That evening, after a full day's hike down the mountain, we were ready to sleep. My thoughts tumbled around, keeping me awake as I gazed at stars that were not what I had been raised with. I couldn't find the Big Dipper, or Orion's belt, or the North Star. A pony would know a bunch of their own heavenly placeholders, likely, but I wasn't one of those.

A warm presence settled down beside me. Water Lily nestled in, but didn't touch, beside being against me. I was quiet, and so was she. I could hear her breathing softly, just... there.

It was a test. I felt certain of that. I would either scold her and tell her to go away, and she would, and never dare approach again. Or... I could welcome her, and she would be happy. She didn't speak. I imagined she was terrified, waiting for me to shoo her away.

Ah, heck. We were both adults. I just had to make a decision. She knew what I was and was obviously alright with it. Frankly, the idea of hugging a pony was not a repugnant one. In some ways, she was a reflection of a good Equestria. She knew no violence, and would be horrified to be subjected to it. She was a speck of innocence in some ways.

I turned in a roll, facing her. She was facing away, her back against me. I reached in the dim light and put an arm around her, brushing through her soft fur. I drew her back, into my embrace and held her. I could feel her tense, her breath catch, but she didn't flee. It was, I realized, a test that ran both ways. If she had fled, I would have never again dared.

But she didn't flee, and neither did I. I held the mare gently and nuzzled into her strong neck. She murmured something, and it sounded happy. I hadn't meant to, but I fell asleep. Perhaps the day had taken more out of me than I had given credit for.

When I woke up, she was gone. I sat up and stretched even as I looked around. It was already quite bright. There wasn't much of a sunrise, just as there wasn't much of a sunset. Celestia grabbed the sun and yanked it right past those moments all too quickly. It was a little sad, to think ponies really didn't get to savor those moments.

Come to think... I looked over at Easy, who was pacing about the campsite. "The sun seems to move on its own most of the day, why does it need help during sunrise and sunset?"

She hiked a brow. "Is that really the first thing on your mind in the morning?" She tossed over a water skin with a flick of her neck. "Have a sip, and let's get moving. We have everything ready to go."

Work stepped under the harness and rose into it, accepting the burden of the wagon. "Would you like something to chew on as we go? You're the last to awaken."

They had already eaten? Such was life. I climbed to my feet quickly. "I can eat while we walk." It wasn't as if I was pulling the wagon. My descent was, relatively, easy. I spotted Water. She was fetching a packet for me and came at a smooth but rapid pace. "Thank you." I took it and didn't resist. I ran a hand over her head, tussling her mane a little on the path.

She smiled brightly and bowed. "As pleases you." And she trotted off with a bounce in her step.

We resumed our journey, pushing on down the mountain. We reached the snaking road and it became easier, but slower. The road was shallow, but long. Easy trotted up beside me. "So, you made up your mind? She any good?"

Did she just ask what I thought she asked? "We cuddled," I said as if that was some kind of ironclad defense and felt absurd for saying it almost instantly. "Anyway... yes, I did make up my mind."

"Good." She looked up at me as she went forward, a feat made easier with her wide and large pony eyes. "She came here for you, it's pretty obvious. You could do worse, as mares go."

Work softly chuffed as he pulled the wagon. "To think, some foreign, if well-mannered, stallion should have more luck than I. The fates are strange indeed."

Easy waved off the complaint. "You have plenty going on for you, you just need to stop being a vagrant, and you're starting that." She pointed up at me, somehow walking on three legs. That... shouldn't really work, but somehow they managed. "He's giving you a job. With that, you get bits. With that, you get security, then the mares will come knocking. You have the rest down fairly well."

"The rest?" he asked, his eyes wandering over the mountainside even as we traversed it. "Whatever do you mean, miss?"

Easy shook her head. "You have a good voice. You're strong enough. You're a literal noble, even if you're down on your luck at the moment. You've been nice, so far I've seen, polite. There's plenty there for a mare to like."

His cheeks darkened, but he didn't argue her. He just focused on pulling the wagon.

I felt a furry presence brush against a leg from behind. There was Water, walking alongside me. I felt something bump against a hand. She was offering a cup of water, held in her magic. I accepted it with a curl of fingers. "Water."

"Yes," she said, as if answering a question.

I realized she thought I was asking if it was Water, instead of speaking her name. "I meant you. Thank you." She had been quite brave the night before. Was it my turn to show some initiative? I decided it was. I reached with my free hand and brushed a few fingers gently along her expressive ears, making them dance at the ticklish dance. "Do you know..." Of course she didn't.

She was a maid. Why would she have any real technical knowledge? Still... It wasn't impossible. Maybe she had hobbies? "Sorry, do you have any hobbies?"

