Author's Notes:

The author I spoke of is actually called Nora Roberts, a New York Times Bestselling author. If you're interested in reading some of her works, go for it, but I will warn you;
1: They are romance novels.
2: They are explicit romance novels.
I could totally see Rarity reading these, btw.

The sudden blaze of silver light from her horn should’ve been warning enough, but it wasn’t. Skyward's eyes narrowed to enraged slits and before the other mares knew it, a hail of pots and pans arced out of the kitchen shrouded in silver aura and began pelting them, along with a slew of furious curses from inside the house as the furious mare gained her hooves. The others took cover instantly outside, ducking the various cooking pieces.

"Rarity, that was sure as sugar NOT TH' RIGHT THING T' SAY!" Applejack shouted at the snowy unicorn mare as she ducked a pot that almost beaned her in the head.

The ivory mare looked utterly mortified as she dodged a tin coffee pot. "I'm sorry! It...it just looked..."

"Never mind what it looked like! Apologize before she decides to start throwing something that's got an EDGE!" Rainbow Dash hollered, then yelped in pain as a kettle smacked her in the flank.

Skyward's rage soared as she now snatched up plates and whipped them at the others. The anger built until she could take it no more, and she slammed her hooves against the floorboards...before she covered her face with her hooves and began to sob, everything in the kitchen crashing down around her. Trouble Shoes, who had stood to the side while she had been throwing everything within 'reach' of her in the direction of her friends, walked over and settled around the sobbing mare, softly nuzzling her and trying to offer what comfort he could. He really couldn’t blame her for getting so angry especially after one of her friends saying something so damned thoughtless like that.

It was hearing their friend crying that made the mares look at one another with guilty faces and they walked back into the house, slowly approaching their friend. Braeburn's house was a right mess to be sure, but it was a given considering how angry Skyward had been. They poked their heads into the kitchen to be greeted with a tender sight...the klutzy Trouble Shoes curled around the normally proud Skyward, who was now sobbing her eyes out into his chest. Needless to say, Applejack was the first to approach.

"Skyward? Are ya okay?"

Trouble Shoes looked up, anger clear in his rugged features as he got up and stepped protectively in front of Skyward, who was weeping into her hooves and glared at the mares. "Ya'll should be 'shamed o' yerselves! She's tryin' somethin' she don' like too much t' find yer sister an' the other two fillies an' all ya can do is tease her?"

The six mares looked away or down, and Applejack removed her hat, approaching the sobbing unicorn mare. "Skyward...we're real sorry. We didn' mean t' hurt yer feelin's. Ah'm real glad yer tryin' so hard t' look fer Apple Bloom. Ya helped her grow so much, an' how t' deal with bullies without raisin' a hoof in anger."

The Haylian mare turned her back; she was hiccupping a little, but she was clearly still angry, and Rainbow Dash stepped forward next. "Yeah. Scootaloo really looks up to you too. I mean...you're not as cool as me...second coolest, but you've kept an eye on her when I couldn't! She tells me how ya passed on the Wind Waker technique to her! She might be even able to fly on her own soon because of what ya did!"

"And Sweetie Belle, you taught her to sing so well! Why, she came home the other day singing a beautiful song I never heard the likes of! I couldn't understand the words of course, but it was just so pretty!"

Fluttershy came up to the upset unicorn and nudged her. "We're so, so sorry Skyward. We understand if you don't want to forgive us. We never meant to hurt your feelings."

Twilight nodded. "But Applejack's right. We overdid it with the teasing. And you did everything you could in the Crystal Empire to get them back when they were foalnapped by those Diamond Dogs. Please...can you forgive us?"

Skyward sniffed, wiping at her eyes and grimacing when she saw the smeared eyeshadow on her hooftip. But seeing that eyeshadow made her remember why she was wearing it. Not to mention they were sincere in their apologies, and at least, unlike some mares she had known, they were true friends. They weren’t laughing at her or jeering anymore—they, unlike Sleek Silk and Plush Velvet, were genuinely remorseful.

"...There art more important things at stake than wounded pride. I…I (sniff) can forgive thee."

Applejack came up beside her and gave her a hug, which the Haylian mare allowed herself to lean into, sniffling a little still. "Still, we shouldn't just up and tease ya like that. We're sorry, sugarcube."

