from me. Or you, if yer up for it. Which I can see you are, by the looks of it. Well prepared unlike some." He looked back at the green haired pony, who blushed in embarrassment and flustered. Without another word, she pushed away from the table rather loudly and bound out of the tavern in such a hurry that even Raven was sure she was going to trip over her own hooves.

"Well, this mean'll I got only the two of yous, unless blacky over here has decided to leave as well." Raven narrowed her eyes carefully to match the brilliant green ones with her own icy blue, and shook her head in determination.

"No, I am prepared for whatever you have for us to do. I may seem incapable, but I am truly able to handle the deed." She glanced over towards the other mare, taking in every detail about her. If she was staying as well, then Raven Feather would have to get used to her grand presence and no longer be intimidated by it.

[ForgottenExistance]

Scarlet barely paid attention to the mare that ran past her on the way out. Standing as she was, the mare had to angle her way around the armored titan to get out of the tavern, but Scarlet made no motion to move out of the way, making it that much more tasking for the mare to leave. Scarlet didn't care though, anyone who came to a job and then left because they weren't prepared for it lost respect from Scarlet, and that meant that she wouldn't even bother stepping out of the way of the fleeing mare. She did figure it was better off if the useless or unprepared members left before the journey even began though, they would only slow down the party or potentially risk their lives.

Likewise, Scarlet barely paid attention to the flattery from the contractor. While she should have accepted the compliment from him when he noted that she seemed prepared and the best fit for the job, she didn't accept compliments or flattery for obvious things from ponies she didn't know. It felt redundant, to try and establish some form of flattery with another pony when neither of them knew each other, and even more so when adding the fact that he was complimenting her on something that was painfully obvious. She was prepared, she was professional, she didn't need to be told that. She didn't even grace the contractor with a nod.

Turning her head to look at Raven from her standing position when the black mare suddenly spoke, she regarded her with skeptical eyes. While certainly the most interesting out of the other previous occupants of the table, she was still entirely unsure whether or not Raven would be able to actually handle herself in a fight, or even survive the journey to wherever they might be going. She had seen ponies of her stature handle themselves well before, but they had all proven themselves to her in actual combat.

The other ponies she had seen with that stature were often beast tamers, rogues, archers, thieves. The sort of specialized ponies who focused on stealth, on making every hit count and taking up a support role behind the warriors or the heavies like Scarlet. Rogues, or ponies of the speed and stealth based roles were critical to a mission, especially a transport mission. They could typically get through a town without being seen, and when trying to avoid raising attention, that was the most useful skill to have in one's arsenal. Heavies like Scarlet stuck out like a sore hoof, and were mostly useful in open combat as opposed to stealth.

Thinking to herself, a mission like the one they were in could easily be accomplished with only the stealth and combat specialized ponies, without a need for any of the more complicated branches that some ponies went out into. While she would have preferred to know for certain that the other mare could actually handle herself in a stealth situation, let alone a combat situation, she would remain entirely skeptical of her and her abilities. She could only hope that either she backed out of the mission, or knew well enough to watch Scarlet's back while out on the road so she didn't have to cover absolutely every angle herself.

Speaking in the same cutting tone as prior, she retorted as quick as a whip, "There is a difference between handling a job, and seeing the job through to the end. Are you prepared to pay with your life if this job requires it? If the only way to see this job through to the end is to give up your own life so that the package can see its final destination? A mercenary contract is a promise, and more then that, it is a vow. You are not just handling something, you are taking that thing up as your solitary cause until it is finished. Are you prepared for that?" she asked, her orbs never breaking contact or faltering from the face of the other mare.

Scarlet believed in the sacred bond of a contract, whether that be mercenary or otherwise. When a pony accepted a contract to do something, no matter what that something was, then that meant that they had a moral obligation to see that contract through to the end, no matter the cost. It was the duty of a true mercenary to enter every contract with that mindset, and anyone who might be less resolute in their conviction would be at risk of failing the contract and bailing on their contract-siblings. If Scarlet went out on a job with that mare, then she'd have to stay resolute. If the other mare agreed, perhaps there would be a chance at them working together on the job.

They were already down two travel mates, and there were only two left. That didn't leave much in the way of choice for the contractor, and it narrowed Scarlet's prospects for the journey. A smaller company would be able to travel faster and further each day, and take less time to set up and pack up camp each night and morning. However, a smaller company meant that there was a higher risk of casualties during a raid or an attack, and more of a chance that a single accident could cripple the entire journey's viability.

If they had backup at another area down the road of the journey, maybe find more competent help, then the company could reach an ideal size and skill level to make the journey more survivable. But they were transporting potentially illegal items, what was really the chance of them getting reinforcements later down the line? The amount of ponies willing to do something potentially illegal or dangerous for money were few and far between, and the chances of finding another hoofful of ponies willing to do both was almost as likely as finding an alicorn living in a tree...or finding a needle in hay.

