Author's Notes:

💕Happy Valentines Day!💕

💟💟💟💟

Chapter about 4 months after the last one

Dusty Stride's breath puffed out into the frigid, late autumn air as his hooves plodded tirelessly along through the rolling hills of the golden grasslands. He and five other ponies, arranged out behind him, were traveling west with full packs loaded down onto their backs. This was to be the first of their monthly deliveries to Flutter Fly and the Pegasi.

Draped over him was the gift that Tranquil had made for him: a mantle, woven from simple plant fibers. It hooked around his neck and covered his back and sides. It's construction was a marvel that he treasured as much as his packs. Its tight weaves did a wonderful job protecting him from the chilling air, helping him to keep warm.

Wearing a similar mantle, Tranquil Charm followed along behind him. Unlike the one she had made for him, she had fashioned hers to also cover her head and neck. Soon after she joined the herd, she became interested in the weaving crafts. Learning quickly, it wasn't long before she began to improve on it, cleverly devising new weaves on her own and trying new materials. It became apparent that her meager skill with magic was capable of extraordinarily fine control that helped her immensely in weaving the finer threads she created together. It was when she completed her first mantle and gave it to Dusty that she got her cutie mark of a billowing mantle on her flanks.

Skye had been so happy for her. The two had become very much like sisters since she started living with them. Oftentimes, Dusty would find the two with their heads close together whispering and giggling about something or other and the looks they directed at him made him feel a bit nervous for some reason. When he had gone to Strongbuck about it, he told him that when two mares were like that, it was probably wise for a stallion to just keep his muzzle out of such things.

The sky had been clear when they left the previous morning, but when they woke this morning, they found clouds had moved in during the night and the air had become noticeably colder. During the day, the clouds were slowly building onto each other. Stopping, Dusty lifted his muzzle and sniffed at the air. Without warning, he felt a soft muzzle shove up into a rather sensitive area as Tranquil walked right into his backside.

Stumbling back, she gave him an embarrassed look. "Ah... sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

Dusty had been surprised when Tranquil had asked to come, and even more so when Skye supported her in it. Dusty couldn't help but feel that the two of them were up to something.

"What's the matter?" Blue Swirl asked, stopping next to them. Her cutie mark was a swirl of blue stars.

"There's a storm coming," Dusty answered. "I can smell snow in the air."

A tall stallion, with unusually long legs and a cutie mark of a sun that was half hidden by a horizon, stepped over to them. "Afraid of a little weather?" Far Treader asked. Bending in close to Blue Swirl, he gave her a smile. "If you get cold, I'll be happy to help warm you back up." Despite having four mares already back home, he never missed a chance to flirt.

Blue folded her ears back as she glared at the stallion. "If you try to touch me, you'll be taking back a stump."

"It does look like storm is blowing in," Kindwhinny said, cutting in as she looked up. She didn't like to see ponies fighting, and always tried to help settle disputes. Her cutie mark was a dove holding a olive branch. "Perhaps we should turn back and find someplace to camp."

"And lose a whole day because of some clouds?" Flint Heart snapped gruffly as he passed. "We're Earth Ponies. We can handle a bit of weather." He was missing a piece of his right ear, and as if to mimic this, his cutie mark was a stone heart that had a chip missing from its corner. "We'll find a place to camp up ahead, so stop staring up at the pretty clouds and lets get a move on. We're wasting time."

Seeing him pushing on, the others slowly fell in behind him. Dusty felt that continuing on was a mistake, but he found himself hesitant to voice it. He was the youngest one in the party and the only one without a cutie mark. Swallowing his unease, Dusty reluctantly followed after the others with Tranquil joining in beside him.

Flint set a hard pace that ate up the distance. Tranquil struggled to keep up and was slowly falling further behind. Dusty fell back with her as the others pressed further ahead. Seeing a need to do something, Dusty took Tranquil's packs from her and settled them higher up on his withers, beside of his own packs.

Relieved of the weight, Tranquil was able to pick up her pace enough for them to catch up to the others. It was then that the first few snowflakes began to drift down. Ignoring it, Flint had them push on. The wind began to pick up as it swept down from the north.

"Dusty," Tranquil said, walking beside him. " I'm worried. It's getting really cold."