“An’ personally…Ah know fer a fact he’s head over hindquarters fer ya with the look he had on his muzzle,” the orange farmpony whispered to her Haylian friend, who barely hid a bashful giggle behind one hoof as she brushed at her muzzle.

"I didn't know you didn't like dresses, Skyward. I am sorry for all the times I got you to pose for me. I didn't know it made you so uncomfortable."

Skyward turned and shook her head at Rarity. "...It is not that I do not like dresses, Rarity. One rarely, if ever, hath time to wear any, ye know I art a war mage. And the one time I did...let us just say I wast set up for ridicule by a pair of noblemares and I swore never to wear any again. But...in order for Trouble Shoes's plan to work, one must don a dress, and for those three fillies I consider akin to family, I shalt do as such."

Rainbow Dash cocked her head. "What plan?"

Fluttershy patted Skyward's hoof. "And why a dress?"

Trouble Shoes spoke up as he handed Skyward a clean towel for her to wipe her face and muzzle with. "Th' Nettles are a bunch o' right nasty outlaws, an' Ah got a plan t' smoke 'em out. Trouble is, if the Sheriff gets wind o' it he'll ruin th' lot; this here is a rescue, not an ambush; least it ain't one yet. Th' plan was fer me an' Skyward t' go into the Flatlands near Twist an' Turn Canyon, playin' th' part o' a pair o' travelers headin' fer Dodge City..."

Applejack stomped a hoof. "So ya wanted them t' ambush ya an' take ye t' their camp, right?"

The big stallion nodded his head. "Eeeeyup. But Skyward wearin' tha' armor o' hers would spoil it, so she agreed t' gussie herself up t' fool 'em. Ah know they ain’t stupid ‘nough t’ try somethin’ with a pony wearin’ full armor. She kin still take her sword an' her shield, but other than that..."

Rarity grinned and rubbed her hooves together, a crafty look in her eyes. "Well, if it's gussied up she needs to be, I can help her with that. Come, Skyward. We've a disguise to conjure!"

Applejack nodded, slanting her hat sideways a tad; this usually told other ponies she meant business. "An' Trouble Shoes, ya come on over here an' 'splain this here plan to us. Ye're gonna need help...Braeburn an’ Red Delicious told me 'bout th' Nettles. They’re worse than rotten apples an’ onions trapped in a barrel on a summer day."

"I sent a message to Princess Cadence too. Shining Armor's coming out here with some guards but they won't be here until very late tonight because he has to come all the way from the Crystal Empire. Apparently, the Nettle family is wanted in the Crystal Empire for past crimes committed..."

While the others talked strategy, Skyward sat in Rarity’s guest bedroom while Rarity fussed with her mane, tail, and re-applied makeup, adjusting the sky blue dress the Haylian mare was wearing, shaking her head afterwards.

"Skyward, I just want to say I am ever so sorry for making you cry. That was never my intention. It...it just seemed like something straight out of a Nora Reinberts romance novel..."

Skyward flushed a little; she had read a few of those on the sly once she was able to read fluently in Equestrian; the mare in question was an exceptionally good author…even if the kind of book she wrote was one of those erotic romance novels—emphasis on ‘erotic’ considering some of the book in question was…explicit.

"...One will admit the way things looked, it seemed that way. But, I do not think Trouble Shoes wouldst bother with a mare like me. I am, after all, a unicorn, not an earth pony. Most earth ponies do not like unicorns, and thou knowest why."

The ivory unicorn tossed her head as she looked through her saddlebags. "Oh, poppycock. I don't think he gives a hay bale about that! I saw how he looked at you, Skyward. Like you were the most precious thing in the world to him. But...you looked a little scared..."

"...One wast hurt before, Rarity. Badly.”

“How so? That is…if you feel comfortable telling me what happened.”

Skyward bit her lip, taking a breath before she continued. "...I knew two pegasi stallions in Hayrule who I thought were interested in me as a lover...and foalish, inexperienced me dared think one of them would claim me as their mate. However my teacher, Princess Zelda, showed me their true intentions. All they wanted was a roll in the leaves, nothing more. I told myself from that point on, mine path in life would be Din's Blade, Nayru's Arts, Farore's Shield and romance would mean nothing. I do not know if thou knowest how it feels..."

Rarity hugged her, giving her a sad, knowing look of her own. "Believe me, my dear, I do. I’ll tell you about the Grand Galloping Gala incident sometime. But trust me when I say I do believe Trouble Shoes loves you."