---

Once upon a time, magic was bolstered by artifacts. Before the time of the first alicorn ascension, when Discord and chaos still ruled over the land, artifacts were created with the strongest of unicorn magic that had been corrupted by the insanity that plagued the land. The magic that combined with the corrupting forces made incredibly strong artifacts that could do almost anything that could be imagined by those insane minds; slow or stop time as a whole or for an individual, change an element to another, increase the magical power of a unicorn, the ability to bring whatever was imagined to reality with just a thought, incredibly long life or unimaginable healing powers, it was all possible because of just a touch of insanity and magic.

While most of these artifacts were long gone, faded into memory in the written words of history books, some of these items persisted. Their works could be found in the most unlikely of places, such as long forgotten castles, immense underground complexes, the shelves of antiques shops in Canterlot. But their influence could be found everywhere, polluting the minds who had witnessed these items at some point in their lives. This pollution could be as harmless as a vivid imagination with a hint of insanity, such as that found in painters and writers, or as harmful as trying to have tea with Discord himself, which would be more found on those who have actually used these artifacts themselves and gone mad with power.

However, despite the potential threat that these items posed, there was always an interested party out there who would want to pay high amounts of money for them. Ponies would pay entire sacks of bits just for one of these ancient artifacts, and it was really the result of supply and demand. There was never any shortage of demand for incredible artifacts that would give supernatural abilities, and the supply of said items was so low that an entire sack of gold seemed like a reasonable entry price. It was because of this that when a new artifact made an appearance, buyers would line up like excited fillies at a Wonderbolt's show, and almost any of them would be willing to hire help to get their hooves on that item.

It was for this reason that across from the tavern sat two ponies in unassuming clothing, seemingly both staring in silence at the tavern. One, a stallion with chocolate brown fur and a short black mane, had a hoof idly sitting on his saddlebags beside the bench he sat on, as if just waiting to pick it up and get a move on. The other who sat next to him, a mare with soft red fur and an amber mane, was still wearing her saddlebags and waiting with anxiety. While most would assume that they were just waiting for their friend to join them, or completely ignore their existence, a keen eye would be able to notice their cutie marks.

Or, in this situation, their convenient lack of cutie marks, and the slight powdery residue of colored mark-cover where the marks would be. Such a simple tactic for hiding one's identity without looking suspicious, and yet when it came to identifying them, it would be almost impossible for any authorities to really find out who they were. Ingenious, if keen eyes didn't wind up noticing that powdery detail when the artifact began its long journey.

[20monkies]

Raven Feather was not surprised when her words were challenged by the armoured mare, in the same cutting tone that struck sharply and pierced the ears. It was like a strike to her heart, but one she was prepared to feel.

The contractor had made clear that he was more intrigued by Scarlet than Raven herself. However, she had come out to Appleloosa for one purpose and that was to help out in a situation that required her expertise. And she would provide it from beginning to end, with no backing out. She was not a coward - sure, she had her moments of fear and panic that would strike her as any normal pony, but she was able to overcome them and become braver and stronger. As she knew from her own past experiences, what usually makes one weak ends up making them stronger.

Her icy blue eyes locked onto the mare's gaze, holding the same look as the other was giving her. There was a seriousness in the tone, and a challenge that Raven was willing to prove herself. It wasn't in her nature, but something about the unicorn made her want to put up her guard and defend her own position in this situation.

Taking in a deep breath, her eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke in her own soft, yet steady, voice.

"I am prepared, no matter what." She repeated herself, holding her ground. "I have nothing to lose. I can see the job to it's end if it means my life. I am well aware of the consequences, if it hasn't been made clear enough already." she gestured her head towards the contractor, giving both him and Scarlet a nod of her head.

"I will not back down from a fight, if it means to serve and protect the safety of our mission. I will be an asset to the both of you, if you are willing to have me for the job."

The contractor rubbed a hoof against his chin, bandana still wrapped around his muzzle. There was a moment of silence as he eyed the two mares, his gaze shifting between them. Raven tensed just a little, her back straightening as her cat clambered up to her back to glare cautiously at the armoured pony.

"Very well." He spoke, as if he had come to a conclusion. "I am entrusting this mission in both yer hooves. Be it as it may, I think we can all agree here that the more ponies on the job, the less likely my parcel'd get to it's destination. I believe ye both can fend fer yerselves and keep look out for one another. Two different skill sets here. I am still not sure if you are a pegasus or earth pony…" he trailed off, a brow raising towards Raven Feather.

Without ceremony, she lifted her cape up with her wings which had been hidden away for all this time, and revealed the silvery feathered span that were tipped with red, the colour of blood.

"Well. That answers me question. Very good. A pegasus and a unicorn. Perfect for this here…" the contractor ducked down beneath the table and Raven couldn't help tilt her head along with the movement, her wings folding back to their position beneath her saddlebags and cape. A moment later, he came back up and put down a wooden planked box, the size of a stallions head.

The contractor looked from side to side, and narrowed his eyes as his voice dipped to a mumble, afraid that eavesdroppers might listen in to their conversation. Raven had to lean in forward to make sense of what he was saying, looking up every now and again towards Scarlet.

"I warn you once more, here is magic that others will want. What others desire. In the wrong hooves, it can be used for terrible deeds. But in the right hooves, it is worth much more to Equestria and beyond." It appeared he wasn't willing to divulge any further information about it and Raven stared at the box curiously, her cat hopping onto the table to sniff at it.