Water laughed gently, and airy sound. "What a thoughtful stallion you are, already eager to learn more about me." She bumped against me lightly. "I like that. When I am not serving, I fancy myself a bit of a botanist, sir. I like learning about different flowers and herbs and what they are used for and how they live."

That wasn't a useless skill, I quickly decided. She could have had a doll collection, or enjoyed opera shows, neither of which would be helpful on our little journey. "That's great, actually. Do you know any plant that can help with soreness?"

"Several," She replied with a smile. "I've collected some as we walked, sir. I'm ready to treat anyone who feels ill." She nodded softly. "I like the way they look, sir, but it's also useful. When someone says they have an upset stomach or they can't get to sleep, I can fetch them a cure from the garden and ease their pain."

Easy suddenly laughed. "Look at that. I was wrong about you, Water Lily, that sounds useful."

Water's happy expression was clouded by the briefest frown. "I endeavor to be useful, ma'am..." She veered off to be closer to Easy, navigating the few rocks that could get under hoof along the way. "I know you do not entirely trust me, ma'am, but I have already sworn to do right. I will do my utmost to keep you all comfortable and safe."

Easy hiked a brow at her fellow mare. "Comfortable I can see, but safe?" She shook her head and closed her eyes for a few steps. "An adept massage or a fetched glass of water is not going to turn bandits or monsters away."

Water's magic brought over a dallop of something and tapped it against Easy's nose. "So you say."

Easy stopped dead in her tracks and hoofed at her nose. "Ack, what is it?!"

"It will keep mosquitos and other pests at bay." Water nodded confidently. "They are small monsters, but I will turn them away."

Easy hopped back to her hooves and hurried to catch up. "Warn a mare before you go tapping her nose with something. It stinks!"

Water shook her head. "It's a quite pleasing floral scent."

"Yeah, sure, until it's practically shoved into your nose." Easy quirked a half-smile. "Just warn me before you do that next time, all I ask."

The dollop hovered over towards me, cradled in Water's magic. I put out a hand. "Put it here, and I'll spread it myself. Thank you." She obediently set some down on my waiting palm for me to apply at my own speed.

Work didn't object when Water applied it to him last. "Thank you, miss. I think they know which of us will flee the least quickly."

I shouldn't have thought that. Water was the last one, dealing with herself only after everyone else was taken care of. "The scent is quite nice, but not to most insects. They will not land on the plant it comes from. That is how I found it. It protects itself from their hunger, and protects us just the same."

Easy shook her head a little. "If only there was one that manticores didn't like the scent of." She moved to the edge of the shallow road, her hooves crunching against the loose rocks. "It feels like we'll be winding on this road forever."

Work approached her, standing on the edge of the road. "We could risk going the short way, miss? If we can keep the wagon under control, it would be significantly faster."

I came up on the wagon from behind and dared giving one of the corners a pull upwards, testing its weight. It was pretty heavy, but glowing unicorn magic grabbed it on the far end, pulling with me. It lifted just barely. Work's horn glowed even as he squirmed free of the harness and he picked up a corner.

It began listing to the side. Easy waved at Water. "Grab the last corner!"

"O-oh!" Her horn lit up and she grabbed the last corner. "I didn't realize. Sorry..." She looked ashamed of her lack of foresight. "This is not too bad, with all of us."

It wasn't. It wasn't light, but it wasn't too heavy either. "Let's try shortcutting." Going downhill, I felt we could do it. This would not work coming back.

We left the road, half-sliding down the rough mountain side. We hit the next snaking of the road quickly though. If the wagon had been rolling, it would have been dangerous, but we could keep our footing if we proceeded carefully, and we kept the wagon up off the ground along the way. The base of the mountain suddenly didn't feel nearly as far away.

I cheered. It was a silly thing. We hadn't overcome any huge obstacle, but still, I felt triumph. "We can do this. Let's cut a few days off our trip." They all nodded, and we hurried forward, buoyed by our moment of cleverness.

By the time the sun was threatening to sink again, we had passed the winding road. The mountain has become foothills. We had officially dismounted the resting place of Canterlot. We were approaching a thick forest. There was a lone half-road that cut through it, where other brave souls had traveled. Of course, in other directions, there was no forest, but those were not directions that lined up with where we wanted to go.

We set up camp there within sight of the forest. Easy shook her head quickly. "We need to set watches. We're officially in danger now." She raised a hoof. "I volunteer for first watch."

I raised a hand. "I'll take third. I can get my phone to wake me up at the right time."

Easy tilted her head. "If it can do that, why not have it do it for all the watches?"

That wasn't an awful idea. "I'll do that."

Work nodded. "I'll take middle watch. Sleeping in naps is something I've learned to do."

Author's Notes:

HAX! Such flagrant cheating. They should be punished for this typo of navigation!

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