Looking ahead, Dusty saw that Kindwhinny was shivering, and her steps were growing increasingly unsteady. Blue was talking to her, trying to keep her going. Falling in beside the two mares, Far Stride bent in close and said something to them. Whatever he said, it caused Blue Swirl to angrily lash out at the grinning stallion and buck her hoof out at him. Just missing him as he danced away.

The weather grew increasingly worse as they bore onward. The snow began to blow in at them, piling up to their fetlocks as the wind howled across the rolling grasslands. Walking along beside him, Tranquil tried to shelter herself as best as she could from the worst of the wind and snow. Dusty's legs were shivering under him as he looked around. Blue Swirl was alongside Kindwhinny, supporting her as best she could. Far Treader wasn't doing much better; his whole body was shivering so much his teeth was chattering. With his head bowed down and snow piling up against his side, Flint Heart stubbornly kept going.

Seeing all this, something inside Dusty finally snapped. Furling his brow, Dusty quickened his pace and trotted up to Flint Heart. "We're not going to make it! We're going to freeze unless we get out of this wind!"

Flint Heart didn't seem to hear him as he continued walking.

Anger rose up in Dusty. How could this stallion be so callous!? "Didn't you hear me!? We need to find shelter!"

Flint Heart's eyes stared dully ahead. "We... need to keep going," he muttered.

Dusty's anger flared into a rage, and he stepped into Flint's way. "No! If we keep going, ponies are going to die!"

Flint Heart walked into him and stumbled back, blinking at him dumbly. Seeing the dazed look in Flint's eyes, Dusty realized that he was barely conscious. The only thing keeping the stallion going was his own stubbornness.

By now, the others had caught up and gathered around. Looking around at their frigid faces, Dusty decided that he needed to make a decision. "We're stopping. Let's find shelter and wait out this storm."

"Where?" Blue Swirl asked. "There are no trees or bushes out here. Nothing to shelter ourselves with."

"What do we do?" Kindwhinny asked, her lips shivering.

"We're going to die out here," Far Treader muttered drolly, his head hung down. "I'll never see my darly mares again."

Looking around, Dusty couldn't make out much in the blowing snow. What could they do? The only thing they had to use were the things they had brought with them. The packs! An idea came to him. "We're not going to die," Dusty declared firmly. "All of you come with me."

Turning back, Dusty lead them back to a small gully they had passed. Flint Heart had to be pushed to make him follow. Within the small gully, the wind wasn't as bad and Dusty quickly got to work. Using their packs, he had them set them out next to each other to create a series of windbreaks. Using their hooves, he had them dig out the snow between the packs so they could set the grass mats into the spaces for them to lay on. Then using the rest of the mats, he had them cover them over, using the spears they had brought to support them across.

Finished, each makeshift shelter was just barely big enough to hold two ponies. Dusty gave his mantle to Blue Swirl and Kindwhinny for them to use as they took the first shelter together. Grumbling to himself that none of the mares wanted to share with him, Far Treader was forced to pair up with Flint Heart in the second one. Dusty then climbed into the last shelter.

Squirming into place, Dusty found himself laying face to face with Tranquil. Despite the cold, Dusty suddenly felt like he was sitting too close to a campfire as he looked into her big, garnet eyes. Tranquil's horn lit up and Dusty felt her shift her mantle to lay over him. Not knowing what else to do with his hooves, he wrapped them around her shivering body and held her close.

Outside their shelter, they could hear the wind howling by as snow piled up around them. Closing his eyes, Dusty tried his best to slow his racing heart.

"You... you were amazing, today."

Dusty opened his eyes and met Tranquil's. "What do you mean?"

"Confronting Flint Heart and coming up with these clever shelters," Tranquil said. "We all would have died out there if it hadn't of been for you.

There was something that Dusty had been wanting to ask her since they left. Now that they were alone, it seemed like a good time for him to ask. "Tranquil. Why did you ask to come?"

Tranquil's body stiffened against him as her eyes broke away.

"Was this Skye's idea?" Dusty asked. "Was she pushing you into something?"

Tranquil's eyes shot back to his, "No!" She said, quickly shaking her head. "She didn't push me into anything. I wanted to come."

"Then why?" Dusty asked. "Why did you want to come?"

With a whimper, Tranquil buried her face into his chest and murmured something into his fur he wasn't able to make out. When he pressed her again, she shook her head against him and answered simply. "It's a secret."