For such a magical artifact, wouldn't it have been better under the protection of the alicorn princesses? Unless it truly was going to such a safe place where no wrong could get a hold of it. It was truly a puzzle worth unsolving, even if the pieces were right here in this box in front of them. All Raven could wonder was what purpose it had, and why such means of transportation were necessary if it was such a magical artifact.

"Ye two are not the sole carriers of this artifact. I have another waiting transportation of it. The border to the Frozen North is where you will go, just beyond the Galloping Gorge. Only upon the news of safe arrival of this parcel will I then give you your payment. Can I trust you to not betray in my trust?" He asked, watching the two carefully.

Raven took a moment to answer, automatically mapping out a route in her mind already. She was aware of the trip and how long it would take. They were most likely going to have to travel by hoof, if they could not take the train to the North. It would only be more easier for others to get a hold of them. And she was quite sure that they would do better to avoid any bystander casualties should they encounter any trouble along the way.

No, of course they were going to encounter trouble. As conspicuous as the packaging was, if anybody knew they had it and if they opened it to even so much as take a peek at it, it was possible others would catch whiff of it. And trouble would soon find them…

Raven nodded her head firmly, holding her hoof out.

"I am bound to you and this duty." She took a peek up at the other mare.

So this was it.

Raven Feather had officially placed her entire being into this job, and there was no turning back. And now, she had to do the job with a unicorn who was more serious looking than any Raven had encountered in all of her travels of Equestria.

[ForgottenExistance]

Nothing shy of total and utter determination and investment into the job would deter Scarlet from her skepticism or coldness. The pegasus next to her was gentler in appearance, quiet, and would probably be toppled if Scarlet gave her a solid shove. But the strength of one's determination is not in one's physical strength, but in their conviction and their devotion to their cause.

Scarlet would call one foal with single-minded devotion to a cause more of a threat then an army without any shred of conviction in their beliefs. One who believes entirely in their job, who will do anything to get something done, will always find a way and always come out with their job that much closer to being finished. Scarlet had seen this time and time again when conviction could mean the difference between who won and who lost a battle. Conviction bread a warrior's morale.

When the smaller mare spoke, Scarlet gave only a single nod in response and turned back to the contractor with intent eyes. For all intents and purposes, the other mare was Scarlet's partner for the foreseeable future, and that meant that she'd have to work with her. While she'd normally be avert to working with someone she had only just met, the other mare seemed to be bound and determined to go on the journey.

Not only that, but she also seemed honest when she said that she would give anything and everything for the sake of the mission. While there was no way to test that loyalty to the cause, the fact that she sounded honest when she said so was a benefit to Scarlet, and gave her at least some semblance of patience for the other mare in the opening portion of their journey. Time would test her.

While the contractor spoke, Scarlet listened intently without a word, memorizing the shape and the texture of the box that he pulled out, imagining the path that they would take to the North, and estimating how many stops they would have to make along the way. It would be a long journey, no less then a few days to get it all the way to its destination, and through a lot of little settlements along the way.

Settlements were a hotspot when it came to smuggling goods from one location to another, since there was usually law enforcement, and it was easy for others to set ambushes in settlements. A single knife pull when the two slept, a poisoned drink, maybe even a bribed law officer. Settlements were dangerous, but without heavy luggage gear, there would be no way that they could make the trip without stopping to refill supplies.

There would be a lot of sleeping in the wilderness, endless tracts of open ground and forests, and then more towards the north they'd also have to deal with the blistering cold all hours of the day. The journey would be dangerous enough without the artifact being worth lots of money to ponies, but adding the fact? That just meant that there'd be a whole lot more riding on their journey.

There'd undoubtedly be other mercenaries hired to retrieve the artifact from them, perhaps magisters with half a mind to become a new King Sombra, or just warmongerers looking to make a bloody living. It was hard to tell what exactly they'd be facing on the way, but it wouldn't just be a couple of greedy ponies with an urge to sell the artifact to the highest bidder. There'd be professionals, real threats, corrupted creatures drawn to the artifact's power.

Scarlet's head busied itself thinking about possibilities and chances, outlining routes and threats along said routes. While her head did that, she listened to the rest of what was happening with semi-interest, taking note of how there would be second couriers, but she didn't bother leaning in to hear the contractor. She read his lips when she couldn't understand him, but she had tuned enough ears that she could make out what he was saying without having to strain herself or focus more on him.

Scarlet also made note of the show the other mare put on when declaring her bound to the job. It was a little bit showy, but far from dishonest. As much as she wanted to keep the mare in a negative shade of light and share no trust, taking the job on alone would likely be suicide, even for a warrior as skilled as Scarlet. In a pair, they'd have more of a chance, especially with the different skill set and behaviors. They covered light and heavy, stealth and combat, flight and magic. There weren't very many situations that a pair with that range wouldn't be able to overcome and those were actually very few.

Figuring that it was time to stop thinking too much and make it clear that she was in, Scarlet nodded once and spoke, "Very well. You have my word that your package will reach its destination, and no harm will come to it," she said before turning her head to the mare beside her.