"...And if I find mine way back to Hayrule? What then? I could not bear to hurt him, Rarity. Eventually the princesses may find me a way home, or I fulfill my destiny, but then what? I find that now I do not want to leave Equestria, and yet..."

Skyward bowed her head, pressing a hoof to her chest, tears slipping free from her eyes and showing her inner torment. “One is torn between duty and love, and I canst choose between them…I want to remain, I want to stay with him, always, and yet…”

The ivory unicorn mare hugged her tightly, seeing how anguished her friend was. "I am sure our respective princesses may find a way for you to remain here when you settle your score with those two vile unicorn nags and their disgusting leader. But, do not think of that now. And even if you can't go back...well..."

Rarity winked at her. "Maybe you'll be able to get more than just a kiss from him, hmm?"

Her answer was a pillow to the face, followed by laughter as Rarity styled her mane expertly and added a bejeweled clip to it, followed by silver-blue eyeshadow and lip gloss. She took the dress Trouble Shoes had brought Skyward, examined it, then tsked, tossing it disdainfully aside, and pulling another one out of her saddlebags, a rush of shimmering violet and silver silk.

"Honestly, Rarity....it hath only been a few days, a week at most. Mere infatuation would be mine guess...?"

Rarity chuckled. "Trust me. There is something called 'love at first sight', you know."

Skyward looked away, ears falling and eyes turning sorrowful. "Rarity..."

The unicorn mare closed her makeup compact and looked at the other unicorn, giving her a warm smile. "I'm not Applejack, but anypony can see how much he admires you. Just let down your walls for him, dear. Now, come: we've a show to put on!"

"I just hope this works."

They came downstairs and Twilight was the first to notice them. "So, how'd it go?"

Rarity smiled and grandiosely waved her left forehoof: Skyward descended the stairs, resplendent in a violet and silver silk dress, the front yoke a gleaming silver with a pair of silver wings tipped with indigo spread out over her chest, slowly darkening to a rich violet to the back. There were multiple sheer layers of bluish-purple silk to the barding drape—no elaborate saddle arch on the back—this wasn’t a ball gown, but the layers added a touch of mystery to the otherwise simple dress.

Her mane was slightly curled to give it a gentle wavy look, and it was left loose and flowing with a topaz and tanzanite clip to hold it together at the back with a violet sunbonnet to hide her horn. Light violet and silver eyeshadow with a hint of pale blue graced her eyelids...simple, but it enhanced her looks considerably.

Pinkie Pie squealed. "Ooooooo you look soooooo cute!"

Skyward rolled her eyes and made to facehoof but Rarity stopped her. "Ah-ah-ah; you do that and you'll ruin the look."

Skyward growled and flicked her tail, grasping her sword and shield in her magic and studying them closely. "How to hide these now...one must be able to use them at a moment's notice..."

Because she was looking at her shield and sword so intently and mumbling over various stratagems, she didn't notice the others glancing back between her and Trouble Shoes, who hadn't stopped staring at her since she had come down the stairs. Rainbow Dash choked back a belly laugh, but she couldn’t stifle the snort she produced and Skyward looked up, a confused frown on her face.

"What?"

Rainbow thought fast; she REALLY didn't want Skyward telekinetically flinging anything else at her and snickered a little more. "Just....just thinking...the looks on their faces when we spring the trap on 'em," the rainbow maned pegasus giggled. Skyward angled an eyebrow but then smirked. "'T'will be worth it, one is sure. But...how to hide these...this dress is not made for such and thou can bet thy flank we will need weapons..."

Twilight shoved back her own giggling and approached Skyward with a smile. "I'll help you with that. I've got this 'Mini-Maker' spell you can use..."

Applejack caught motion out of the corner of her eye and noticed Trouble Shoes walking outside. She followed the huge stallion and sat next to him, giving him a nudge.

"So...ya like her, huh?"

The massive Clydesdale-esque stallion sighed and shook his head. "Yeah…she shore is somethin' else, but...she's a warrior, able t' take care o' herself. Word o' her kickin' the flanks of those Diamond Dogs reached even here. She don' need a klutz like me 'round."

Applejack rolled her eyes and walked around him to look him in the eye. "Now ya shut that nonsense up right now, Trouble. Ah'm gonna tell ya right now, if there wuz a pony that mare needs, t'would be you. An' before ya start denyin' it, Ah'm gonna tell ya why. Skyward's not used t' bein' treated like a lady. Sure, she's a war mage, a fighter, an' she sure as hay is tougher than steel when she needs t' be. But ya git 'er outta that armor, an' what do ya got left?"