Tranquil refused to answer anymore questions after that and Dusty was forced to give up. Settling his head down, Dusty listened to the blizzard as it raged just outside their tiny makeshift shelter. Tranquil's shivering had stopped and Dusty noticed her soft breaths against his chest had slowed as she slept.

By morning, the storm had passed. Digging themselves out, they found the grasslands around them were completely covered in a blanket of white. The sky was clear and glittered in the morning sunlight. Eating a meal of hay and dried fruit, they repacked their supplies and set off. Flint Heart was back to his normal self again and pushed them harder than ever. Crossing the grasslands, they came to a thick forest that stretched out over a range of hills. Dropping into a small river valley, they stopped by the edge of a frozen river.

"Should we cross?” Blue Swirl asked, looking out over the river.

"It looks solid enough," Far Treader said, tapping his hoof onto the ice.

Kindwhinny shook her head. "I don't know. I was taught that crossing frozen lakes and streams was very dangerous."

Flint Heart let out a grunt. "Well. The river's not going to cross itself," he declared, stepping out onto the ice. "Come on. We're wasting time."

Dusty had a terrible feeling that marching out there was a horrible idea. Leaping forward, Dusty grabbed Flint Heart's tail in his mouth and hauled back. "Stop!"

"What are you doing!? Stop pulling my tail!" Flint Heart snapped, angrily yanking his tail out of Dusty's grip. "We need to get across and sitting here talking about it is solving nothing!"

Dusty felt his anger rising. Flint Heart was the most recklessly foolish pony he had ever seen! He never considered the safety of others nor does he seek out other options to a problem than just going straight at it. "Stop acting like a fool! Did you think of what would happen if you broke through the ice?"

Flint Heart blinked down at him. "I would just get wet. There's no harm in that."

Dusty shoved his hoof out and pointed out at the ice. "That is a river! Just because it's covered in ice doesn't mean that it's not still flowing! If you were to fall through, you would be carried away under the ice with no way back up to breathe! Don't you ever think anything through or is your solution for everything just to ignore it and keep going!?"

Panting for breath, he noticed that everypony was staring at him. Flint had actually backed away from him and was looking at him like he had just grown a horn. Dusty realized that he'd been yelling.

"Well then," Flint Heart grunted. "If you think you know better, then you can just figure out a way to get us across."

"Yes," Kindwhinny exclaimed. "That's a wonderful idea!"

"I agree," Blue Swirl added with a smile at him.

"Okay, then," Far Treader said, clapping his hoof onto Dusty's back. "You're in charge now; what do we do?"

Dusty was surprised. He was not expecting something like this to happen to him. Looking around, he saw them all gazing back at him expectantly as they waited for him to make his decision. What should he do? He noticed Tranquil was smiling at him as her eyes showed confidence and trust. Thinking quickly, he started to work out a plan.

"Everypony, take off your packs," Dusty ordered. "This is what we are going to do."

Kicking over an old rotten tree, they broke it apart until they had a large piece to set all their packs into. Pushing their makeshift sled onto the edge of the ice, Dusty checked the rope that was tied around him. Ready, Dusty began to carefully walk out onto the river. Picking his hoofsteps with care, Dusty slowly worked his way across, using a spear shaft to tap on the ice. Trailing along behind him, Blue Swirl followed with Tranquil Charm, Far Treader, Kindwhinny, and Flint Heart coming up in order behind her.

Dusty kept his ears trained onto the ice as he took each of his steps. His heart was pounding in his chest as he expected at any moment to break through and plunge into the frigid waters below. Stepping out onto a patch of milky colored ice, Dusty heard it start popping and crackling under his weight. Quickly stepping back, Dusty moved around it, calling back a warning to the others.

Taking care to keep to the blue tinged parts of the ice, Dusty wove his way to the far shore. Looking back, he watched as Blue Swirl navigated the same path he did until she joined him. Next, Tranquil Charm worked her way through just as carefully as Blue Swirl, and just as she was getting close to shore, there was a sudden cracking pop that split the air. Far Treader, who was following behind her let out a startled scream as he fell through the ice into the frigid water.

