The first thing that was apparent was the smell. It wasn't unpleasant, nor unwelcome, but it was overpowering. The scent of pine trees and blooming wildflowers, Skyrim was transitioning from winter to spring. In truth, everypony was expecting the strange world to be filled with monsters and evil magic, but this forest appeared too beautiful to have been left to its own devices.

“Reman said that Nirn worked like the Everfree, that everything took care of itself.” Glade was muttering, still trying to take in the scenery, and actively making an attempt to keep her guard up. Her pack-mate had warned her about the tricks this world liked to play on the unwary. “Everypony stay alert, there are things worse than werewolves that call this place their home.”

As if to provide evidence to the lycan's statement, a massive shadow passed over the forest floor. A roar that made Glade's seem like a yawn filled the air, sending a chill down everypony's spine. Whatever it was, its massive wings sent a gust over the eight ponies, though the pine canopy obscured the beast from view. The monster howled its call again, sending a tremor through the ancient trees. Nopony moved until its roar faded into the distance.

“W-What was t-t-that?” Fluttershy was shaking, thoroughly frightened by the airborne creature.

“I think that was a dragon...” Twilight lifted a piece of parchment from her saddlebag, along with a quill and inkwell. The lavender mare checked another member of the Equestrian bestiary off of her list, and wondered how many traits dragons of Nirn and Equestria shared. “If dragon here are like that, then I suppose it explains Reman's reaction to seeing Spike for the first time.”

“I'm not comfortable standing around like this.” Luna surprised everypony with her words, though they may have been justified. The Elements and Glade knew about the Princess' delving into the Imperial's mind, she knew more about this world than anypony else. “Just let me check the map.” This would have a wonderful idea, if the group's position had been marked on the navigational aid. Realizing that Reman hadn't taken the liberty of locating the party's arrival point, the Princess of Night nearly ripped the piece of aged paper to shreds.

“Something wrong?” Pinkie leaned over the alicorn's shoulder, trying to decipher why Luna's eye suddenly developed a twitch. “Wait! Maybe your Princess Sense is telling you something!”

“Oh, it's telling me something, alright.” With a flat look, Luna pulled her own quill and parchment combo from her bag, intent on getting an updated map from the Imperial in Whiterun. After writing a rather angry note, the Princess sent the map off in a puff of purple fire. “And now we wait.”

“Doesn't Reman need to be awake to get it?” Even to the Element of Loyalty, the plan seemed off by a touch. At the realization, the Princess almost smacked herself in frustration, though when her horn sparked, Luna's attitude quickly changed. With a small plume of blue flames, a neatly rolled map with a small tag under the twine fell to the ground.

“I thought it would be strange for him to be sleeping this late in the day.” Rarity was doing her best to stay on the small rock that she was perched on, lest she touch the muddy ground. She knew that Reman would respond quickly, with an updated map, however, one thing struck her as odd.“But, what does the note say?”

With a frustrated grunt, Luna exposed the small tag's writing.

You are here.

@#@#@#@#@#@#

The Imperial was currently shacked up in Jorrvaskr, taking a rest in one of the lower floor's many rooms. Eorlund Gray-Mane had been kind enough to set Reman up with a suit of the Companions' wolf armor and a sword made of Skyforge steel, despite the Imperial only being an honorary member. Kodlak trusted his advice, though, and that meant something in Skyrim. The old Nord would be tough to convince, but if the group succeeded, the Holds would be much easier to sway. Reman was certain that the old werewolf was only hearing him out because of the small amount of respect he held in Whiterun, however, he knew that Kodlak had a heart too kind to deceive him like that.

Though, perhaps the Harbinger was humoring Reman to boost the sense of brotherhood lycans shared, which was going to become much more necessary in the near future. The Imperial had heard some rather disturbing news while drinking in the Bannered Mare: the Silver Hand was upping its number in Skyrim, being bolstered by some group of vampire slayers. Whoever these Dawnguard characters were, they provided the Silver Hand with a steady supply of crossbows and silver arrowheads, a dangerous combination against werewolves.

Two groups of hunters chasing after the supernatural, and Reman thought he could take things easy for a while.

@#@#@#@#@#@#

Despite the joke, Reman had actually fixed the map, and the mares were well on their way to Skyrim's largest Hold. They were making great time, Whiterun Hold was just over the next cluster of mountains. Of course, the range was still a number of hours away, and across a lake, Lake Ilinalta, if the map was to be believed.

“Couldn't we just follow the White River to Riverwood, instead?” Rarity had a good point, the land seemed fairly flat in that area, whereas the party's current path was supposed to be hilly until they reached the tundra. “The map says that there's a road that leads right to the city.”

“We still don't know how the locals will react to seeing us.” The Princess of Night was correct. So far, it seemed only Glade and Luna had kept on their guard, the lycan mare had actually kept the group from waltzing into a pack of bandits. The bloodthirsty brigands were then wiped out by a group of mercenaries, but that didn't help the small equines in the least. Well, it didn't help the majority, with Glade helping herself to one on the bandits' weapons. Although, given the nature of the experience, perhaps is was best if only Luna, Twilight, and Glade knew about the small group of highwaymen.

“Reman seemed to take it pretty well.” Fluttershy hadn't been around the Imperial much, but he had adapted fairly easily, even if he hadn't given up eating meat. Then again, he wasn't a normal human, if Glade and the Princesses were telling the truth.

“Reman adapts to everything well, even the Equestrian winter, if you recall.” Glade was proud to call the man her forebear.

“Right, his skin doesn't do much for insulation.” Twilight remembered seeing the Imperial walk around without a shirt, even when some ponies wore coats against the cold.

“So some people are going to run away from us, big deal.” Rainbow Dash didn't have a subtle bone in her body, and her current mood wasn't helping her. The cyan pegasus hated being stuck on the ground, flying would attract too much attention, even more because the local had their eyes on the sky in the event of dragon attack.

“The guards are armed, and unlike Equestria's, they kill threats on a regular basis.” Reman had said as much to the lycan, at least the dungeons were easy to escape, the guards didn't patrol them regularly.

“Can we at least stop for a rest?” Rarity wasn't accustomed to long journeys, and traveling for the amount of time that she had, it was amazing that the fashionable pony hadn't keeled over by then. While the group had started on their journey shortly before noon, the sun was beginning to set, and they were barely half-way there.

“We ain't gettin' much further before sunset, might as well make camp here.” Applejack was the most experienced when it came to the outdoors, and if she said this spot was okay, then the other mares couldn't really argue. Besides, it wasn't every day that they had the chance to camp on a lakeshore. Granted, they only had three tents among themselves, and they had exhausted their water supply for the day, the ponies felt that they were prepared for the rest of the trip. The water seemed clean enough to drink, it was so clear, one could see the wreck of a ship under the water, the crowsnest sticking out some distance away.

“If anypony needs me, I'll be bathing.” It was more out of necessity than anything, but Fluttershy needed to keep the others in the loop, in case something happened. Like the dragon came for them, or a monster came out of the water. “C-can I get somepony to come with me?”

“Scare yourself thinking about getting attacked?” Glade laughed a bit, but the Element knew she was joking. Regardless, the lycan joined the shy pegasus in her cleaning, though Glade kept her looted dagger strapped in the sheath on her foreleg. Wading out, the two noticed that the water was indeed clean enough to drink, though it was almost too cold to bathe in, but there weren't exactly many options.

Too distracted by their own thoughts, neither pegasus noticed the dark shape move under the water's surface.