What was I thinking? I had been following the map ever since leaving Appleloosa but I hadn't accounted for the massive distance that I would have to trek to get there. Maybe this is how the old settlers felt when moving along the western frontier of North America. Seriously, it's already been like a whole a hour since I started my journey ,how come I haven't gotten there yet? In frustration I arched my back and stamped on the ground.

buzz

I spun around to see what horrid abomination made that noise. There was nothing there, and I wish I hadn't turned a full 180 as I could now see Appleloosa in the distance. Even worse, Braeburn's house was still somewhat visible, I turned around and continued north. Looking back would bring temptation and make the journey harder to complete. That would be the last time I look back when setting out.

buzzy buzz

Once more I spun around to see what hideous creature had managed to sneak up on me, dang it! I just looked back again, and Appleloosa was still there in the distance. With a sigh I turned back and continued on my journey north. Every once in a while a stray breeze would roll a tumbleweed past me giving a reminder that this place was desolate and it was now more than ever that I hoped I wouldn't really need water that much.

Buzz buzz BUZZ buzzy buzz

Nope I'm not falling for it again this time I will simply ignore it and continue to walk down my lonely road towards oasis. Of course there was no road and I wasn't really feeling that lonely yet, but it's the notion that counts right?

Buzz buzz

Still not looking I don't care what you are or if your going to kill me, I will not turn around again. Suddenly the buzzing started and wouldn't stop, and slowly but surely I started to lift off the ground. Fine fine I'll turn around just don't take me away and kill me! I was surprised to find that I was now hovering in place, and to my further surprise it wasn't something carrying me either! With a turn of my head I noticed my wings were now buzzing furiously to keep me lifted in the air.

"Since when?!" I asked myself utterly stunned, I suppose the wings had always been there, I guess it never really hit me until now that I could actually fly with them. I'm not entirely sure what I did to start them up but at least I know it's possible to fly now. I looked in the direction of Oasis and waited for my wings to take me forward, and I waited, and waited. How do these things work anyways, maybe like a helicopter? Leaning forwards caused me to accelerate confirming my suspicion, it was odd though, I could have sworn that the other changelings had wings as well, why didn't they use them when Braeburn startled us that time? Oh well I'm sure it didn't matter that much after all, they seemed pretty flighty at the time (Ha ha that was terrible).

*   *   *

A days flight had passed by and with it I had gained more knowledge on how to use my wings. I'm not sure how to describe using them, it kind of like shrugging your shoulders but it's also not. You could only understand if you had the wings yourself. After the days flight I realized it was probably about time that I land and look for a place to spend the night. Of course here was a new part that I would get to learn, how to land. I looked down to the ground as I slowed to a hover above it. "Maybe if I-" my wings suddenly stopped and I felt myself drop to the ground. After a moment of pain, I opened my eyes and found myself on a rocky outcropping overlooking much of the landscape. Around me were dunes, cacti, and other rocky mountains littering the land. small shrubs that looked to be barely alive grew in small patches around the base of each rock. In the distant west the sun was beginning to set, casting the sky into a colorful array of oranges reds and yellows that left me in awe. The temperature started to decrease leaving me wondering what I would do to keep warm throughout the night, it might have been a good idea to ask Braeburn for a fire starter or something like that.

I sat down on the cold stone and took my saddle pack off and began to look through it, maybe there was something warm for me inside it. To my surprise I found a rather nice wool blanket that would easily be able to wrap around me. It was a dark green in color and lacked any significant patterns other than those of the weave. I wrapped it around myself and enjoyed the warming sensation that spread throughout my body. At least I would be able to sleep comfortably tonight. I continued to rummage through my saddle bags and only found the map to Oasis. I looked at everything I currently owned and smiled. A blanket, saddle pack, map, and compass, definitely not the worst items to be left with. Considering all I needed to eat was that sweet stuff that floated through the air I felt rather confident. Of course I had no Idea what the sweet stuff in the air was but it also seemed to be out here, even if it was in trace amounts that only filled me a little bit.

*   *   *

I awoke early the next morning and gasped at how chilly the morning air still was. The sun had just barely risen and it was still plenty cold from the heat-less night. Looking around I found nothing had changed during the night and the desert was still as much of a desert as always, just less hot right now. Soon enough my blanket was folded up and placed back in my saddle pack which I then placed on my back. By the way, a saddle pack is a really awkward thing to put on only using hooves. The straps that connected underneath me constricted my movements a little bit and I was lucky that the packs did nothing to interrupt my wings' movements.

One brief look at the compass later and I was hovering in the air again heading towards my destination that lay in the distant lands ahead of me. Today the desert flew past me, archways of stone, dunes that seemed taller than mountains, and plenty of cacti and desert shrubs that dotted the landscape. At one point I thought I saw a dot of water surrounded by palm trees but dismissed it as a mirage, wait was that a flying bison? nah. At one point I saw a large spire like mountain that stretched high into the sky, it looked way to tall too fly to the top of so I decided to land on one of the few flat surfaces it offered. Looking up I confirmed it's peak was beyond the height of any clouds that were in the desert, and way to high for me to reach anytime soon. I looked in the direction of Oasis and gasped at the sight in front of me. A Lake in the middle of the desert and surrounding it were buildings of all kinds. From the distance I couldn't see any movement but I figured that was definitely the place. Looking east I noticed that the sun was beginning to set again. Tonight I would have to sleep out here again but that shouldn't be a problem with Braeburn's blanket at my side.

I set myself up on a wide ledge that overlooked Oasis in the distance. As the sun set and the stars started to populate the morning sky I smiled to myself.

"Almost there, maybe tomorrow I can start getting some answers as to why I'm here" I said to myself before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

*   *   *

"Seedling, awaken". I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark area surrounded by clouds of purple and black.

"Who's there!?" I shouted out not realizing where I was or who it was that had awoken me. The clouds before me separated revealing a very tall changeling that was the same color as me.

"Seedling at last, we meet, though I wish it were more face to face" The white changeling before me spoke. I realized it was the voice that had awakened me on the first day I came here.

"You're-" I started before being cut off.

"Seedling, I'm sorry but there isn't much time so any questions you may have will have to be answered by the others," I held my tongue but felt a little annoyed for not being able to speak. "Listen to me very carefully the place you are headed to Oasis is in terrible need of your assistance, I wish I could help you but all I can say is that you're very capable of doing this job and that you must believe in yourself in order to complete it" She looked at me with sorrow before speaking again "I wish I could tell you more, and I know what I have said tells you nothing but I can't say anymore without putting you in terrible danger". I felt my stomach drop, what did she mean danger? What was it that I had to do in Oasis that I might think I'm not capable of doing? I had so many things to ask but the dream was starting to fade, and the changeling along with it.

"Wait I need to ask you!" I shouted at at the disappearing image, she frowned and bowed her head to me before disappearing completely and leaving me standing in the dark. I found myself standing at the edge of the cliff I had fallen asleep on last night. The sun was in the sky and behind me Braeburn's blanket was sprawled out in the dust. I looked around and sighed before packing up the blanket. Today I would reach Oasis and maybe then I could get some answers from who ever it was I would meet. Next Chapter: Oasis and The Hive Estimated time remaining: 9 Minutes