Tranquil let out a terrified scream when the rope that was tied to her suddenly jerked taunt and started to pull her back towards the hole. Kindwhinny and Flint Heart were also being dragged across the ice. Far Treader was dragging them in! Reacting quickly, Dusty grabbed the rope that lead to Tranquil and pulled with Blue Swirl halting her just a mere span from falling in. Working together, Dusty and Blue continued to pull as hard as they could.

They needed to get Far Treader out before he drowned! Grunting with the effort, Dusty and Blue hauled back on the line, step by step until Far Treader's head suddenly emerged. Taking a deep coughing breath, Far Treader weakly clutched at the edge of the ice with his hooves.

Working together, they managed to haul Far Treader back onto the ice. Once everypony was safely on the shore, they pulled their supplies the rest of the way over on its sled. Searching around, Dusty found a suitable spot to set up camp nearby in a hollow of trees, and soon they had a fire going. Settling Far Treader next to it, Tranquil and Dusty covered the shivering stallion with their mantles to help warm him back up.

Seeing Flint Heart standing by himself, staring out at the river, Dusty walked over to him. "Are you okay?"

Continuing to stare out, Flint Heart took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "You were right. I am a fool. A fool and an idiot. I would have lead us to disaster if you hadn't of stopped me." Turning away, he walked back to the camp.

The next day, the weather was clear and the snow began to melt, turning the ground into mud that sucked at their hooves as they walked. Flint Heart remained silent and subdued throughout the day as they traveled, keeping himself to the rear of the group. Dusty thought about talking to him, but he couldn't think of anything to say, so he decided to just leave him alone for now and see how he is later.

At noon, they stopped at a small stream to wash their muddy hooves. After eating a meal, they refilled their water-gourds and set off again. The sun moved a few more hoof-spans across the sky when Dusty called a halt.

"What's wrong?" Far Treader asked.

"I believe we're here," Dusty said, pointing to a large rock outcropping that had a crooked tree growing out of its side. "That is where Flutter Fly and the other Pegasi were supposed to be."

Suddenly, they heard a scream and something small came darting out of the trees. It flew out across the field with something exploding out behind it in furious pursuit.

"A Griffon!" Tranquil exclaimed in fright.

Dusty had never seen a Griffon before, only hearing them described in stories. The Griffon's body, tail, and back legs were that of a lion, while its head, wings, and front talons were that of an eagle. Before the Griffon, a lone filly was flying across the field as fast as her little wings could carry her as the Griffon surged after her with each flap of his great eagle wings, his beak snapping at her.

"He's going to catch her!" Kindwhinny exclaimed in horror. "We need to do something!"

Flint Heart was the first to react. Throwing his pack off, he charged past them. Blue and Kindwhinny both followed after, quickly snatching up their spears.

The filly's strength was faltering and Dusty saw that Flint Heart wasn't going to make it in time. "Tranquil! Use your magic to help speed her up!"

"I can't." Tranquil shook her head. "I can only do little things."

"That's all she needs!" Dusty quickly told her. "Just give her a little push."

Tranquil nodded. Focusing her will onto the foal with an intense look of concentration, her horn began to glow with her soft colored magic. The filly started to sparkle. The Griffon opened its beak, and with a resounding crack, it snapped shut, just missing the filly by a hare's breath as she moved just out of his reach.

Flint Heart skidded to an stop next to a old log. With a powerful buck, he sent the log flying, smashing it right into the Griffon as he went to snap at the filly again. With a startled squawk, the Griffon tumbled to the ground and slid to a stop. Blue Swirl and Kindwhinny galloped up and held their spears ready. The exhausted filly continued to frantically fly across the field until Far Treader caught up to her and deftly snatched her out of the air.

Grabbing his spear, Dusty rushed over to the fallen Griffon. Having regained his footing, the Griffon growled at them as it crouched low, his wings flared out threateningly to the sides. "Give me back my morsel, little ponies," the Griffon demanded with a sharp crack of his beak.

Dusty was surprised to hear the Griffon speak. The stories never mentioned that.

"We're not letting you eat that filly!" Kindwhinny shouted furiously, thrusting her spear nearer the Griffon. "You should be ashamed of yourself! Attacking a poor, little, defenseless foal. Don't you have any kind of heart?" None of them had ever seen this side of her before. In fact, none of them thought that she was even capable of getting angry.

"Griffon!" Dusty called out to the creature. "The Pegasi that were here. What have you done to them!?"