Keeping her voice at the same tone and level that it had been the entire time, she continued, "If you are sure that you can keep up, then I welcome your assistance. But be sure that you are always on guard. This is the jackpot for any mercenary, bandit or magister out there who wants to make a profit or benefit from its power. This is dangerous cargo, and never underestimate the tenacity of a pony driven by greed," she warned before turning her attention back to the table without another word.

Picking up the crate with an aura of bright red magic, she unceremoniously set it on her back and levitated the straps on her gear set to wrap around the crate before letting it fall into her right saddlebag, behind held in there by the straps that were still attached to her body. This tactic would easily prevent someone from just pickpocketing it and making off with it, instead they'd have to cut the bindings or undo them at the source, which would take valuable time.

If the extra weight actually bothered Scarlet, it was impossible to tell as her face hardly shifted with the addition of the head-sized box. What was one more addition to her bags when there was already so much weight there? It was just one more box for her, and as long as she wasn't carrying it in her magic the whole way, then carrying it would be no problem for her.

[20monkies]

As the contractor listened to both mares, he nodded his head at the two of them and pushed the box with his hooves across the wooden table, it's edges scraping along the surface. It almost seemed that the package was heavy with the weight it showed in that simple push.

Raven's gaze continued to linger upon the other mare as she spoke directly to her now. She wasn't sure if she could trust so easily just now, but she had to. For the sake of the mission, for the sake of the safety of their world. If this was indeed a precious item that needed special treatment and protection, she was going to make sure it was given that and she needed to pair herself easily with the intimidating mare.

"I understand." She merely spoke, unsure what other words she could speak to her in that moment. Raven was always careful with her words, thinking about how to say something before saying it. She never wanted to sound rude, nor did she ever want to share too much of herself in a first meeting with any pony. She wanted to stay safe, and keep a healthy acquaintanceship with the other that bred from mutual understanding and respect of one another.

As Scarlet wrapped the cargo into her saddlebag, Raven couldn't help but wonder if the cargo would be safer with the unicorn or with her. For the time being, Raven assumed to allow the other to carry it. However, she knew it would be more fair if they took turns in keeping it safe and carrying it. She wouldn't want the entire burden of the package to rest solely on the shoulders of her partner.

"I-" she was about to speak, when she was rudely cut off by the contractor once more.

"Well that settles it then. Be on yer way, but do not forget. I will be keeping eye out for the both of yer, and will catch whiff if something goes off schedule…"

Raven felt a shiver run down her spine. Was he implying there would be spies keeping track of them? Surely that was a little too far fetched, but it made sense. He'd want to make sure the parcel got where it needed to go safe and sound. It was a larger scale operation than Raven had initially assumed. What other threats would be awaiting them?

She could only imagine.

As her cat bounced onto her own back, Raven stood up and bowed her head to the contractor before he seemed to disappear in a puff of magic and smoke.

Whoever he was, or whatever he was, he was surely a unicorn himself with great abilities.

"What an odd way to leave…" her voice trailed, shaking her head. Tucking her hood up around her face, shimmering crystal blue eyes caught up to Scarlet as she stayed a couple of steps behind her.

"I don't suppose you would like to introduce yourself. We will be spending this lengthy journey together, and it only seems reasonable. I'd like to at least call you by your name." Raven's voice was hesitant at first, but she had found her confidence as she placed her words in the manner she wished to speak. "Mine is Raven Feather. My companion here is Black. I promise she won't get in the way. She's fairly capable of taking care of herself in dire situations."

The Bison Tavern was quiet now, and it appeared that even the bartender that was there at the counter had disappeared as well. Raven had an odd feeling creeping up and down her spine. It shouldn't have to be this quiet. It was early, but not so early that no pony would be out and about or even want to come in for a mug to drink.

Her eyes surveyed the Tavern, but nothing else was out of place save for the lack of ponies. It was only Scarlet and Raven herself, and they were the only two that seemed to make it out of place. Taking in a deep breath, Raven gathered her cloak around her and made sure to keep herself alert and aware. It would take every ounce of her concentration to make sure nothing crept up behind them and attacked.

[ForgottenExistance]

The burden of the magical device was very little for Scarlet, even though it was heavy, it should have been more of a worry for the potential of a magical device with that much power corrupting the unicorn. What made it very little of a corrupting burden for Scarlet was her previous experience with corruption, and the effects that hatred and fear had on a unicorn's magic, and equally their mind. She had been under the corrupting influence of hatred before, and had since learned how to steel herself against the temptation of letting hatred and fear taking over.

Her time with multiple peaceful factions around Equestria had taught her to cool her blood, and prevent herself from falling prey to those corrupting emotions again, and by extension, quell the emotions brought up by items of corruption and malice. It wasn't easy in the slightest, but it was necessary and worth the effort. One who is able to fight the forces of corruption even within their own mind is a show of willpower that only years of patience and training could result in. If Scarlet ever fell prey to corruption, she would be more disappointed in herself then anything else.