The farm pony pointed a hoof at him. "What ya got left is a sweet as apple pie mare who wants that kind of attention, who wants to find love, but she sure as hay ain't gonna go lookin' fer it, and ya know why? Betcha pies t' fritters she's been hurt before, an' ya know she ain't the kind o' mare what trusts easy."

Trouble Shoes put a hoof to his chin, thinking hard. What Applejack said made sense: that and the uncertainty he had seen in Skyward's eyes when he was lying atop her, the fear...

The lightbulb suddenly went on in Trouble Shoes's head. Fear. That was it. She wasn't afraid of him, but afraid of being hurt again. The armor she wore was not just because she WAS used to wearing it, but because it was a safeguard for her. That armor acted as two shields, not just one...armor to show she wasn't to be messed with physically, but it also gave her the confidence she had lost so long ago. Seeing he was getting the picture, Applejack continued.

"Now Ah know Skyward well 'nough t' tell ya this. She's sorta like me, a no-frills pony. But, she does like bein' a lady every now an' again. Tell me, ya liked that dress on her?"

"...I done told her she looked prettier than a summer sky. An' she does. Even if she didn' have that there dress and bonnet on she's still a sweet thing. She's always up front, the first t' start th' charge when somepony's in trouble. Dunno iffen it's that there trainin' she got wherever she came from, but..."

The massive stallion shook his head and sighed. "That 'get up an' git 'r done' attitude o' hers is one o' the reasons I care 'bout her so much. She don' mess 'round when it comes to th' safety o' other ponies an' she gives her all every time. Surprised she ain't in the Equestrian Army, or in Canterlot as a royal guardspony."

Applejack snorted a little at that; boy howdy if Trouble Shoes only knew Skyward's past! But the farmpony continued to speak. "If she wanted t' be ya know she would, Trouble. But she ain't that kind o' pony. If ya want her bad 'nough, yer gonna have t' show her ya mean her no harm. She's puttin' her own fears aside t' save mah sister an' her friends. An' that takes real courage."

The farmpony put her Stetson back on her head and bumped him with one hoof. "C'mon. We gotta git goin' before sunset. But think about what Ah said, Trouble Shoes."

The stallion followed the orange mare back inside...Skyward's sword and shield were nowhere to be seen, but he knew she had to have them hidden somewhere.

"So, we ready? Whut's th' plan, girls?"

Rainbow Dash slapped a hoof against the floor. "So its gonna go like this. Trouble Shoes and Skyward are gonna travel towards Dodge City, but they’re gonna use the Flatlands trail to get there..."

Twilight picked up from where Rainbow Dash left off. "If the Nettles are there; they'll ambush both of you, and take you two to their camp. Skyward, make sure you hang onto your sword and shield. They're hidden in your mane, so don't let the Nettles find them."

"Understood. I wilt ask permission to defend myself and Trouble Shoes if necessary, however."

Twilight eyed her and slowly nodded. "Self-defense only, Skyward. The princesses will understand."

"One wouldst prefer not to shed blood at all, Twilight. Believe me, one should know."

"Aaaanyway, getting back on track here. Me and Fluttershy are gonna be following you guys at a safe distance. Once you guys 'get caught', we'll sneak in and get you two and the girls out. Simple."

Skyward snorted. "Rainbow Dash, nothing tis ever simple. The Nettle clan knows these lands, we do not. And we must be wary of traps. If they hath escaped capture for this long, Goddesses only know what they hath in store."

“That’s where we come in, sugarcube. After you two spring the trap, Spike, Twi an’ Ah are gonna tell the Sheriff what’s goin’ on. The ponies from Appleloosa can comb the area an’ make double apple-pickin’ sure there’s no traps to be had.”

Skyward turned and nodded at her ‘kin sister’. “Thou had best be prepared for a bit of a fight, Applejack. The sheriff is a good stallion dedicated to his cause, I doubt it not, however, every single time, one hath had to pick a verbal fight with him merely to be heard.”

Trouble Shoes nodded at her. “Ah kinda noticed that too. Personally Sky, Ah’m thinkin’ he’s afraid o’ ya.”

Skyward’s mouth fell open; of all the things she had expected, that definitely hadn’t been it. “Wha-wha…afraid? Why in the bloody hay wouldst he fear me?”