"The same thing I will do to you wingless rodents," the Griffon snapped back with a hiss. "Eat."

Behind him, Dusty heard Tranquil gasp in horror. Hearing her, the Griffon's eyes snapped to Tranquil. "A horned one!" Letting out a squawk of terror, the Griffon stumbled back, tripping over his own tail in his haste. "Keep away from me!" Clawing at the ground with his talons and paws, the Griffon leapt into the air, flapping away as fast as he could, nearly colliding with a tree.

Watching the Griffon's hasty departure, Dusty and the others all turned back to looked at Tranquil.

"What did you do?" Blue Swirl asked in amazement.

Tranquil shook her head, befuddled at what had happened. "I... didn't do anything."

"You must have done something," Kindwhinny said. "He was obviously terrified of you."

"No," Flint Heart said, walking over to Tranquil. "The Griffon wasn't afraid of Tranquil." He pointed at her horn. "He was afraid of a unicorn."

"Let me go!"

Far Treader walked over to them, the filly hanging down from his mouth by her tail. Flapping her little wings, she attempted to fly away, but gave up after a futile few moments and dangled back down.

"Oh my," Kindwhinny squealed. "Aren't you just the cutest thing!? Look, Blue! Look at her adorable little wings!"

Bending his head down, Dusty twisted it around to look at the filly. "Hello. What's your name?"

"Are you going to eat me?" the filly asked. "I don't want to be eaten."

Dusty normally would have laughed at such an absurd question, but the reality of just how close the filly had just come to actually being eaten dampened his joviality. "No, sweety. We're not going to eat you. We're trying to find a friend. Do you know where we can find Flutter Fly?"

"You're looking for my mommy?" the filly asked. "Why?"

Dusty blinked in surprise. Despite being rather shy and reserved about talking about herself, Flutter Fly eventually told Skye and Dusty about her daughter. Looking the filly over carefully Dusty could see her resemblance to Flutter Fly. "Are you Butterfly?"

The filly gave a start. "You know my name!?"

"My name is Dusty Stride," he introduced himself. "Your mother helped us out a few moons ago, and she told us about you," Dusty explained. "What's happened to her? Is she okay?"

Butterfly shook her head as she began to weep. "No. The Griffons captured her and most of the others when they arrived. The rest of us have been hiding from their hunting parties ever since. I got careless and that one found me. If it wasn't for you, I would have..." she didn't finish as she began to weep.

"Oh, you poor thing," Kindwhinny murmured, taking the filly from Far Treader to comfort her.

"We need to help them," Blue Swirl said. "We should go back and tell the Herd Father about this. He'll know what to do."

"That'll take too long," Far Treader said. "It took us four days just to get here. By the time help arrives, the Pegasi will be nothing but picked over bones."

"What do we do then?" Kindwhinny asked.

"I think we should drive the Griffons off ourselves," Flint Heart said confidently, taking up his spear. "We faced down worse things. Wolves, a hydra, and spiders. I'm sure we can handle a few overgrown birds."

"You want us to fight them!?" Blue Swirl exclaimed. "Did you see the size of that Griffon’s talons!? He could of gut a pony in a single swipe with them!"

Dusty was thinking about what Flint Heart had said. He didn't agree with his thoughts about attacking the Griffons outright, but there was something to his idea. "Flint Heart is right," Dusty said. Everypony turned to look at him in surprise.

Blue Swirl shook her head. "And I thought you were the sensible one."

"I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out on this." Dusty assured them. "We have in our possession a powerful weapon we can use against them. A weapon they apparently fear a great deal." Everypony glanced around, wondering what he was referring to. Turning, Dusty gestured at Tranquil Charm. "We have her."

"Me!?" Tranquil exclaimed in horror.

"Dusty's right," Blue Swirl said, nodding. "From the way that Griffon acted when he saw her, they're terrified of Unicorns."

"But... But...." Tranquil sputtered. "I'm a worthless no-blood. My magic is so weak, it's practically useless!"

Dusty stepped up to Tranquil and glared down at her. "I will not hear you say such distasteful words ever again! You hear me!? You are not worthless. I can tell you a hundred reasons why you are valuable, and a thousand reasons why you're amazing! What does it matter that you can't blast lightning with a flick of your horn, or hurl boulders like pebbles? Your talents are finer, and more precious than that! Your magic saved that filly's life! If you weren't here, she surely would have been chomped in that Griffon’s beak and swallowed in a single gulp. You're a special pony like no other, and don't you forget it!"