Turning her attention away from the idol she had in her bag, she turned her head to the contractor who had spoken about keeping an eye on them. She figured as much, since something that precious couldn't just be trusted to ponies. She expected him to have backup plans, failsafes, perhaps tests or agents who worked for him. Someone in possession of such an item would have to have some iota of influence and power, and if he was willing to send spies just to monitor them and ensure they got to their destination, then she had no doubt that he would be flexing that power in more ways then just spies. One does not play one card from a hoof during a game; all cards must be shown at one point, and the same must be said for power and those who hold power. They wish to show off.

This was made painfully obvious in the manner that he teleported away from them. She had only seen such dramatics once before, but that had turned out to actually be a smoke bomb to cover a running escape. Granted, the running escape hadn't been very good, but at least this unicorn actually was able to teleport himself away. Giving a subtle eye roll at the scene, Scarlet turned to observe the rest of the tavern, taking into account at just how quickly the place had cleared out. It was as if something had spooked them, not that that wasn't possible.

Scarlet had been into more then enough places where her reputation had preceded her and wound up in some very awkward situations. When a town believes that a pony is undead because of exaggerated tales of war and battle and all those things, said town can easily make said pony feel like she's in a ghost town when they all lock up their doors and hide. While the times where ponies had recognized her were few and far between, they were common enough that it wouldn't be unlikely that it was the reason for the sudden evacuation of the tavern.

Realizing that her new partner had spoken, Scarlet turned her head to look over at the pegasus, staring for a few moments in silence. Raven Feather, it was an interesting name, and very distinctly pegasus in nature. Though, it lacked the stereotypical nature element to the name, such as Thunder or Cloud. If she had a bit for every pegasus she met with those two words as part of the name somewhere, she would have quite a hoofful more bits to her name. But regardless, a name was a name, and it was an interesting name at that. Quite accurate.

Nodding once, Scarlet spoke in an attempted more gentle voice, now that the contractor was gone and she had warned all she needed to, there was no need to play theatrics, "Scarlet Arrow. Pleasure to make your acquaintance Raven. If you're certain your companion can keep up and won't get hurt, then I won't complain," she confirmed before she turned her head towards the exit and narrowed her eyes. While there was no need for theatrics to ensure that she would get the job, the situation had the potential to turn dangerous if ponies already knew they had the artifact.

Picking up the plate helmet off of her back in her red aura, she slipped it onto her head and fastened it tightly before looking back at her companion. Intimidation was the best way to avoid a conflict; one sword in hoof keeps another in its sheath. While not to be taken literally at the moment, looking terrifying would work just as well. Speaking a tone louder to be heard through the muffling effect of her helmet, she spoke again, "Until we're out of town, do your best to follow my lead. Back straight, eyes peeled, fast pace. Don't move for anyone or anything," she said before turning towards the exit once again and quickly pacing over to the swinging doors, keeping her eyes peeled through the slots of her faceplate.

They were going to pull the oldest intimidation tactic in the book, it was schoolyard at best. Look big, look tough, and plow through anything that gets in the way. It meant that no one would talk to them, and if anyone had any intentions of following them, it might ward them off or make them think twice about doing it. If they got out of town without being followed, then there was a chance that they could be covered until the next population center that they ran into.

[20monkies]

A bit of relief washed over Raven as the other spoke in a more gentler tone of voice. She hadn't expected it, seeing as how strong and titanic the other looked in physical appearance and the times she had spoken with a powerful voice. In a way, Raven was wondering if the unicorn would have continued to speak in such a stern manner throughout their entire journey, but that thought was now banished.

"Scarlet Arrow." She tested out the name. It was certainly fitting of the unicorn, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. With a bob of the head, she replied simply in turn, "Of course." Although Raven's own voice was not as loud as Scarlet's, it had it's own way of showing authority and confidence when she spoke clearly. And with an acquaintance, it was made more calm and trust could always be felt behind her words.

As Scarlet prepared herself, Raven could feel her own body tensing in anticipation. Here was the true test, the beginning of their journey together. As lengthy as it appeared at this moment, her mind stretching out across a mentally stored away map of Equestria, Raven was sure they could cover ground quickly and get the job done. Albeit, knowing that they would have obstacles to overcome, it would only make for that much more of an interesting trip. She pressed her wing beneath her saddlebag, to be positive she was prepared and ready should immediate action have to be taken.

Once the other mare was ready and spoke, Raven automatically adhered to her instruction. It only made sense, to give the show that they were invincible and undefeatable. No one would mess with them unless they really wanted to get caught in trouble. At least, Raven hoped no one would make a move towards the pair.

Her body straightening, muscles taught and at attention, her eyes peeled, Raven stepped out into the dusty plane of Appleloosa behind Scarlet.

The sun was brilliant against the horizon, raising steadily and giving off heat vapours that blended into the sky. There were a few ponies hustling and bustling about their business, mostly earth ponies by appearance. Raven's hood shaded her face, the peak of her silver muzzle only showing from the shadows. Her cat prowled against her back, pouncing to the ground to trail by Raven's tail that dragged along the dusty road.

Her hooves were quick against the pace of Scarlet's own, steady and with an air of authority. She could feel the hairs of her body prickling under the warmth of her cloak, as the feeling of eyes following after them caught up with her. Raven was tempted to take pause, but that would only delay in their speedy trek through the desert town. Instead, she picked up her hooves and trotted quickly to Scarlet's side, pressing a little closer to her with her head tilting up, eye's shining orbs in the shade of her hood.