Trouble Shoes guffawed, giving her a gentle nudge with one hoof. “Mostly cause ya proved t’ him yer no slouch when it comes t’ doin’ what he does all th’ time, an’ he’s afraid yer gonna take his place. Mayor Gold Star’s been talkin’ ‘bout askin’ ya t’ stay ‘ere t’ protect Appleloosa.”

The Haylian mare shook her head, rolling her eyes. “As much as one wouldst like to accept that offer, one cannot right now. I hath obligations elsewhere as it is (she flicked a knowing look at Trouble Shoes, who grinned back at her) so he hath no reason to fear me.”

“Umm…not to butt in but could we please get back on track for now? We’re running out of time,” Fluttershy chimed in, and the ponies muttered agreement.

Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat. “Right, so. After you two get caught, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash will follow you two from a safe distance. Spike, Rarity, Applejack and I will talk to Sheriff Silverstar and make sure he knows that my brother’s coming in with some guards to help secure these outlaws—Spike, go write a message to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Let them know we need an official writ of arrest to make sure the Sheriff cooperates without problems.”

“On it,” Spike called as he ran for a quill and parchment, and the sound of scratching on paper was soon heard, followed by a WHOOSH when he spewed fire over the scroll.

The purple unicorn mare gestured to the pink party pony—whose mane and tail had gone flat and a serious look had crossed her face. She was NOT happy in the least that any of the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been foalnapped—again. “Pinkie Pie is going to stalk the Nettles after they’ve got you two and leave a trail for us to find. The trail she’s going to be leaving is one we’re going to be following once we know where the Nettles are and when we get Apple Bloom and her friends back.”

“To what end, Twilight?” Skyward asked with a puzzled look, and the lavender colored mare’s grin was downright wicked even as they heard Spike loudly belch out a reply—and the writ they needed with it.

“Oh, you’re going to LOVE this part. Trust me.”

**************************************

The two ponies cantered down the long trail towards Dodge City, the prairie grasses and flowers around them flourishing for now because of the bounty of rain they had received. There was hardly any dust, which was a good thing—that was the last thing anypony wanted. Skyward firmly checked the urge to glance upward, or behind her, keeping her eyes on the road before her…and on her traveling companion.

It was easy to forget they were the bait for a particularly important capture down the line, considering how beautiful the day was, and how lush the Flatlands looked after a good hard rain. The sweet scent of prairie flowers, grasses and rain filled her nose, but she checked the urge to bolt ahead. Trouble Shoes nudged her playfully, before he broke into a run…realizing he wanted her to chase him, Skyward laughed and swiftly ran after him, their laughter filling the skies as they ran across the prairie together.

Sudden rustling in the thick grasses all around them was the only warning either of them received, before a sharp harvesting scythe was suddenly pointing right at her face, making her stop short and rear up with an unfeigned gasp of surprise. Skyward backed up hastily and bumped right into Trouble Shoes, who caught her before she could stumble and fall; he’d come up from behind her to attempt a playful tackle if he could get away with it. The six smirking, unshaven stallions rose from the tall grasses as if they were ghosts from disturbed graves, and quickly surrounded her and Trouble Shoes, and the Clydesdale like stallion knew his companion was fighting every instinct to lash out after the nasty shock she’d gotten from having a weapon pointed at her face.

"Easy now. Remember, we gotta git caught."

"I know...just...not easy..."

His lips brushed her ear and made her gasp slightly despite herself. "Ah know, sugarcube. But don' worry. Ah won't let anythin' happen t' ya."

Skyward was about to reply, despite the warm feeling unfurling in her chest at his words, but a rougher voice and an even rougher grasp at her foreleg caught her attention.

"Well, well, well...what do we got here, fellers?"

Another stallion, his coat a dirty green with a dark purple mane and bearing a thistle cutie mark laughed as he leaned over to nuzzle into Skyward’s mane, much to her revulsion. "A right purty lil’ prairie blossom's whut it looks lahke t' me, Stingin' Nettle!"

"Ya'll leave her be; she ain't done nothin' t' ya!"

Trouble Shoes didn't even have to fake the anger in his tone; the sight of those stallions with their hooves all over Skyward was more than enough to get his blood boiling. And klutz or not, rodeo clown star or not, he was still larger than they were and dangerous because of it. Stinging Nettle; a grizzled looking stallion with a dark green coat and a bristly gray/white mane and a bundle of well, stinging nettles cutie mark on his flank stalked up to Trouble Shoes and glared at him with his dark brown eyes. He wore a black Stetson and a black vest, and he prodded the bigger stallion in the chest with a sneer.