Tranquil blinked up at Dusty, her eyes moist with unshed tears. Dusty suddenly felt his face heating up. He had reacted without thinking.

"Oh my," Kindwhinny said, holding Butterfly more tightly to herself as she gazed at the two.

Blue Swirl grinned, giving Dusty and Tranquil a knowing look.

Butterfly, once she had been extracted from Kindwhinny's grasp, told them where the Griffons had the Pegasi. They were being held inside a small cave a short ways to the north. Stashing the supplies they had brought in a large tree hollow that Butterfly had showed them, Dusty explained to everypony the plan he had come up with.

"You want me to do what!?" Tranquil exclaimed, hearing her part of the plan.

"It's not that bad," Dusty assured her. "We'll be with you the entire time."

"But!... But!..." Tranquil complained.

"It shouldn't be that hard," Blue Swirl added. "Just hold your nose up like you smell something bad and look down on everypony like they're bugs."

Tranquil didn't look very convinced. "Tranquil." Dusty touched her shoulder. "Flutter Fly and the other Pegasi need you. They'll die if you don't do this." Moving his head closer to hers, Dusty softened his voice. "Please. I know you can do this. Out of the thousand things that makes you amazing, your good heart shines the brightest."

Tranquil gazed at him for a moment, before she closed her eyes and nodded. "I'll do it."

With Butterfly showing them the way, they headed toward the cave. With Flint Heart in the lead, Far Treader and Dusty flanked along on the sides with Blue Swirl and Kindwhinny followed along in the rear. Looking nervous, Tranquil Charm walked in the center of their formation. She was trying her best to hold her head up high while looking down her muzzle, but she kept stumbling over her hooves.

Dusty looked over at her. "Can you do something about your horn? It keeps flickering and sputtering."

"I'm sorry," Tranquil said. "I'm trying."

"Dusty. Walk a little closer to her." Blue said, making a nudging gesture with her head. "Trust me. I think it will help."

Curious as to what she was getting at. Dusty did as she asked and swerved a little nearer to Tranquil.

"A little more," Blue Swirl continued, until Dusty felt his shoulder brush up against Tranquil's.

Oddly, Tranquil's horn suddenly brightened and held steady. Kindwhinny and Blue Swirl exchanged amused glances.

Continuing on, they crossed through some trees until they came to a small cave in a clearing along another rock outcropping. Standing outside the cave was a small group of Griffons. After checking their spears and giving Tranquil one last quick word of encouragement, they stepped out. Butterfly flew up and hid into the branches of a tree to watch.

The Griffons quickly spotted them and launched themselves up into the air. Swooping around, they dove down at them but when they spotted Tranquil, they all squawked in fear and veered away. Continuing across, they came to the cave opening where more Griffons had come out.

"Why do you come here, horned pony?" an old Griffon with a crooked beak demanded gruffly.

Coming to a stop, they all stood facing out with their spears held ready. Tranquil stood as tall and straight as she could while looking down her nose. Dusty couldn't help but admire her. Skye was beautiful and Dusty loved her very much, but Tranquil had a beauty of her own. She was longer limbed than Skye and her face was more angular with higher cheekbones. "I... I have c-come to ask-ah... demand that you release all the Pegasi and leave here at once."

"They are ours, horned pony. Leave!" the aged Griffon snapped back.

"The Pegasi belong to the Unicorns," Tranquil answered, her shaky voice gaining strength. "We will not tolerate their loss to a bunch of filthy thieving vultures!"

Dusty was impressed with Tranquil, she was standing up to the Griffons extraordinarily well.

The Griffons all began to hiss at her angrily. "Lies!" One of them said. Dusty recognized him as the one that had been chasing Butterfly.

"I am a Caster of the greatest unicorn tribe of the Black Mountain!" Tranquil shouted in outrage. "How dare you call my words lies! I should blast you all with lightning for this outrageous affront! These lowly Pegasi were tasked by our Great Matriarch, Astral, herself to perform necessary duties! Your foolish interference here will greatly anger our Great Matriarch and unless you immediately release all the Pegasi and leave forthwith, I will be forced to return to tell our Great Matriarch of what you have done here. Her fury will undoubtedly be indescribable."