"Scarlet, I am quite positive some pony is watching us. And not in a curious way, either, but with purpose…" her voice was but a whisper, speaking quickly so not to appear suspicious to onlookers. As quickly as she had come up to the other's side, she took a couple steps back to stay behind her, glancing from side to side. There were a few ponies looking in their direction from where Raven could tell, but most of them became distracted and continued on their business. Only a few continued to gaze upon them, and this unnerved the Pegasus. She knew they would have trouble waiting immediately, as all the warnings had been laid out previously. It was only a matter of time before they came charging towards them, and they had to be mentally prepared now just in case their tactic did not work.

[ForgottenExistance]

Stepping into the growing heat of the desert, Scarlet paused to look around briefly with a scan of her crimson orbs. She had learned to pick out details of ponies at a glance, most of it was assumption and inference, but it gave her enough of a sense of how much danger she was in to be able to decide what course of action would be in her best interests. It was only a glance, but as her orbs scanned over ponies, time seemed to slow to a crawl, and points of interest and potential threats were highlighted by ethereal shapes.

A simple mental projection, one that anyone could do with enough practice, it was as if the entire world broke into groupings of squared-off objects, each and every object with some sort of significance to them. A pony with a carriage, moving too slowly, could have something threatening in the closed back of the carriage. A couple sitting on a bench, eyes facing the tavern. A gruff pony, bottle on the ground in front of him. A knife in a wooden banister, a hammer arching onto a nail, the sign in front of the general store. All potentially useful.

Scarlet used this type of focus very regularly, though it was a method of processing information in a very focused and organized manner. While it didn't actually slow down time or have any benefits aside from noticing things, sometimes all it took was focus to turn the tide of a fight or the cut between life and death. She could see a thousand bits of useful information from one sweep, but looking for one significant threat would involve assumptions and simple guesswork. The best she could go off of was to wait until they were further away from the town.

Stepping down the stairs without having broken stride to focus, Scarlet continued on down the dusty road without turning to see if her companion was following her. She trusted that her companion would follow her, and didn't need to continuously watch her just to make sure that she did. Instead, Scarlet focused on walking down the road they'd be taking out of the area, which was little more then a beaten down path in the sand. Keeping the image of a titan in mind, Scarlet squared herself with as much of a silhouette as she could muster while she paced.

As opposed to Raven's quick steps, Scarlet strode with long, powerful and determined steps, further making herself seem bigger and more intimidating then she really should have been. In actuality, she was probably just as intimidating and frightening as ponies thought of her as, but one could only convey so much of a frightening look in one's manner of walking, so she did the best with what she had available to her. Keeping to the center of the path and never faltering in her stride, Scarlet continued to pace onward towards the edge of town, her orbs on a swivel.

Noting her partner's comment, Scarlet gave a single nod and spoke back, "I know," she acknowledged as she walked onward, returning her head towards the path they'd be taking. She had the feeling in her gut that someone was watching her from the moment she had walked out of the tavern, and not just in the way that an armored mare warranted. It would make sense if someone already knew about the device that they possessed, but that would mean that they were heading into the job with other ponies already knew about the device. If they were doing that, then not only was the contractor not telling them, but that meant that the rest of their journey would be significantly more dangerous for them.

Doing a brief check with her magic to ensure that her arsenal of weapons was free in their scabbards and nothing was blocking them from being drawn, she set herself on high alert as she carried onward towards the rapidly approaching end of the town. Since the town was so small, it wouldn't take them more then a minute to get past the buildings, and then at that point if anyone was going to attack them, they'd practically have free reign to do so. As soon as a pony was past the outskirts of a town, they were typically on their own unless they happened to be noticed by a caring citizen of that said town. But Scarlet didn't get where she was by relying on the kindness of other ponies, so she decided to keep her guard up and had herself at the ready.

[20monkies]

As they came closer in step towards the end of town where the clock tower's hands neared 8:00, the train tracks in clear view that Raven knew led over the Ghastly Gorge and passed by the Everfree Forest, her ears perked and directed themselves to the sounds of shuffling behind them. Her own body language never faltered, keeping up the appearance of authority that Scarlet had requested of her to do. She was a good listener, and had a way with keeping out of trouble but when trouble found her or in instances where she herself ran into it, Raven knew a thing or two about handling herself.

More often than not, her tactics would work. She always carried a weapon for those instances, knowing that her travel's couldn't possibly be safe one hundred percent of the time. In cases of being paired with a pony or a group of ponies, she would take other's advice if it showed to be the better option. Hence her innate need to follow Scarlet's lead. And yet, there was some temptation to turn around and face off right now. That would be a bad idea as there were innocent bystanders standing by and they would only get caught in the middle of an unwarranted dispute.

Wing pressing nervously against her hidden saddlebag, she kept her steady and quick pace to keep up, light on her hooves. Her cat was good in following her lead, understanding that she shouldn't stop either and begin growling and hissing at whoever it was that was following them.

"We're almost there…"she said under her breath, reassuring the feline who's own fur was now standing on ends in plain sight. Within moments, she bound off ahead of them towards the tracks, and Raven was glad. The cat understood that she should stay out of the way in case conflict should begin.