"Whut, she yer marefriend or somethin', big guy? Yer wife maybe?"

Skyward was very grateful her borrowed sunbonnet hid her face; else the stallion holding onto her would've seen the fierce purple her face had become. Goddesses...

"Tain't none o' yer business. Now, Ah said...leave her alone," Trouble Shoes snapped, stomping one huge hoof and glaring back down at him in turn. Stinging Nettle smirked cruelly up at the bigger stallion before his hoof moved, almost too fast for the eye to follow...

A hissing crack filled the air and Skyward cried out, anger surging in her as she struggled against her captor; the same dirty green colored stallion holding onto her none too gently. Stinging Nettle had struck Trouble Shoes with a riding crop, and pretty hard at that. There was a bruise forming on the bigger stallion's face, and a little blood.

"Ya ain't in any position t' make demands, biggun. Boys, take 'em both...Prairie Nettle, ya'll hold t' that sweet piece o' flank good an' tight now."

The group of stallions led the captured pair down into the canyon proper, unaware of the rainbow maned pegasus and the butter yellow one following them from high above, using clouds to cover their shadows, or the pink party pony slinking along like a sneaky snake right behind them, leaving enchanted paint slathered on grass clumps here and there to mark a trail. The paint was visible to the Mane 6, Trouble Shoes and Skyward, but not to anypony else. Stinging Nettle walked right over to a huge cavern cleverly set under a rock outcropping...the optical illusion was such to the point you wouldn't see it until you rounded the corner.

Once inside, they were led further in... the cavern clearly had signs of the Nettles living here, a rickety table and chairs, six rude looking beds, a crude rock hearth with a fire going in it, a spit and a spider holding a bubbling kettle over the coals, various rock cubbies holding odds and ends...

And a large side cave with a rude prison door that had three small fillies in there, shivering in fear.

"Where we gon' put 'em, Stingin'? We got those three fillies in thar..."

Stinging Nettle snorted. "They're small 'nough, jest shove 'em in, Poison Nettle. But leave th' mare out 'ere fer now. We'll deal with 'er 'usband later on."

Trouble Shoes struggled--act or no act, he didn't want her left alone with those damn bastards. Skyward managed to kick Prairie Nettle in the shin and bolted to Trouble Shoes's side.

“OW! That bucking good-fer-nuthin cunt jest kicked me!”

"Keep them safe! I wilt be fine, please, just get them out of here!" she whisper-hissed to him before she cried out when she was yanked back, then slapped harshly across the muzzle by a poison green colored stallion with a darker green curly mane and tail. "Don' ya dare kick mah brother, ya nag. Now git over t' the hearth an' start cookin'."

Seeing that disrespectful act, Trouble Shoes reared, slamming his hooves against the bars of his makeshift prison, rage surging to the fore; how DARE that sonuvabitch strike Skyward like that! The poison green stallion saw his display of anger and smirked at him wickedly before sauntering off.

"...when Ah git outta here, she's gonna be th' least o' yer problems, ya buckin’ piece o’ crow bait," Trouble Shoes hissed under his breath as he glared daggers at Poison Nettle's back.

"Trouble Shoes? That you?"

The big rodeo star turned around to see the three fillies behind him, and his heart broke at the pitiful sight. All three of them looked exhausted, and clearly bore whip and strike marks. They were filthy and Trouble Shoes knew they had to be hungry and cold as well. He quickly put a hoof over Apple Bloom's mouth before she could blow his cover.

"Hush! Keep it down, all of ya...Skyward an' Ah came t' rescue ya. Yer sister an' th' others are outside...we jest need t' make sure ya'll stay quiet, all right? Don' blow our cover now."

The three fillies quieted down, hunkering near the big stallion for safety, comfort and warmth. "Where's Skyward?" Sweetie Belle asked, and Trouble Shoes moved his head enough in the disguised unicorn's direction.

"Over thar; Ah jest hope she's gonna be all right."

He tensed when a flame red stallion with a black mane and tail came up and swatted her on the flank...Skyward flinched, and he knew she had to have restrained the urge to kick him in response. He heard Scootaloo growl, and he had to grin despite their situation.