The Griffons appeared uncertain now, with more than a few looking a bit worried.

Tranquil was doing wonderfully, but Dusty saw that the Griffons needed a little more to push them over. "If you desire proof of my Mistresses words, then I call on you to bring up the Pegasus mare named Flutter Fly. Ask her of the task given to her by the Great Matriarch, Astral," Dusty said. "I urge you to act quickly before my Mistress's vast patience departs this world. For with one utterance from her lips, we will fall upon you foul creatures with great eagerness and cast your ruin upon the ground for the worms to feed on."

The aged Griffon looked a bit startled at this, eyeing Dusty and the others wearily. "Go and fetch this Flutter Fly! Bring her to me!" he ordered. Several of the Griffons disappeared into the cave and after a short while, they reappeared with Flutter Fly. She looked absolutely terrified as she was hauled over to the aged Griffon. "Is it true that the horned ponies hold you under a task?"

Flutter Fly shuddered in fear under the aged Griffon's hard gaze. Only when he repeated himself did she finally nod.

The aged Griffon didn't look pleased at her response. He thrusted his beak closer to the mare. "Who commanded this task upon you? Who!?"

Flutter Fly flinched back and let out a frightened whimper. "It... it was... the Night Mare. Astral. She... she commanded us to gather food for her."

The aged Griffon stared down at her, clacking his crooked beak together as he let out a low growl of anger.

"As you have witnessed with your own ears, the Pegasus has attested to my Mistress's good and true word," Dusty declared, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. "Choose now. Either do as my Mistress commands, or meet your ruin upon our spears. Choose quickly for my Mistress's patience is not boundless."

With a loud growl, the aged Griffon grabbed Flutter Fly and flung her out at their hooves. "Take her! Take them all!"

As the Griffons opened their wings to fly off, Tranquil's voice called out to them. "Remember this and hold it in your heart. The Pegasi and Ground Ponies are no longer prey to you. Feed on them naught or meet our wrath, for you will not find haven from the power we will call down upon you until you cross the far sea. Now leave and bother these ponies nevermore."

The Griffons launched themselves up and flew away. Watching them vanish into the distance, Tranquil staggered as she let out a relieved breath.

"I can't believe it worked!" Blue Swirl exclaimed in disbelief and leaning on her spear.

"I thought my heart was going to stop," Kindwhinny muttered, holding a hoof to her chest.

Flint Heart didn't say a word as he dropped his spear and sat down heavily to the ground.

Far Treader moved to help Flutter Fly back onto her hooves.

Turning to Dusty, Tranquil suddenly flung her hooves around his neck as she fell into him and planted her lips firmly onto his as she soundly kissed him.

Blue Swirl and Kindwhinny glanced at each other and smiled

Breaking their kiss, Tranquil looked at him in startlement. "I... I'm sorry," Tranquil blurted out in a breathless rush. "I just..."

Dusty felt a pleasant flush rush through his body as he looked into her eyes. "It's okay."

Tranquil nodded and stepped back, her eyes having trouble meeting his.

Dusty felt a sense of disappointment when her hooves left him.

Freed, the Pegasi leapt into the air and flew about in joy. Butterfly darted to her mother and embraced her with a happy cry that was matched by her mother. Above them, the Pegasi wove and spun happily in the air in wild celebration. The Griffons were gone!

As the sun grew close to the horizon, Dusty and the others set up camp along the base of the rock outcropping. Collecting the supplies they had hidden in the hollow, they distributed it to the Pegasi .

Keeping one of the packs to the side, Dusty called Flutter Fly over. "This one is to be taken to the Unicorns as the tribute. Dark asked that you not to tell them where it came from.” Dusty explained. “We’ll bring more every month."

"Thank you," Flutter Fly said gratefully. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this."

"That's what friends are for," Dusty said with a smile.

Later that night, as he lay, leaning back against his packs near the campfire, Dusty smiled up at the stars above him. Tranquil was snuggled happily against his side, fast asleep, her soft breaths tickling his fur.

All in all, he thought to himself with a happy sigh, this was a good trip and he was actually looking forward to the next one. Suddenly, a flicker of light caught his attention. Pulling back his mantle, he saw that he now had a cutie mark. A pair of supply packs, with little white wings on their sides, now adorned his flanks.