As the clock struck 8, it's bell began to toll. The pair had reached the outskirts, and Raven's gaze lifted up to see the hands tremor and shake in place from the chiming vibrating off against its brick and mortar structure. At the same time, a whistle could be heard just ahead of them, steam rolling up in the sky. The train was coming, and it was enough distraction and noise to muffle out any sounds they should be paying close attention to. With a quick sweep of her gaze to ensure her cat was safe in the direction she had headed off to, Raven glanced down and saw a pair of shadows stretching out beside them, the sun mostly behind the pair and towards the East.

Whoever had been keeping a close eye on them, and was following them had now caught up and Raven felt her nerves itch. Scarlet was well prepared, her magic at the ready to unsheathe any weapon she so desired in a moment's notice. Raven would have to dig into her bag to take out what she needed and there was that slight disadvantage in that moment. She only hoped she would be quick enough…

[ForgottenExistance]

Scarlet's steps didn't falter as they neared the edge of the town. She wouldn't risk a conflict with the ponies following them until they were free and clear of the civilians that could potentially get in the way and be harmed. She wasn't looking to get anyone hurt because they happened to be carrying something that was dangerous. No, she would quite patiently wait until they were away from the town and free of any civilians or prying eyes. She felt that whoever was following them would feel the same, since harming civilians would be cause enough for guards to involve themselves, and when guards got involved, nopony got out bettered. She could only hope that it didn't turn into a full skirmish however, though if it were to happen, it would happen out of harms way of innocents and would be when they were still at their peak energy.

Turning her head slightly to the side and eyeing the shadows through the eyeslots of her faceplate, Scarlet grumbled quietly to herself, not willing to take any risks. They were gaining ground on them, and they were quickly approaching the edge of the town. If they were going to act, they could potentially take both Scarlet and Raven out without having to even stop if they were equipped well enough. Armor was good, but if one of them had Griffon sleeping powder, then they would both be out on their flanks before they could even try to defend the package.

As the bell began to toll, Scarlet's ear twitched slightly within its armored casing, and the unicorn hopped to action. The magic around her weapons focused on one long blade in a metal sheath, which unlatched from the rest of the weapons of her belted armory. Planting a front hoof into the ground, she raised her other hoof and used the leverage to turn her body around, bringing the sheathed weapon barreling around through the air with the movement of her body. The metal construct first came into contact with soft red fur covering bone, resulting in a heavy thunk resonating out of the skull of the mare who had her hoof in the bag she was wearing. The mare hit the ground with an equally heavy sound, kicking up sand in a billow as she landed in a heap, unconscious and certainly not getting up any time soon.

The bell tolled three as Scarlet's makeshift bludgeon came around to the chocolate colored stallion at the same moment as he was drawing a curved blade of steel from under the clothes he wore. While fast, the magic proved to be too slow as Scarlet's bludgeon met steel in stead of flesh, metal against metal sending a brief shower of sparks and a metallic ring to fill the air between tolls. Quickly responding to the deflect, Scarlet kept the magic pressure against the sheath while drawing the sword itself from the sheath. Keeping the draw in one swift movement, Scarlet drew the light blade in a sweep across the stallion's legs at the knee-region of his front legs, severely dampening his movement abilities.

Deep enough to scrape the bone of the knees, the stallion cried out and stumbled forward, dropping his guard in time for Scarlet to slam the heavy sheath into his forehead, rendering him just as capable of conscious thought as his partner was, and in quite the same state in a heap on the ground. He came to a rest as the eighth toll echoed through the air. Looking up to see if there were any more attackers, Scarlet whipped her blade through the air to clean it of the light blood splatter on it, then returned it to its sheath, which then returned to its position on her belt of weaponry.

Quickly spinning, she began trotting on their original path, "Move," she ordered, a single word uttered in a deep and commanding tone. She didn't know if there were any more attackers, but she wasn't about to wait around for any other thieves to come and try to take the package from them. Those were two untrained thieves, if they had enough nerve to try and get the artifact from them, then there would undoubtedly be more who would try. And there would be more trained ponies, and in more numbers. They would have to be cautious, move fast and stay vigilant. There was no telling when the next attack might come.

[20monkies]

Anxiety hung in the air thickly, every breath audible, the beating of the heart steady but quickening with each step. Raven's gaze lay ahead of her as she watched Scarlet closely, each movement getting ready for combat.

When the bell began to toll, the magic Scarlet unleashed was all the signal Raven needed to know that she was moving into action. Swerving out of the way, she raised a wing up to push away the fabric of her cloak and disappeared but only for a second into her saddlebag to retrieve her knife. She was quick, but not quick enough. By the time she had her knife at the ready and moving forward, the female attacker was on the ground unconscious while Scarlet was locked in combat with the stallion.

What could she do in that moment? Scarlet seemed to have it under control. Magic seemed to win against brute strength and speed this time around as Raven watched in horror, the stallion collapsing from the blade slicing through his knees. She winced, a shudder rushing through her. How much pain the other was suffering could only be told by the way he cried before he was knocked unconscious just as his companion was.