"I wish she'd bash him in the face with her shield. POW!"

"Yeah, serve 'em up a shield and sword combo to the face," Sweetie Belle hissed, and Trouble Shoes barely hid a snicker at that image in his head. And he knew she'd do it, too; she had enough fire in her for it.

"Oh don' worry. She will. Jest not time yet fer it."

Skyward, in the meantime, eyed her surroundings. The walls were solid rock, layers of sandstone and bedrock mushed into one. There were six stallion ponies, all of them armed with either knives, riding crops, bullwhips, and one of them even had a harvesting scythe for wheat—the same one that had been pointed at her face. She knew three of their names: Stinging Nettle, the leader; Prairie Nettle, and Poison Nettle. She continued stirring the stew she had hastily thrown together with what they had, keeping her ears cocked slightly towards them for snippets of their conversation.

"...gold train comin' through th' pass next week..."

"Too risky; that there train's gonna be guarded all but good, Poison Nettle..."

"Don' be such a yeller bellied sapsucker, Flame Nettle. Geez, yer whinin' is gittin' on mah nerves."

"Ah ain't whinin’, Poison; Ah'm bein' cautious! Horseapples, ya'll know that after that stunt ya pulled with that there ember nettle that Appleloosa's on t' us!"

A slam of a hoof against a tabletop and another voice chimed in. "Never mind th' damned plant, Flame Nettle. But he got sense, Poison; yer too damn reckless. That train is gonna be guarded, an' heavy."

"Buck you, Painted Nettle. Yer sayin' Ah'm too buckin' reckless when all ya do is sit on yer flank an' bitch...iffen Ah didn't do somethin' somepony would've seen us!"

Skyward's eyes narrowed...Stinging, Painted, Flame, Prairie, Poison...but there were six of them…

"Eh, Flame's got a point, Painted. Ya'll gotta admit somepony would have. But that unicorn mare...whooo-ee! Now she's a mare Ah definitely wouldn' mind havin' some fun with!"

A snort. "Silver Leaf Nettle; yer worse than Flame, Ah swear. Ya go sappy over any mare ya see."

"Heh, ya cain't tell me ya wouldn't want this 'un, unicorn or not. Whew...she 'bout gave me a hard-on when Ah saw her pitch that boar on his side like that, near bare hooved."

"Yer kidding, right?"

Skyward scowled as she gathered a tray and bowls, knowing they would want their meal soon most likely. She hissed in pain when something hard hit the back of her head and she winced, lifting a hoof to rub at the spot where she'd been struck.

"Hurry up, ya lazy nag!"

"Poison, buck off. She is still a lady. An' Prairie, iffen Ah see ya grab a mare again like that; Ah don’ care whut Stingin’ says, Ah'm gonna switch ya but good, ya hear? Ain't no wonder she kicked ya before."

"Yes sir..."

(So Painted is the eldest, even if Stinging is the leader,) Skyward thought darkly as she brought the bowls over and served them their stew, resisting the urge to throw it in their faces. Flame Nettle grabbed her by the neckline of her dress and pulled her close, a lascivious smile on his face.

"Mmm...Ah think Ah'm gonna skip dinner and get right t' dessert," he purred. Skyward's eyes narrowed in disgust and fury as the fire red stallion pulled her close to kiss her...

A tin cup sailed in to nail the red stallion in the face and he let her go...she scrambled back, barely able to keep her anger in check.

"The buck was that fer, Painted?!"

The green and red stallion glowered at his younger brother. "We might be outlaws Flame, but there's certain lines ya don' cross an' forcin yaself on a mare is one o' em. Pa would be 'shamed of you if he saw that. Iffen Ah catch ya doin' that again Ah'll take ya out back and whup yer flank myself."

The red stallion subsided at the eldest stallion's warning, but Skyward knew he'd likely try to corner her if he could. Meanwhile the Mane Six had snuck down to the canyon entrance and had seen the whole thing. Applejack looked around at her friends and gestured with one hoof.

"Okay, everypony knows what to do?"

A round of whispered affirmatives, and the six mares slowly snuck into the room. Twilight Sparkle lit her horn and touched it to a pile of dry ice Pinkie Pie had brought with her...and it began to fill the room with icy cold fog. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flapped their wings, sending a breeze into the cavern that carried the fog inward and spread it around. Seeing the tendrils of the fog, Skyward allowed a chilling smile to cross her muzzle...

Soon. Very soon.