As the dust began to settle around them, Raven moved forward hesitantly, nudging at the mare to ensure she truly was unconscious. There was still life in her, thankfully, but also a warning that eventually she would come around from her daze and return to tracking them. There was no telling, seeing as how the stallion was brutally injured. Who knew if he would be able to walk again, for all Raven could judge by. Before she knew it, Scarlet was calling on her, ordering her to move.

Keep moving, Raven thought to herself. Keep moving as if nothing happened, and the package will be delivered safely to it's destination. And maybe there won't have to be any more unnecessary bloodshed.

If she lingered for longer than needed, there was no telling if Scarlet would continue on this mission on her own. Slowness was not the thing for this job. Raven quickened her pace and hurried to Scarlet's side, icy blue eyes back on track after the train passed by and left a clear opening and view of the Everfree Forest ahead of the pair. Following along the tracks West would lead them over the Ghastly Gorge.

"What you did back there… " Raven spoke carefully, after a long stretch of silence between the two, "I know was for the best. You were much speedier than I. We do need to set an example so other ponies will know who they are dealing with, but I feel bloodshed should be the last resort." Raven had only used her knife once in her life, and that was at the most dire of situations when she used it. Other situations she called on her intellect and figured out a solution without using a weapon. Yet now, it seemed, that perhaps use of her knife would be what she would define as a 'dire' situation. Still, there was no harm in offering up a plan of action if they could do it without that necessity. Scarlet was loaded up with weapons, where Raven had nothing but her own simple personal belongings.

She stopped, surveying their surroundings. Going over the Ghastly Gorge would leave them in the open, but so would going through the Everfree Forest, where more dangers were expected. If they followed the tracks, it would lead them both to Ponyville on the other side. Continuing West would have them crossing the river towards the Whitetail Woods.

"Do you think we should be staying in concentrated areas, like Ponyville, where attackers may be more hesitant in fighting out in public, or should we avoid the cities altogether and stay in forested areas?" It was a logical question, one that they had to decide upon so that their path was more clear in which direction they would be heading in.

[ForgottenExistance]

Scarlet continued walking while her companion lingered behind, not willing to risk slowing down or even stopping to let her companion catch up. The mission was the most important thing for the moment, and if she had to get to the Frozen North by herself, she would be more then willing to do so. However, she knew that her chances of survival were higher if her companion actually caught up to her, so despite her refusal to turn around and wait, a little voice in her head rooted for Raven to pick up the pace and continue on their way.

It was strange to travel with a companion, it had been so long since Scarlet had started traveling by herself. Of course, while the initial reaction was skepticism, the protectiveness that was inherit in her nature was already writing itself into the forefront of her mind. Raven, as much as she seemed to be different from Scarlet, was now in her charge, which meant that she would have to make sure that no harm came to her. Time would tell if this would be a benefit or a weakness, but for the moment she would have to focus on moving.

As Raven caught up, Scarlet settled into a steady pace next to her, weighing out her options as she thought of where they would have to go and what they'd be safest doing. There were infinite choices for which direction they could take, but there were only a few that would result in them avoiding conflict and thus keeping their artifact the safest. With that in mind, there'd be a few places she would do her best to avoid, places where magical artifacts would bring more trouble then it was worth, even to someone as experienced in combat as herself.

When Raven spoke, Scarlet almost missed it, lost in her thoughts as she was. Blinking once, then twice in silent contemplation of response, Scarlet glanced over at her companion. Trying to explain the logic behind a critical attack like that to someone who had no obvious formal training was like trying to explain color to someone who was blind. The basic concepts could be grasped, and maybe explained enough that there'd be no reason for regret or skepticism. But it was a situation where quick thinking and even quicker actions were what would result in them both walking away alive.

Opening her mouth after a moment of uncomfortable silence, Scarlet replied, "If I had wanted to kill or seriously injure either of them, I would have. But killing them would potentially endanger the town if they had other comrades somewhere. I acted as I did to minimize casualties, minimize collateral damage, and ensure that they would go after us instead of the town. Both of them will wake up within the hour, and then they'll both be tracking us again. I merely slowed them down temporarily," she concluded, turning her head forward again, not quite satisfied with the answer given.

Noticing her companion halted, Scarlet did the same a few paces in front of her, looking around for a few moments. This would be the last chance she would have to decide which direction they would go in, and arguably the most crucial part of their entire journey. They would have pursuers, and that meant that they'd have to go into land that would be impossible or difficult to traverse without an experienced guide. The immediate response to that train of thought drew her attention directly north of their current position, focusing on the dark expanses of the Everfree Forest.

Looking back at her companion, bright red orbs catching the faint light that filtered through the eye slots of her helmet, she replied with a gesture to their immediate north. Turning her head in that direction, she verbally replied, "We'll cut through the Everfree, we can loose any pursuers in there. After that, we should try to stick to the wilderness as much as possible, but we'll stop in cities or towns if we happen to find ourselves near them. We don't want to endanger civilians with our presence if we have any other choice," she stated before starting off in the direction that she had previously gestured to. Not many would follow them into the forest, hopefully they would be safe for the next few hours. At least safe from attackers who were not wild beasts.